T5 questions.

[Reefo25]

I have a 60g mix reef tank. Most are pretty new and small. I have a 6 lamp t5 fixture with 2 channels bulbs 1 and 6 on one channel and bulbs 2 through 5 on another. I dont think my tank needs all 6 bulbs right now and was think about running 4 as i am currently using leds that are crazy strong. I was wondering what would be the best way to utilize the 2 channels and what color combos would be best.

 

[FishyDP]

What type of corals are you keeping?

 

[A. grandis]

I have a 60g mix reef tank. Most are pretty new and small. I have a 6 lamp t5 fixture with 2 channels bulbs 1 and 6 on one channel and bulbs 2 through 5 on another. I dont think my tank needs all 6 bulbs right now and was think about running 4 as i am currently using leds that are crazy strong. I was wondering what would be the best way to utilize the 2 channels and what color combos would be best.

If it fits over your tank use all of them. Combo will be on your taste.

 

[Reefo25]

What type of corals are you keeping?

Mix but mostly soft corals

 

[A. grandis]

Yup, use all the 2 channels since the beginning.
If your system is already runnigng with LEDs just use the T5s for less time, like 4 hours a day. Then increase slowly, changing to one more hour every week, til you have like 8 or 9 hours a day, as you wish. You can run a zoa system with 6 T5s no problem at all. The more the better. My recommendation is aways to fill up all the surface area above the tank.

 

[A. grandis]

My personal suggestion for combo goes:
4 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI Coral Plus
1 ATI True Actinic.
or
3 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI Coral Plus
1 ATI True Actinic.
Other bulbs to play with: 10000K, 134000K and 65000K
I would stay away from purple bulbs.
They just don't give you anything better than the ones above in terms of coral health, so it's a waste of space in the combo IMO.
Have fun with T5s. Your corals will love you for that!

 

[Dana Riddle]

My first question is why you want to change from LEDs to T5s? Both can get the job done so it's not that I think one system is inherently better than another just wondering why the switch?

 

[Reefo25]

My personal suggestion for combo goes:
4 ATI Blue Plus
1 ATI Coral Plus
1 ATI True Actinic.
or
3 ATI Blue Plus
2 ATI Coral Plus
1 ATI True Actinic.
Other bulbs to play with: 10000K, 134000K and 65000K
I would stay away from purple bulbs.
They just don't give you anything better than the ones above in terms of coral health, so it's a waste of space in the combo IMO.
Have fun with T5s. Your corals will love you for that!

Thanks that helped a lot! So with both of those combos i would have both channel turn on and off at the same time? I dont have to have like a day mode with normal light it can run with the blues all day?

 

[Reefo25]

My first question is why you want to change from LEDs to T5s? Both can get the job done so it's not that I think one system is inherently better than another just wondering why the switch?

The LEDs I am using now can with the tank that i bought off a guy. Im pretty sure he was running a FOWLR and not a reef tank. They just dont seem bright, even in comparison to my LEDs from my freshwater planted tank. I found a good deal on the t5 fixture so thats why i am switching.

 

[A. grandis]

Thanks that helped a lot! So with both of those combos i would have both channel turn on and off at the same time? I dont have to have like a day mode with normal light it can run with the blues all day?

You can turn only 2 blue bulbs for one hour before the "whites" come on in the morning and leave those 2 blue bulbs on one hour after the "whites" turn off in the evening, if you want. But yes, all blue bulbs will be on during the day with the "whites".

If you choose your photoperiod from 9:00am to 7:00pm:
9:00am to 8:00am = only slot 1 and 6 with Blue Plus bulbs.
8:00am to 6:00pm = all slots on.
6:00pm to 7:00pm = only slot 1 and 6 with Blue Plus bulbs on.

 

[FishyDP]

To create a "sunrise/sunset" effect you could run ch 1+6 say from10am-8p and ch 2-5 12pm-6pm. For bulbs ati blue+ look really nice imo, you could go heavy on those and mix in a day light bulb and a purple..ect.

 

[Reefo25]

Thanks everyone! this helped a lot!