Adding t5s with black box leds

[Smokeshow]

I currently have 2 wells black box leds over my 75 gal. Their 8" over the water. I removed the lens to get a better speed with less of a hot spot in the middle. This is what I got when measuring with a seneye par meter at mid tank. On the sand was 70-90 par. This was with 60% blue and 40% whites

Wanting to get a let t5 retrofit and add a t5 on either side of the leds. My question is what 2 bulbs would compliment my current setup. It looks like I need more in the 430nm and 700nm range so I was thinking ati aquablue special and ati true actinic. I don't have very many corals yet. Mainly zoas. An acan and a jedi mind trick. Looking to get some softies soon.

 

[Semisonyx]

I’ve supplemented Vipars with t5. Works great. I’ve used all the ATI bulbs. I like a whiter 12-14k look and thought the coral+ worked best for me, but any of them will get you where you need to be spectrally for the corals. All depends on how blue you like it.

 

[Dcloser12]

T5s will grow coral alone. You planning on a 8 or 10 hour timer? I have 4 smat farms on 10 hours a day. 90par mid tank and 50 on the sand bed and then for 4 hours 10-2 the t5 come on and boost the tank to 290 mid tank and 150 on the sandbed to simulate high noon. Coral growth is Insane. If you plan on running t5s all day you'd be supplementing the t5s with leds as the leds can be adjusted and t5s cant

 

[Smokeshow]

Currently have the leds come on at 10am and off at 7pm. With the t5 I would probably do something similar. Ill turn down the leds to about 100 par at mid tank and with the t5s hoping to have around 200 mid tank. Have the t5s come on between noon and 2pm or something like that.

 

[Koh23]

Similar setup, only instead black box i have rs90, and 2x54w blue lamp.

I asked same question but didnt get any answer, so i set my t5 from 10 am to 8pm, and leds from 9am to 10pm, but max intensity from 12 to 8pm.....

So its 8 hours max led intensity and 12 hours 2x54w t5 lamps...

When i add two more lamps, i will probably reduce max intensity time to 5-6 hours max, both on led and t5.

Meaning, white channel is set to 25 max, teal channel also 25, uv and reef blue is on 100%

 

[Derrick0580]

What t5 fixture are you running with the black box? Are they attached to the led box or a retro fit inside a canopy?

 

[Smokeshow]

I don't have the t5s yet. Will be a retrofit to fit inside my canopy

 

[oreo54]

I currently have 2 wells black box leds over my 75 gal. Their 8" over the water. I removed the lens to get a better speed with less of a hot spot in the middle. This is what I got when measuring with a seneye par meter at mid tank. On the sand was 70-90 par. This was with 60% blue and 40% whites

Wanting to get a let t5 retrofit and add a t5 on either side of the leds. My question is what 2 bulbs would compliment my current setup. It looks like I need more in the 430nm and 700nm range so I was thinking ati aquablue special and ati true actinic. I don't have very many corals yet. Mainly zoas. An acan and a jedi mind trick. Looking to get some softies soon.

Since the Wills can be adjusted from est. 5500k ( white only channel) to pure 470nm blue ( blue only channel)
your choices are unlimited.

Their chart has a mysterious violet peak which doesn't fit their diode description and the "10000k" est. @100% is off. Well in my estimate. Way higher k than that @100%.

Keep in mind each channel is only about 55w. Lenses punch more par above their weight class though.

If you are shooting for a "fuller" spectrum yea it's a bit short below about 670 and above 445nm.

Est based on your 60/40 and one each of your tubes at 39w a piece
The aquablue special will probably shift your tank to the " blurple" side
None of the t5's have a lot past the 660 led anyways. A little spike at 700nm.

RAYCAL

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1023world.net

You can use that to play with spectrums.
Add ati and use the generic diodes 2 for 1 since they are 1W and bb's generally run diodes at 2W not 3.

LED only:

Estimate using blue plus and aquablue special.
Due to human sensitivity and of course "actual" diodes ....YMMV.

LED +

 

[Koh23]

Depend on number of lamps, if 4, two actinic, one blue and one coral or purple... Best look for my eyes, with little white from black box....

 

[Smokeshow]

Only have about 5" on back and 3" in front of the black box leds. I'm not opposed to getting more retrofit kits and run 6 or even 8 t5s but the leds would be alittle more efficient for the par. Currently the pair of leds run at 68w

 

[Newjimky]

I would go with the Ati blue plus and one coral plus

 

[Smokeshow]

Finally got the t5 retrofit kit. Went with a true actinic in the front and a coral plus in the back.



T5s by themselves are getting an average of 80 par at mid tank and 50 near the bottom. And fill the tank with light far better than just the leds. Have them come on a 8am and off at 8pm as of right now. Over the next few weeks I'll increase the led intensity to be around 220-230par at mid tank

 

[Newjimky]

Looks nice