From BB to T5 (6x39) for 32g mixed reef

[KonradTO]

Hi all,
I found a very good deal for an ati sunpower 6x39 dimmable so I decided to switch from my Viparspectra + kessil combo to t5/ t5 hybrid. At the moment in my 32g (15" high) I have mainly LPS and softies buf I am slowly adding more sps (if they survive). I have never measured par properly, but by using a luxmeter to compare intensity between the kessil and the Viparspectra I can make some estimates on the PAR under both fixtures:
Under the vipar I have 200 PAR at the surface, 150 at 12" (from light) and around 50 at 18" (sand). I have a very high rockscape here so tons of space for sps.
Under the kessil about twice of that, but the highest the rockscape goes is 12" from light, that's why I keep PAR higher here.
Now, what should be my approach for the transition in your opinion?
I measured lux under the ATI and it's totally crazy. I have 3 times the intensity from now, so if I don't want to bleach my corals my alternatives would be:

- run the 6 bulbs all dimmed to match light intensity from the kessil in the highest PAR point.

- run 2 bulbs, then turn them off and turn on other 4 bulbs at 100% (so I run 4 bulbs max)

- disconnect one ballast so I can use 2 + 2 instead of 2+4. Not sure if this can damage the other ballasts for some reason.

I also will probably need to move some hammers lower that were previously lit by the vipar, I guess 200ish par is too much for them (?).
You can see from the pic why I have different intensities on the 2 leds

 

[KonradTO]

.

 

[KonradTO]

Bump

 

[wrassie86]

I don't think your supposed to dim new t5 bulbs. Need to be burned in first. If there used bulbs its fine.
If used bulbs I would match the lux and cut the run time to 2hrs 4 bulbs and add 1 hr or so weekly and run 4 of the bulbs 6 hrs or less .the other 2 for 12hrs or what ever your full period was. Once you get the hrs up then work on turning the bulbs brighter.If the bulbs are new I would burn them in first off the tank.

 

[KonradTO]

I don't think your supposed to dim new t5 bulbs. Need to be burned in first. If there used bulbs its fine.
If used bulbs I would match the lux and cut the run time to 2hrs 4 bulbs and add 1 hr or so weekly and run 4 of the bulbs 6 hrs or less .the other 2 for 12hrs or what ever your full period was. Once you get the hrs up then work on turning the bulbs brighter.If the bulbs are new I would burn them in first off the tank.

They are quite old tubes. Probably 1 year old. I am planning to change 1 bulb each month for the next 6 months.
I just need to wait for corals to slowly get used to 100% intensity on the 4 bulbs channel and then I can burn in bulbs

 

[Steven Garland]

I know one thing I have always been told,that T5's usually take about 100-120hrs of burn in time,especially before being dimmed.

You may want to probably run the fixture about 8-10 over the tank,but you may want to use a rimless tank mounted fan to push the eat away from the surface of the water.

I have a 4 bulb Tek over a 24"x10"x10" 9g and at 9" off the water surface it keeps my tank at 80.3 degrees. I removed the 2 inner bulbs and made a hybrid and even with my leds at 100% it keeps the tank at the same temp.

 

[KonradTO]

I know one thing I have always been told,that T5's usually take about 100-120hrs of burn in time,especially before being dimmed.

You may want to probably run the fixture about 8-10 over the tank,but you may want to use a rimless tank mounted fan to push the eat away from the surface of the water.

I have a 4 bulb Tek over a 24"x10"x10" 9g and at 9" off the water surface it keeps my tank at 80.3 degrees. I removed the 2 inner bulbs and made a hybrid and even with my leds at 100% it keeps the tank at the same temp.

At the moment I am running 4 lights at nearly 100% (slowly ramping them up, started from 70%). As sunrise/sunset I am running the second channel with 2 bulbs at 100% for one hour. So basically I can use ch. 2 for burning in the bulbs for 60h before moving them to ch. 1