Adding retro t5 to led fixture

[bcheriyan]

I see a lot of people switch back to t5. I was thinking of switching to ATI Sunpower with 6 t5 and add leds as a supplement . How many have done that ?

Honestly I like the coral growth leds provide but not the color. Also my DIY fixture does not look got Above my tank .. I would like to do a proper enclose it in a proper box. I think the led is best with the with the RB . But T5 should supplement the other spectrum.

 

[jedimasterben]

Nanoboxreef.com

 

[Zoanut]

I see a lot of people switch back to t5. I was thinking of switching to ATI Sunpower with 6 t5 and add leds as a supplement . How many have done that ?

Honestly I like the coral growth leds provide but not the color. Also my DIY fixture does not look got Above my tank .. I would like to do a proper enclose it in a proper box. I think the led is best with the with the RB . But T5 should supplement the other spectrum.

I'm starting up a new tank and going back to T5HO's. I liked the colour of LEDs but always found that the T5HO's had better Actinic. I'm using a 4 T5HO retrofit with the HEP ballasts and going to use royal blue LEDs to supplement.

 

[jedimasterben]

I'm starting up a new tank and going back to T5HO's. I liked the colour of LEDs but always found that the T5HO's had better Actinic. I'm using a 4 T5HO retrofit with the HEP ballasts and going to use royal blue LEDs to supplement.

If T5HO is better with actinic light, then what is the need to supplement with royal blue LEDs?

 

[Bo0sted_Rafi]

thats what im gonna do. I got a 40" DIY Fixture in a 75g with CREE leds from RapidLed in a SPS dominated tank (still frags) and i notice the shadows i get with the leds, now im gonna add 2 36" ATI bulbs to get better color in those areas on corals. The fixture its at 14" from water level, do i need to use 48" instead of 36"?

 

[jedimasterben]

thats what im gonna do. I got a 40" DIY Fixture in a 75g with CREE leds from RapidLed in a SPS dominated tank (still frags) and i notice the shadows i get with the leds, now im gonna add 2 36" ATI bulbs to get better color in those areas on corals. The fixture its at 14" from water level, do i need to use 48" instead of 36"?

Basically the same that I did. my tank is a 48x24x16 80g tank, and I've got two 36" bulbs that were about 12" above the tank, they alone fill the entire tank with light and gave about 70-75 PAR on my sandbed.

 

[Zoanut]

If T5HO is better with actinic light, then what is the need to supplement with royal blue LEDs?

That's just my personal opinion but hey everyone is different. When I say actinic I mean in the 420 or so range.

 

[Bo0sted_Rafi]

Basically the same that I did. my tank is a 48x24x16 80g tank, and I've got two 36" bulbs that were about 12" above the tank, they alone fill the entire tank with light and gave about 70-75 PAR on my sandbed.

Adding t5 you notice difference? I make a PAR test with leds only and I get 150-175 in sandbed. Still get more to get from this LEDs because I'm running whites only at 50% but the shadows it's the problem in the sps.

Do you have pics?

 

[jedimasterben]

Adding t5 you notice difference? I make a PAR test with leds only and I get 150-175 in sandbed. Still get more to get from this LEDs because I'm running whites only at 50% but the shadows it's the problem in the sps.

Do you have pics?

A difference in PAR? Or just the look?

I do have some pics, tank is drained right now for a move (and a sorta reboot to deal with a dinoflagellate infestation, please NEVER get dinos!) or I'd have more.

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/323517-the-ledt5-hybrid-evil-cluster-diy-led-on-steroids/?p=4497149

 

[bcheriyan]

Nice pictures jedimasterben. How did you build the casing for the whole les and t5 is that wood . Do you have a build thread ?

 

[jedimasterben]

Yep, just some 1x2s and I think 1/4" plywood cut to fit, with a little bit of trim around the top. Shot them together with a nail gun and then painted everything. No build thread on that particular piece. Just a basic rectangle frame, open top and bottom.

Here is a pic of it, before I decided I wanted the top open.

Found another pic of it, right after adding the sides.

And the trim. Just basic stuff from Home Depot.

And it all done and hung.

 

[bcheriyan]

Nice one I like it ,, I will be redoing my mine too with the height you have,, with the heatsink mine is a bit heavy and the. I am not able to hide all the drivers in there . I need more space . Also adding t5s , I need to make a new casing. Also with the wood casing will it be safe ? Is open top better for air circulation ?

 

[jedimasterben]

Wood is non conductive so it is fine. The open top is a lot better for airflow, don't want the T5 bulbs getting hotter than they need to.

 

[bcheriyan]

thx jedimasterben . great help

 

[screamingibis]

I see a lot of people switch back to t5. I was thinking of switching to ATI Sunpower with 6 t5 and add leds as a supplement . How many have done that ?

Honestly I like the coral growth leds provide but not the color. Also my DIY fixture does not look got Above my tank .. I would like to do a proper enclose it in a proper box. I think the led is best with the with the RB . But T5 should supplement the other spectrum.

LOL, You sound just like me a couple years ago. I started out with all LED's and then added T-5's to supplement. Now I use a Hamilton Cebu and couldn't be happier. I was worried about the heat, but that really hasn't been a problem.

Got the 14k halide and two purple plus and two coral plus T-5's

 

[bcheriyan]

Thx screamingibis I might follow u but for now I am going to try t5 supplement.

 

[mattgreene22]

Digging this thread up while getting ideas for my 90g (48x18x24) build. I'd like to keep acros on the sandbed the way I can on my existing 36x~14x21-deep bowfront tank that combines 4xt5 and a reefbrite strip.

Question - on the 90g, what do those here (ahem, jedimasterben...cough cough) think about runnng either:
A - two Ocean Revive S026 with 2 (most likely) or 4 bulb T5? ...or,
B - 6xt5 rig and supplementing with one or two of RapidLeds' dimmable 18-led 36" actinic strips

I like my T5 on my current tank, but would rather not deal with replacing so many bulbs so often between the two tanks. That said, I'd also like to not lose color on my corals due to limited spectrums...which I don't have to worry about on my current T5 tank. My current 39w T5 rig on my current tank is (front to back): Reefbrite Tech 36", P+, B+, C+, B+. My favorite viewing time is when the Reefbrite is on up front and the back two bulbs are on...C+, B+.

I also have a 2x3-foot VHO rig in the closet I could put in play.

Your experience and help is appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[orly20]

Digging this thread up while getting ideas for my 90g (48x18x24) build. I'd like to keep acros on the sandbed the way I can on my existing 36x~14x21-deep bowfront tank that combines 4xt5 and a reefbrite strip.

Question - on the 90g, what do those here (ahem, jedimasterben...cough cough) think about runnng either:
A - two Ocean Revive S026 with 2 (most likely) or 4 bulb T5? ...or,
B - 6xt5 rig and supplementing with one or two of RapidLeds' dimmable 18-led 36" actinic strips

I like my T5 on my current tank, but would rather not deal with replacing so many bulbs so often between the two tanks. That said, I'd also like to not lose color on my corals due to limited spectrums...which I don't have to worry about on my current T5 tank. My current 39w T5 rig on my current tank is (front to back): Reefbrite Tech 36", P+, B+, C+, B+. My favorite viewing time is when the Reefbrite is on up front and the back two bulbs are on...C+, B+.

I also have a 2x3-foot VHO rig in the closet I could put in play.

Your experience and help is appreciated! Thanks!!

Hey
What did you finally choose to go with?

 

[hobbzz]

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