FS - MH set up

[Kataro]

Im gonna replace my MH with T5 to see how it affects my corals... I love MH but just want to see if there's any difference :bounce2:

2 - Icecap 250W Ballast (2 years old)
1 - Blue Wave 7 Ballast (about 14 months old)
2 - CoralVue Lumenbright pendant (almost 1 years old)
2 - Radium 250W 20k (about 4 months old with 6 hours usage each day)

Asking 550$ for everything

 

[rafajara1985]

T5 is the way to go. I like how the colors kinda pop more but you dont get the cool shimmer effect the MH gives off.

 

[dublo8]

Yeah. What RAF said. I liked my t5 especially with all the bulb options. However, bulbs have to be replaced more often, no shimmer effect and for you to replace the MH on your tank you will need an 8 bulb setup just to come close to the par output that your halides were putting out and to cover your tank dimensions. Maybe 2 4 bulb fixtures on yours to get the spread just right. I think you tank is a prime candidate for some LED's.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kataro]

I would but LED is too pricey for me. I'm thinking of getting the 10x54 ATI powermodule

 

[ReefinMadness89]

I would but LED is too pricey for me. I'm thinking of getting the 10x54 ATI powermodule

I know, It's so annoying to see the prices, when it should be the cheapest. Technology just isn't there yet I guess to make the materials cheap enough.

 

[frctlimg]

Don't do it!! jk. Having been a MH guy in the past and seeing all of the nice results people were getting with T5's I gave it a try. Needless to say I went back to MH. I don't think I'll use anything other than 250W radiums again. Unless I have a need for 400W radiums
Anyways, I think a 10x54 will be so sweet for your tank. Do you have any idea what you're going to do for bulb configuration?

If it were me I'd go
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Actinic
Fiji purple
Blue+
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Fiji Purple
Actinic
Blue+

 

[125G Reefer]

Is that 36" deep? Will T-5 cover that depth?

 

[Kataro]

I was thinking something along that line for bulbs set up kyle.

I think it will cover the depth of my tank, the fixture is about 22" wide.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

What happened to if it aint broke dont fix it? You tank is far from broke

 

[dublo8]

What happened to if it aint broke dont fix it? You tank is far from broke

HA! no kidding. Kataro your tank is one of the most beautiful I have seen. I think part of the beauty of it is the open top. Halides let you do that and so will LED's. With T5's you will have to have it sitting right on top of your tank.

 

[Kataro]

Thanks guys =)

I will still be selling 2 Ice Cap Ballast however, This ATI guy is taking forever to respond to me... so if he dont sell me the T5, I will just get a different Ballast for my MH to try out.

Price of 2 Ice Cap will be 75$ each

 

[vanillagorila]

bulbs have to be replaced more often

I think part of the beauty of it is the open top. Halides let you do that and so will LED's. With T5's you will have to have it sitting right on top of your tank.

No offense man, but I think you have your facts mixed up about t-5's. If not being overdriven you can easily get two years out of the bulbs, what do you get out of MH's? 12 months? The ATI fixture that he mentioned can be easily set up with a hanging kit 6-12" above the tank and look great.

 

[mndfreeze]

Don't do it mang! My halide ballast just died and I switched to the panorama LED's as a temp but possible 'expansion' for my bigger tank when I build it and after putting T5's on my kids tank, they just don't compare.

The only thing I didn't like with my halide was the heat it put off, but that is with a nano where I'd get big temp swings. Your tank is peerrrffect with those pendants.

 

[azshooz]

Don't do it!! jk. Having been a MH guy in the past and seeing all of the nice results people were getting with T5's I gave it a try. Needless to say I went back to MH. I don't think I'll use anything other than 250W radiums again. Unless I have a need for 400W radiums
Anyways, I think a 10x54 will be so sweet for your tank. Do you have any idea what you're going to do for bulb configuration?

If it were me I'd go
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Actinic
Fiji purple
Blue+
Blue+
Aquablue Special
Fiji Purple
Actinic
Blue+

I like blue tanks, but sheesh, that's a lotta blue! I'd do the same thing but replace one Blue+ in the middle with an Aquablue Special.

I ran 8bulb T5 over my 125 for a while, don't think I'd go back from the Lumenbrights and Lumateks tho. The thing I miss the most about T5's is the coverage. No shadows!

ATI 10 bulb = $1000 + (10 x 25 a bulb) = 1250 = Three AI's would only cost you $450 more Of course, then you'd want another one ....

 

[Kataro]

^ That what I want with the T5... less shadow =)

 

[dublo8]

No offense man, but I think you have your facts mixed up about t-5's. If not being overdriven you can easily get two years out of the bulbs, what do you get out of MH's? 12 months? The ATI fixture that he mentioned can be easily set up with a hanging kit 6-12" above the tank and look great.

2 years? Maybe 18 mo's. but I think there is a difference of output after a certain length of service. I'll have to find the article I was reading last month about spectrum shifts. Granted, halides are the worst of the bunch, PC's were next and then T5's. That's not saying they were the winner, that was just stating the spectrum shifts took longer. When the article was speaking of output, T5's were "fading" before halides, not visibly noticeable to the naked eye, but there was still a change. Yes, the bulbs can burn longer but what happens when you reach a certain point and the phosphors in the bulbs are no longer as usable as they once were? It is similar to the way halides use the gas in the bulb to burn. I'm not trying to argue with you but I think there are a lot of variable, such as cooling, ballasts, time on, bulb manufacturer etc that we could throw into the mix.

with the size of that fixture and the size of his tank, having the fixture even at 12" above the water, you would be looking down at the fixture vs. the water. I am not saying the fixture wouldn't look great I was simply stating that the way his tank is now it looks good being very open. You can literally look down at everything.

I am also curious as to what the par levels would be, since in order to get full coverage on your tank, you would have to hang it a little higher? I would hate for you to lose any of those pretty corals you have been selling me

 

[Kataro]

Lol ^^ I wont lose any corals

The fixture will be hung more towards the back, the front of my tank are mostly ricordea which dont need too much light.

 

[frctlimg]

azshooz - I know it sounds like a lot of blue but the aquablue special bulbs are 12,000k.

What kind of ballast would you go with if you don't get T5 Richie?

 

[Kataro]

I think I might try the Lumatek, using 250 HQI setting. I am currently using Bluewave 7, I wanna see which one look better

 

[dublo8]

If you are looking at getting new ballasts I have the Lumatek and an icecap (for backup). The lumatek seems brighter and with using the 14k phoenix bulbs, the lumatek is more purple and the icecap burns more blue. I think the manufacturer says it burns 15% brighter or something like that LOL (whatever that's worth to you) Hope that helps you a little in your decision.