Let's See Some T5 Only Lite Tanks (remember Just T5 Lite Tanks) :-)

if anyone want to try t5ho retros for a great price, go to aqualuxlighting.com


my 3x39 retro was only like 170 dollars shipped with bulbs, and the bulbs were not the el cheapos either, matter of fact nothing was el cheapo, unless you consider a workhorse 5 cheap.....german reflectors, german waterproof endcaps, standoffs, 2 ati blue 20000k bulbs and one ge starcoat 6500k bulb, and a power cord...
 
horkn said:
if anyone want to try t5ho retros for a great price, go to aqualuxlighting.com


my 3x39 retro was only like 170 dollars shipped with bulbs, and the bulbs were not the el cheapos either, matter of fact nothing was el cheapo, unless you consider a workhorse 5 cheap.....german reflectors, german waterproof endcaps, standoffs, 2 ati blue 20000k bulbs and one ge starcoat 6500k bulb, and a power cord...
Click to expand...

Good price but there are two issues.

1. The three angled reflectors are better than the flat one ones but not nearly as effective as the multi angled units produced by sunlight supply or Ice Cap.

2. Workhorse ballasts are not a proper T5 ballast so the lamps will not last as long as they should.

Still not a bad deal for the price and much better than the true el cheapos..
 
The Grim Reefer said:
Good price but there are two issues.

1. The three angled reflectors are better than the flat one ones but not nearly as effective as the multi angled units produced by sunlight supply or Ice Cap.

2. Workhorse ballasts are not a proper T5 ballast so the lamps will not last as long as they should.

Still not a bad deal for the price and much better than the true el cheapos..
Click to expand...

1. The reflectors offered by Aqualux are (or at least were when I got mine) ATI, and appear to be identical to those our german friends are having such good luck with. They do have a "batwing" or "M" section.

2. While WH ballasts might not operate the lamps to spec, they might run them brighter, depending on the specific ballast lamp combo. I run some of my (cheap) 6500K T5s on IceCaps and WH's to maximize output, but run the (relatively expensive) blues on the electrically correct program start ballasts to maximize life.

I've had very good experiences with T5 purchases from Aqualux, ReefGeek, and Innovative Lighting.
 
yep, scleractinian is right about the reflectors, they are the good ones, and are a M shape....i about blinded myself when i tested a bulb out with a reflector the other day....damn they are bright... i cant say if they are the exact same as the ones from are ATI, but i can say they appear to be the ones our german friends seem to be having good luck with.


as far as the ballast. i have seen a few guys ghere on RC that confirm that workhorse ballasts do not reduce the lifespan of the bulbs.. until i hear someone that has scientific data that shows that workhorse ballasts reduce the life of the bulbs vs the programmed start ones, i will see for myself at the end of 18 -24 months....
 
The Grim Reefer said:
Good price but there are two issues.

1. The three angled reflectors are better than the flat one ones but not nearly as effective as the multi angled units produced by sunlight supply or Ice Cap.

2. Workhorse ballasts are not a proper T5 ballast so the lamps will not last as long as they should.

Still not a bad deal for the price and much better than the true el cheapos..
Click to expand...

What is the correct ballast for T5's? Ice Cap's?
 
workhorse ballasts work just fine, but some say that the programmed start ballasts like triad ballasts and ice cap ones will make the bulbs last longer.


i will use the workhorse, unless my bulbs dont last 18-24 months.. if you want the triads are not much more than the workhorse, i think around $40, but the nicest features of the icecap, are that you can overdrive the bulbs to get more watts out of them, and you can dim the lights. with the workhorse, they are on or off....
 
horkn, I have no experience with the workhorse ballast but there have been a few posts from people using them with T5's that have had problems. I have also seen other people like you report that they were working fine.
 
The workhorse ballast don't start T5's correctly which is what hurts the lamp life. You also need to make sure the lamps are snug in the endcaps or they will arc which will eventually burn the endcaps so I'd keep an eye on them just in case.

The SLS and Ice Cap reflectors are not simply "M" shaped. They are designed like the spyder reflectors for halides, 9 bends in each reflector. The aqualux website shows what looks like a three angled reflector but I guess it could be an M shape. Better but still not up to par with the others. But again, it is hard to argue with the price.
 
On my first T5 setup, I was using workhorse 5 ballast. Man did those ballast get really hot. About 140 degrees. Plus the ends of my lamps blackened after 3 months. I sinced replaced those with Triad programmed start ballast. Much better. With the experience I had with workhorse, I would not recommend it. They will fire up T5s but, definitely will shorten lamp life.
 
well, heres my canopy with only a 3x39 watt retro on it.


well, for more drastic purposes, here it is under the old lights (1 20 watt no and 1 30 watt no)
NOlights.jpg




and here it is same immediately after i took that last pic and added the newly finished canopy
t5lights.jpg



i had to put the new canopy back downstairs, since the fumes were bad from the freshly finished lacquer. i hope its not smelly by tonight..


one bad note. my gf says the light is too bright with the t5s. i told her since she is not a coral, she cant complain. that didnt help.... now i need to figure out how to dim it at night somehow. i was thinking a separate ballast for the 1 6500k starcoat, and only run the blues after so long. right now all 3 bulbs are on at the same time, and all powered by the same ballast....
 
horkn said:
well, heres my canopy with only a 3x39 watt retro on it.


well, for more drastic purposes, here it is under the old lights (1 20 watt no and 1 30 watt no)
NOlights.jpg




and here it is same immediately after i took that last pic and added the newly finished canopy
t5lights.jpg



i had to put the new canopy back downstairs, since the fumes were bad from the freshly finished lacquer. i hope its not smelly by tonight..


one bad note. my gf says the light is too bright with the t5s. i told her since she is not a coral, she cant complain. that didnt help.... now i need to figure out how to dim it at night somehow. i was thinking a separate ballast for the 1 6500k starcoat, and only run the blues after so long. right now all 3 bulbs are on at the same time, and all powered by the same ballast....
Click to expand...

It's allabout priorities. Keep the lights, get a new girlfriend:D

Give it a couple days, you'll get acclimatedtothe lights too.
 
The Grim Reefer said:
It's allabout priorities. Keep the lights, get a new girlfriend:D

Give it a couple days, you'll get acclimatedtothe lights too.
Click to expand...


i almost thought about the new gf thing, but then i realized you were kidding:lol:
isnt it amazing how the new lights cleared up the fuzzy picture too:rollface:

i like the lights...so does my gf, she just wants them a little less bright late at night..

i was thinking about taking a 2 plug in timer, and just making it control the 6500k light sepatare from the 2 ati blues. my dad said he thinks it could be done, while still using the one ballast. he thinks if i somehow rig the second set of timer controls into the red wire from the ballast, that i can have a little more control of what lights are on without getting a sep[arate ballast.. the yellow wire, on the other side of the bulbs, is connected between all of the 3 bulbs. will this hurt the bulbs at all?




i will pose this question in another thread if i cant get an answer here...:smokin:
 
The Grim Reefer said:
You have one ballast for three lamps? What is the brand? That might help you get an answer.
Click to expand...


workhorse ballast. workhorse5 can run up to 3 39 watt t5s...

i will put the canopy back on tomorrow. its still a little smelly.

i will ask the guys at aqualux about my idea of using the timer to turn the one light off...whilestill using the one ballast...



thanks AJ, i didnt think that would matter much, well, no until they are nearly burnt out;)
 
Just turned on my new T5's and they are awesome but a little bright! I'm thinking about changing the 6500K to a blue plus to get a little less in your face look. What do you think?

I have from front to back, actinic 03, 11K aquablue, blue plus, 6500K daylight, 11K aquablue and blue plus.
 
OK, here is my tank. Just got my camera working again.

It's a 75G AGA, and I have a TekLight 8 x 54w fixture I got from ReefGeek.

I have 5 GE Daylight, 2 blue and 1 actinic.

My tank doesn't look as cool as most of yours. I can't import fish or inverts here, so I am limited to what I can catch myself. I have had no lighting problems with anything I have put in the tank.



tank2_jan4_2005.jpg
 
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