T-5 lighting

chrismhaase

chrismhaase

Active member
I have a question about T-5 Lighting. Are these bulbs that much more effective because of the reflector that they are coupled with or what? I saw a 72 gallon bowfront tank the other day. It was beautiful. The only light that was being supplied was T-5 lighting(5x54w). This would give a per watt value at 3.6watts.
He has SPS, LPS, and your other zoos and soft corals. Everything looked healthy and colorful.

Am I just missing the boat here or what? There was very little if any eat being produced, compared to MH lights. Two small fans kept his canopy cool also so no chiller needed.

I read they are 100% more effective than VHOs, so if you have 5x54w which equals 270, then do you double that to get 540, and then figure your watts per gallon? So instead of 3.6 he would really have 7.2?? The 7.2 would make sense for the way this corals looked.

Advice please. Thanks, Chris
 
Hey Chris,
pretty much correct, also has to do with the reflectors used. If individual reflectors are used, it is said that you nearly double your par. I have the tek tk 6x54 watt unit and love it. It is super bright, and I currently have at least 20 different sps corals, clams, zoos, lps, chalice, all sorts of stuff. I get awesome growth. I use Geis. bulbs, but will switch to ATI for my next bulb replacement. Just my opinion....
 
yea, the bulb is 5/8" in diameter. The small diameter makes a small source for the light. Wrapping a good reflector around the blub focuses almost all the ligt the bulb produces down into the water. with a T12 or T8, the bulb gets inthe way and blocks some of the light.

T-5's are great!
 
Not sure if you know this but here is a little info for you.

The T-# is the size of the bulb in 8th's... in other words a T5 is 5/8ths inch in diameter, T8 is 8/8ths or 1", etc....

Also if you over drive your T5's be prepared to change them out in 6 to 8 months... Just my experience.

By the way I ran T5's over my 240 for 18 months and have mixed emotions on them for SPS corals.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9491925#post9491925 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrismhaase
pyle02, do you have any tank pictures?
Click to expand...

Chris,
Here are some recent shots of my 75rr tank, as you can see, I have many frags and othere various stuff in there, all thriving under t5's. It is a bit on the white side, as I have 2x6500k day bulbs, 1x11k aqua blue, 2x420nm pure actinic, and 1x450nm actinic +. Good luck with your purchase, You will love the t5
s....
Perry

114849fulltank_mar07__Medium_.jpg

114849center_mar07__Medium_.jpg

114849sideshot_left_mar07__Medium_.jpg

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114849rightside_mar07__Medium_.jpg
 
I AM SOLD. DONE!! That is a beautiful setup. I am so sold, wow. And those are your only lights? How do you have your moonlights? Are they built in or add on? What kind of skimmer do you have? Fuge?
 
No moon lights, The TV at night, for the most part......I will be adding some soon though, I used to have indirect light from my fuge which was on opposite cycle, but brought it down recently. I use a Euro Reef RS80 Skimmer, the older one, and it works very well... I have a 20 gallon sump, and have it lit on opposite cycle of the main tank, and have a nice ball of chaeto growing in there.
 
I don't think you need 8x54 watt, that may be a bit much... I like the tek unit, the individual reflectors, and the width of the unit spread the light on the reef only, no lost lighting outside the tank. The unit also runs cool, no need for a chiller, I don't even have a fan blowing on the unit..... My thoughts.....
 
Hey Chris,

Glad to have you over for a while last night. For those of you lurking and thinking about a lighting decision, it can become really overcomplicated when it doesnt have to be.

Here is the link for the lights I installed on my tank. Nothing special, not Icecap, and not overdriven, but very effective.

Call Adam at Hellolights and he will fix you up.

http://www.hellolights.com/t5horeki.html

-Josh
 
Same unit that I have Chris, Just 8 bulbs, I have 6.... You can really get away with 4 bulbs using the Tek unit, but I wanted to be totally sure with the 6 bulb configuration, make sure and measure width, the 8 bulb unit may be too wide....Anyway, I am real happy, and especially when the power bill comes.....lol..
Perry
 
Perry- have you ever had a hard time growing hard corals in your tank? I want to have a hard coral dominated tank, so thats why I was leaning towards the 8x54. But if you think the 6x54 will work I will go with that- less bulbs=less $ to buy and maintain and pay the utility bill for.
 
Chris, I have too many to name, but here are a few.....Chips Acro, Green/ Purple tip acro colony, ORA Green Scrips Stag, Tri-color Stag, A. Valida, ORA Blue Tort, ORA Purple Birdsnest, Orange Monti, Red Encrusting Monti, Green Slimer, Blue Slimer, A. Bottlebrush, Purple/ Blue Stag, Miami Orchid, Green Stag, Idaho Grape Monti, Teal Colored Acro colony w/ pink polyps, there are more, some w/o names, but I thinky you get the idea.....LOL....All of these corals including 2 Crocea Clams, and various other LPS and softies flourishing under my lighting. I think six is plenty of bulbs for a 75 or 90, 8 bulbs may be a little too much....Just my opinion....
Perry
 
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