T5 lighting and icap ballast

[LotR Clown]

Does anyone know how many T5 60"bulbs a 660 icecap ballast will run if any? I'm thinking about setting up a 6' tank using T5 only.
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

I can be completely wrong, but I believe an IceCap 660 runs 440w worth of fluorescent bulbs. A 60" T5 is 80w. So you could run 4 of them. Isn't the bulb limit four on an IceCap 660?

 

[VCoo71]

the 660 is going to overdrive them over the stated 80 watts watts a peice so you can only run 3 60" bulbs one one 660
and from all i have read you will want a fan cooling the ballast also

charlie

 

[VCoo71]

another thing to think about is icecap doesnt make a 60" reflector and you would have to go with the SLS reflectors (which have not been able to preform nearly as well as the icecaps reflectors)

i have seen where some are using 2 39" reflectors riveted together for the longer bulbs

charlie

 

[LotR Clown]

What does this mean?
http://www.icecapinc.com/flapp.htm

If I were to go 6' only 2 bulbs?
Kevin

 

[VCoo71]

from all i have read it will run 3 of the 60" bulbs

you might post in the icecap forum

charlie

 

[captbunzo]

Charlie - Can you toss out a link for those SLS reflectors? I am not sure exactly what you are referring to.

I got mine from ReefGeek.com. I believe I got the T5 Tek Retrofit Reflectors on the following page. I have had them verified by a physics geek to be correctly constructed for maximum reflection (he actually did the math), so I think they would match anything IceCap could produce, and for a buck less.

T5 Tek Retrofit Reflectors
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/category_indexes/1-15_lighting_sls_-_t5_reflectors.html

And the ones for 80W bulbs...
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104053.html

Btw, Kevin - Keep us informed on how your T5HO experience goes. I am curious to know other peoples results...

 

[VCoo71]

the T-5 Tek refectors are the SLS (sunlightsupply) reflectors
from what i have read the icecaps are outpreforming them on the par values theres a few threads in the icecap forum mentioning the same thing

from an older t-5 thread

the test on all T5 bulbs.
lux meter
ATI/Giesemann:
NR SS IC
11K.....98...201...264
B+......83...163...213

UVL:
we
10K.....79....158...214
12K.....77....161...205
UVA.....57....117...160

2-3year OLD bulbs:
GE.......83...153...210
GA......13.....26.....34

NR= no reflector. There was a white board behind the bulb. White boards are more reflective than cheep foil slap-ons. I figure most people will have at least a white hood.
SS= Sunlight Supplys
IC= Ice Cap



charlie

 

[captbunzo]

Not that I don't trust you, Charlie, cause I do. But I don't think I trust the source of that information in the first place. But, as I only have the SLS reflectors and not the icecap ones, I couldn't really say. Next time I order them, I might have to include an IceCap one to compare.

I very well may be wrong about this.

Also, I do remember know when looking closer that I order the SLS ones over IceCap as they are skinnier (2 vs 2.5 inches). Being skinnier, they allows me to go for 5 bulbs, rather then 4. Don't know if that would make up for them being crappier reflectors.

Lastly, who posted that information in the IceCap forum. I hope not IceCap.

Actually, this is pretty important detail to me as I plan to use a whole bunch of 4ft T5HO bulbs on a 4x4x2 foot dream tank I have planne someday (with a center overflow). But that's another thread.

 

[VCoo71]

no it wasnt icecap syaing this but just info i have gathered while reasearching t-5s
another thread mentioning par values with reflectors.....check the last post

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=868853

charlie

 

[captbunzo]

Thanks for the additional info. I appreciate it much!!!