T5 lighting? Water pentration?

[Serioussnaps]

Ok everyone. Here we go. After taking a 55g and setting it up and everything is ready to go, there is only one need I have for this tank. It will likely house acros, clams and other light lovers with very little fish load. Ok. I have done this many of times with other tanks using MH and PC combo lighting fixtures, however, a product I am not so familiar with has caught my eye, but I am rather clueless as to its use and capacities in use on a Reef Aquarium.

This lighting fixture is a Tek T5 lighting system.

http://www.specialty-lights.com/960045.html

http://www.specialty-lights.com/960202.html

I have a few questions and would like to know the experiences of those using T5 or this particular brand T5 as well as if you have PICS of your tanks using these type fixtures.

Here are the questions:

1) How well do these lamps penetrate the water? What depths in the water would i be able to keep SPS(acro, clam.. light lovers) using this lighting?What do you keep with the Tek T5 or T5 fluorescent lights?

2)Do you have pictures of your health systems using this lighting?

3) Do you find these bulbs to age quickly?

4)Have you had heat problems associated with these bulbs? How close do you keep them to the water?

The reasons i consider this light is its new, it seems to avoid the heat issues i had in the past with MH fixtures. The bulbs are cheap etc etc...

5) If you have used one of these fixtures, do you wish you had just went Halide?

6) Did you have to upgrade your reflectors or ballasts when getting a fixture?

7) Are they comparable to MH, VHO or Pc. Where would you put them in comparison consideering intensity, penetration etc..

I have seen a tank of the month which used only T5 lighting (in Europe) and i was wondering if it was just an abberation. Keep in mind this is only a 55g tank so the depth isn't much(20-21" deep no counting the 2 inch sandbed everthing sits on top of).


Lets hear what you think about the Tek T5 lighting, your experiences with it, what you keep and PICTURES if you have them.

 

[Serioussnaps]

ALSO, ignore the second link. I just looked at it closer and it is a grow light, not for our purposes. Just look at the 1st link.

 

[Pazazz]

I just bought this same set up and was very happy with it I keep sps,clams and tons of other coral over a 90 gallon tank.... It will be fine for a 55.... as I have heard atinics replace every 12 months and daylight bulbs every 16 to 18 months.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You can only fit and will only need a 4 lamp system over that tank. That will give you enough light for about anything you want to raise. Just keep the highest light critters up on the rocks.

 

[Serioussnaps]

Check this out. I read that yes a 6 bulb fixture is 15" width and an 8 bulb fixture is 19". The 55g is only 12" width which is what the 4 bulb fixture is. So id be lighting the floor if i went with an 8 bulb fixture and lighting a little more tank with the 6 bulb but still lighting the floor. Sounds like a waste so you make a good point.

The general statement keep the light lovers up high------uh no kidding thanks for the insight. ----------

Ill give everyone time to see this thread and see if i can get some more enlightening answers.

 

[Serioussnaps]

Where do you keep your clams? Up high? I want to be able to keep them lower in the tank so can this system do this(like a HQI fixture could)

 

[SCIronMike]

I'm been curious myself as to what would work better on a 60 gallon tank.....

A 4X54 T5 setup driven by IceCap 660 ballasts with individual SLR reflectors which is about 10" wide
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104436.html

or

A PFO 8X54 Polyplight setup that is without individual reflectors but is only 11" wide
http://www.hellolights.com/pfo8t5po.html

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7233204#post7233204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SCIronMike
I'm been curious myself as to what would work better on a 60 gallon tank.....

A 4X54 T5 setup driven by IceCap 660 ballasts with individual SLR reflectors which is about 10" wide
http://www.reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104436.html

or

A PFO 8X54 Polyplight setup that is without individual reflectors but is only 11" wide
http://www.hellolights.com/pfo8t5po.html

The IC T5 system is way better. It is overdriven and has really good reflectors. Just the reflectors nearly double the light output over a flat single reflector like the PFO uses.

 

[SCIronMike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7233321#post7233321 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The IC T5 system is way better. It is overdriven and has really good reflectors. Just the reflectors nearly double the light output over a flat single reflector like the PFO uses.

Thanks for the info. I've been browsing for a LONG time all these T5 threads, and found your post with PAR measurements to be extremely informative. Currently I am running a 29 gallon tank with two 150 watt DE 10k MHs and two 24" 50/50 CF bulbs. I have various SPS corals near the top of my tank, tons of softies, and clams on the sandbed. I just purchased another RC member's 60 gallon setup. I want to be able to continue keeping my acros and clams and have REALLY been wondering if I can get by with that 4X54 IceCap setup sitting about 2-3 inches off the water. Wish I could fit more T5s over the tank, but am obviously limited by width. Your thoughts?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

A 4 lamp IC T5 will blow away most 250 watt halides. If that 60 is much less than 24" tall the IC ballast may be too much for the lower light softies like shrooms. You don't get many lower light areas away from the lamps like you do with halides so lower light areas are at a premium with T5's.

If that tank is the 20" tall version and you are going to keep moderate light softies I would order a Tek retro from reefgeek and upgrade it to the Ice Cap reflectors, last I heard they charge 5 bux a pop for the upgrade and they will give you better than 10% more light at the bottom than the Tek reflector.

 

[SCIronMike]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7233424#post7233424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
A 4 lamp IC T5 will blow away most 250 watt halides. If that 60 is much less than 24" tall the IC ballast may be too much for the lower light softies like shrooms. You don't get many lower light areas away from the lamps like you do with halides so lower light areas are at a premium with T5's.

If that tank is the 20" tall version and you are going to keep moderate light softies I would order a Tek retro from reefgeek and upgrade it to the Ice Cap reflectors, last I heard they charge 5 bux a pop for the upgrade and they will give you better than 10% more light at the bottom than the Tek reflector.

I'm going to need to go measure the tank next time I go to where I have it stored. I'm assuming then that my acros and other SPS should be ok..... the xenia and ricordia may suffer. Here is a pic of the tank.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Nice looking fishbowl. I would keep small maximas up off the sandbed a little or at least make sure they are under the lamps instead of right at the front of the tank on the sandbed with a normally driven system. Established ones with a little size should do OK on the sand. If you want to stick with just clams and SPS overdrive and you can keep anything you want on the sand.

 

[madreefer14]

Got my T5s from reefgeek and all I can say is WOW. Had the sherrif's deputy stop at my house as he was passing by one night just after I got the lights. He thought I was growing Weed. And no I'm not making this up. Had the dog out of the car and at his heals when he knocked. Thank God the Deputy is my cousin!!!! "HEY YOU KIDS SMOKIN POT IN THERE?!?"

 

[algaeguy]

Hi:

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'd appreciate some input that is right on topic here. I'm setting up a 40"X40"X22" eurobraced cube tank. The sytem will feature mostly seagrasses, some Gonipora, and maybe a few other non-SPS corals. The sandbed will be approximately 4" deep, and the lights will be suspended about 6"-8" above the water. I'm contemplating using 3 SLS Techlight 4x39 w T-5 fixtures over the tank (the canopy folds in 3 sections 13" wide/14" wide/13" wide, hence the use of three 4 light fixtures.

Would this do the job, or am I better off using HQI pendants?

Thanks much.

Scott

 

[bassnman11]

From the picture, your tank looks like a 48 inch by 18 inches high. I have the same setup. I used 4 aqualux reflectors with 1 GE 6500, 2 aquablue+ and 1 420 actinic. It is bright. I have a birdnest coral that is growing like mad about half way up the tank and a small clam on the sand bed that seems quite happy. DIY it since you have the hood. You will get better light and save a few bucks. Some of Grims earlier threads caused me to go T5s and I am very happy with them and will soon convert my 20 gal. over.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7233725#post7233725 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by algaeguy
Hi:

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'd appreciate some input that is right on topic here. I'm setting up a 40"X40"X22" eurobraced cube tank. The sytem will feature mostly seagrasses, some Gonipora, and maybe a few other non-SPS corals. The sandbed will be approximately 4" deep, and the lights will be suspended about 6"-8" above the water. I'm contemplating using 3 SLS Techlight 4x39 w T-5 fixtures over the tank (the canopy folds in 3 sections 13" wide/14" wide/13" wide, hence the use of three 4 light fixtures.

Would this do the job, or am I better off using HQI pendants?

Thanks much.

Scott

I'd probably at least look at using a 250 watt halide in a lumenarc reflector. Those spread the light pretty well so in a 40x40 you would have pretty intense lighting everywhere but the outter edges of the tank. You could always get a 4x39 T5 retro and mount 4 actinic plus lamps around the edges of the tank (in a square) to suppliment the halide and create a cool dusk/dawn effect.