T5's: A cautionary note

[mcegelsk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7222103#post7222103 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The nice thing about the 60" lamps on a 72" tank is you have lower light areas at the ends for shrooms and such. Just stagger the lamps a bit end to end and you will have an even look across the tank.

Lamp wise my last T5 configuration was 2 Aquablues 1 GE, 2 actinic plus and a pure actinic. It was just a tad blue and poped colors really well. If you like more blue you could substitute a 3rd AB for the GE.

Grim- So you are talking about getting two 60" 6 bulb fixtures set up like the following (or talking two 3 bulb 60" fixtures)?

<-----72"----------->
======== < (two bulb lines)
========
========
>>>==========
>>>==========
>>>==========

And I like a little blue so your lights set would probably work well for me. How did you have the bulbs ordered in the fixtures?

 

[horkn]

yeah, but not quite like that Matt


more like this


===============
/////===============
===============
////===============

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I would start with six lamps staggered like Horkn lists with the double line representing a single lamp.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just noticed your doing SPS, get 8 lamps.

 

[mcegelsk]

Ok, so talking retro fit a canopy then. Right now I don't have one. I get the picture. Best stuff to retro fit with??? Thank you guys! ~Matt

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Just get a 8 lamp retrokit from reefgeek. If you had room I'd say grab the CD reflectors from aqualux but you dont have room for 8 of those over a 24" tank. Make sure you get a couple fans to run across the lamps. Need to keep them cool when overdriven.

 

[horkn]

grim, wouldnt you think 7 of the aqualux cdr's would wotk better than the 8 tek reflectors? i sure do, and if he wanted to, he could run the 8th bulb with a tek reflector? heck, the aqualux CDRs are only 3" wide, as long as the canopy was made right, you could actually fit 8 of those in there. or you could even angle the front and back reflectors in toward the tank to make it fit easier.

I mean if he is going sps, he needs as much help as he can get, and the cdr's are way better than the tek reflectors at PAR outpout.

 

[hahnmeister]

"Grim, from what I remember, you did some penetration comparisons between T5 and halides, did you have the numbers from those tests? I cant remember where to find them...I just remember you somparing the PAR at various levels from T5s and comparing it to MH...and the T5 had better penetration."

^^^Any thoughts on this yet Grim?

As for the 180g, Geisemann does have a new fixture on the way...3x250wattDE/HQI with 4x80watt T5s in one fixture. That would be my pick for your tank. Should be out in a month or so...

 

[mcegelsk]

hahnmeister-

Thanks for the info on the new Geisemann. Is there any prerelease info out on this upcoming item? I have time to wait a bit...still acquiring items for then next month or two. ~Matt

 

[Sparkss]

What is the typical side to side coverage on a T5 ?

Or more specific to recent posts, taking mcegelsk's question and Grim's and horkn's response/answer, how much stagger is needed, or possible, to still get good end to end coverage (regardless of tank length) ? Or a more pointed question would be along the lines of "Would a 48" bulb give 6" of side ways coverage off each end ? (essentially coverage 60 linear inches)" I know that is extreme, but the limits and threshold of coverage is what I am trying to determine.

For a 48" bulb ?

For a 60" bulb ?

or are they the same regardless of the bulb length ?

For the sake of baselines, lets just assume using an IC660 to drive them.

Thanks for your expertise and time to answer

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7223584#post7223584 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by horkn
grim, wouldnt you think 7 of the aqualux cdr's would wotk better than the 8 tek reflectors? i sure do, and if he wanted to, he could run the 8th bulb with a tek reflector? heck, the aqualux CDRs are only 3" wide, as long as the canopy was made right, you could actually fit 8 of those in there. or you could even angle the front and back reflectors in toward the tank to make it fit easier.

I mean if he is going sps, he needs as much help as he can get, and the cdr's are way better than the tek reflectors at PAR outpout.

Maybe try 4 or 6 CD reflectors and 2 Teks But only if Aqualux will throw in and extra lamp clip and screw for each reflector. IME the reflector is so heavy it bows a tad in the center and needs support. Just drill a hole in the middle and mount the clip, problem solved. By the time you account for the frame around the tank most 24" tanks are closer to 23" and you really dont want the reflectors all the way to the edge where the light is shinning out the front of the tank. You can turn the reflector so the light doesn't spill over but then you are bouncing the light off the next reflector over which is a waste too. My new system is going to be 4 lamps centered over an 18" tank.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7226082#post7226082 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
What is the typical side to side coverage on a T5 ?

Or more specific to recent posts, taking mcegelsk's question and Grim's and horkn's response/answer, how much stagger is needed, or possible, to still get good end to end coverage (regardless of tank length) ? Or a more pointed question would be along the lines of "Would a 48" bulb give 6" of side ways coverage off each end ? (essentially coverage 60 linear inches)" I know that is extreme, but the limits and threshold of coverage is what I am trying to determine.

For a 48" bulb ?

For a 60" bulb ?

or are they the same regardless of the bulb length ?

For the sake of baselines, lets just assume using an IC660 to drive them.

Thanks for your expertise and time to answer

Here is a pic of my old 125 (mem-ories, scattered in the cobwebbs of my miiiind) with 60" T5's that were not staggered. The ballasts were mounted at each end which block a little light spread. The only dark areas were the upper corners of the tank and not as noticably as the picture makes them look. With the ballasts remote mounted and the lamps staggered even a couple inches I dont think your eye would be able to see the difference. My lamps were also pretty close to the water, If they had been a couple inches higher that would have probably spread the light better. 48" lamps would need to be stagger at least 6" each way and placed about 6" above the water to get an even look.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7224070#post7224070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hahnmeister
"Grim, from what I remember, you did some penetration comparisons between T5 and halides, did you have the numbers from those tests? I cant remember where to find them...I just remember you somparing the PAR at various levels from T5s and comparing it to MH...and the T5 had better penetration."

^^^Any thoughts on this yet Grim?

As for the 180g, Geisemann does have a new fixture on the way...3x250wattDE/HQI with 4x80watt T5s in one fixture. That would be my pick for your tank. Should be out in a month or so...

Didn't see that posted. I got 120 in the sand from 250 watt 10K DE's ran on E Ballasts. Running a 10K hamilton lamp on the same E ballast in a ROlll pendant I got 150 with the fixture like 4" above the water and over 200 with it sitting on the tank frame (seafood gumbo position). The 4 lamp IC system did 183 one inch above the tank frame (2 1/2~3" above the water), Spec T5 ballasts with IC reflectors pulled 135. All the measurments were taken on the sandbed under the lamps.

Also at shallow depths (about 12") the IC and CD reflectors had even light output. Under 18" of water the Ice Cap's gained a small advantage over the CD's a little less than 10% as I remember.


Geisemann makes some nice stuff but are the reflectors in their halide/T5 systems as good as the Sunlight Supply Maristar system? The ROlll reflectors are hard to beat.

 

[gary greguire]

hey Grim A little redundant question but I am planning on switching over to t5s from halides. I have a 75 frag tank that I am planning on running 8 bulbs on icecap balasts & my 125 which currently has 3 250 halides & 4 96 w pcs will 8 bulbs give me more light that I have now I also plan on using icecaps on that tank. all bulbs and reflectors will be from reefgeek unless you think there is somthing better.

Thanks for the help

 

[The Grim Reefer]

a six lamp IC T5 system would be more than enough for the 75.

The 125 it depends, If your halides are the good stuff a 6 lamp (8 wont fit) reefgeek standard 60" retro will be maybe the same. Unfortunatly IC doesn't make 60" reflectors yet. You could mount 2 36" reflectors on a single lamp but that would get a bit pricey. You could have the geek delete 4 of the tek reflectors (see if he would give you a couple extra lamps instead) and get 4 of the CD reflectors from Aqualux lighting. They wont be quite as good as the IC's but pretty close.

You could try a 6x54 watt Ice Cap T5 with the lamps staggered around 6 inches either way. The 54 watt lamps are a lot brighter on the IC than the 80 watt lamps. You would end up with a ton of light in the center 3 feet of the tank and drop off to lower light at the edges. might be able to squeeze 7 lamps in there doing that. You need 2 1/2 inches per lamp.

 

[gary greguire]

I am just buying bulbs and reflectors not buying complete retros it is cheaper that way. what about running 2 sets of 36 inch bulbs and reflectors on the 125

 

[The Grim Reefer]

the dual 36" lamps would be the best but you will pay for it. There isn't much difference in lamp prices. You could order lamps by the case through seeds etc and save a little.

 

[gary greguire]

just did some measuring I have cornerover flows so the back three bulbs will be best @ 60 inches the front of the tank is mostly lps & softies so less light will be best what lamps do you think I should run for the six bulb setups

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Yeah, just keep the high light critters under the lamps and you will be fine.

 

[tentacles]

I am in the planning stages of setting up a tank with dimensions of 72x48x25. Will be mixed with mostly sps. If I were to use 48" bulbs(running front to back) on ice cap slr's, how many do you guys think I would need?