T5's: A cautionary note

[The Grim Reefer]

The plastic clips I saw look pretty standard. The metal clips will have to be individualy handles for powdercoating, that has got to be spendy. At least IC has addressed the problem, I think Teks still just have a metal clip. I know Aquaz includes plastic swivel clips with their reflector. Think about that one. The clip lets the reflector rock back and forth. Worthless unless you mount the reflector and let the lamp hang from it.

 

[s3aL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7351551#post7351551 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by s3aL
Well after alot of thinking, I finally ordered my lights from reefgeek.com

4x54w Icecap Retrofit kit
2x54w Tek T5 Retrofit kit

Bulb combo
4x Blueplus
2x Aquablues

This will be going on a 48Lx20Hx24D 100g tank.

I plan to put the 4 Icecap bulbs in the middle and have the 2 Tek T5 retro on each end of the tank so I can keep lower light corals in the sand bed near the front glass or towards the back of the glass.

Im guess I can keep any SPS or clam I desire as long as there near the overdriven bulbs?

I hope I made a wise choice and wont be disapointed once I set it up .

So would you say im good for clams and sps at the bottom of the tank?

What do the 54w overdriven bulbs get driven too?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

If that 90 is 48x24x24 and you are doing SPS I would do an 8 lamp teklight. I'd run 2 GE daylights, 2 Aquablues and 4 actinic plus or perhaps look at some of those new UVI lamps.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7356460#post7356460 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ikn0xl
Hi Grim,
I wanted to know your comments as to switching over from Nova Extremes over to Teks. I can choose to use either one on my tank and currently I have the Novas but will soon switch over.

Current usa makes their own bulbs so Im wondering how different the colors will be and am extremely confused as to what bulbs I will be using.

I have a
90 gallon standard 48"L and plan on keeping SPS.

With my own eyes I saw that my T5's were brighter than my Hamilton 250 HQI's when it came to judging the tank overall but the halides were brighter in the cneter of the tank.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7357205#post7357205 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
The plastic clips I saw look pretty standard. The metal clips will have to be individualy handles for powdercoating, that has got to be spendy. At least IC has addressed the problem, I think Teks still just have a metal clip. I know Aquaz includes plastic swivel clips with their reflector. Think about that one. The clip lets the reflector rock back and forth. Worthless unless you mount the reflector and let the lamp hang from it.

the plastic ones i saw that IC was giving are not standard looking at all.

teks still have the metal clip.

i dont know about the aquaz ones.

the aqualux plastic ones mount pretty solidly.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7357324#post7357324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by s3aL
So would you say im good for clams and sps at the bottom of the tank?

What do the 54w overdriven bulbs get driven too?

You should be fine at the bottom although I would of course keep the higher light stuff on the rocks.

The 54's will run around 80 watts according to IC.

 

[davejnz]

It can easily be prevented,its just not cost efficient to do so.Marine grade stainless fasteners are not cheap,I havn't compared the difference in price but i'm sure its quite a bit more.I'm not even certain that the original clips are even SS at all.I havn't done a magnet test on them but thats a good way to check.I just ordered a couple more IC reflectors this week so i'm curious to see what kind of mounting hardware comes with them these days.Even plastic has got to be better than the old alloy Tek used IME so until i can find something to complain about with them,I'll just have to see first hand.

 

[GoldStripe]

I just got some IC SLR's last week and they still came with the plastic clips. I mentioned it in the IC forum on a thread that had been started about it but that thread hasn't had any responses. Probably should start a new thread because they seem happy to ship you out some metal ones.

 

[horkn]

goldstripe, i saw that nobody answered you Q in the IC forum.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7320863#post7320863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I don't know where you get the idea the coating will crack. I just did a quick check and found numerous sites that mention the flexibility of powder coating. If it works on car and truck springs without cracking I doubt a lamp clip will ever be flexed enough to crack it.

grim, directly from ASH in the IC forum..


"We carry metal powder coated and plastic clips as some people don't like that the paint falls off the metal and some people have had their plastic clips melt. "

it's in this link if you dont believe me
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=841965

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I saw the thread. "Paint" falls off? I meant to ask Andy about that. I gotta pull out a clip and take a look. Last I knew powdercoating is plastic I only used one set of those on my T5's and there were no issues. Only thing I could think of is if the surface temp of the lamp reaches the curing temp of the powder coating they used. I think perhaps the basic steel clip with a nylon washer and bolt to eliminate electrolosys might be the best long term solution.

 

[sjm817]

Yes, the clips rust and the paint peels off.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Powdercoat my ;;;; Well you know. I never look at them that close but there aint no way that is powder coated.

They would have done better to coat them with polyurathane.

 

[davejnz]

GRim,I think the nylon washer/bolt/wingnut would be an excellent cost effective way of stopping electrolysis.Much cheaper than Marine grade SS and with the bolt joining the 2 pices of metal not being electrically conductive,i don't think electrolysis can even happen then.

 

[NorthernCF]

I think the new ones are comming in with plastic clips.

 

[horkn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7368132#post7368132 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NorthernCF
I think the new ones are comming in with plastic clips.

read my post about 5 posts up

 

[NorthernCF]

Ya, well, you know. This thread is a bit long to be reading every post now

 

[2fishy]

Sorry, to butt in, but I started reading this thread from the very beginning last night which was started many, many, many, pages ago. But I have one really quick question. What is the neon green in the pictures that appears to be an algae on the substrate, and other things. I think everyone is referring to it as radioactive. Anyway, I have the Nova Extreme on my 55 gallon, and was just saying last night that I was glad that I did not have that neon green in my aquarium. But I didn't knock on wood, and got home from work before the lights shut off & guess what I saw in my aquarium. It really appears to glow!!! What is it, how do I get rid of it, or how long will I have it???? I did a 5 gallon water change last night. The entire aquarium is made up with RO/DI water, & has only been topped off with only plain RO water.

 

[s3aL]

How much light spread is there on T5? I went with 6 bulbs so I can keep SPS/clams AND LPS towards the front of the glass. Would LPS do okay if they were 5-6" away from the lights? Would there still be plenty of light there for them?

Light and tank setup in my sig.

Edit: Tank is 48Lx20Hx24D

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You will get about 3" of the highest intensity per lamp. You should be ok on the sand as long as you have the lights centered front to back. If you have them pushed to the rear the front few inches might be a little low for LPS

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7370636#post7370636 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 2fishy
Sorry, to butt in, but I started reading this thread from the very beginning last night which was started many, many, many, pages ago. But I have one really quick question. What is the neon green in the pictures that appears to be an algae on the substrate, and other things. I think everyone is referring to it as radioactive. Anyway, I have the Nova Extreme on my 55 gallon, and was just saying last night that I was glad that I did not have that neon green in my aquarium. But I didn't knock on wood, and got home from work before the lights shut off & guess what I saw in my aquarium. It really appears to glow!!! What is it, how do I get rid of it, or how long will I have it???? I did a 5 gallon water change last night. The entire aquarium is made up with RO/DI water, & has only been topped off with only plain RO water.

I have experienced that on the rear glass of both my reefs when they were young. I think it is some kind of coraline algae. It usually disapears once the pink and purple takes off.