T5's: A cautionary note

[horkn]

Hey Grim or Horkn,
Should I get the 10k or 20k aquablue bulbs? And Horkn, what ballast from aqualux are you using?

Thanx,
Joshua

i am using the workhorse5 for my 3x39 t5 retro.

while some say that the instant start ballasts reduce run time on t5s, they have been on my tank for 8 months now, no problem. and lighting experts say that the way aquarium bulbs are used on 1x a day then off, that you will never see a problem. but if there turned on an doff constantly every day for months on end, you might see a reduced lifespan of the bulbs...

i am the official Reef central t5ho workhorse guinea pig
but i would recommend the advance programmed start.


and the retros were not difficult to install, just time consuming. but for what i spent theres no other lighting that can hold a candle to it...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

RE: T5's on Ice Cap

As long as the lamps don't get too hot 18 months should be doable. Mine are at 14 months and the only problem was a couple lamps I let get too hot when I wasn't running fans. They were pretty hammered by 12 months. I guess I need to break down and list the T5 system for sale.

 

[dwdenny]

would you say that two 4" IC fans would work to keep things cool. both blowing in. The back of the caopy will be open as well.

 

[RGibson]

dwdenny try to fine some 55 cfm fans,both blowing in.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

A couple of fans will do fine, just have them blowing in low so they will push the hot air out the top

 

[The Big Tuna]

Hey Grim,
I was looking at aqualuxlighting to get my aquablues, but I believe that on there sight they only have these bulbs in 10k or 20k. Where do I find 11k bulbs as per your suggestion?

Thanx.
Joshua

 

[The Grim Reefer]

www.reefgeek.com

Usually has the best prices on T5.

Aquablue might be listed as 11K but not 10. There is no "20K" T5 lamp. There are blueplus/actinicplus which is the name for the blue lamp.

 

[dwdenny]

Ballast Question

Ballast Question

Link http://www.ace-ballast.com/articles/pdf/TSD-UV39PBXMS.pdf is the information from a local ballast company. I have not found info in the Triads but was wonderinf those of you with triads could let me know how it compares.

 

[Obi-dad]

Interesting, the pdf shows that they are program start ballasts, but also shows that they are for 'PLL bulbs (not sure what that means) and shows power compact bulbs on the wiring diagram.

 

[dwdenny]

I was thinking the same thing so i emailed the company about what I wanted to do and that is the PDF that they sent me. Ont he website it shows this is the one for T5HO so I am thinking of going this route as it is cheaper over the triads 58 for 2 shipped.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

PLL Is power compact. I can't open PDF files on this computer but I assume if the ballasts are program start and can run PC lamps they will fire T5's as well. Just make sure they will run 2 T5 laps per ballast like the Triads or they may not be the screaming deal you think.

 

[dwdenny]

Grim they will run 2 39w T5HO bulbs. That is why I am thining of using them. I finally found a place that had numbers on the triad ballasts all of them are really close but will have to do some research on what the numbers actually mean.

 

[RedEyeReef]

Make sure you get the waterproof endcaps and not the tombstone (appropriate name) ones.

Why do you say tombstone is an appropriate name?

 

[Obi-dad]

The 'tombstone' type doesn't just look like a tombstone, but with salt creep can cause shorting, fires, etc.

 

[GoldStripe]

Quick question guys with T5 only setups. Do you get the shimmer effect like halides give? Just curious. Thanks

 

[jnb]

no not like mh but a lttle

Quick question guys with T5 only setups. Do you get the shimmer effect like halides give? Just curious. Thanks

 

[GoldStripe]

Thanks jnb!! I thought I had read somewhere that they did give that effect but I didn't see how it could.

 

[Codeman00]

The only way to get a decent shimmer effect with them is with a couple of bulbs and a lot of water movement at the surface..other than that, there's not much shimmer.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I get shimmer right to the sandbed with just the superblues. Nothing like what the halides do though.

 

[growyourown]

I have great shimmer with my Actinic 03's from CA