FranktheTankTx
New member
I typed correctly - 24" front to back. I'm going for it.
I've been pondering a retro fit. Any suggestions on reflectors?
I'm looking at Hellolights and the XM reflectors they sell as well as Champion lighting and some they have labeled as Icecap. Both are parabolic polished reflectors and range from 2" to 2.5" wide.
Ballast will be Coralvue 430 running 3, 48" tubes each.
May try sandwiching a couple of Hydra 52s in between 6 T5's. Dimensionally it will fit I just don't know exactly how it will look...the light output that is.
Thoughts?
Forgot to mention tank is 24" tall.Also I think in last photo the middle number 145 should be dead center middle.
LET reflectors were the best retrofit reflector but not sure if they're still around with Reefgeek out of business. IceCap made solid units as well.
I'd avoid using the 430 ballasts with T5s. It will slightly overdrive them and kill life. If you are adding some LEDs in the middle, go with 4 T5 bulbs instead. Get a proper T5 ballast to run the bulbs and make sure you cool the label end of the bulbs.
Thanks. You wouldn't run 6 bulbs, surronding LEDS?
CoralVue specs the 430 for T5's??? What ballast would you recommend?
I was thinking it was the 660 that overdrives them?
Thanks alot, I may try out one of the kits from BRS that has the LET reflectors, ballasts, pigtails, standoffs, ......
I just installed the 6 x 80w kit from LET. If you have any questions email LET, they were very quick to reply. The kit was relatively easy to install. Much easier than the 113 LED DIY, that it replaced.
Yeah, you don't get the same results with smaller bulbs. Not the same amount of cross pollinationThanks for posting your numbers. I saw a recommendation last month for someone to get 2 36" fixtures rather than the 60" over a 180 and I thought it was insane but too late to reply.60" bulbs are just $2 more than the 36" versions and you need half as many so the money savings in replacement bulbs is extreme and this 60" SUnpower fixture puts out a TON of light, as you measured.
I also use the ATI 60" fixture, just 6 bulbs, over a 72x18x24" 150 gallon tank. I have a BML custom strip angled back to light the front. I had to raise it as far as I could, 15" above the glass lids, to get the PAR where I wanted it.
I'm so glad I went back to T5, I love the light.
I was afraid of that....
Back
Blue plus-dawn/dusk
Blue plus
Aquablue
Blue plus
Purple
Blue plus-dawn/dusk.
Front.
Currently running this set up over my 40 breeder. Any tips to make it a lil more closer to 20k. Day lights are a lil to bright for me. .I am willing to sacrifice growth.
Replace the AB special with a coral+ and see how you like it.
Seems like all the T5 PAR measurements I have come across are done with large multi lamp fixtures. Many of us here (including me) have smaller tanks and just cant fit 6 or 8 lamps over our tanks. So... I decided to purchase an Apogee Quantum SQ-120 Sensor to measure the output of my ATI 4x24 Dimmable. I took 4 depth measurements at 3 different locations across the light. The center measurement is self explanatory, the left and right are right at the end of the reflectors. The depth measurements are in inches from the splash shield. The fixture is hanging 5" above the surface of the water. All pumps were off during the test. The 24W lamps are 2 ATI Blue+ and 2 ATI Coral+. I took each reading numerous times and the numbers below are the average of each.
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Note: Lamps are 3 months old and have been running with a 1 hour ramp up and a 1 hour ramp down.