rtparty
Raise The Reef!
As gsm said, reflectivity isn't all that important. The Tek reflectors don't have the greatest design and they are too big.
ATI and LET reflectors will put down about 50% more light than the Tek stuff.
The T5 Q&a Thread - split
- Thread starter eagle9252
- Start date
As gsm said, reflectivity isn't all that important. The Tek reflectors don't have the greatest design and they are too big.
ATI and LET reflectors will put down about 50% more light than the Tek stuff.
To those that have experience MODing a Tek fixture......I have an 8-bulb Tek Elite. How can I MOD fixture to get better output? Can you switch out the reflectors? If so, which ones do you buy? Or am I stuck with what I got?
It is lighting my 45-gl frag tank, so it is not that big of a deal, but if I can upgrade it I would like to know how.
Many thanks in advance..........
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
The best way to improve the output is to change out the ballasts. Tek uses workhorse ballasts which fall 15-20% behind spec T5 ballasts. Other than that it isn't really worth all the trouble in my opinion.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Reflectivity is very important!
You guys are over exaggerating to make a point.
The TEK II & elite reflectors are a little wider and spread the light a little farther than ATI but when you properly cool a TEK fixture it competes very competitively with a ATI Sunpower, if you used equal ballasts they become nearly equal.
Properly cooled bulbs in TEK reflectors are some of the best out there, especially the TEK II.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
The best thing to do is cool the fixture, this will get you the biggest increase in PAR, bulb life, and help cool the ballasts.
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Actually I'm not exaggerating at all. If reflectivity is so important, than why do you see almost no gain when going from old, pitted reflectors to brand new reflectors? It is because shape and design is more important.
I will message grim and get the exact numbers from him. It was something to this effect:
ATI 37
LET 36
Ice cap 30ish
Tek 22
Tek reflectors aren't the greatest.
Seeming that the Tek elite is already cooled, replacing the ballasts is your next best option.
Ryan....great info and thx for your reply.
Do you recommend a ballast that is compatible with Tek Elite?
Many thx again in advance.....likely, this Tek Elite fixture is only driving my frag tank.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Actually I'm not exaggerating at all. If reflectivity is so important, than why do you see almost no gain when going from old, pitted reflectors to brand new reflectors? It is because shape and design is more important.
I will message grim and get the exact numbers from him. It was something to this effect:
ATI 37
LET 36
Ice cap 30ish
Tek 22
Tek reflectors aren't the greatest.
.
So why when you see TEK fixtures with cooling mods they compete very closely to ATI fixtures, with a cheap fan... Obviously they work well enough.
Isn't this information from a long time ago, no? TEK reflectors have gotten better since the original reflectors.
What doe those number mean exactly Ryan? How much PAR you gained from a reflector?
Seeming that the Tek elite is already cooled, replacing the ballasts is your next best option.
obviously I missed you where talking about the elite fixture, I doubt it is cooled as well as it should be though.
Since icecap hasn't been around in awhile, and now sunlight supply's bail out on the aquarium industry the remaining TEK fixtures are still some of the best out there, until something better comes out.
Time for another company to step up or leave the market to ATI...although with LEDs on the rise I'm doubtful this will happen soon.
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Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
You have this same quote in the thread Ryan. Why not copy & paste it?
So I'm not seeing why your TEK numbers are so low, you said 22 when grim said they are 26.
Also not getting why they are 50% better.
So I'm not seeing why your TEK numbers are so low, you said 22 when grim said they are 26.
Also not getting why they are 50% better.
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Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Use the ATI ballast, but be warned it will not fit in the TEK elite, it must be mounted outside the fixture somewhere.
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
There you go. I didn't have the exact numbers so I went off memory and I think I did pretty darn good.
Ryan....you've DONE GREAT for me and many others in this thread for many many posts, replies to the same questions and advice in setup & running of T5's.....imho!
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Agreed. Not saying otherwise.
Ryan knows I respect him.
I don't want to come across like I don't because I do.
Ya you are/where close.
But, even a uncooled TEK compared to a ATI with it's superior ballasts, reflectors & cooling isn't 50% better for PAR. I dont want someone to have unrealistic expectations from swapping reflectors.
IMO TEK "fixtures" are great fixtures, among the best...too bad they bailed on the aquarium side of lighting. Obviously you can buy an ATI or retro reflector thats better, but the TEK 'fixtures' are very good, I try not to be biased, but I respect them a lot.
Retro lighting has great reflectors options out there but you need to find out first-hand if your cooling your bulbs properly to get the most out of them. Some trial & error & PAR meter will help. I 100% believe this trumps all.
We need to give the people the facts and between you, me, and everyone else who tried/tries to help (even if we point out other things) will hopefully add up enough info for someone to take & make a informed decision.
If someone wants to spend hard earned money (to some of us) for something by all means. I'll stop with my opinion because its irrelevant. Unless someone PM's me.
This hobby as lots of consumer R&D and we really don't have much to go on @ times. Hopefully LED lighting wont be the only thing people are testing & improving nowadays, although I know most of us are waiting for it to get better & cheaper. Information is hard to get sometimes.
Props for everyone testing, comparing, crunching numbers & changing bulbs etc. to bring us info that we otherwise would not have!
Ryan knows I respect him.
I don't want to come across like I don't because I do.
Ya you are/where close.
But, even a uncooled TEK compared to a ATI with it's superior ballasts, reflectors & cooling isn't 50% better for PAR. I dont want someone to have unrealistic expectations from swapping reflectors.
IMO TEK "fixtures" are great fixtures, among the best...too bad they bailed on the aquarium side of lighting. Obviously you can buy an ATI or retro reflector thats better, but the TEK 'fixtures' are very good, I try not to be biased, but I respect them a lot.
Retro lighting has great reflectors options out there but you need to find out first-hand if your cooling your bulbs properly to get the most out of them. Some trial & error & PAR meter will help. I 100% believe this trumps all.
We need to give the people the facts and between you, me, and everyone else who tried/tries to help (even if we point out other things) will hopefully add up enough info for someone to take & make a informed decision.
If someone wants to spend hard earned money (to some of us) for something by all means. I'll stop with my opinion because its irrelevant. Unless someone PM's me.
This hobby as lots of consumer R&D and we really don't have much to go on @ times. Hopefully LED lighting wont be the only thing people are testing & improving nowadays, although I know most of us are waiting for it to get better & cheaper. Information is hard to get sometimes.
Props for everyone testing, comparing, crunching numbers & changing bulbs etc. to bring us info that we otherwise would not have!
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rtparty
Raise The Reef!
I haven't said the fixtures aren't good. I think they are good setups. My biggest complaint was the lack of cooling and garbage ballasts. Tek had a huge opportunity to knock ATI off and totally blew it.
The Tek elite could've been great but ended up as just good. I've never understood why no one has competed with ATI. It isn't all that tough to design a good setup.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Ya I understand, maybe a copyright thing?
Its really not a hard thing to do, the Sunpower is a very simple design, the parts aren't cheap but it could be even better.
The reason the Powermodule needs the fans for every 2 bulbs & ballast is because the heavier housing & small channeling between ballasts, instead of a lighter housing that cools better & it being open for all the ballasts instead of being crammed in a 2 3/4" space with heavier metal.
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toofrigginswt
New member
Yesterday I was playing with the bulb combinations on my 10 bulb powermodule. I realized that you have to give your eyes some time away from the tank before you make a decision. Every combination I did without the GE bulb looked green to my eyes immediately. Lol.
After an hour of playing with the bulbs, I realize that the coral plus bulb is my favorite bulb. I am currently running 7 blue plus and 3 coral plus. I love the color it gives off.
I tried putting 6 blue plus, 3 coral plus, and 1 purple plus and it looks too white for my taste.
Anyone else like the coral plus as much as I do? Anyone tried running all coral plus bulbs?
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2
After an hour of playing with the bulbs, I realize that the coral plus bulb is my favorite bulb. I am currently running 7 blue plus and 3 coral plus. I love the color it gives off.
I tried putting 6 blue plus, 3 coral plus, and 1 purple plus and it looks too white for my taste.
Anyone else like the coral plus as much as I do? Anyone tried running all coral plus bulbs?
Sent from my HTC One XL using Tapatalk 2
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Standard 55? You will be fine.
kissman
New member
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