The T5 Q&a Thread
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NorthernCF
Premium Member
reefgeek.com
stolaas
Member
I have a question. I am about to upgrade my NO 40watters 48in to something that I will stick with for the life of the tank. The tank is a standard 55gal 48inch wide. I was almost sold on PCs but have been reading a lot about T5s. As my understanding is, the T5 fixures without individual reflectors are the same as having PCs. I want 4 T5s or 4 PCs to go into my hood. Right now I don't have any corals but have live rock and fish. I want to start corals now but am waiting to get a better light. I see the Nova T5 fixure has only one reflector over all the bulbs as opposed to the Tek 5 or Retro fits. The price difference is $100. This to me is a lot of money since I make everything for my tank.
What would be a better bet:
Power Compact fixure or Retro with reflectors for $200
Nova T5 fixure (comes with bulbs and save $100) for $200
Retro fit with individual reflectors and lights from reefgeek for $300
Would the extra light from the reflectors really do that much better for only a 55gal tank? And would it justify the extra $100 for the multiple reflectors.
Please be honest in your replies because a lot of us don't have as much money as some big reefers and get by with what we have.
Thanks a lot guys/girls
What would be a better bet:
Power Compact fixure or Retro with reflectors for $200
Nova T5 fixure (comes with bulbs and save $100) for $200
Retro fit with individual reflectors and lights from reefgeek for $300
Would the extra light from the reflectors really do that much better for only a 55gal tank? And would it justify the extra $100 for the multiple reflectors.
Please be honest in your replies because a lot of us don't have as much money as some big reefers and get by with what we have.
Thanks a lot guys/girls
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
stolaas,
I would do an icecap retrofit with 4x48" bulbs or a tek light with 4-6 bulbs (the 6 will fit a 55g barely). I would put the 4 bulb tek at about double light than that from a 4x65wattPC. I would not waste the money on a fixture w/o individual reflectors as well. FWIW, if you want to go cheaper, just get a tek light with less bulbs...I would easily bet that a 2 bulb icecap retro would have the same output as a 4 bulb unit with nothing but a flat reflector....but the 2 bulb unit means less energy wasted.
You can get a nice 4-bulb tek light from reefgeek.com for $239 w/o bulbs, or the icecap retrofit. Either is a great option for a 55g...their ouput rivaling having halides over the tank.
I would do an icecap retrofit with 4x48" bulbs or a tek light with 4-6 bulbs (the 6 will fit a 55g barely). I would put the 4 bulb tek at about double light than that from a 4x65wattPC. I would not waste the money on a fixture w/o individual reflectors as well. FWIW, if you want to go cheaper, just get a tek light with less bulbs...I would easily bet that a 2 bulb icecap retro would have the same output as a 4 bulb unit with nothing but a flat reflector....but the 2 bulb unit means less energy wasted.
You can get a nice 4-bulb tek light from reefgeek.com for $239 w/o bulbs, or the icecap retrofit. Either is a great option for a 55g...their ouput rivaling having halides over the tank.
s3aL
New member
I found that overdriven blueplus bulbs are not as blue as regular driven blueplus bulbs and overdriven aquablues are very very white with no blue at all. With the bulb combo im using right now, its still not as blue as id like.
Ill be picking up 2 more blueplus bulbs so ill be running all blueplus bulbs, 4 overdriven, 2 regular driven. This should give me much better 14k-20k look to it and still have plenty of PAR due to overdriving bulbs.
If anyone see's a problem with this, speak up!
Ill be picking up 2 more blueplus bulbs so ill be running all blueplus bulbs, 4 overdriven, 2 regular driven. This should give me much better 14k-20k look to it and still have plenty of PAR due to overdriving bulbs.
If anyone see's a problem with this, speak up!
Justin74
New member
Im kinda curious to see the results seal, as of now though it sounds like youd be more happy just putting the 11ks on a regulary driven ballast?Maybe even better just puttin 1 on and the other 5 blu+?
Any one have pics of corals on a all blu+ tank that theyve had goin for at least a few months?
-Justin
Any one have pics of corals on a all blu+ tank that theyve had goin for at least a few months?
-Justin
Opinions please
Opinions please
Ok, first a little background. I was given a 135 tank which has a set of power compacts on it. Two 36 inch units with two bulbs in each (96 watters).
I would like to upgrade my lighting in preparation of keeping more corals. Currently have some mushrooms and frogspawn which all seem to be doing fine with the current lighting. I have the opportunity to purchase an Energy Savers (Coralife) Metal halide fixture. It is a 72" unit with (3) 175w bulbs and 2 VHO bulbs. Bulbs will not be included and he is asking 250 for the fixture.
My question is, would i get a better bang for my bucks by going something T5 or should i go with the fixture recommended above and purchase the bulbs for it. I figure i would spend over 400 to get the above setup going. It is a 72" wide tank and 24" depth. Would i need two 36" fixtures or does someone make a 72" setup? Also, i plan on building a hood for my tank for whatever i get to have a nice clean look....tired of the wife asking me when i am gonna put a cover on the tank so she doesnt have to look at the current PC lighting.
Opinions please
Ok, first a little background. I was given a 135 tank which has a set of power compacts on it. Two 36 inch units with two bulbs in each (96 watters).
I would like to upgrade my lighting in preparation of keeping more corals. Currently have some mushrooms and frogspawn which all seem to be doing fine with the current lighting. I have the opportunity to purchase an Energy Savers (Coralife) Metal halide fixture. It is a 72" unit with (3) 175w bulbs and 2 VHO bulbs. Bulbs will not be included and he is asking 250 for the fixture.
My question is, would i get a better bang for my bucks by going something T5 or should i go with the fixture recommended above and purchase the bulbs for it. I figure i would spend over 400 to get the above setup going. It is a 72" wide tank and 24" depth. Would i need two 36" fixtures or does someone make a 72" setup? Also, i plan on building a hood for my tank for whatever i get to have a nice clean look....tired of the wife asking me when i am gonna put a cover on the tank so she doesnt have to look at the current PC lighting.
silverwolf72
New member
http://www.prolighting.com/6lat5flhibay.html
does this fixture look any good? I looked at the spec sheet and it does have indvidual reflectors for each bulb
does this fixture look any good? I looked at the spec sheet and it does have indvidual reflectors for each bulb
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Eeeek, gaaaad! That ESU is old-school. 175watters with VHOs? Im having flashbacks to 1995 here....help!
T5s are a much better choice, or, a combo of 150/250watt double ended halides with some T5s would work fine as well. T5s come in bulb lengths of 2',3',4', and 5'. The pricing favors the 4', since the cost per bulb doesnt seem to vary much no matter if the bulb is 2' or 4'...and neither do the fixtures (60" bulbs do cost a slight bit more than 4', but the problem with them is finding suitable reflectors or fixtures...they are few and scarce, so 4' bulbs are most common). That being said, using two 36" fixtures is what some people do...OR, they use 4'/5' bulbs...about 6-8 of them for a tank of your size, and stagger them 6" at each end to cover the ends. This works well.
Geisemann has a new series of halide T5 combo units that consist of 3x250wattDE halides mixed with 4x80watt (5') T5s. Now thats a mean system.
T5s are a much better choice, or, a combo of 150/250watt double ended halides with some T5s would work fine as well. T5s come in bulb lengths of 2',3',4', and 5'. The pricing favors the 4', since the cost per bulb doesnt seem to vary much no matter if the bulb is 2' or 4'...and neither do the fixtures (60" bulbs do cost a slight bit more than 4', but the problem with them is finding suitable reflectors or fixtures...they are few and scarce, so 4' bulbs are most common). That being said, using two 36" fixtures is what some people do...OR, they use 4'/5' bulbs...about 6-8 of them for a tank of your size, and stagger them 6" at each end to cover the ends. This works well.
Geisemann has a new series of halide T5 combo units that consist of 3x250wattDE halides mixed with 4x80watt (5') T5s. Now thats a mean system.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Its for commercial, good luck getting 277v installed at your home.
silverwolf72
New member
they are from120v to 277V in
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Only a single reflector. Might as well get the Finnex or Orbit fixture that is made for aquarium use.
silverwolf72
New member
hmm spec sheet says refector surrounds each lamp
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
If that is the same one I am thinking of the reflector just has a V shape molded in between the lamps. I'd call and see if they have a pic of the unit that shows the reflector.
silverwolf72
New member
Ok thanks Grim I'll see if I can get some better info, would molded reflector make a difference from actual invidual reflectors? I'm guessing the only way to tell would be if someone actully tested them. 
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