We all know Tek is a great light...

[jflick345]

So here's the deal: I'm setting up a new tank that's 36Lx12Wx20H and plan to keep mainly soft corals with a few at most of sps and lps. I was leaning towards getting the 4x39w Tek fixture. My question, is it worth it? Other than the fact that someone is going to tell me that I'll change my mind later on and it'll save me money in the long run, for my situation, is it really worth buying that light system compared to a Nova Extreme, Sundial or even an Odyssea? I want the tank to look good and my corals to thrive but I don't think the intense lighting all the way to the sand is necessary for me. What do you guys think? I know there are fans all all those systems out there and I want someone to convince me what light I should get.

 

[tufacody]

Well I think you answered your own question. The Tek is kind of a "tweener" light. If you are ultimately going to upgrade in the near future, then I'd go with something cheaper now. However, if the Tek is the most your budget will allow, then it is a superior fixture to the others you mentioned.

 

[addicted2reefin]

the tek and the nove extremes are very comparable systems. i think the reflectors on the tek are a little better. neither one will give u better penetration. i would go with the best deal $$$ wise on a fixture w/ a fan. i would rule odyssea out unless they come w/ slrs

personnaly i got a 6 bulb NEP

 

[jflick345]

I should have phrased it better b/c I have no plans to upgrade in the near future. I guess what I really want to know is if I don't plan on keeping a bunch of stony corals near the sand bed, taking light penetration a little more out of the equation, are there other benefits of the Tek over the others that I'm not aware of?

 

[James77]

For about $40 more than the 4x39w Tek, you can get an ATI Sunpower 4x39w- it is FAR better than the Tek or any of the others you listed.

Benefits of the Sunpower over the Tek are active cooling and an acrylic shield. The Teks output is hindered by no active cooling, and its reflectors will stain very quickly from salt creep.

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/ATI/SunPower_Fixtures/

I would say the Tek is a decent fixture, definitely not great.

 

[addicted2reefin]

the 4x39 tek is 287 w/o bulbs and the sunpower is 389. 100 is a big diff.

 

[bristle]

110

 

[sedor]

With the Tek don't forget that your going to have to buy legs and a splash guard as well. That's another $100.

Make sure you get the pro version of the Nova Extreme if you go that route because the regular version does not have individual reflectors it just has one big one. I don't know if they have the pro in your size, but the reflectors will make all the difference.

If you can find a NE Pro, then go for that otherwise Tek or even better, ATI.

 

[James77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15532425#post15532425 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by addicted2reefin
the 4x39 tek is 287 w/o bulbs and the sunpower is 389. 100 is a big diff.

I had accidentally compared the tek with bulb price to the Sunpower w/o bulb price. Nonetheless, I think the $100 is more than worth is for the active cooling and acrylic shield that the SP provides. T5's require active colling for the best performance.

$100 is not really a big deal in this hobby. A hobby where several hundred to thousands of dollars will be spent on live rock, corals and fish. Id rather pay the $100 and have a great lighting fixture, rather than some so-so fixture that will perform like crap and have stained reflectors within 1 month.

 

[James77]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15532869#post15532869 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ryandlf
With the Tek don't forget that your going to have to buy legs and a splash guard as well. That's another $100.

Putting that splash guard on the Tek only amplifies the effect of having no cooling. Even more heat is trapped at the bulbs, further reducing their life and output.

 

[jflick345]

I'm thinking the Tek is the obvious choice here since I didn't realize the regular NE only has one reflector and the NEP is 3in wider than my tank. It's my first non-nano reef so I want to do it right and maybe stretch the bank but not break it...if that's possible in this hobby. I think I'll save the ATI for down the road as much as I'd love to have it. Without the splash guard how susceptible are the Tek reflectors to salt creep and staining? In the long run will that lessen the effectiveness and longevity of the reflectors? I'm probably going to build a canopy as well so taking into consideration the potential heat issues with the Tek would a fan on either end of the fixture be sufficient or would my best bet be a retro at that point?

 

[James77]

The Tek reflectors will stain almost immediately. When I first had mine, I cleaned the salt creep off from the 1st week, and they were permanently stained. It would imagine it would affect the reflecting light, by how much IDK.

I don't know what your skills are for building, but you might want to consider a retro. Icecap reflectors are much better overall. Make sure you factor in active cooling.

 

[jflick345]

As far as building goes, I like to learn on my feet. haha I've got a build going right now for my stand and the canopy will follow so I guess a retro kit might be something to consider. I honestly hadn't really considered that option yet. Are a couple cooling fans usually sufficient with a retro kit?