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t5

firehazard

firehazard

firehazard
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baldwin
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im thinking of making a canopy with built in t5. i wanted to know 1, could a t5 bulb fit into a regular floures. fixture. and 2 would i need to run a higher rated ballast? thank you
 
M

masterswimmer

Old School Reefer
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Manhattan Reefs
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NY
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I concur with Dean and pmui. In addition to the bulbs not fitting and the ballast being wrong, you won't have the proper reflectors. The reflectors are one major component of T5's that give them the great efficiency.

There are lots of cheap imitations out there, but to get quality, you'll wind up spending a bit more. I own the Sunlight Supply TEK light. It's the only one I have experience with, so I won't comment on other brands. But you cannot go wrong with the SLS fixture or their line of retrofit components.

swimmer
 
M

masterswimmer

Old School Reefer
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Manhattan Reefs
Location
NY
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450   2   0
Deanos said:
Russ, can you explain some more about the importance of the reflectors? :wink1:
Click to expand...

Sure Dean, you know it doesn't take much prodding to get me to 'sing like a canary'! :lol2:

The reflectors are probably the single most important component of a quality T5 setup. The small diameter of a T5 bulb (5/8" dia.) allows more bulbs to be incorporated into the same amount of space as a std T8 or a T12 bulb would allow. Thereby permitting more 'watts per gallon' than the larger bulbs, although, this doesn't necessarily generate more useable light for your tank.

However, with all these bulbs in the hood, there is A LOT of light being emitted from the tops of these bulbs. If the old standard flat reflector were used above these bulbs, the light that was emitted straight up would bascially be reflected off a flat reflector and directed straight back down into the top of the bulb. This basically renders this 'reflected' light useless. Who needs the light back in the bulb?

This problem was recognized and taken care of with a more efficiently designed reflector. A quality T5 reflector is one in which there is a single individual, highly polished, parabolic reflector for each individual bulb. What this does is redirects (refracts) the light emmitted from the tops of the bulbs and basically 'bends' (refracts) the light around the bulb and into the tank below. This is the principle employed to offer T5's 300% more USEABLE light than with a standard flat reflector.

Ok class, any questions? :lol:

HTH,
swimmer
 
Last edited:
prattreef

prattreef

Administrator
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Manhattan Reefs
Real Reefer
Supporter
Location
Brooklyn, NY
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I concur with Russ and would add that if you are doing a retro T-5 setup, I would look into the Icecap single lamp reflectors and drive the unit with an Icecap electronic ballast that overdirves the bulbs without damaging them and gives you drastically increased output. Talk to russ about the new T-5 actinics too.

Randy
 
M

masterswimmer

Old School Reefer
Vendor
Manhattan Reefs
Location
NY
Rating - 99.6%
450   2   0
Thanks for the backup Randy. Great advice for the IC line of retro components too.

Ahhhhh, now you're getting me started on the actinics! :lol2: I'm not sure that's what the intent of this thread was.................but, if firehazard REALLY wanted to know :lol: . How could I deprive someone of that knowledge?

Talk to me fire, do inquiring minds want to know?

swimmer
 
fritz

fritz

OG of this here reef game
Manhattan Reefs
Location
Marine Park
Rating - 95.9%
47   2   0
It's also worth mentioning that with overdriven bulbs you will need to cool them somehow. I just replaced my 8cm fan with a 12cm computer case fan and my daylight bulb went from being yellow to off white!
 
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