S
steveo32
Guest
i found a 72 in t5 lighting system with 14 bulbs. It is about the same price as a 250 watt mh three lamp hood mainly keeping softies and lps might have some spf which lighting system would be better?
Depends on the T5 lighting system. Most of the T5 setups being sold are nothing but crap IMO. With T5's you need a quality setup with "individual" parabolic reflectors for each bulb. The ballast type can make a huge difference as well. No way in the world you would need 14 bulbs either, even for a 72" tank.
well like i said its 2 sets of 7 bulbs end to end. like 2 rows of the 36'' bulbs end to end. heres the link to the site :
http://www.aquactinics.com/Store/T5_...ng_Systems.htm
Im not sure of the quality thought of this company. if anyone knows where I could get a good quality fixture for a resonable price that'd b great I would need 2 36"s
http://www.aquactinics.com/Store/T5_...ng_Systems.htm
Im not sure of the quality thought of this company. if anyone knows where I could get a good quality fixture for a resonable price that'd b great I would need 2 36"s
- Location
- NY
T5's don't come in 72" lengths. The fixture he is looking at has two rows of 36" bulbs side by side going 7 rows deep.
I looked at the link with this fixture and told Steve everything mentioned here. The fixture is also only 15" front to back. So they are also squeezing 7 bulbs in 15" whereas the TEK light has 6 bulbs in 18". Doesn't sound like it has individual parabolic reflectors. Steve is calling them during business hours to confirm everything before buying.
swimmer
I looked at the link with this fixture and told Steve everything mentioned here. The fixture is also only 15" front to back. So they are also squeezing 7 bulbs in 15" whereas the TEK light has 6 bulbs in 18". Doesn't sound like it has individual parabolic reflectors. Steve is calling them during business hours to confirm everything before buying.
swimmer
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
Aquatinics is a very good light manufacturer. I've seen their fixtures and they are good quality. They are also a sponser on RC with his own vendor forum.
His fixtures do incorporate individual reflectors and are placed in an inverted "U" shape, that is why his fixtures are not as wide as a comparable Tek fixture.
The only two T5 fixtures that I would buy is either a Tek light or an Aquatinics fixture. Aquatinics are not inexpensive either but they do come with built in fans where the Tek's don't.
His fixtures do incorporate individual reflectors and are placed in an inverted "U" shape, that is why his fixtures are not as wide as a comparable Tek fixture.
The only two T5 fixtures that I would buy is either a Tek light or an Aquatinics fixture. Aquatinics are not inexpensive either but they do come with built in fans where the Tek's don't.
- Location
- NY
Warren, excellent info. I'm sure Steve will appreciate that.
Yo, Steve, you in da house? :hug:
swimmer
Yo, Steve, you in da house? :hug:
swimmer
I went with t5's because of the heat factor on my tank. For my set up the t5's were perfect. But I still like the effect the halides have on a tank, it's much better. It's a more natural look and if it wasn't because of the heat and the extra wattage I would have stayed with the halides.
Steve 14 aquablue plus at $20.90 comes out to a lot of money.
T5's are werid the smaller bulbs are about the same price as the longer ones.
39 watt aquablue plus are 20.90 and the 5 foot 80 watt bulbs are just four dollars more.
I have six five footers on my 180 with two Icecap 660 ballast's and SLR reflectors and man thats a lot of light.
I believe it's more than my halide set up with four 175's and two 160 vho's.
I'm glad I made the move. But if I had to buy 14 bulbs every 12 to 16 montrhs I would have stayed with the halides.
Vic
Vic
Steve 14 aquablue plus at $20.90 comes out to a lot of money.
T5's are werid the smaller bulbs are about the same price as the longer ones.
39 watt aquablue plus are 20.90 and the 5 foot 80 watt bulbs are just four dollars more.
I have six five footers on my 180 with two Icecap 660 ballast's and SLR reflectors and man thats a lot of light.
I believe it's more than my halide set up with four 175's and two 160 vho's.
I'm glad I made the move. But if I had to buy 14 bulbs every 12 to 16 montrhs I would have stayed with the halides.
Vic
Vic
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- Location
- NY
Vic, I also have T5's. I'm not looking to get into a debate with anyone on this. The following is MY taste and opinion.
I like T5's better for a couple of reasons.
First, the heat issue is definitely a major factor.
Second, the kelvin rating on a MH bulb varies from mfg to mfg. Trying different bulbs will cost some bucks (just like T5's). However, there really isn't a way to gradually change color temp with MH's like there is with T5's. I have played around with various T5 bulbs to 'fine tune' the appearance of my tank. With MH's, for the most part, it is one bulb, then the next, then the next. Whereas the color temp might only need a bit of tweaking and you just can't do that.
With T5's I can just change one out of six bulbs, or two and get the 'right' color for MY palatte.
Third, I have found that with a quality fixture T5's put out MUCH more light than originally thought. At first I kept my fixture about 2" above the tank top. My corals grew like crazy but just didn't color up the way I knew they could. I raised my fixture to 12" above the tank. All my corals started to color up. I have crocea's and SPS on the sandbed. These animals are effectively 30" away from the light source (and under 18" of water) and they are more than surviving. They are thriving.
T5 lights, with the right reflectors and ballasts are able to keep anything under them that MH's can.
JM $.02,
swimmer
I like T5's better for a couple of reasons.
First, the heat issue is definitely a major factor.
Second, the kelvin rating on a MH bulb varies from mfg to mfg. Trying different bulbs will cost some bucks (just like T5's). However, there really isn't a way to gradually change color temp with MH's like there is with T5's. I have played around with various T5 bulbs to 'fine tune' the appearance of my tank. With MH's, for the most part, it is one bulb, then the next, then the next. Whereas the color temp might only need a bit of tweaking and you just can't do that.
With T5's I can just change one out of six bulbs, or two and get the 'right' color for MY palatte.
Third, I have found that with a quality fixture T5's put out MUCH more light than originally thought. At first I kept my fixture about 2" above the tank top. My corals grew like crazy but just didn't color up the way I knew they could. I raised my fixture to 12" above the tank. All my corals started to color up. I have crocea's and SPS on the sandbed. These animals are effectively 30" away from the light source (and under 18" of water) and they are more than surviving. They are thriving.
T5 lights, with the right reflectors and ballasts are able to keep anything under them that MH's can.
JM $.02,
swimmer
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Hey Russ,
If I came out like I wanted a debate I'm sorry. I was just trying to help out wit my expierience I like my t5's and my sps are doing great.
I just though that 14 bulbs was a lot for a 6 foot tank and at 20.90 a bulb thats almost 300 buks to replace them. I was just trying to help out.
thats all.
Vic
If I came out like I wanted a debate I'm sorry. I was just trying to help out wit my expierience I like my t5's and my sps are doing great.
I just though that 14 bulbs was a lot for a 6 foot tank and at 20.90 a bulb thats almost 300 buks to replace them. I was just trying to help out.
thats all.
Vic
- Location
- NY
Vic8361 said:Hey Russ,
If I came out like I wanted a debate I'm sorry. I was just trying to help out wit my expierience I like my t5's and my sps are doing great.
Vic
Hell no buddy. I wasn't referring to you. T5 vs. MH's can evoke a debate from a lot of people. You're a T5 user, I'm sure you understand where I'm coming from. :grouphug:
swimmer
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