- Location
- Pennsylvania
Hey MR, I want to change my MH lighting thats on my 120g to T5's. The electric bill is breaking me. So my question is, whats a good T5 light fixture name brand to buy and best used for the growth of corals?
Change From MH to T5's
- Thread starter brick-brothers
- Start date
Solace Aquatics LLC
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Charleston, SC
What are the dimensions of your tank and what are you keeping?
- Location
- Pennsylvania
my tank takes a 48inch fixture. I want to do soft and hard corals, mainly soft.
If he is doing "mainly softies" ... a 48" ATI would be the biggest waste of money ... there is definitely no need for one ... Like people have said the Nova Extreme pro and the Tek are the best bang for the buck!
How long do you run your current halides for? If your electric bill is really that high ... you should honestly compile a list of all of your equipment, the wattage etc. etc. and use the reef calculators over on Reef Central (i will find the link for you) and determine what you can do to cut your costs ... Sometimes your return or skimmer pumps cost more to run then your lights, remember they both run 24/7.
How long do you run your current halides for? If your electric bill is really that high ... you should honestly compile a list of all of your equipment, the wattage etc. etc. and use the reef calculators over on Reef Central (i will find the link for you) and determine what you can do to cut your costs ... Sometimes your return or skimmer pumps cost more to run then your lights, remember they both run 24/7.
+100 Totally agree
- Location
- Eastern Long Island
Hey bud. I gotta say Current is a great company. Superb customer service and they make a good product at an affordable price.
But if you want the best in T5 light while you save money on electric, Id recommend an Icecap 440 or 660 ballast and after that just buy yourself some individual reflectors and quality bulbs. Icecap could provide you with all of these components. Their ballasts actually allow you to overdrive your bulbs to around 80 watts and having individual reflectors makes sure every bit of those lumens reach your corals.
I tell ya this becuase Im also saving to get myself an Icecap retro. I have a 216 wavepoint fixture above my 75 and its works well but I need to add a lil more light to get the growth I want. So im starting with the best and going from there. Next available funds are going to a 440 or 660 ballast
But if you want the best in T5 light while you save money on electric, Id recommend an Icecap 440 or 660 ballast and after that just buy yourself some individual reflectors and quality bulbs. Icecap could provide you with all of these components. Their ballasts actually allow you to overdrive your bulbs to around 80 watts and having individual reflectors makes sure every bit of those lumens reach your corals.
I tell ya this becuase Im also saving to get myself an Icecap retro. I have a 216 wavepoint fixture above my 75 and its works well but I need to add a lil more light to get the growth I want. So im starting with the best and going from there. Next available funds are going to a 440 or 660 ballast
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- Location
- Eastern Long Island
BTW my electric bull has gone up a tad over $100/mo since a year ago when I first set up the tanks. granted I have 3 tanks im lighting now and along with all the lights comes all the pumps. So I think Ill use that Calculator thing as well, thanks for the tip DCG
ctxmonitor
Senior Member
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
BTW my electric bull has gone up a tad over $100/mo since a year ago when I first set up the tanks. granted I have 3 tanks im lighting now and along with all the lights comes all the pumps. So I think Ill use that Calculator thing as well, thanks for the tip DCG
haha.. Lighting three 3 tanks!!! What you expected, lol.. But also agree with electricity.. They are killing us, will they ever lower the price.... Wishful thinking, i know..
Yeah, definitely switching to a T5 setup will save some money, and heat issue. But it all depend on what you are keeping and what will you want to keep.
- Location
- Franklin Lakes, NJ
Are you running 250w MHs? A 54x6 T5 Fixture is very close in wattage to 2 175w MHs. Even with 250s you're only likely to see a $5-$6 drop monthly. Cutting an hour a day off your light cycle may bring you a small savings.
I've found that powerheads and pumps are a much more cost effective way to cut expenses on electric. A single MJ1200 uses 20w, where a Koralia pumping out more water uses less than half. One efficient pump can often be set up on a manifold, eliminating heat and energy costs, while still providing flow to reactors, etc.
If you're running a heater or chiller, try controlling them a bit looser, an extra half degree in either direction won't hurt the tank, but a 250w heater running less could help your bill.
Figure out all of your costs before you try to cut them or you'll end up spending a ton now to save very little. Keep in mind, if you spend $300 for a monthly savings of $5 it will take you about 5 years to make the money back.
I've found that powerheads and pumps are a much more cost effective way to cut expenses on electric. A single MJ1200 uses 20w, where a Koralia pumping out more water uses less than half. One efficient pump can often be set up on a manifold, eliminating heat and energy costs, while still providing flow to reactors, etc.
If you're running a heater or chiller, try controlling them a bit looser, an extra half degree in either direction won't hurt the tank, but a 250w heater running less could help your bill.
Figure out all of your costs before you try to cut them or you'll end up spending a ton now to save very little. Keep in mind, if you spend $300 for a monthly savings of $5 it will take you about 5 years to make the money back.
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
<--------- smacks self in head ... :smash:
- Location
- BUSHWICK BROOKLYN
i have TEK T5 fixture my corals are loving mainly softies.....
also take into consideration the t-5 fixture you are thinking about v.s. the halide fixture you have now. 6 x 54 watts (324 watts) v.s. 2 x 150 (300 watts) or 2 x 250 (500). you might be considering a fixture that actually uses more electric.
that said, you want something that you can keep anything under, because everyone i've ever met that got into the hobby changed their minds about what was going in there tanks somewhere along the lines.
that said, you want something that you can keep anything under, because everyone i've ever met that got into the hobby changed their minds about what was going in there tanks somewhere along the lines.
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