T5 Flourescent Lighting Thread

[jackson6745]

Rich, lets be real now. I never said that T-5's were THE BEST way to go. This thread was started to find out if it's possible to run T-5's efficiently and effectively on a reef tank. I think I've proven that it is possible. And as far as the RC TOTM's being predominantly MH lit tanks, (first off there haven't been 100's of them, only 12 per year), that stands to reason they would be MH lit tanks because almost all of their TOTM's are SPS dominated tanks. T-5's are another viable alternative to MH's. Less expensive to run, less expnesive to replace bulbs and potentially comparable colors.

There are a lot of 'right ways' to do things in this hobby. Don't condemn anyone for going outside mainstream and having success.



:grouphug:

master

Russ I'm not condeming anyone for doing things differently. I do not believe T5s are cheaper to run and the bulbs are not cheaper to replace....let me explain.

You want a MH alternative, not an alternative to PC's or VHO's right? This will require quite a few T5 tubes. Danano's TOTM is using 8x54w T5's.....432W of power and 8 bulbs to replace. If you are overdriving them with an IC balast you can only expect 10months of life from each bulb. Cheaper and more effective to use 2x250s Russ I never condem anything that I don't fully understand or have experience with. T5's are not the best thing since swiss cheese.
Keep in mind I'm talking about an SPS tank. I think it's a great option for mixed reefs.

 

[kimoyo]

the problem with T-5s for SPS is the color fades under T-5s. the spectrum isnt as intense as the MH to give off the color, but it does have really good par.

If the color is fading that means the pigment population is getting proportionately smaller. We try to limit the zoox so the pigments of the coral show thru but at the same time they help darken the colors.

 

[masterswimmer]

Rich, sounds like we're getting somewhere. I think we are agreeing to disagree! lol

In your scenario you are selective in forgetting to include actinic supplementation in your MH cost of running/replacing. And, you're also not overdriving your MH bulbs either. With an overdriven MH bulb, I'd say at most you're getting 5 - 6 months, correct? So I'd say you're getting just shy of 2:1, T-5:MH life expectancy. Plus the cost of actinic supplementation on the MH end of things.

Lets not also forget the heat issue. I have no need for a chiller on my T-5 setup. Not everyone needs a chiller on MH setups either, but I think it's fair to say that there is more of a heat issue/cost with MH's.

Therefore with your scenario from above, 2 x 250 MH + 110w actinic + cost of cooling versus 432w T-5's, then again I submit that it's less expensive to run T-5's.

Your turn, lol,
Russ

 

[Deanos]

:scratch: Actinic supplementation is not required on all MH tanks..i.e. House of Laughter

 

[masterswimmer]

:scratch: Actinic supplementation is not required on all MH tanks..i.e. House of Laughter

Once again, very true. But from my experience, an isolated instance. It's more the norm to supplement MH's than not to....i.e. everyone other than house!

master

 

[kimoyo]

Just to put this out there, I found this on another board. I don't have the research papers for it but its support by a Steve Tyree article.


>Pocilloporin primarily absorbs green/yellow (550-600 nm) light along with some upper UV-A . it emmits a orange/red
>highly fluorescent pocilloporins primarily absorbs light from 310 to 380 nm (UV-B and UV-A) and then fluoresces this as light from 400 to 470 nm (violet/blue).
>highly fluorescent pocilloporin primarily absorbs light from 380 to 470 nm (UV-A, violet and blue) and fluoresces light from 475 to 520 nm (blue and green).
>third type of highly fluorescent pocilloporin primarily absorbs light from 430 to 490 nm (violet and blue) and fluoresces light from 490 to 540 nm (green/yellow).
>Yellow fluorescing pocilloporin primarily absorbs light from 440 to 500 nm (blue) and fluoresces light from 520 to 620 nm (green, yellow and orange).
>Red/Orange Fluorescing pocilloporin that primarily absorbs light from 500 to 540 nm (green) and fluoresces light with wavelengths that are primarily orange to red.


And just remember you use more power (watts) to make a bluer photon. So the actinics are giving off less photons but with higher energy.

 

[griMReefer]

ok well its just for a nano 26 gallon bow 24" so i just want alittle hood, low profile, low wattage. unfortunately im finding more variety in hoods in the 48" than anything else.

i agree something like a 20K metal halide gives out enuf blue without any actinic supps even if you want the blue look. but its mad funny over a small tank.

i just really need a low profile and low power consumption, sits right atop the tank, not pendant, and only 2 bulbs to replace max, considering its such a small tank. i am just doing live rock and some mushies and green star polyps and other polyp rock.

what are you suggestions for the 26 gallon nano in t5 or whatever hood that's plug and play and low profile? i don't want to go pver 80 watts but i want light to reach the bottom of the tank at the same time.

i COULD buy a bigger tank and stand but i don't like big tanks because im moving in about a year, either to washington hts or jackson hts, i'm not sure yet

i also have 45 gallon tank but i dont know what to do with it because its not drilled or overflowed, and where i have it, it needs to be right up against the wall because if i move it forward for hang-on space it will stand out too much to me, so i might just do cichlids or goldfish in that tank in the basement. not sure yet.

other option, maybe i will break down and buy a 48" long tank in order to have a true reef tank with better hood options. but i'm saving money to do landscape that's badly needed this spring.

 

[Rborgia]

ok well its just for a nano 26 gallon bow 24" so i just want alittle hood, low profile, low wattage. unfortunately im finding more variety in hoods in the 48" than anything else.

960005-Aquarium Tek Light T5 24"-24watt 4 lamps-Dimensions: 23"Lx12"Wx2.5"H

$215.95

SeedsEtc.com

Rich

 

[masterswimmer]

Rich, great link, great price and great shipping too.

Russ

 

[Savager]

960005-Aquarium Tek Light T5 24"-24watt 4 lamps-Dimensions: 23"Lx12"Wx2.5"H

$215.95

SeedsEtc.com

Rich

Is $215.95 include the bulbs and fixture? Is there mount leg kit for Tek Light T5? I have to hang anything on the ceiling.

Plus, how do you compare 4 x 24W T5 light compare to 150W MH light? Brighter? or same? or less?

 

[masterswimmer]

Is this include the bulbs and fixture? Is there mount leg kit for Tek Light T5? I have to hang anything on the ceiling.

The bulbs are not included in that price. But if you click the link you'll see the best T-5 Geissman D & D bulb pricing I've ever seen. They require you to buy their fixture to get that pricing though.

The mounting kit does not come with it either. You can get mounting legs or a cable to suspend it from the ceiling.

Russ

 

[Savager]

The bulbs are not included in that price. But if you click the link you'll see the best T-5 Geissman D & D bulb pricing I've ever seen. They require you to buy their fixture to get that pricing though.

The mounting kit does not come with it either. You can get mounting legs or a cable to suspend it from the ceiling.

Russ

I guess if I go with 24" T5 light fixture, it will be around $300 more or less and I need to get a mounting leg, probably cost about $40ish.

Can you tell me about how the light intensity for 4 x 24W T5 compare to 150W MH?

 

[masterswimmer]

I have the 48" x 6 bulb fixture. I love it. I also have a 150w MH on another tank. The T-5 fixture has better PAR. Most likely because my 150w is 20K.

The mounting legs are 57.95 at ReefGeek
http://reefgeek.com/products/categories/lighting/104588.html

The legs are adjustable from 2.5" up to 8.5" in height. So they are very versatile.

Russ

 

[Rborgia]

Here is a picture of the legs:

My Tank with T5: (don't mind my wifes candles, they were my temporary legs, I have the correct legs now).

Mt Tank with 1 x 250w 10K MH (Coralvue) and 1 x PC Actinic and 1 x 12K PC Actinic:

I like the T5 Look better myself. Which one is "Really better" I don't really know. I do know my temps dropped about 2-3 degrees. And the system looks better overall.

Rich

 

[griMReefer]

it looks so much nicer with the low profile

i am confused though -- do you have 2 tanks? i saw a reference to 65 earlier on but i think in your gallery it references to a 120 gal..

 

[Rborgia]

My one and only system is a 58 gal. Oceanic (rr).

Also, I need to update that picture of the T5. I had the entire top of the tank covered with glass for the picture. It make a slight difference.

36" long.

Rich

 

[griMReefer]

ok sorry my mixup with someone elses tanks.

 

[masterswimmer]

Very nice. I like the 'blued' look of the T-5's also. The MH looks too yellow for my taste. However, that's why they make those, because there is no 'right' way to set it up. Everyone has there own opinions.

Russ

 

[jackson6745]

Rich, sounds like we're getting somewhere. I think we are agreeing to disagree! lol

In your scenario you are selective in forgetting to include actinic supplementation in your MH cost of running/replacing. And, you're also not overdriving your MH bulbs either. With an overdriven MH bulb, I'd say at most you're getting 5 - 6 months, correct? So I'd say you're getting just shy of 2:1, T-5:MH life expectancy. Plus the cost of actinic supplementation on the MH end of things.

Lets not also forget the heat issue. I have no need for a chiller on my T-5 setup. Not everyone needs a chiller on MH setups either, but I think it's fair to say that there is more of a heat issue/cost with MH's.

Therefore with your scenario from above, 2 x 250 MH + 110w actinic + cost of cooling versus 432w T-5's, then again I submit that it's less expensive to run T-5's.

Your turn, lol,
Russ

Ok you have a point Russ I can't argue...but I do love the look of 250w 10k's with 3-4 VHO's....You can't beat that color! IMO

 

[spykes]

i ahte the color of T-5s, im getting sick of it, but it's my only alternative for my current electrical budget.