T5 Lights

I linked to Premium Aquatics but try also Reef Geek.

If you do decide on the Icecap retro I have to warn you first.Those retros are very high output T5 retro kit.They are we call overdriven meaning the watts are increase but cuts about 6 months out of the life of the bulbs.Say 12 months instead of 18 months.The good is its even better for light loving corals,anemones and clams.Better than my fixture which is a T5-HO(high output) and those Icecap is a T5-VHO(very high output).Dang,I starting to wish I went with those instead.One other thing,they don't come with cooling fans so count into putting at least two fans in the canopy.
 
Hamilton makes excellent fixtures but....(I had a Hamilton VHO back in 92')

They are VHO which is different than T5's.They don't have the light intensity of T5-HO/T5-VHO lighting and they don't penetrate as well either.Another bad thing is the bulbs only last 6 months.Personally,I think VHO is on the way out.
It would be great for LPS and softies and a big MAYBE for some clams,anemones and sps.

You know that won't fit in a canopy right?Maybe go to Hamilton's main site and look at there 60'' MH/VHO and MH/PC fixtures.
 
VHOs are getting harder and harder to find because they are being replaced by the more popular T5s. They don't have nearly the same power as T5s and, like Freak, I think it will get harder and harder to find decent bulbs for them.
 
I think I'm going to go with the 48" both sites said that would be my best bet. So how do I figure out what type of bulbs? I need to get them ordered soon.
 
You talked to Premium Aquatics and Reef Geek?
So you are going with 48'' T5's?
How many bulbs?

The look I like might not be what you like.Reef Geek can help you with bulb choices.
 
How many bulbs?
All I can do is tell you what bulbs I have.My tank is on the bluer side.
I do prefer the ATI and UV bulbs for best PAR(more light for corals) and GE6500k or 3000k for midday.

Here's my bulbs(14 bulbs-2 rows of 7 bulbs)

ATI Blue Plus(blue-actinic 03 mix)
Sfiligoi Super Actinic(purple 420nm true actinic)
UV Aquasun 10k(pink daylight bulb)
ATI Blue Plus
GE3000k(orange midday-yellows,orange,reds really pop under these)
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special(12k-white daylight with a very slight blue hue)
 
I haven't decided how many bulbs yet. Would more be better seeing I'm going with a 48"? Also was told I could put corals that require less lighting to the sides. I just hate to order something and wish I went with something else. Already went through that once.
 
Yeah,I know the feeling of buying something and later wanting something else.

The width of the tank is also something you need to put into account.6-8 bulbs sounds about right.The more the merrier of course.
 
i have 72" version of that light its nice but i like t5's better that light fixture is freakin huge. they make one also with 250 watt metal halides.

IM000903_858175.JPG


IM000662.JPG
 
my tank is 18" deep and light has small legs so i had to jack it up a bit plus center brace make a small shaded spot in middle of tank since its 3 bulb setup which sucks, so i will be upgrading later down the road to a constellation.
 
Man this is getting to be a pain. If I would of known it would of been so hard to fnd lights I would of stuck with my 55. I'm getting so frustrated over this that I'm getting at the point where I'm saying to hell with it.
 
If I was 100% sure retro fit would fit in my canopy that would be the way to go. I need some clarity on the difference between a CF and a T5. Plus how do you figure out the watts per gallon? Also if I go with a shorter fixture does that change? Maybe if I had a better understanding about lighting it would help. I have read quite a bit on the topic but I think I'm confusing myself more then any thing.
 
CF?compact flourescents,right?
They are no where near as good as T5's.The bulbs don't last as long,the PAR(use-able light for corals)isn't as good and do to the shape,they can't have individual reflectors.Also since you can't put IR in them they don't penetrate to the bottom of the tank as well.

With T5's you can't think in terms of watts per gallon.Look at least 6-8 banks or T5's to be unlimited with IR,of course.For instance,look at my tank 210g with only 550 watts of T5's.Thats less than 3 wpg.Even soft corals at the bottom were bleaching from to much light.What once were brown SPS became purple like they suppose too.Of course,that was before my tank-saster.
 
I think I finally get it. I don't need 5 watts per gallon if I get T5's. All this time I've been looking wrong. So how do you know if a T5 fixture is enough? The one above that you linked to what can I keep under them?
 
You can keep everything and anything with the fixture I linked to.Anything that don't need as much light(mushrooms,zoos) can be placed on the sides since its a 48'' fixture and not 60''.I can't remember how deep your tank is?SPS corals may need to be 20-24'' from the top.My tank is 29'' deep so I keep SPS about 5'' off the bottom.Clams I put right on the sand bed.
 
make sure you if you order a aquactinics do it soon there raising there prices soon and tom said you can still order under old prices, my 48" tx5 was 519.00 for the fixture and ati bulbs and 18 dollars ground shipping.
 
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