How to size a T5 light bulb, so that I can replace it.

fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Hello. I am new to this forum and hobby. I have been researching saltwater tanks for the past few months. Recently, a friend was looking to get out of the hobby, and sold me everything saltwater related that they owned for $175. I got a really good deal. I got a 33 gallon tank with all the pumps and equipment. They also threw in a reverse osmosis system and a T5 lighting unit. They really helped me out, and I am trying to get everything setup so that I can get this going.
Here is my tank:

(I am going to change the background to black, and fill the substrate up a couple more inches, just waiting
on Fedex to deliver the package : )
Here is the lighting setup:

The entire unit is a little over 35 inches. Like 35 and a 1/4. And the light bulbs are 34" (including the black cap around the ends of them)
There is a sticker on the side and here is the information:
SolarMaxHE (High efficiency Double T5 Lighting System)
Input Power: 120v-60HZ
Output Power: 42W (21WX2)
Lamp Type: T5, g1421W
Model: SE-42236
The two bulbs that need replacing say: Deep Blue (21W- Actinic-03) & Deep Blue (21w-Daylight 10KK)
So basically, my question is, what do I need to get to replace these two bulbs. And does anybody have any recommendations as to where the best place to purchase these online would be?
Also, I am wondering what I could stock my tank with using these lights and a 33 gallon tank. I know that the larger the tank, the better. If I am successful, I will probably upgrade to a larger tank setup. My plan is to start with 2 clown fish, and some type of dwarf angelfish. Once I have made sure that I can maintain a high quality water, I want to get a bubble anemone. (Would this lighting be appropriate). I also have a powerhead on the side of the tank, and I am thinking about purchasing one for the other side to help increase water current. And would this light be appropriate for some simple corals and macroalgae, such as the redgrape and green star polyps.
Sorry for the 100 questions. The main thing is helping me replace the lights. Thank you for any help that you can give me!!!! I have tried Google, and can't find anything. I think talking with people who have experience is the best route a lot of times!
 
shane784

shane784

Member
As far as bulbs go: usually the wattage your looking for would be same length everywhere you look. try going on eBay and searching for "ATI 21W bulbs" these are a high quality brand to look into. as far as stocking; 2 clowns and a dwarf would be fine for this size tank however more fish wouldn't be ideal and if you intend on buying an anemone down the road you may want to look into a larger T5 fixture with more bulbs to meet the anemones high light needs. usual good rule of thumb on lighting is to atleast have 5watts per gal of water.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
I'll just start with the bulbs. Those T-5's are normal output I believe. 34" 21 watt bulbs. They are not common as most hobbiests prefer the high output bulbs.
How handy are you? Would you be able to upgrade the ballast?
On the Anemone side - I suggest, OK strongly suggest, that you get some experience before attempting an Anemone. But meanwhile, you can create a good environment for an Anemone to prepare. This would include throwing away your light fixture and getting on that puts out a LOT more light. I don't mean to be harsh, I'm just advising on what would offer you the best opportunity for success.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Thanks for the advice! No suggestions are harsh. I appreciate the advice. I am not very handy, but my father is. Would I just be better off in investing in a new light, instead of buying the bulbs?
I don't plan on putting an anemone in until this Summer, if everything goes well and the water quality stays high the next 6 months. My tank is cycled right now. I have been testing the water for the past 3 weeks, and everything looks good. The people that I had purchased the tank from had it running for a few years. When I bought it, we drained some of the water, and got it home. I've had it running for several weeks, and everything is testing good.
The only thing about the tank is that it only has maybe half to 1 inch substrate in it. I have some substrate that should arrive in the mail tomorrow. I am going to add that to the tank, and then observe the water several weeks, before purchasing the fish.
But the one thing that I have learned from studying about this is that you don't want to skimp on equipment. I do have some money to throw towards a light, and my ultimate goal is to purchase an anemone for the clown fish. Instead of throwing the money towards bulbs for my current equipment, I think maybe buying a new setup would be best in the long run.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Also, if someone could recommend a good, economical setup, I would appreciate it. I believe that I would need something that is 36" wide, and 150watts, (since there is about 30 gallons of water in my tank).
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Check out t5 lighting systems from petmountain. Nova extremes are economical and pretty good quality. Stay away from coralife products.
I am personally a DIYer, so I'm all about saving a buck or two by doing it myself. you can easily purchase a retrofit kit to fit a T5HO setup and install it in a canopy. Assuming that you have a canopy and the time to do it.
Even when you purchase a T5HO setup from lets say, pet mountain, you still will have to upgrade the lights to a brand name like ATI or UVL to get the PAR values that will support an anemone.
You may be better off in the long run investing in some kind of LED system, such as the ones from Apollo Reef.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Thank you for the suggestions. I am looking at maybe getting the Nova Extreme T5HO. (It's out of stock there right now). It looks like it is going to cost $80 to upgrade the bulbs. Is there any place you recommend buying the bulbs from? Also, do these lights put off a lot of heat? I'm worried about that factor in the summer. I live in Arkansas, and the temps outside easily reach 100 degrees. While this tank is inside, I am not sure if I will run into any problems keeping the temperature regulated.
I can see where in the long run, LED would be better. But honestly I am looking from something that is 36" wide to cover the width of the tank. If I start having to buy multiple LED lights (b/c many I found are under 36"), it seems like it would be a headache trying to get them to set on the tank properly & equally light all areas of the tank.
Thanks for your help!
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by fattytwobyfour http:///t/393971/how-to-size-a-t5-light-bulb-so-that-i-can-replace-it#post_3506298
I can see where in the long run, LED would be better. But honestly I am looking from something that is 36" wide to cover the width of the tank. If I start having to buy multiple LED lights (b/c many I found are under 36"), it seems like it would be a headache trying to get them to set on the tank properly & equally light all areas of the tank.
Thanks for your help!
I'm not on the LED bandwagon yet, but I am getting closer to accepting them.
Just a couple of ideas to throw out there - I run my bulbs over the depth of the tank (front to back). That makes for a shorter fixture and you can move it to focus on a specific animal like an Anemone or light loving coral.
Nothing wrong with having cheaper lighting over some of the tank and then some intense light only in a specific area.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Thanks for all the suggestions. The reason I was concerned about the heat is because I am living in a new addition added onto my father's house. The main house has central heating and air. My addition relies on an a/c unit to stay cool. (Although, I can open my door and let some of the regulated air from the main house come to my part of the house). In the past, when I would go to work during the day, I left the unit off. My plan is to regulate the temperature better this year, and keep it constant. I just didn't want to add to much additional heat from the lights, if I could avoid it.
The led Maxspect razor looks like a good choice. It is twice the money, but if my calculations are right, I should get almost 6 years of use. That would pay for the extra money if you add up the bulb changes over the years. I do have what might be a silly question. I have read that a major concern with t5 lights is to make sure you change the bulb every so often because it loses intensity over time. Is the same true for LED's? Or do they mostly stay constant?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by fattytwobyfour http:///t/393971/how-to-size-a-t5-light-bulb-so-that-i-can-replace-it#post_3506470
Thanks for all the suggestions. The reason I was concerned about the heat is because I am living in a new addition added onto my father's house. The main house has central heating and air. My addition relies on an a/c unit to stay cool. (Although, I can open my door and let some of the regulated air from the main house come to my part of the house). In the past, when I would go to work during the day, I left the unit off. My plan is to regulate the temperature better this year, and keep it constant. I just didn't want to add to much additional heat from the lights, if I could avoid it.
The led Maxspect razor looks like a good choice. It is twice the money, but if my calculations are right, I should get almost 6 years of use. That would pay for the extra money if you add up the bulb changes over the years. I do have what might be a silly question. I have read that a major concern with t5 lights is to make sure you change the bulb every so often because it loses intensity over time. Is the same true for LED's? Or do they mostly stay constant?
Before you get set on Maxspect maybe shoot Gemmy a PM and ask her.....She's had her fair share of misfortune with an overly priced light.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
She has the Mazzara series which is a couple years older than the Maxspect. There's a few people I know who are using maxspects and their SPS corals are doing really well under them. So far, no problems.
DIY LED is a way to save money, but you have your headaches there as well.
Apollo Reef LED makes good units but they lack spectrum, IMHO.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I haven't seen a led fixture brand yet that hasn't had it's share of problems. Leds themselves are capable of lasting 10 years. Unfortunately manufacturers don't seem to be designing fixtures that are capable of optimizing that longevity. And the conditions in which we use these fixtures (as hobbyists) is less than optimal for allowing leds or fixtures to last that long.
The way I see it is you either:
A.) buy something cheap that you're not apposed to replacing every so many years.
B.) pay high dollar for something that is maintainable and hope that the company continues to support their product for any great length of time.
C.) design something yourself that you can maintain for a long time to come where replacement parts are cheaper and easy to find.
 
fattytwobyfour

fattytwobyfour

Member
Thanks everyone for your response and help. I've got the money for the LED's. I'm going to wait a week or two before purchasing, just so I can make sure it's what I want to do. But when I get it setup, I will post a photo in this thread.
 
gemmy

gemmy

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeBlitz33 http:///t/393971/how-to-size-a-t5-light-bulb-so-that-i-can-replace-it#post_3506591
She has the Mazzara series which is a couple years older than the Maxspect. There's a few people I know who are using maxspects and their SPS corals are doing really well under them. So far, no problems.
DIY LED is a way to save money, but you have your headaches there as well.
Apollo Reef LED makes good units but they lack spectrum, IMHO.
The unit I am using was on the market less than a year when purchased. Most consumer complaints for the fixtures I use did not start being reported until about 6 months after use. I believe the razor has been on the market for about 6 months now. I have begun hearing some complaints about the fixtures.....
 
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