t5 or mh?

jerl77

jerl77

Member
i am using 2 250 watt mh lights with 4 t5 bulbs now.my chiller dont stop running and the wife gets other lipa bill she is going to kill me.
i just came across an 48 inch 8 bulb t5 fixure should i switch to t5 to save some cash.my tank is a 120 gallon 60inches wide.sps only should i switch to t5 is my question please help.will this hurt my coarls in any way?
 
juggalojim

juggalojim

Member
Ive seen many tanks with only T-5's and they keep just sps in there with no problem, just make sure you keep replacing the bulbs when they need to be and you should be fine imo
 
lexluethar

lexluethar

Active Member
If you are just going to stick with sps then you'll be fine. Make sure your T5's are HO with individual reflectors.
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
You should get a 60" fixture that runs 80w bulbs. I think you can get 8 (indy reflectors) over a 120. Thats my plan anyway.
Look into Ice Cap retro fit. The IC ballast will over drive the bulbs by 10 maybe 15w per bulb. So you will be around 700w. I think you'll keep pretty much what ever you want!
JMO
Tim
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
Originally Posted by TurningTim
http:///forum/post/2630644
You should get a 60" fixture that runs 80w bulbs. I think you can get 8 (indy reflectors) over a 120. Thats my plan anyway.
Look into Ice Cap retro fit. The IC ballast will over drive the bulbs by 10 maybe 15w per bulb. So you will be around 700w. I think you'll keep pretty much what ever you want!
JMO
Tim

but, that's not going to save you much electricity...
 
D

dennis210

Guest
With all the exspenses of this hobby - your utility bill really isn't that much differant than anything else. Bulb replacement, addatives, livestock, etc all add up. If your chiller is running that much then chances are you didn't get a large enough model.
 
namas05

namas05

Member
T-5 will do fine for keeping SPS corals, but you will loose the shimmer that you get with MH. So far there is no replacement for that shimmer you get with MH.
I have T-5 on my tank and my SPS does fine.
Sounds to me like you need to upgrade the chiller.
I agree that the electric bill is probably small compared to all the other cost in the tank.
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2631493
it will when you consider a chiller costs more than a light to operate.
Bingo!

And with T-5 you can "phase" the bulbs on and off more effectively.
When you have 2 bulbs at 250 watts their either on or off. With T-5 you have much more flexibility. With an 8 bulb fixture you at least have 3 ballasts that can be individually switched.
Even with my 6x54 (2 ballasts) I only run all 6 bulbs for 4 hours a day.
Besides I read the OP's issue as the chiller also. With T-5's probably wouldn't need one at all.......
JMHO
Tim
 
mr_x

mr_x

Active Member
Originally Posted by ReefForBrains
http:///forum/post/2631493
it will when you consider a chiller costs more than a light to operate.

i don't use a chiller. 79 degrees during the summer and have 3 halides.
actually, my frag tank which is t-5, gets hotter than the big tank.
t-5's and halides put off the same heat, if you compare them by wattage. 1000 watts of t-5 will heat an area just like a single 1000 watt halide will. it's just dispersed.
 
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