T5 Question....

jay knows

jay knows

Member
OK I dont want to start a HUGE debate regaridng lighting, just looking for some honest and real opinions or experience.
I have a 75 gallon wanna be reef set up, a few low light reef peices like mulit rock, zoos, a torch etc...
Right now I only have a Dual Sat 96wx2 PC light setup up. I have been reading and thinking about increasing my lights for like 2 solid weeks and I am still in a haze as to what to do.
I want to stay away from MH's lights becuase of my existing canopy and heating concerns... That leaves me to supplemental lights to my existing set up...
A. Should I add another 2x96w PC setup up (thinking of a Odyssea set up $75)
or
B. Should I Add a 260 w PC set up ( Odyssea about $100)
or
B. Should I add a 2x54w t5HO light and see how the color looks. (Odyssea about $50)
I have read so many different things about each option, I read T5HO is stronger and better the PC, then I read the opposite. I have seen pics of tanks that only use t5's and have awesome coloring and growth, and I have seen nice tanks with PC lighting.
Someone please help me as I am driving myself nuts over this...
 
jobob

jobob

Member
i got almost the same problem. i need lights for a 10gal nano i just set up. i have pc on my 55. 4x55 and 2x65. and i like them. i only had the 4x55 and i had the others laying around so i decided to use them. and wow what the difference!!!!!!!!! i would either go with the 260w or the 2x54 t-5. since there 48in and thats what the tank size is. i heard good things about t-5. i know the pc are good. so i guess it depends on how much money u want to spend? i think i would get the 260w just because u already have pc.
 
pontius

pontius

Active Member
well, if you get me and Snipe in here talking about lights, you're going to have a huge debate. but you should get those metal halides off that site I gave you. for all the money you save, you can get a small fan or a computer fan to help with cooling. that light comes with 2 fans built in. hell, for all the money you save, you can start saving for a chiller.
I've had power compact and T5, I prefer T5. but as soon as I get $400 to spare, I'm getting that metal halide because pc and T5 can't hold a candle to MH.
 
jay knows

jay knows

Member
hey pontius, those lights on that site are on sale, like 279 for 2 150 w mh's.. just saw that.... thought you would like to know...
I dont know how I am gonna fit them under my canopy.
 
bower23

bower23

New Member
I'm in the same boat. I just upgraded from a 30g to a 72g bowfront and I've been doing the same research. I just bought one t5 setup for $50.00. I'm going to get that on the tank and let my corals adjust. Then I'm going to order another one..... So I feel your pain.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
If you are going to get T5's get "good" T5's. They will have individual reflectors or a single reflector designed to wrap around the top of each lamp. Not just a bunch of lamps crammed together in front of a flat sheet. I have personally measured PAR and the good reflector will double the output of the lamp compaired to a flat sheet. Ice Cap SLR and Sunlight Supply's Tek reflectors are the best I've seen as far as retrofits and the Sunlight Supply Tek hoods are the best premade fixture.
The lamps should be HO T5's. 24" =24 watts, 36=39 watt, 48"=54 watts 60"=80 watts and 72"=105 watts. There are some people passing off some pretty poor hoods on the big auction site making the same performance claims as the quality units.
 
airforceb2

airforceb2

Active Member
I have seen 48" T5's with 110w. Is that true? I am starting my lighting from scratch and want to get something nice but don't want the bulkyness of a MH. I have a unique tank and can't fit a canopy on it so it has to be a nice lookin hood. I have been eyeing the 4x65w current satellites but haven't convinced myself to fork out the money yet. I can get a dual 110w T5 for half the price. Anyone think this is worth it or better?
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
do an internet search for T5 Tek light and shop around. a place with geek in the name has the best prices I've seen on the aquarium version.
They are more expensive than PC's but well worth the price.
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
Bower,
Was just looking at those same T5 lights and was asking about them on another site and was told they were junk. If they are the Jebo's which I have a feeling they are do you really like them. I have another set of lights the Jebo 48" Power Compact and was just wondering how much difference there was between the two. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
I'd personally rather have good PC than bad T5's. This comes from someone who has a pretty low opinion of PC's and loves T5's.
T5's and any other fluorescent lamp will lose output and wont last as long if they get too hot. The fixtures with the T5's lined up right next to each other not only prevents the light produced from the upper half of the lamps from reaching the tank, it gets things damn hot.
T5's are designed to use a programmed start ballast. Many of the inexpensive fixtures use instant start balllasts which decreases the life expectancy of a T5 by 25% according to one lamp manufacturer.
If you can use a retrofit kit post your e-mail and I'll give you the web site for a place that can hook you up with a pretty decent T5 setup at a good price.
If you need a full hood and can't afford the good T5 Tek light get an Orbit PC hood.
 
mike h.

mike h.

Member
What,s the difference between a T5 and a PC? Still new at this, sorry. I bought compact florecent lighting (36in.) for $300. My LFS said it is necessary for coral and any invertabrae. Lighting puts out 110 watts for 55gal. tank. Like I said...still learning.
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
Originally Posted by Pontius
well, if you get me and Snipe in here talking about lights, you're going to have a huge debate. but you should get those metal halides off that site I gave you. for all the money you save, you can get a small fan or a computer fan to help with cooling. that light comes with 2 fans built in. hell, for all the money you save, you can start saving for a chiller.
I've had power compact and T5, I prefer T5. but as soon as I get $400 to spare, I'm getting that metal halide because pc and T5 can't hold a candle to MH.

AHHA!!! Did I hear pontius put down T5 lights :D lol. That is what ive been saying all along. A heat problem shouldn't be a problem if you run open top. If you dont run open top then no matter what you put in there you will have heat problems. I would try and get metal halides if not I would get the 4x65
As for the guy with the 10 gallon nano I would get a 70watt MH cost around 100 and that would be perfect for anything you wanted on that size tank.
 
bower23

bower23

New Member
Well I did order some lights.... I'll get the first set this Thursday and the second next week. We'll see how it goes. If they do suck, I can still use them on my sump. So either way, I'll get my moneys worth. I currently have a Jebo 36" PC lights on my 30g and they do the trick. I can't say they are great.... I have nothing to compare them too. But they do work and I still think that the Light Manufactures are on crack. We don't pay $400-$600 for lights because they are worth it, we pay that because we have no choice. Just like gas prices.....
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Originally Posted by Mike H.
What,s the difference between a T5 and a PC? Still new at this, sorry. I bought compact florecent lighting (36in.) for $300. My LFS said it is necessary for coral and any invertabrae. Lighting puts out 110 watts for 55gal. tank. Like I said...still learning.

In all honesty I would find a new LFS if then bent you over 300 bucks for 110 watts of lighting. They hosed you I am sorry to say. You sure that was only 110 watts?
T5's are a very thin linier lamp that in of it self produces more light per watt than any other fluorescent lamp. Because they are so thin you can add a parabolic reflector which will focus the light produced by the lamp in a specific direction, for our purposes your tank and will do so with very little restrike though the lamp.
In the case of PC's the lamps have gotten better in the last year or so but the lamps have a disadvantage due to geometry. There is just no way to direct the light prouduced in the upper half of the tubes to the tank. It is just wasted. Having the tubes so close together also causes the lamp to get very hot which decreases the light output and life of the lamp. Ice Cap claims to have overdriven T5's on their ballasts in testing that indicates a daylight lamp will last 3 or maybe even 4 years which is close to as long as they are rated for industrial and commercial lighting applications. If you run a PC for a year in most aquarium applications you have done very good.
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
Bower23,
When you get those T5's in would you please let me know how they are. I'm really interested in the ones I have found.
 
bower23

bower23

New Member
Bad news....
I just got my new lights.... Well, I got someones new lights. I have the worst luck... They sent me dual 65watt PC lights instead of T5 lights. I'm alittle pissed. Now I have to send them back and wait till they send me the right ones. My luck is soooooo bad, I'd order a tooth brush and get a hammer. Someone could send me some free ricordeas to cheer me up!!! :yes: Worth a shot. Well, I'll let you know how I like them... if I ever get them.
 
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