THE T-5 Q&A THREAD

[bojik]

Originally Posted by dueces
I am hesitate b/c I have had good luck with my Orbit light but feel that I am on the low end of lighting needs for my corals.
Am I totally missing the idea that 195w of T5 would actually turn out to be more(better) watts b/c better light makes it into the tank then with PC's. and is that the reason that PC bulbs are 96w vz. T5 that are 39w even though they are the same length.
So confused...Someone tell me if this is worth me upgrading to or am I making a lateral move in my lighting. Right now I have zoos, mushrooms, toadstool. I am just looking to keep Soft Corals, LPS. Maybe a clam
Currently I have 36" Current Orbit 4x96 PC
looking at 36" Aquactinics 4x39 T5 fixture
Thanks in advance.
Think of it this way a T5 bulb puts out a lot more light for its size and wattage. A good estimation I have heard (not sure how accurate) is that compared to other lights t5s put out ~1.5 times their rated wattage in light. So figure that fixture thats 195 watt is actually putting out 292ish watts of light. That and the spectrum and quantity of light they put out is better. That and the bulbs hold spectrum far longer than PC's. Thus needing changed less often.

 

[dueces]

just purchased the Aquactinics 36" T5 fixture for my 46g bow. Should be here next week!!!! I post some remarks when I get it up and running....

 

[saltn00b]

is it reflected?

 

[dueces]

Originally Posted by saltn00b
is it reflected?
yes the website says:
High polish full length individual aluminum reflectors.

 

[bkvreef]

Ok I have a 110g that is 72" long.(it is 19"deep and 19"wide)
I presently have a p.c. 48" 4 X 65W (I moved it over from my 55g)
I am going to keep this but I am looking at adding t-5's
For my aquarium I'd like softies, mushrooms, anemone (for my percs), thus knowing that which would you suggest?
1 - (48")Nova 4 X 54W (I know they don't have individual reflectors) for $200
2 - (36")Nova retrofit 2 X 39W (I think they have individual reflectors?) for $140(each)
1 - (48")Tek t-5 6 x 54w (Don't know anything about them?) for $260

 

[bojik]

I'm not fanker BUT the tek is individual reflected. And is probably enough by itself for most anything you want to keep. The nova units are ONE large reflector.

 

[bkvreef]

Originally Posted by Bojik
I'm not fanker BUT the tek is individual reflected. And is probably enough by itself for most anything you want to keep. The nova units are ONE large reflector.
So am I to assume that the following is a good deal?

(48")Tek t-5 6 x 54w for $260

 

[bojik]

Originally Posted by bkvreef
So am I to assume that the following is a good deal?

(48")Tek t-5 6 x 54w for $260
I am not sure if that is the best buy on the unit or not Fanker would know better BUT that is the best of the 3 options you listed. You could replace your current lighting with that unit outright. If you bought the one long enough for your tank that is, if they make them that long.... Again Fanker would know better.

 

[saltn00b]

they dont make T-5 72" long. you can get them at 60" and that will light everything fine, or you can get 2 sets of 36" T-5s

 

[f1998]

Ok, Im a Newbie in Salt Water Tanks. I currently have a 75 Gallon and I was sold a Nova Extreme HO T5 Lighting Fixture. (www.current-usa.com). It is a 48" Nova Extreme and it includes 2x54 T5 HO Slimpaq 10,000k Daylight Bulbs and 2x54w ST5 HO Limpaq 460NM Actinic Bulbs and includes 4 Moon White Lunar Lights.
Is this light good enough to keep anemones and corels? Just wondering because I have a Magna Flow under tank sump with a protein skimmer and a 550 GPH pump and everytime I get an anemone is shrinks and dies. It will blow up and be fine for about 2 weeks and then it shrinks and dies by the 4 week period.
Can someone please let me know cuz the guy that sold it to me, says its good enought to keep anemones and corels and I figured I would ask the experts (forums).

 

[saltn00b]

welcome to the forums, the light should be fine. you should start your own post in the beginner forum , and post up all of your water parameters, assuming you have test kits.

 

[saltn00b]

FANKER -
what do you think would work best over a 72" 150g:
you have two icecap 660's, so do you do get
2 sets of 3 x 60" T-5, stacked
- OR -
2 sets of 4 x 36" T-5, side by side

 

[tinyfish]

I have a 30 gallon tank, 36" long. I would like to keep zoos, shrooms, leathers. I have been looking intensely and not found a good light setup. I really want the light to not escape (meaning not sitting on stilts above water). I can build a hood if I have to out of wood. Also cost is a major concern for me. Right now it is either light or a skimmer but not both.

 

[wangotango]

i dont want to sound like an aquactinics pusher, but imo they are the best T5 fixture on the market. each bulb has its own reflector (which is very important, and T5 are only worth it if each bulb has a reflector), and there is/ are built-in cooling fans (T5's have the best PAR at a certain temperature). im not 100% sure if tek's have individual reflectors, but they do not have built-in fans designed to keep the fixture cool. nova's do not have individual reflectors. aquactinics are also designed to sit right on top of the tank, without heat problems.
saltn00b: they make a 72" fixture with 14x 39watt bulbs for $650 w/o bulbs (which will run you another 300 bucks) i dont want to seem like im bashing tek's, they are comparable to aquactinics in pricing, but if you have a deeper tank and need more PAR, go with the aquactinics, but if your tank is shallower, go with the tek.

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by bkvreef
Ok I have a 110g that is 72" long.(it is 19"deep and 19"wide)
I presently have a p.c. 48" 4 X 65W (I moved it over from my 55g)
I am going to keep this but I am looking at adding t-5's
For my aquarium I'd like softies, mushrooms, anemone (for my percs), thus knowing that which would you suggest?
1 - (48")Nova 4 X 54W (I know they don't have individual reflectors) for $200
2 - (36")Nova retrofit 2 X 39W (I think they have individual reflectors?) for $140(each)
1 - (48")Tek t-5 6 x 54w (Don't know anything about them?) for $260

it will be hard to keep anenomes with a 6 bulb but i can with a 8 bulb but if u have the money than check out aquatinics 72" its 2 36" fixtures in 1 so its like 14x 39w bulbs its definantly an over do but u can have like a 300g and still be limitless

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by WangoTango
i dont want to sound like an aquactinics pusher, but imo they are the best T5 fixture on the market. each bulb has its own reflector (which is very important, and T5 are only worth it if each bulb has a reflector), and there is/ are built-in cooling fans (T5's have the best PAR at a certain temperature). im not 100% sure if tek's have individual reflectors, but they do not have built-in fans designed to keep the fixture cool. nova's do not have individual reflectors. aquactinics are also designed to sit right on top of the tank, without heat problems.
saltn00b: they make a 72" fixture with 14x 39watt bulbs for $650 w/o bulbs (which will run you another 300 bucks) i dont want to seem like im bashing tek's, they are comparable to aquactinics in pricing, but if you have a deeper tank and need more PAR, go with the aquactinics, but if your tank is shallower, go with the tek.

i agree with him but if u have the money i would recommend a ATI t-5 fixture, its the best fixture u can buy, best par testings so far

 

[saltn00b]

ok well my situation was that i already own an icecap 660 running vho t-12s, so my plan was to lose the T-12, and switch over to T-5, and then get a second IC 660 with the same set up. originally i was thinking of just foint the 3 x 60"(80w?) for each IC 660, but maybe its better to have 4 x 39w on each side ?

 

[wangotango]

Originally Posted by saltn00b
ok well my situation was that i already own an icecap 660 running vho t-12s, so my plan was to lose the T-12, and switch over to T-5, and then get a second IC 660 with the same set up. originally i was thinking of just foint the 3 x 60"(80w?) for each IC 660, but maybe its better to have 4 x 39w on each side ?
id probably go with the 4 on each side, but thats just me.

 

[mfinnegan]

I guess I should've posted directly to this thread first.
We are looking into getting a new light set up for our 90 gallon tank, cuz a ballast went on our present light (Jebo).
We have a semi reef only with a couple of things that started growing outta of the rocks. It is not our intention to go full reef…..and since these things have been growing with the ‘not so good’ lighting we have now, we don’t think we need to go and get a second

[hr]
to buy a new light.
We are tossing around a couple of ideas and want your opinions please.
We are looking at the Coralife Lunar Aqualight Double Linear Strip Compact Fluorescent Fixture and then a Aquactinics T5 5 bulb set up. We are looking for high output, low energy lamps……we are aiming more towards the T5 set up….but any thoughts????
Also, what would a good bulb combination be?

 

[fanker]

90g? a 6x54w will be plenty for a semi reef or a full blown reef