Which Light Should I Use - Nova Extreme 8 Bulb T5 or Tek 4 Bulb T5???

[aquariumrookie]

I have a little bit of a predicament after I bought an extra light on a whim. I currently have a 48" Tek 4 bulb T5 on my tank. Two days ago though, I was offered a 48" 8 bulb Nova Extreme T5 for $275 with only 3 hours of use on it and I couldn't resist. My current setup is just a FOWLR with 4 anemones. I am considering getting into corals in the future though I don't have any yet. I know that the Nova is an 8 bulb, but somebody told me the Tek is more powerful even with 4 less bulbs. Does anybody have any opinions on which light is better, or will work better for me?

 

[privatejoker]

What size tank do you have? I have a 8 bulb over a 75 and it can to much light for some sps in my tank. The good thing about that is you can keep sps on the bottom of the tank with no problem.

 

[aquaguy24]

the tek light has individual reflectors and the nova extreme does not..the nova extreme has one big ol' reflector which isn't very efficient at all..but i have never used either fixtures so i can't tell u which is better..

 

[salt210]

why not just use em both? might as well you've got em

 

[stanlalee]

the TEK hands down. with half the bulbs your using half the energy and with the indivivual reflectors you are getting more usable light penetration than with the 8 bulb fixture (not that you need it in a FOWLR). the TEK with proper bulbs is the equivalent of running two 250w MH over the tank (no its as powerful as a single 500watt MH light source but neither are two 250w MH. its takes 2 for uniform coverage over four feet like four feet T5 lamps).

 

[brandan]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2731012
the TEK hands down. with half the bulbs your using half the energy and with the indivivual reflectors you are getting more usable light penetration than with the 8 bulb fixture (not that you need it in a FOWLR). the TEK with proper bulbs is the equivalent of running two 250w MH over the tank (no its as powerful as a single 500watt MH light source but neither are two 250w MH. its takes 2 for uniform coverage over four feet like four feet T5 lamps).
Where is this information coming from? Did you read a report/review somewhere about the PAR on this fixture vs. MHs?

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by Brandan
http:///forum/post/2733188
Where is this information coming from? Did you read a report/review somewhere about the PAR on this fixture vs. MHs?
there are several PAR test for 4 bulb TEK fixtures over at that famous central place. everyone compares favorable with a 250w MH set up in most areas of the tank. I dont think anybody has bothered to test the extreme fixtures but I'll take the certainty over the uncertain everytime (and why go with 8 bulbs when 4 bulb TEK fixture are proven to equate 250w mh which can keep anything). If general consensus and manufacturers claims are correct individually reflected T5's outperform unindivually reflected T5 more than 2:1. The fact currents extreme pro is a 6 bulb fixture (psuedo individually reflected) and their regular singly reflected extremes are 8 bulbs suggest they feel superior reflectors are more advantagous than at least two extra bulbs and even those reflectors arent considered as good as true individual reflectors like the TEK fixture. I know which one is better. I suppose I could spend an hour digging up links to prove it but nobody has to listen to me. I'm just saying which one I'd get (well technically I wouldn't get either, I'd get the aquactinic TX5). I know the nova extreme (any configuration) would be the LAST T5 fixture I would get based on reflectors alone. I would consider the extreme pro though (actually wouldn't, I'm a MH guy).

 

[fishfreak1242]

+1 for the TEK

 

[ci11337]

Originally Posted by fishfreak1242
http:///forum/post/2734410
+1 for the TEK
+ 2

 

[reefraff]

The Tek is good compared to the nova but lets not go overboard. The tek wont compete with a decent 250 watt halide system. It is about equal to a good 175 watt halide system which is still pretty good.

 

[rebelprettyboy]

IDK. But im gonna go with the 6 bulb tek fixture for my 40 gal breeder over the 6 bulb nove fixture

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/2735014
The Tek is good compared to the nova but lets not go overboard. The tek wont compete with a decent 250 watt halide system. It is about equal to a good 175 watt halide system which is still pretty good.
there is no way you can know that without knowing the bulbs used in the TEK and the MH system used. most data show with "typical" bulb combo PAR numbers comparable to a typical 250w halide system with superior distribution (equal across the length of the bulb where halides have strong and weak areas). Is it comparable to a lumanarc reflected, HQI ballast with XM 10k bulb probably not. Is a batwing reflected, ice cap ballast with 20k XM bulb comparable to a TEK 4bulb system with a GE6500k, 2 ATI daylight and one blue bulb probably not. I agree there are better T5 fixtures than TEK but its where good starts.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2736633
there is no way you can know that without knowing the bulbs used in the TEK and the MH system used. most data show with "typical" bulb combo PAR numbers comparable to a typical 250w halide system with superior distribution (equal across the length of the bulb where halides have strong and weak areas). Is it comparable to a lumanarc reflected, HQI ballast with XM 10k bulb probably not. Is a batwing reflected, ice cap ballast with 20k XM bulb comparable to a TEK 4bulb system with a GE6500k, 2 ATI daylight and one blue bulb probably not. I agree there are better T5 fixtures than TEK but its where good starts.
OK Crappy reflectors, 20K lamps against a 10K looking mix of T5's the T5's would win but notice I said decent.
If you take any 2 reasonably close colored lamp mixes, 4 lamp Tek with 2 Blue Plus, an Aquablue and a daylight or sun lamp and put it up against a 250 watt 14K phoenix halide in decent reflectors (Mini Pendant, reefoptix etc.) the tek will get killed. Even using all Aquablues which looks like crap to me my money would still be on the halides despite the fact the aquablues are among the highest output T5s.

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by reefraff
http:///forum/post/2736969
OK Crappy reflectors, 20K lamps against a 10K looking mix of T5's the T5's would win but notice I said decent.

that defies actual data. most 20k 250w lamps dont even outperform good 13-15k 175w MH http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/ a 10k looking mix of 4 T5 HO will kill that. you are one of those T5 non believers who refuses to accept they are a viable alternative to most MH set up regardless of actual PAR data and side by side tank comparisons. MH only perform better directly under the lamp where some suggest is too concentrated while T5 evenly distributes good PAR evenly across the lamp. you would need two 250w MH to compare to the distribution of 4 54w T5s across a 4ft tank. where MH numbers are all over the place, T5s are consistant and every part of every coral gets the same light at the same level in the tank. I have used nothing but MH since moving from pc and use to believe that too but my hunch is overided by testing I've seen.

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2738099
that defies actual data. most 20k 250w lamps dont even outperform good 13-15k 175w MH http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.com/ a 10k looking mix of 4 T5 HO will kill that. you are one of those T5 non believers who refuses to accept they are a viable alternative to most MH set up regardless of actual PAR data and side by side tank comparisons. .

OK Chief, whatever you say.

 

[reefraff]

Dang, forgot what board I am on.
Nearly all of those T5 tests you are talking about, they were done by me.

 

[wangotango]

Reefraff one of those "T5 nonbelievers" That'll be the day.
This is a little bit of a stretch, but he is to T5 what Sanjay is to halides. I think he knows what he's talking about...
-Justin

 

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by WangoTango
http:///forum/post/2738200
Reefraff one of those "T5 nonbelievers" That'll be the day.
This is a little bit of a stretch, but he is to T5 what Sanjay is to halides. I think he knows what he's talking about...
-Justin

well he said the TEK was comparable to a "good" 175w MH then turns around and says a 20k 250w MH with crappy reflector will kill the TEK fixture (yet 90% of 20k 250w bulbs get destroyed by the top four 175w bulbs with three of the four being 13k or higher, easily verifyable by the link I gave). so you then explain how the TEK is comparable to a good 175w halide but will get destroyed by a poorly reflected 20k MH? enlighten me

 

[michael1972]

i had a tank with two t5 with there own reflectors.
i was wondering if you could add reflectors to the t5 units that have one big one would that work and that would make a little bit better

 

[reefraff]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2738262
well he said the TEK was comparable to a "good" 175w MH then turns around and says a 20k 250w MH with crappy reflector will kill the TEK fixture (yet 90% of 20k 250w bulbs get destroyed by the top four 175w bulbs with three of the four being 13k or higher, easily verifyable by the link I gave). so you then explain how the TEK is comparable to a good 175w halide but will get destroyed by a poorly reflected 20k MH? enlighten me
I think you need to go back and re-read what I wrote.
"OK Crappy reflectors, 20K lamps against a 10K looking mix of T5's the T5's would win but notice I said decent." "If you take any 2 reasonably close colored lamp mixes, 4 lamp Tek with 2 Blue Plus, an Aquablue and a daylight or sun lamp and put it up against a 250 watt 14K phoenix halide in decent reflectors (Mini Pendant, reefoptix etc.) the tek will get killed."