teach me about lights please...

lagatbezan · #1 04/12/2006, 04:49 PM

What is the exact difference between t-5 lights and power compact fluorecent lights? which ones run cooler and are better to get?
I have a 240g FOWLR tank that I want to get nice lights for. I'm looking for something that gives a nice crisp look to the tank but doesn't create a lot of heat.
Any suggestions on brand names to look at that don't coast a fortune but are reliable?
are Oddyssea any good? how about Orbit?
I was thinking about getting 2 fixtures that are 48" long each with 4 bulbs 2- 1200k and 2 actinic lights.
suggestions?
thanks in advance.

lagatbezan · #2 04/13/2006, 04:07 PM

anyone?

dwdenny · #3 04/13/2006, 04:38 PM

For FOWLR I would look VHO would be cheaper unless you have to go with a fixture. T5 is a pretty bright and expensive FO lighting setup. HTH

infrared69 · #4 04/13/2006, 09:04 PM

t5 over PC anyday.

Ti · #5 04/13/2006, 10:25 PM

Tek T5
Nuff said

Harville · #6 04/13/2006, 11:56 PM

T5 looks more "flourecent" than PC.

PC is cheaper.

VHO is about the same price as PC, but looks similiar to T5

For just fish, consider VHO.

But you'd probably like all of the above

RichConley · #7 04/14/2006, 09:41 AM

Any money you save in the initial VHO purchase over T5 will be lost in electricity in the first couple months.

swoop_ds · #8 04/14/2006, 09:56 AM

I agree with RichConley, and t5s are even cheaper than pcs in the long run. I currently have a 260w pc system. If I purchased a tek 4X54w t5 system, it would pay for itself in 3 years if you consider long bulb life and 48w less power consumed.

To replace pc bulbs with shipping I'd be looking at 160CDN (from an online retailer, or slightly less from ebay - I don't trust ebay lighting), to replace the t5 lighting will cost roughly 100CDN and that only has to be done every 18 months, not every 12 like with pcs. Also, I will save roughly 1.20CDN per month on electricity.

Basically to sum up, these lights would save me about 80CDN per year as compared to PC.

The system costs me after shipping,taxes, etc 460CDN, but I would be paying 160CDN to replace my bulbs soon anyways, and I can hopefully sell the old fixture on ebay.
-Dave

-edit-P.S. I just found that the geiseman german bulbs, they are a little more than the t5 I quoted above but still cheaper than pcs seeming as though they last longer.

RichConley · #9 04/14/2006, 12:49 PM

Look at his example, and then think, 48" VHOs are what, 110w?

So you're looking 440w, as opposed to the 216 for T5s. Thats $15 a month.

lagatbezan · #10 04/14/2006, 05:18 PM

Thanks everyone for all the help.
I'm sold on the T5's but I have a few more questions.
After reading and researching this forum, I seem to be looking at the tek T5's.
Here is the link to the ones I'm thinking of getting for my FOWLR:

http://reefgeek.com/products/categor...ng/104932.html

what do you guys think? I'm thinking two of them for my 8' tank.
Are they moisture proof? and also do they have separate cords so i can run them on a timer separately (day/night effect)?
And do they have some sort of a mounting so I can mount them in the canopy or do I have to make something for them?
Any other ones I should be looking at?
thanks so much for all your help.

jimdogg187 · #11 04/14/2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lagatbezan
Thanks everyone for all the help.
I'm sold on the T5's but I have a few more questions.
After reading and researching this forum, I seem to be looking at the tek T5's.
Here is the link to the ones I'm thinking of getting for my FOWLR:

http://reefgeek.com/products/categor...ng/104932.html

what do you guys think? I'm thinking two of them for my 8' tank.
Are they moisture proof? and also do they have separate cords so i can run them on a timer separately (day/night effect)?
And do they have some sort of a mounting so I can mount them in the canopy or do I have to make something for them?
Any other ones I should be looking at?
thanks so much for all your help.

They are moisture proof. There is 1 cord per fixture. I am VERY happy with them. To mount them, you just screw them into your canopy. It took my 10 minutes total time to get them up and running. I run two sets like that on my 6' 125 FOWLR. For 8' I would get 3 sets if you can, then stagger them when you mount them. JMO. HTH.

Jim

swoop_ds · #12 04/14/2006, 06:59 PM

First off, I've never owned a tek light system but like you, did a lot of reading about them. I'm going with a t5 retro kit, I haven't decided which, maybe I'll use one of the tek retro kits.

I'll try to answer your questions:
I think two would be good over an 8 foot tank. For mounting you can buy either leg brackets to sit up to 6" off your tank(for like 60$) or a cable hanging system(for like 25$). You could mount them in your canopy if you wanted to I think but I don't think it's necessary. As for other ones to look at, I couldn't find any fixtures that were that great, there are a lot of good retro kits. Stay clear of Catalina Aquatics/PCL fixtures on ebay, I've read of people having a lot of trouble with them.

The biggest things to look for in a t5 system is make sure to get the german bulbs (giesemann or ATI) and reflectors that are for each individual bulb(VERY important). I personally don't think the various ballasts have that big of a thing to do with anything, just make sure it's not some no name ballast (I might be wrong about the ballasts - anyone know?).

Lastly, go to the vendor forum Sunlight supply - they make the tek lights and there are a lot of answered questions on there.
HTH,
-Dave

lagatbezan · #13 04/14/2006, 09:25 PM

cool, thanks for all the help.
What bulb combination should i get? I want a crisp nice looking color.
Also if they have one cord, is there a way to rewire them or something to set them up on separate timers for dawn dusk effect? Is that really imporatnt or it doesn't matter.
Also, are the ballast mounted in there? will they be okay in the canopy? or do i have to mount them separately?

swoop_ds · #14 04/14/2006, 09:28 PM

I would go with half aquablue and half blueplus bulbs from geisemann/ATI. You could also add in one or two ge 6500k daylight. See the 2005 march TOTM.
-Dave

BaronPoudrier · #15 04/14/2006, 10:45 PM

I previously bought a 260 watts Coralife PC retrofit for my 90 gals. I ha to change 2 actinics lamps in the first 6 month. I now have an Icecap 660 with 2 T5 with reflectors and 1 NO actinic T8... This setup is so much more powerfull! Go for the T5 and if you doubt it, take a look at this tank: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...totm/index.php

Pilot Fish · #16 04/14/2006, 10:46 PM

Bottom Line-
You are wasting your $ on lighting systems that are designed for reef systems.
I have seen plenty of FOWL tanks with crazy amounts of lighting that only look "Crisp" as you call it for a month or so before the out of control algae growth kicks in. At that point you will nickel and dime yourself with nitrate remover this and phosphate remover that and end up unhappy with a "UN-Crisp" looking mess.

jimdogg187 · #17 04/14/2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pilot Fish
Bottom Line-
You are wasting your $ on lighting systems that are designed for reef systems.
I have seen plenty of FOWL tanks with crazy amounts of lighting that only look "Crisp" as you call it for a month or so before the out of control algae growth kicks in. At that point you will nickel and dime yourself with nitrate remover this and phosphate remover that and end up unhappy with a "UN-Crisp" looking mess.

I don't have an algae problem

If you build your FOWLR tank correctly from the begining, you should not have an algae problem.

When I first set up a FOWLR tank a few years back, I used a regular florecent bulb. Then I upgraded to the T5's and refuse to look back.

Jim

lagatbezan · #18 04/15/2006, 09:24 AM

I thought bad lighting contributes to algae problem!

Don424 · #19 04/16/2006, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pilot Fish
Bottom Line-
You are wasting your $ on lighting systems that are designed for reef systems.
I have seen plenty of FOWL tanks with crazy amounts of lighting that only look "Crisp" as you call it for a month or so before the out of control algae growth kicks in. At that point you will nickel and dime yourself with nitrate remover this and phosphate remover that and end up unhappy with a "UN-Crisp" looking mess.

Pilot Fish,

Would a good NO system be ok for FOWLR?