T-5 users

[JimmyS]

When I set up my 120g I really want to give the T5 a shot as the main lighting. So I have a question.

The tank is 48x24x24 and will be a mixed reef setting. SPS up top and LPS and softies towards the bottom.

How many HO bulbs or watts of T5 lighting will be needed for the SPS corals to thrive?

My fist thoughts were 8 bulbs, but I don't know if I can get 8 over the tank.

Thanks for the input.

[pwhitby]

An 8 bulb hood (Tek) is 18 inches wide.

Thats what I have over my tank.

On my frag I have 4 bulbs, but its pretty shallow. I could fit 2 or 3 more (maybe 4 more) with ease.

Ray, I believe, has 6 bulbs over his 180.

Paul.

[BrianOKC]

I'm 99% sure you will have no problem fitting 8 over a 24 inch tank. If your going retro look into the Ice Cap ballast it overdrives the bulbs to around 80 watts each if your going fixture there are new ATI ones out but there very costly and the Tek light prolly would be your best bet.

[VCoo71]

ATI or icecap ...at least its the right ballast for T-5 bulbs

charlie

[mskohl]

I did a retro fit and have 6 bulbs over a 30" tall tank. Each reflector is 2" and I have them set about 2" apart. I have decent growth and nice color with the 6 bulb combination, but I am considering adding another two bulbs at some point down the line.

I have G-man bulbs and run workhorse ballasts.

[TulsaReefer]

Check out the T-5 Thread over in Lighting & Filtration. Lot's of info on T-5 lights and tube selection, as well as info on different fixtures.

If you want to add less tubes, you can spend a bit more on an IceCap ballast and overdrive them, and they do punch out quite a bit more light that way (about 25% to 30% more than normal tubes). I did a retro with 4 x 4' tubes (along with a pair of 4' VHO actinics) on my 110, which is only 18" wide and it's doing great. My PAR readings are really decent considering I'm only really running 4 tubes. I've written it up, including PAR readings over at: Doing the T-5 thing... I have a mixed tank, just starting adding some SPS, but I'm getting what I'd consider great growth as well, and my softies are growing like weeds.

You should be able to fit 8 tubes without any problem, even with retro reflectors, the largest are 3" wide (Tek 2), and the IceCap SLR are 2.5 inches wide each. So either 20" or 24" inches wide for 8 tubes depending on the variety you go for (I have the IceCap SLR and really like them). But if you buy a pre-built fixture, almost all of them are less then 24" wide, even the ATI Powermodule with 10 tubes is only 21.5 inches wide (though it's a cool grand or more).

[Travis L. Stevens]

4x 54w T5HO is going to be just fine on a 120g mixed reef tank. It's not going to be too bright, but it will be dim enough that the lower light corals aren't going to burn without acclimation. You could easily do 8 bulbs, but I think this is a little overkill with the livestock you're thinking about keeping. The intensity of a T5 with an individual reflector is absolutely amazing. Without the reflector and you might as well use PC's though

[papagimp]

Originally posted by pwhitby
An 8 bulb hood (Tek) is 18 inches wide.

My 6 bulb unit is 18" wide, how the heck did they fit another 2 bulbs in there?!?

[JimmyS]

Thanks for all the responses.

OMG! The T5 post has split 10 times. That will be some major reading.

Ok, another question. How often are you changing your bulbs?

Thanks again.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Unless you are overdriving them, they have the same lifespan as any other fluorescent lighting: 9-12 months. Overdriving will shorten them to about 6-9 months which is about the recommended lifespan of a metal halide. Of course, this is a good time to start planning on changing them and if you have to wait a month or two longer, the world isn't going to end. But, the longer you wait the rougher it will be on the corals and then acclimating them to the new, brighter bulbs.

[2ras]

I agree with Travis. I have 80W T5s and they are not overdriven. They last almost 12 months. I have been changing them at 12 months for the past 2 years. You can tell the difference, so I'm considering reducing the change out time to 9 or 10 months.

[zxanth]

I will play devil's advocate and say this,

Please, before you buy T5's go to someones house that has them and view it and see if you like the way they look and then go to someone elses house that has metal halides and see theirs. Go for the shimmer. I would tell you to go to WetPets because they have both set ups but in my opinion they are down playing metal halides because the bulb they have on it tends to be on the yellowish side for better coral growth so it doesnt look as appealing. Pictures of both lighting set up will not show the difference so it has to be seen live.

[JimmyS]

Zxanth, I am currently running a XM 20k 250w MH setup at the moment. I do like the shimmer, but I like a bluer look more. I have thought about running the MH with T5 supplements, but I have wondered how many bulbs it would take to add the exta blue color vs 500w of MH.

Anyone have any thoughts on that?

[_Sooner_2]

Jimmy,

I have the Maristar fixture with (2 X 250 DE's) + (2 X 54 T5's). I'm running 12K Reeflux bulbs with Actinic and Aquablue T5 bulbs. The HQI bulbs are not yellow at all, but they aren't blue either. They seem to overpower the T5's. IMO, I would go with all T5's or use 4 T5's as suppelments.

Ronnie

[captbunzo]

me thinks the shimmer is overrated.......

[zxanth]

oooo....captbunzo i can't believe you are trying to open pandora's box with that comment..... (lol) not touching that one.

Jimmy,

I would suggest buying 2 or 4 bulb retrofit t5's w/ individual reflectors to supplement your mh and see if you like the look of it. It will be easier on your pocket book. If you don't like the look then buy the rest that you were planning and sell your mh to recoup some of your money. With my set up I bought the Icecap 660 ballast and will allow you to power 1-4 four ft t5 lamps, wiring it was easy and I am not an electrician. This ballast does overdrive them but will get you closer to the blue you are wanting. I have seen both set ups and for some reason mh tanks look much crisper to me and t5s looks very bright.

[SoonerReefer]

If you run T-5 HO bulbs on an overdriven ballast they should last longer than using normal output T-5s,they HO bulbs will handle alot more usage...

Donny
OMAS

[Prater]

I just run two T-5 bulbs on my 75. I have good growth on my corals. A few here have seen it in person, I would go with all t5 bulbs.