How many t5s for a 36X24X18.

[coop8392]

I am downgrading ffrom a 125 to a 65. I have always had MH lighting but would now like to go with t5s to keep costs down on this smaller setup. My only problem is I have no clue of how much lighting I will need. This will be a sps tank. Thank you in advance for any help.

[nanojg]

40 give or take, how high will they be from the water?

[Mike de Leon]

Minimum of six bulbs will get you by. 8 Will be better...

[njudson]

Originally Posted by Mike de Leon

Minimum of six bulbs will get you by. 8 Will be better...

I think 6 is the right number for an 18" wide tank. 8 will be too many. I have 5 on my 40br (same size but less height) and its a lot of light.

[rtparty]

6 bulbs will be plenty, granted you use a good setup.

Will you be going retro or a fixture?

[e46slc]

Originally Posted by njudson

I think 6 is the right number for an 18" wide tank. 8 will be too many. I have 5 on my 40br (same size but less height) and its a lot of light.

I think it's a 24" width and 18" height tank. 6 will be fine for this sytem.

[coop8392]

Originally Posted by e46slc

I think it's a 24" width and 18" height tank. 6 will be fine for this sytem.

Correct it is 18" tall

Originally Posted by rtparty

Will you be going retro or a fixture?

I will be going retrofit. I have 2 icecap 430s and am ordering 8 sets of endcaps. For reflectors I'm planning on lining the inside of the canopy with polished stainless sheet.

Originally Posted by nanojg

how high will they be from the water?

Im not sure on how high I should put them I'm still researching that

[coop8392]

Also What bulb combo would you recommend (for 6 or 8 bulb). This will be sps and hopefully a clam

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by coop8392

Correct it is 18" tall

I will be going retrofit. I have 2 icecap 430s and am ordering 8 sets of endcaps. For reflectors I'm planning on lining the inside of the canopy with polished stainless sheet.

Im not sure on how high I should put them I'm still researching that

Is the tank 18" top to bottom or front to back?

If it is front to back you will want 8 bulbs in that case.

The 430s are a bad idea and so is the "reflector" idea. You might as well go grab some T8's or Power Compacts and use them.

The reflector is what sets a T5 system apart from other inferior fluorescent bulbs. So by skimping on that end, you are at a BIG disadvantage. Reflectors aren't just slapped together overnight and sold. There is a lot of research behind their design and how the angles are bent. You want to direct the light back into the tank, not all over the place. Your idea sounds like you will get a TON of wasted light and you will also get a lot of restrike issues. Restrike is when the light is bounced back into the bulb and effectively goes no where. It is just wasted electricity.

The 430 ballasts will only run 2 T5 bulbs from what I recall. Therefore you will need 4 of them for your system. You will also overdrive the bulbs and hurt their life. You will be replacing bulbs about every 6-7 months. You do the math on that one.

A good T5 setup can go up to 12 months before the bulbs need to be replaced. A good T5 setup MUST have the 4 following features:

1) Good reflectors
1) Good bulbs
1) Proper ballasts
1) Proper cooling

LET Lighting (found on Reefgeek) makes the best retro kit available. You will only need to find some good fans to cool the bulbs and ballasts.

I promise if you try to do this on the cheap or jimmy rig things up, you will just regret it and pay for the good stuff later. Do yourself a HUGE favor and get a good setup.

Here are some good links to read before you do all of this:

http://home.comcast.net/~stevelarsen00/site/?/home/

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1641235

Hope that helps.

[cpllongjk]

Imo go with 8 bulbs but go with a 24" fixture if you're hanging it. 36" g4 fixtures over a 36" tank give wasted light. The 6" gap on either side with a 24" light is easily covered with light spill from the reflectors. That being said if you want mostly sps go with the sunpowrr/powermodule. The sunpower is a better value though.
Imo do not get dimmable either. Bulbs have to be burnt in before its safe to dim or you will degrade the bulbs faster. Just some food for thought.

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by cpllongjk

Imo do not get dimmable either. Bulbs have to be burnt in before its safe to dim or you will degrade the bulbs faster.

That isn't entirely true any longer. It used to be that way but ballast manufactures have resolved that issue.

It is still recommended to break the bulbs in for about 40 hours but it is not required.