t5 lights

[Apachie]

I have heard different things about t5 lights.
Some people think that t5 lighting is just as good a MH lights.
I would like to know if i can keep clams or anemonees under t5 instead of paying more for a MH system.
Any info will help.
Thanks

[sir_dudeguy]

Yes you can. What size tank? How tall/long?

[easye123]

ofcourse u can

[sirreal63]

You can if it is a proper T5 and not one of the multitude of vendors hopping on the T5 craze. It must have individual "W" shaped reflectors, if it has a flat reflector is isn't worth the money. Don't be duped by cheap lights. You will find a good T5 isn't really cheaper than a halide setup.

[hobbzz]

T5's aren't a new thing...they're just new in the US. People have been using them in Europe for years. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hlight=t5+only

Make sure you get individual reflectors.

[sir_dudeguy]

You will find a good T5 isn't really cheaper than a halide setup.

Not unless you look longterm maybe...I've read that MH's lose quite a bit of intensity or whatever after a certain point, whereas t5's lose very little compared to MH's over a year, and even up to a year and a half depending on usage....They run cooler, use less wattage. Anyways, i know MH's last a long time, but i'm thinking t5's last a bit longer, correct? So that and the lower wattage would be where you'd be saving a little bit (depending on how many bulbs used) longterm...

[cartoonbear]

I would go for T5HO, I am a little biased, but then....I love the crap outta my lighting

[salty joe]

Anybody have lumen/watt for MH and T5 for comparison?

[Subliminal]

I don't think you can do that, unless you're refering to a particular product to compare. The setup makes a huge difference. You could have one set of reflectors and lights that would make one setup perform a lot better, then do another comparrison with a different setup that would make the other lighting option better.

[MeuserReef]

I have MH on my display but will be using T5's on my prop setup that I have in the works. I might loose some on the growth rates but when you pay 14 cents per KW/hr... you have to sacrifice somewhere! LOL

[salty joe]

Originally posted by Subliminal
I don't think you can do that, unless you're refering to a particular product to compare. The setup makes a huge difference. You could have one set of reflectors and lights that would make one setup perform a lot better, then do another comparrison with a different setup that would make the other lighting option better.

I was not considering reflectors or anything else other than lumens/watt.

Anyone know?

[TWallace]

Originally posted by sirreal63
You will find a good T5 isn't really cheaper than a halide setup.

By all accounts the Tek T5 setup is a good one. I have one on my 55g that cost me $215, plus $72 for bulbs, for a total of $287. What MH setup can be had for around that price? A 55g would require a 2 bulb MH setup, and even with just 150W bulbs I can't find anything in that price range. In fact, most 1 bulb MH systems cost as much or more than the entire T5 setup I have. Most 2 bulb MH setups (even without actinic supplementation, which you'd probably want unless you use 20k bulbs) cost between $420-750 depending on manufacturer.

This doesn't take into account the bulb replacement costs, which again T5 is significantly cheaper. I can replace all 4 of my bulbs for about the cost of one MH bulb, and the T5s last twice as long.

I am interested in switching to MH, mostly because I like the shimmer effect and some of the more light demanding acros, but the cost is a bit prohibitive. If there is reasonably priced MH setups, I'd love to see them.

[pony_killer]

i spent $550 on my aquatinics t-5 fixture with 5 vho bulbs...well worth every penny.

[sirreal63]

Retrofit is the way to go. Build a canopy and hello lights has the answer. You currently have 215 watts and if you are running actintics the actual usable wattage would be less. Agreed the tek is a decent fixture with the proper shaped reflectors, though their reflectors are near the bottom of the pile for efficiency. They tend to overheat the bulbs which reduces their life.

$400 bucks delivered would get you a decent halide setup with 350 watts of light, electronic ballasts and 2-175 watt bulbs. All you need to do is build the canopy to house them. Pretty easy stuff for a 55.
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp...PROD&ProdID=64

I have a Tek retro setup over my 58 gallon prop. tank. It is ok, it works just fine but moving corals from the prop tank to the main tank causes them to grow like they should and color up. I am not bashing T5's, I use them too and have used them for over 2 years now. I'll keep my halides over the display tank though.

My whole point above was that the price isn't that much different. You have 287 bucks (plus freight?) for 216 watts, that is $1.32 per watt. The retro kit above is 400 bucks (delivered) for 350 watts which is $1.14 per watt and over a 55 you are maxed out on light with the T5. You cannot squeeze a 6 bulb fixture over the tank. Yes you may have more heat to contend with because of the increase in wattage but you would also have more heat with a 6 bulb T5.

To each his own, I like both but I do have a preference.

[Apachie]

How bout this
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113175

I am 13 and short on money. maybe I can buy ind. reflectors.

(How do I make a shorter link)

[Peter Eichler]

Originally posted by Apachie
How bout this
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113175

I am 13 and short on money. maybe I can buy ind. reflectors.

(How do I make a shorter link)

You won't be able to fit individual reflectors in there and the bulbs that come with it are pretty mediocre.

[sirreal63]

Unfortunately it is not a correct T5 fixture. The manufacturer is one the many cashing in on the T5 craze. It has a single "\__/" shaped reflector for all of the bulbs instead of individual "W" shaped reflectors for each bulb. It isn't correct but would be fine for softies and low light corals. Unfortunately for the price you could buy the real thing.

[TWallace]

Originally posted by sirreal63
Retrofit is the way to go. Build a canopy and hello lights has the answer. You currently have 215 watts and if you are running actintics the actual usable wattage would be less. Agreed the tek is a decent fixture with the proper shaped reflectors, though their reflectors are near the bottom of the pile for efficiency. They tend to overheat the bulbs which reduces their life.

$400 bucks delivered would get you a decent halide setup with 350 watts of light, electronic ballasts and 2-175 watt bulbs. All you need to do is build the canopy to house them. Pretty easy stuff for a 55.
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp...PROD&ProdID=64

I have a Tek retro setup over my 58 gallon prop. tank. It is ok, it works just fine but moving corals from the prop tank to the main tank causes them to grow like they should and color up. I am not bashing T5's, I use them too and have used them for over 2 years now. I'll keep my halides over the display tank though.

My whole point above was that the price isn't that much different. You have 287 bucks (plus freight?) for 216 watts, that is $1.32 per watt. The retro kit above is 400 bucks (delivered) for 350 watts which is $1.14 per watt and over a 55 you are maxed out on light with the T5. You cannot squeeze a 6 bulb fixture over the tank. Yes you may have more heat to contend with because of the increase in wattage but you would also have more heat with a 6 bulb T5.

To each his own, I like both but I do have a preference.

I don't mean to be argumentative, but in your first post you stated that T5 setups aren't any cheaper than MH. Then to back this up, you cite an example showing a MH setup that is around 35% more expensive than the Tek T5 setup I currently have, and it uses a pretty poor quality reflector and requires a canopy (extra money and time).

I'm not at all saying that T5 is better or MH is better. I'm just saying T5 is cheaper, and it is a significant difference. Like I said, I'm considering switching to MH myself, as I really like the shimmer effect, so I'm not a MH basher or T5 promoter or anything like that.

[sirreal63]

Watt for watt...you can get a cheaper halide than T5 and neither will be the top of the line. $1.32 per watt for the T5 or $1.14 per watt for the halide...the school I went to said that $1.32 is more than $1.14 and I suspect you had the same education.

I also run both and both have their place in my system. The hello light setup with that reflector isn't the best and the Tek isn't the best. It is easy to upgrade reflectors in the future when your needs require it. Equivalent watts work out with the halide being cheaper. Over a 55 you are not going to squeeze more T5's in there and the only way to up the lighting is halide. 2x175 even with the crappy reflector is more light and you will not be limited on what you can have thrive under it.

You asked for an inexpensive halide setup and I gave you one. No it isn't top of the line but the only real limiting factor keeping it from being a very good setup is the cheap reflector...and that is easy to replace. :-)

[TWallace]

I don't know why you insist on comparing watt for watt, other than that's the only way you can show MH being cheaper than T5. Seems rather irrelevant to me. I'm comparing final cost of a complete lighting setup for each. Not to mention MH is more expensive to run and maintain (bulb cost, frequency of bulb replacement, higher electrical cost).

For the record, I just ordered a MH setup for my tank last week. Final cost was around $700. It's 2 x 250w with 2 48" T5 actinic retrofits. Even if I went with a bluer MH bulb and skipped the T5 supplementation, it still would have cost around $540. Compared to my previous all T5 setup that cost around $300, I think we can both agree which is cheaper. This is certainly not a top of the line MH setup either (and like you said, neither is the Tek). I could have gone with 400w, or a ludicrously expensive brand like Geisemann or Blue Wave ballasts. I got Reef Optix reflectors, Reeflux bulbs, ARO ballasts (pretty much the cheapest ballast available).

[mildew]

Good lights are expensive. Like pony_killer my Aquatinic T-5 cost around $500, but the real shock came when I had my hand in the tank and accidently touched the light housing.

[kolokefalo]

At present only Sunlight Supply (TEK light) and Aquatinics have individual parabolic reflectors. As such if you are going to go with T5s these are the only 2 you should buy from. You can also retrofit as Sunlight supply sells individual reflectors for a T5retrofit.

[TWallace]

Icecap also makes T5 retrofit kits with individual reflectors. They're the same price as the Tek ones on ReefGeek right now. I've heard a few times that Icecaps reflectors are better than Tek's. I'm not sure if that's true or not, though.