T5HO lighting help

[DavidinGA]

I am in the process of setting up my first reef tank (46 gallon bow) and could really use some general guidance as to what T5 lighting I should be considering. My tank is 36Lx12W (at narrowest end of bow, 16.5" at bow)x21H. I would probably be looking for a 4 bulb setup although I have heard a 6 bulb setup would work if I only ran 5 bulbs (worth it for the cost over a 4 bulb setup?).

At this point I don't even know what livestock I want to keep; so whatever can live under 4-5 bulbs T5 is what I will keep...

I'm hoping to spend less than $300.

What are the better brands that I should be looking at?

Which fixture is the best bang for the buck in your opinion?

Any fixtures I should avoid like the plague?



From what I have seen it looks like the Current USA Nova Extreme T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 4X39 Watt, 36 inch is one of the cheaper setups that I have been eyeing. Saw it for around $220 shipped online. Is this a good setup/price?


Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

[rtparty]

ATI and Tek are what you should look at. They will be ouut of range but you have to pay for good T5 stuff.

Outside of those two, I avoid them all. Aquatic Life is pretty good but plan on buying all new bulbs at $25/bulb.

4 bulb ATI or Tek will be plenty for the tank.

[DavidinGA]

......

[aleonn]

+1 on ATI (best) or Tek Light (what I use for my 180 gallon). I also had an AquaticLife 4x24W fixture, which worked well (after I replaced the stock bulbs).

[DavidinGA]

Originally Posted by aleonn

+1 on ATI (best) or Tek Light (what I use for my 180 gallon). I also had an AquaticLife 4x24W fixture, which worked well (after I replaced the stock bulbs).

Would tek be better than the current nova extreme I mentioned above?

[DavidinGA]

I checked out ATI's stuff and they are crazy expensive compared to other brands...whats the deal?

A 4 bulb setup with ATI is about 2x more money than the Current Nova Extreme I mentioned. Is the ATI going to be 2x better?

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by DavidinGA

I checked out ATI's stuff and they are crazy expensive compared to other brands...whats the deal?

A 4 bulb setup with ATI is about 2x more money than the Current Nova Extreme I mentioned. Is the ATI going to be 2x better?

In short, yes.

They have better ballasts, better reflectors, MUCH better cooling (which leads to longer bulb life and better performance) and you can choose the bulbs from the get go.

With Current fixtures you are going to get their bulbs and they are junk.

I would look into the Tek if you want to save some money.

[DavidinGA]

Originally Posted by rtparty

In short, yes.

They have better ballasts, better reflectors, MUCH better cooling (which leads to longer bulb life and better performance) and you can choose the bulbs from the get go.

With Current fixtures you are going to get their bulbs and they are junk.

I would look into the Tek if you want to save some money.

I was looking at Tek but it seemed like a lot of people complained about them. Are the complaints unfounded or still less so than the complaints of lesser brands?

[DavidinGA]

Also.....can the cheaper brands be modified with more/better fans to improve cooling/performance?

[rtparty]

Originally Posted by DavidinGA

I was looking at Tek but it seemed like a lot of people complained about them. Are the complaints unfounded or still less so than the complaints of lesser brands?

Teks are good fixtures with a VERY proven track record. I have seen very little complaints about them. You have to remember that on a reefing forum like this, people will complain long before they will praise something. I can't remember the exact numbers but people will tell 14 people on average if they have a negative experience. On the other hand, if someone has a good experience they will tell 3.

People don't come on here starting threads about how great a piece of equipment is. Heck, I forget I even use some equipment because it NEVER has a problem.

The cheaper fixtures can be modded but you will lose warranty and go through a bunch of trouble for very little. I would get a regular Tek fixture and call it good. I bet there are some nice sales if you look around for the holiday season.

[DavidinGA]

Originally Posted by rtparty

You have to remember that on a reefing forum like this, people will complain long before they will praise something. I can't remember the exact numbers but people will tell 14 people on average if they have a negative experience. On the other hand, if someone has a good experience they will tell 3.

People don't come on here starting threads about how great a piece of equipment is. Heck, I forget I even use some equipment because it NEVER has a problem.

Good point...