Lighting 18" deep tank (Tek)

chujai · 11/10/2007, 01:25 PM

Ill post some pictures when i get the chance but my old lighting fixture just died on me. cheap china brand... one of the ballast melted.. anyways.

I need a replacement. My tank is a 39"W x 24"L x 18" H roughly 73 gallon.

I mainly have LPS, frogspawns, candycane, torch, hammer, bubble

SPS I have monti digita, cat paw i got browned out for free to see if it will do better, which hasnt and a vase coral.

I also have a crocea and other softies, zoos.. nothing else really light intensive.

The option were aquactinic tx5 or tek t5 and ive search and read all th stuff and aquactinic is a better fixture. but for me to get that where i am, canada, after duties and everything its just too expensive, LFS wants 1k for that fixture. Tek with shipping and everything comes to 430 but no mounting hardware or hanging

regardless i just want some other peoples input, and people who do have the tek fixture specifically the 6 x 39w fixture

i just want to know what you guys think about it, how does it do in your tank and what you keep... if it will be sufficient for my tank. any other advice would be great.

main reason why im avoiding MH is cause of heat issues and costs a lot more as well...

carb850 · 11/10/2007, 08:00 PM

I have none of the above, but have been reading up on them.

It seems the TX5 slighly edges out the 6 bulb TEK but only by a little. If it would cost you 2X as much then it is a no brainer to go with the TEK.

Also, have you considered a retrofit kit in a canopy? The Icecap SLR's are supposed to be some of the best.

11/10/2007, 01:25 PM	#1
chujai Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 188	Lighting 18" deep tank (Tek) Ill post some pictures when i get the chance but my old lighting fixture just died on me. cheap china brand... one of the ballast melted.. anyways. I need a replacement. My tank is a 39"W x 24"L x 18" H roughly 73 gallon. I mainly have LPS, frogspawns, candycane, torch, hammer, bubble SPS I have monti digita, cat paw i got browned out for free to see if it will do better, which hasnt and a vase coral. I also have a crocea and other softies, zoos.. nothing else really light intensive. The option were aquactinic tx5 or tek t5 and ive search and read all th stuff and aquactinic is a better fixture. but for me to get that where i am, canada, after duties and everything its just too expensive, LFS wants 1k for that fixture. Tek with shipping and everything comes to 430 but no mounting hardware or hanging regardless i just want some other peoples input, and people who do have the tek fixture specifically the 6 x 39w fixture i just want to know what you guys think about it, how does it do in your tank and what you keep... if it will be sufficient for my tank. any other advice would be great. main reason why im avoiding MH is cause of heat issues and costs a lot more as well...

11/10/2007, 08:00 PM	#2
carb850 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 2,042	I have none of the above, but have been reading up on them. It seems the TX5 slighly edges out the 6 bulb TEK but only by a little. If it would cost you 2X as much then it is a no brainer to go with the TEK. Also, have you considered a retrofit kit in a canopy? The Icecap SLR's are supposed to be some of the best.