T5 Bulb Suggestions

$eaba$$ · 01/24/2009, 03:18 AM

Hey guys,

I will be getting one of the fishneedit.com 24" t5ho 4x24 watt light fixtures. I have seen this fixture personally, and was very impressed with it for the price. I have a quick question regarding the bulbs, and no, I will not be purchasing additional bulbs at this time. It gives me a choice of different bulbs, such as day light, actinic, and pink. Pink is out of the question, so it leaves me with daylight and actinic. Daylight choices are 10K, 14K, and 20K. Actinic is regular actinic. I was wondering if you would go with something such as two 10K and two actinic, or would it be better to have something as all four 20K. Please give me some insight!

Thanks!
ps: This will be an upgrade of my 2x65watt power compacts.

redfishsc · 01/24/2009, 08:18 AM

The bulbs that come with that unit have a reputation for being fairly low quality, so go with the highest K rating you can stand. Their 12, 14, and 20K tubes may look fine, but I would be leary of their actual PAR output.

Personally I would go with two 10K and two actinics---- but know that they are most likely "blue" and not "actinic" (there is a big difference). The "blue" tubes tend to put out more PAR fortunately... they just don't cause as much of the beautiful phosphorescence in some of the green and red corals that we all love.

FWIW here is THE ultimate T5 PAR thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=918935

widmer · 01/24/2009, 09:24 AM

http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/

This is where I went for my bulb recommendations. I have a 4x 24w setup, and did the 2 blue+, 1 actinic and 1 full spectrum (GE 6500K). It looks great.

I almost bought one of the fishneedit fixtures, but after researching it I decided I determined that they are too cheap even for me. On another forum, someone took one apart, and the ballasts in those are so tiny that at first he absolutely couldn't locate them in the fixtures.

Instead I ended up going to reefgeek.com, and bought the parts to make my own little fixture-

Accustart ballasts - $80
IceCap reflectors - $50 (2 54w reflectors that I cut in half)
standard endcaps - $8

+$10 worth of aluminum hardware from menards

~$150 for a fixture that could rival higher-end fixtures based on its parts.

$eaba$$ · 01/24/2009, 11:53 AM

thanks. anyone else have any suggestions regarding the bulbs?

$eaba$$ · 01/24/2009, 03:15 PM

no one?

$eaba$$ · 01/24/2009, 10:54 PM

please...??

divewsharks · 01/25/2009, 02:48 AM

i would definitely lean towards what Widmer said w/r to bulbs choice. Blue+'s are great bulbs.

as for the fixture: does it have individual reflectors and fans?
what are you looking to keep, coral-wise?

$eaba$$ · 01/25/2009, 10:55 AM

it has contoured reflectors, and they seem to get a lot of light into the tank. i have seen these personally as a friend of mine has it, but no fan; i have a small computer fan that i used in my old hood that I will just take off and aim into the lights, from the side, as there are holes for ventilation. I have xenia, mushrooms, octopus coral, and a GBTA. Do you think I could keep any easy type of SPS high up?

01/24/2009, 03:18 AM	#1
$eaba$$ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Posts: 254	T5 Bulb Suggestions Hey guys, I will be getting one of the fishneedit.com 24" t5ho 4x24 watt light fixtures. I have seen this fixture personally, and was very impressed with it for the price. I have a quick question regarding the bulbs, and no, I will not be purchasing additional bulbs at this time. It gives me a choice of different bulbs, such as day light, actinic, and pink. Pink is out of the question, so it leaves me with daylight and actinic. Daylight choices are 10K, 14K, and 20K. Actinic is regular actinic. I was wondering if you would go with something such as two 10K and two actinic, or would it be better to have something as all four 20K. Please give me some insight! Thanks! ps: This will be an upgrade of my 2x65watt power compacts. Last edited by $eaba$$; 01/24/2009 at 03:24 AM.

01/24/2009, 08:18 AM	#2
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	The bulbs that come with that unit have a reputation for being fairly low quality, so go with the highest K rating you can stand. Their 12, 14, and 20K tubes may look fine, but I would be leary of their actual PAR output. Personally I would go with two 10K and two actinics---- but know that they are most likely "blue" and not "actinic" (there is a big difference). The "blue" tubes tend to put out more PAR fortunately... they just don't cause as much of the beautiful phosphorescence in some of the green and red corals that we all love. FWIW here is THE ultimate T5 PAR thread. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=918935 __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.

01/24/2009, 11:53 AM	#4
$eaba$$ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Posts: 254	thanks. anyone else have any suggestions regarding the bulbs? __________________ 20 Gallon Reef: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Green Chromis, 1 Skunk Cleaner 1 H. Mag, 1 GBTA, Xenia, Mushrooms 4x24w T5HO, HOB 4gal fuge (chaeto) and Skimmer

01/24/2009, 03:15 PM	#5
$eaba$$ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Posts: 254	no one? __________________ 20 Gallon Reef: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Green Chromis, 1 Skunk Cleaner 1 H. Mag, 1 GBTA, Xenia, Mushrooms 4x24w T5HO, HOB 4gal fuge (chaeto) and Skimmer

01/24/2009, 10:54 PM	#6
$eaba$$ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Posts: 254	please...?? __________________ 20 Gallon Reef: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Green Chromis, 1 Skunk Cleaner 1 H. Mag, 1 GBTA, Xenia, Mushrooms 4x24w T5HO, HOB 4gal fuge (chaeto) and Skimmer

01/24/2009, 09:24 AM	#3
widmer Drug Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 2,958	http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/ This is where I went for my bulb recommendations. I have a 4x 24w setup, and did the 2 blue+, 1 actinic and 1 full spectrum (GE 6500K). It looks great. I almost bought one of the fishneedit fixtures, but after researching it I decided I determined that they are too cheap even for me. On another forum, someone took one apart, and the ballasts in those are so tiny that at first he absolutely couldn't locate them in the fixtures. Instead I ended up going to reefgeek.com, and bought the parts to make my own little fixture- Accustart ballasts - $80 IceCap reflectors - $50 (2 54w reflectors that I cut in half) standard endcaps - $8 +$10 worth of aluminum hardware from menards ~$150 for a fixture that could rival higher-end fixtures based on its parts.

01/25/2009, 02:48 AM	#7
divewsharks Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,905	i would definitely lean towards what Widmer said w/r to bulbs choice. Blue+'s are great bulbs. as for the fixture: does it have individual reflectors and fans? what are you looking to keep, coral-wise?

01/25/2009, 10:55 AM	#8
$eaba$$ Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: California Posts: 254	it has contoured reflectors, and they seem to get a lot of light into the tank. i have seen these personally as a friend of mine has it, but no fan; i have a small computer fan that i used in my old hood that I will just take off and aim into the lights, from the side, as there are holes for ventilation. I have xenia, mushrooms, octopus coral, and a GBTA. Do you think I could keep any easy type of SPS high up? __________________ 20 Gallon Reef: 2 Ocellaris Clowns, 2 Green Chromis, 1 Skunk Cleaner 1 H. Mag, 1 GBTA, Xenia, Mushrooms 4x24w T5HO, HOB 4gal fuge (chaeto) and Skimmer