90 gallon LPS tank looking for a t5 fixture

philosophile · 11/27/2011, 01:09 PM

any recommendations? I'm thinking about keeping a bubble anemone in it possibly.
I'm looking for one with lots of control features.... ideally if I could control when each bulb came on and off, that would be amazing, but most seem to only control half the light.

I should add that it can't hang, it has to be able to have legs to stand on top of the tank.

rtparty · 11/27/2011, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philosophile

any recommendations? I'm thinking about keeping a bubble anemone in it possibly.
I'm looking for one with lots of control features.... ideally if I could control when each bulb came on and off, that would be amazing, but most seem to only control half the light.

I should add that it can't hang, it has to be able to have legs to stand on top of the tank.

You aren't going to find a fixture that will let you control each bulb. That would mean individual ballasts for every bulb and TONS of power cords. It would also mean you need a ballast that will only run one T5 bulb. There are no spec T5 ballasts that do this. At least none that I have seen and I have seen most of the items available.

Here are three options to look at:

1) 6x54w Aquatic Life
2) 6x54w Tek
3) 6x54w Tek Elite

The Aquatic Life will need new bulbs after the first couple months. The stock bulbs aren't that great. So plan that into cost.

The Teks are good fixtures and have legs so you can rest the fixture on the tank. I would get the Elite if you have the coin.

A. Grandis · 11/27/2011, 01:37 PM

Or you could build your own legs to hold an ATI PM over the tank.
Other wise would be good to buy the Tek, like rtparty said.
The Tek gets worm with the protective lenses, so I use an external fan to help. Not too bad!
ATI has cooling system and better reflectors, but you can use a small fan and the Tek would be ok, not good as the ATI...
I've got both and like the ATI a lot!
Perhaps a 6 bulb fixture should be enough for your 90gal.

Good luck!

Grandis.

reefermad619 · 11/27/2011, 01:48 PM

Vote for the tek too. Although the aquaticlife has built in timmers, but you can get a regular ol time from Walmart and use it on the tek.

krshlln300 · 11/27/2011, 03:48 PM

I would steer away from timers from walmart, I have gone through 6 within a few months. They tend to stick or freeze up (tried both digital and old fashioned tab based) If you have access to a controller like reefkeeper or even an older aquacontroller jr or something (ppl are selling them for around 100 to 150 $ online) that would allow you to do what you need timer wise.

philosophile · 11/28/2011, 09:14 AM

If I don't plan on using a hood, would I still need a fan on the tek? I'd probably use the bulb shield since I can't hang.

philosophile · 11/28/2011, 09:15 AM

And whats the difference between the elite and non elite?

rtparty · 11/28/2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philosophile

If I don't plan on using a hood, would I still need a fan on the tek? I'd probably use the bulb shield since I can't hang.

Quote:

Originally Posted by philosophile

And whats the difference between the elite and non elite?

Yes, you still need a fan for the Tek. Don't use the shield! You will knock performance and bulb life in half. Heat kills T5s faster than anything else.

The Elite has built in fans. The regular Tek doesn't. If you can get the Elite that is what I would do. The issue with that is you are only a couple dollars away from an ATI at that point and the ATI is a better choice. But if you can't hang the light, ATI isn't an option.

philosophile · 11/28/2011, 10:43 AM

The elite comes with the shield... So since it has fans, doesn't that balance off the heat retention the shield causes?

11/27/2011, 01:09 PM	#1
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	90 gallon LPS tank looking for a t5 fixture any recommendations? I'm thinking about keeping a bubble anemone in it possibly. I'm looking for one with lots of control features.... ideally if I could control when each bulb came on and off, that would be amazing, but most seem to only control half the light. I should add that it can't hang, it has to be able to have legs to stand on top of the tank. __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

11/27/2011, 01:37 PM	#3
A. Grandis Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Honolulu Posts: 3,418	Or you could build your own legs to hold an ATI PM over the tank. Other wise would be good to buy the Tek, like rtparty said. The Tek gets worm with the protective lenses, so I use an external fan to help. Not too bad! ATI has cooling system and better reflectors, but you can use a small fan and the Tek would be ok, not good as the ATI... I've got both and like the ATI a lot! Perhaps a 6 bulb fixture should be enough for your 90gal. Good luck! Grandis. Last edited by A. Grandis; 11/27/2011 at 01:43 PM.

11/27/2011, 01:48 PM	#4
reefermad619 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: The Salty D! Sandy let go of my eggo! Posts: 1,962	Vote for the tek too. Although the aquaticlife has built in timmers, but you can get a regular ol time from Walmart and use it on the tek. __________________ Fish tanks and Chevys... And my cousin's Datsun too. Some call it paranoid. I call it prepared. You have more post than I do... You MUST be right then!

11/28/2011, 09:14 AM	#6
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	If I don't plan on using a hood, would I still need a fan on the tek? I'd probably use the bulb shield since I can't hang. __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

11/28/2011, 09:15 AM	#7
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	And whats the difference between the elite and non elite? __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

11/27/2011, 03:48 PM	#5
krshlln300 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Robinson twp, PA Posts: 641	I would steer away from timers from walmart, I have gone through 6 within a few months. They tend to stick or freeze up (tried both digital and old fashioned tab based) If you have access to a controller like reefkeeper or even an older aquacontroller jr or something (ppl are selling them for around 100 to 150 $ online) that would allow you to do what you need timer wise.

11/28/2011, 10:43 AM	#9
philosophile Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 1,149	The elite comes with the shield... So since it has fans, doesn't that balance off the heat retention the shield causes? __________________ 90 gallon mixed reef XPS1000SSS skimmer, 2 radions gen 1, tunze osmolator w/ kalk dispenser, 70 lbs pukani, mp40w x2; 1 tomini, 1 clown 2 mandarins. Vinegar dosing, and micro bubble scrubbing.

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