Nova Extreme t5's

Vanquishxxxx · 07/21/2006, 02:21 PM

I am looking into buying the Nova extreme, t5 canopy. I have a 55g 48inchs long and 20 inches high, and 12 inches deep. I woudl like to know wat i coudl keep with 4/54watts bulbs, 2 10k and 2 actinic blue?. And what i can keep with 8/54 watts , 4 10k and 4 actinic blue?the 4bulb one is 260.00 adn the 8 bulb one is 450.00 which one woudl everone suggest i woudl like to keep everything and anythign i dont wanna have to upgrade later.

dhoch · 07/21/2006, 02:39 PM

Does the nova extreme come with individual reflectors? I'm guess not based on the dimensions....

With individual reflectors you could get away with just about everything with a 4 x 54 W....

Dave

lucifersreef · 07/21/2006, 08:06 PM

what do you mean by individual reflectors

Vanquishxxxx · 07/21/2006, 09:40 PM

do you think i coudl install them afterwords like buy reflector material???

iamquockie · 07/21/2006, 11:41 PM

all of the ads say german parabolic reflector not individual parabolic reflectors. I would say you may want to go with 4x54 tek retro with ind. reflectors. Mine is good and bright. My corraline algae is fading away. If you want to upgrade later, you can buy an icecap ballast and push more power out of each bulb. That would be way more thanenough for the 55

CaptiveReef · 07/21/2006, 11:48 PM

I have the Nova Extreme with the 8 bulbs, on my 120 short and you can keep pretty much any available coral you want.
They are bright!!!!! With the 55 gallon,using the 4 bulb hood is plenty of light.
My corals are coloring up and growing nicely with these lights.

CaptiveReef

TWallace · 07/22/2006, 01:21 AM

I have a 55 with a 4x54w Nova Extreme. Things I'm successfully keeping (so far) are: many zoanthids, ricordea, a green bulb tentacled anemone, tridacna derasa clam (gonna try crocea soon), pearl bubble, galaxea, ricordea, pipe organs, star polyps, colt coral, kenya trees, toadstool leather and xenia. Most of those are pretty low light demanding, other than the clam and possibly the pearl bubble and anemone, though. I was keeping a porites coral with Christmas Tree Worms alive (the porites were spreading nicely across the rock), but the addition of a Flame Angel put an end to both the worms and the porites.

The only coral I tried to keep and failed was an SPS (Cerise). I'm not sure if the light was the problem or not, but I suspect it was. I don't have any experience with SPS though other than that.

The Nova Extremes do not have individual reflectors.

Also, I don't know where you're shopping, but $260 is way too much for a 4x54w Nova Extreme. Drs. Foster Smith has them for $199 right now. That's where I got mine.

iamquockie · 07/22/2006, 09:18 AM

I have heard mixed things about the nova but dunno--lots of people that dog it do not own one so who knows

nikon70 · 07/22/2006, 09:23 AM

all i know that is i had 4 t5s and have recently moved to MH 2x150 with 4xt5 marine blue and my tank is suffering.... i think 4-8 t5s is the way of the future , t5s are getting better and better.

TWallace · 07/22/2006, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by iamquockie
I have heard mixed things about the nova but dunno--lots of people that dog it do not own one so who knows

I think some people put too much emphasis on the individual reflectors and think T5s without them are no better than PC.

04mach1 · 07/22/2006, 11:31 AM

I have 8x39 t-5s on a 40 breeder and my shrooms are running for cover.

dhoch · 07/22/2006, 11:36 AM

Twallace,

The numbers bear it out... the output from the T5 bulbs with individual reflectors is 2 times or more as high as without...

Dave

Vanquishxxxx · 07/22/2006, 11:48 AM

ok well 8 t5s would deifnitly be sufficient and most l;ikly 4 t5s would be enough for most corals

Aj_999 · 07/22/2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dhoch
Twallace,

The numbers bear it out... the output from the T5 bulbs with individual reflectors is 2 times or more as high as without...

Dave

Yeah and hereâ€™s proof:
http://www.sunlightsupply.com/aquari...tcomparo.shtml

dhoch · 07/22/2006, 12:38 PM

You know I wanted to say more than 2, but I knew that I couldn't find that quick enough...

BTW, that's a LUX study, PAR is a much better reading... somewhere Grimreefer did a study of this with PAR....

Dave

TWallace · 07/22/2006, 12:57 PM

I'm sure the individual reflectors make a good sized difference, but I'm not sure I trust the manufacturer of said reflectors to show me the proof. That being said, I am considering upgrading to a Tek fixture in the near future.

dhoch · 07/22/2006, 01:05 PM

Twallace,

Search around for some threads by grimreefer... he did totaly independent tests (he's not a manufacturer), and found similar results...

Dave

spmedi · 07/22/2006, 03:04 PM

As far as I know grim has never tested the par of the nova w/ the 1 reflector. It would be safe to say though that individual reflectors are definitely more efficient. But if you were looking at, say, PCs, then even the Nova w/ the one reflector would be better.

It is not wide enough to mod later unless you really bent each reflector quite a bit. I mean just 1 tek @ 2.5 inches would probably fit prefectly over the 2 middle bulbs in the nova.

I do think that someone could take a full sheet and mod it to fit the Nova in such a way to create partically bent refectors which would probably be a nice improvement.

07/21/2006, 02:21 PM	#1
Vanquishxxxx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 998	Nova Extreme t5's I am looking into buying the Nova extreme, t5 canopy. I have a 55g 48inchs long and 20 inches high, and 12 inches deep. I woudl like to know wat i coudl keep with 4/54watts bulbs, 2 10k and 2 actinic blue?. And what i can keep with 8/54 watts , 4 10k and 4 actinic blue?the 4bulb one is 260.00 adn the 8 bulb one is 450.00 which one woudl everone suggest i woudl like to keep everything and anythign i dont wanna have to upgrade later.

07/21/2006, 02:39 PM	#2
dhoch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,762	Does the nova extreme come with individual reflectors? I'm guess not based on the dimensions.... With individual reflectors you could get away with just about everything with a 4 x 54 W.... Dave __________________ Check out my tanks website... click the red box above my post Current Tank Info: 180 gal Acrylic, 29 gal refugium, 40 gal sump, Mag 18 -> 2 Sea Swirls, Tunze 6100, 8 x 80W overdriven T5 Lights, ASM G4 skimmer

07/21/2006, 11:48 PM	#6
CaptiveReef LED FULL SPECTRUM REEFER Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,148	Nova Extreme T-5 canopy I have the Nova Extreme with the 8 bulbs, on my 120 short and you can keep pretty much any available coral you want. They are bright!!!!! With the 55 gallon,using the 4 bulb hood is plenty of light. My corals are coloring up and growing nicely with these lights. CaptiveReef __________________ Okay I'm a Reef Fanatic !!!!! Current Tank Info: 120 Reef, DIY 5ft. protein skimmer, LED lighting.

07/22/2006, 11:36 AM	#12
dhoch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,762	Twallace, The numbers bear it out... the output from the T5 bulbs with individual reflectors is 2 times or more as high as without... Dave __________________ Check out my tanks website... click the red box above my post Current Tank Info: 180 gal Acrylic, 29 gal refugium, 40 gal sump, Mag 18 -> 2 Sea Swirls, Tunze 6100, 8 x 80W overdriven T5 Lights, ASM G4 skimmer

07/22/2006, 12:38 PM	#15
dhoch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,762	You know I wanted to say more than 2, but I knew that I couldn't find that quick enough... BTW, that's a LUX study, PAR is a much better reading... somewhere Grimreefer did a study of this with PAR.... Dave __________________ Check out my tanks website... click the red box above my post Current Tank Info: 180 gal Acrylic, 29 gal refugium, 40 gal sump, Mag 18 -> 2 Sea Swirls, Tunze 6100, 8 x 80W overdriven T5 Lights, ASM G4 skimmer

07/21/2006, 08:06 PM	#3
lucifersreef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 96	what do you mean by individual reflectors

07/21/2006, 09:40 PM	#4
Vanquishxxxx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 998	do you think i coudl install them afterwords like buy reflector material???

07/21/2006, 11:41 PM	#5
iamquockie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: dfw Posts: 276	all of the ads say german parabolic reflector not individual parabolic reflectors. I would say you may want to go with 4x54 tek retro with ind. reflectors. Mine is good and bright. My corraline algae is fading away. If you want to upgrade later, you can buy an icecap ballast and push more power out of each bulb. That would be way more thanenough for the 55

07/22/2006, 01:21 AM	#7
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	I have a 55 with a 4x54w Nova Extreme. Things I'm successfully keeping (so far) are: many zoanthids, ricordea, a green bulb tentacled anemone, tridacna derasa clam (gonna try crocea soon), pearl bubble, galaxea, ricordea, pipe organs, star polyps, colt coral, kenya trees, toadstool leather and xenia. Most of those are pretty low light demanding, other than the clam and possibly the pearl bubble and anemone, though. I was keeping a porites coral with Christmas Tree Worms alive (the porites were spreading nicely across the rock), but the addition of a Flame Angel put an end to both the worms and the porites. The only coral I tried to keep and failed was an SPS (Cerise). I'm not sure if the light was the problem or not, but I suspect it was. I don't have any experience with SPS though other than that. The Nova Extremes do not have individual reflectors. Also, I don't know where you're shopping, but $260 is way too much for a 4x54w Nova Extreme. Drs. Foster Smith has them for $199 right now. That's where I got mine.

07/22/2006, 09:18 AM	#8
iamquockie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: dfw Posts: 276	I have heard mixed things about the nova but dunno--lots of people that dog it do not own one so who knows

07/22/2006, 09:23 AM	#9
nikon70 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: london, uk Posts: 161	all i know that is i had 4 t5s and have recently moved to MH 2x150 with 4xt5 marine blue and my tank is suffering.... i think 4-8 t5s is the way of the future , t5s are getting better and better.

07/22/2006, 11:31 AM	#11
04mach1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: chesapeake va Posts: 304	I have 8x39 t-5s on a 40 breeder and my shrooms are running for cover.

07/22/2006, 11:48 AM	#13
Vanquishxxxx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Long Island Posts: 998	ok well 8 t5s would deifnitly be sufficient and most l;ikly 4 t5s would be enough for most corals

07/22/2006, 12:57 PM	#16
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	I'm sure the individual reflectors make a good sized difference, but I'm not sure I trust the manufacturer of said reflectors to show me the proof. That being said, I am considering upgrading to a Tek fixture in the near future.

07/22/2006, 01:05 PM	#17
dhoch Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,762	Twallace, Search around for some threads by grimreefer... he did totaly independent tests (he's not a manufacturer), and found similar results... Dave __________________ Check out my tanks website... click the red box above my post Current Tank Info: 180 gal Acrylic, 29 gal refugium, 40 gal sump, Mag 18 -> 2 Sea Swirls, Tunze 6100, 8 x 80W overdriven T5 Lights, ASM G4 skimmer

07/22/2006, 03:04 PM	#18
spmedi Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 285	As far as I know grim has never tested the par of the nova w/ the 1 reflector. It would be safe to say though that individual reflectors are definitely more efficient. But if you were looking at, say, PCs, then even the Nova w/ the one reflector would be better. It is not wide enough to mod later unless you really bent each reflector quite a bit. I mean just 1 tek @ 2.5 inches would probably fit prefectly over the 2 middle bulbs in the nova. I do think that someone could take a full sheet and mod it to fit the Nova in such a way to create partically bent refectors which would probably be a nice improvement.