anyone running t5s only on 200+ gallons

[StupidusMaximus]

I'm considering a t5 ho on on icecap ballast with icecap reflectors. the tank is 72l x 24w x 30tall. Grim Reefer recommended 16 x 36" t5 and I wanted to see if anyone has done it, if they like it, what they're keeping, and what it looks like. I would like to see some pics. thanks

[OranguTang]

Check out Dans tank.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1181892

[StupidusMaximus]

thanks man, but anyone else have any input

[StupidusMaximus]

I hear everyone praising t5s but can only find one big tank running them exclusively. This is a big decision and I could use some examples if anyone has any pics. All help is appreciated. thanks

[ConcreteReefer]

pwhitby (TOTM 10/07) is running a 225g T5 only tank- The thing is, He is using 28!! of them (yes,28). 1500 watts of T5's!! Could you imagine changing 28 bulbs every 9-12 months? PITA if you ask me, The same amount of wattage per gallon could be had with 4 400w MH's.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...totm/index.php

[Canarygirl]

Do a search on user: Iwan

He has a great T-5 only tank (large)

[StupidusMaximus]

well grim reefers suggestion to me was 16 36" t5s. overall about the same cost to set up, operate and replace bulbs. i just want to see some pics and get some first hand input.

[rxinc]

I use the aquactinics 72" constelation fixture on my 6 ft. 220 gal tank, a 14 36" bulb T5 w/ bulb selection from the grim reefers suggestion on the T5 thread.

I change the bulbs every 12 mos. for about 200.00 thru reefgeek.com

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/cat...oducts_id=1184

I have a mixed tank, mostly LPS and softies, which all look and grow great.

I do have a couple sps - monti caps, and pink birdsnest that I placed near the top. They seem to be doing o.k..

If you're going w/ mostly sps, then MH would be the way to go

I am at work now so can't show pics.

[mcliffy2]

I will be using a 12x54w on my 238g (60x36x26).

Here are a few other gorgeous all T5 large tanks:

300 gal
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...&pagenumber=16

375 gal
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=2

180 gal
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...&pagenumber=11

[mcliffy2]

btw, I would suggest going with an 8x80w (5 ft) unit. You dont want your rocks right up against the glass anyway, so having 6" without direct lighting on each end isnt a big deal and this will save you $150 every time you buy replacement bulbs. Plus the 5 ft bulbs are more powerful (80w across 5 ft instead of 78w across 6 ft if you go with 2 3 ft units).

[StupidusMaximus]

rxinc thanks, if you get a chance I would like to see pics. do you know what ballast is in that.


mcliffy2 thanks for the links, Are you planning on a retrofit or a whole unit? "btw, I would suggest going with an 8x80w" thanks don't know why I didn't think of that. guess I get to do some more research.

[rxinc]

rxinc thanks, if you get a chance I would like to see pics. do you know what ballast is in that.

No I don't know the ballast.

here's some pics.


[IMG][/IMG]

[StupidusMaximus]

Thank, looks good and bright.

[gabe3d]

I don't have a super large tank 72 x24 x30 and I only use T5s, 9 x 80w. I decided to go with it as oppose to 18 x 39w because of replacement cost. Difference between an 80w vs a 39w buls is only a few bucks so making the replacement cost nearly double. I use to have T5s on my smaller tank and when I upgraded to a larger tank I got MH, but one year in, I went back to T5s. Growth is much better IMO with roughly equal amount of power usage. Yes, with the fixture I made, I have 6 inches of space on each sides.

[StupidusMaximus]

nice, That's the dimensions of my tank. How long have you had t5s on that tank? Do you have an issue with softies up high or sps to low in the tank? Do you have any pics of your fixture? what ballast and reflectors are you running and how many?

[mcliffy2]

Originally posted by hooked on reef
rxinc thanks, if you get a chance I would like to see pics. do you know what ballast is in that.


mcliffy2 thanks for the links, Are you planning on a retrofit or a whole unit? "btw, I would suggest going with an 8x80w" thanks don't know why I didn't think of that. guess I get to do some more research.

I went with the Sfiligoi Stealth 12x54w from Aquarium Obsessed. Sfiligoi makes an 8x80w and I think Geismann has one too that is available from Aquarium Specialty. You can always do Tek retros with icecap ballasts, but I like the Sfiligoi and Geismann units because they use active cooling to get the same PAR as Tek units without overdriving the bulbs (so the bulbs last longer).

[jennmac415]

I have the 72" Constellation on my 180 gallon tank and love it... getting great growth on all my SPS and really nice coloration too.

[gabe3d]

Originally posted by hooked on reef
nice, That's the dimensions of my tank. How long have you had t5s on that tank? Do you have an issue with softies up high or sps to low in the tank? Do you have any pics of your fixture? what ballast and reflectors are you running and how many?

I've had this setup since the end of December 07 and my tank has been setup since November of 06. The amount of growth on SPS I've had within these few months of T5 usage has already been greater than the one year with MH and no I didn't have a subpar MH setup.

I don't have any problems with the softies underneath it. The closest one I have to the to light is the fairly large octo frogspawn all the way on the left hand-side. It doesn't open as much as it did when I had my MH but nothing I'm concerned about. It is just responding to the different intensity.

My T5 homemade fixture is comprised of three icecap 660 with 18 36'' inch SLR reflectors, since they don't have a 60'' model.

Here is a pic of the fixture I made, this is not the most recent one. Ever since this pic i have incorporated a black plastic housing on the top, cut the wires to the correct length, and added 9 60mm computer fans to one end of it. I would take a picture of it but I am out of the country for the next few months. HTH.

[StupidusMaximus]

Thanks for the pics. gabe I would like to see finished pics when you get back if you think of it. 9 fans? does that blow all the way across the bulb? Thanks for suggesting the Constellation, Sfiligoi Stealth and the Geismann. I will definitely look into them, but I'm leaning towards retrofit. Anyone else?

[beba]

I'm thinking to use T5 only on my new 150g too

Just don't know what sizes . in 60" bulbs there is not much selection.

[StupidusMaximus]

Originally posted by mcliffy2
btw, I would suggest going with an 8x80w (5 ft) unit. You don't want your rocks right up against the glass anyway, so having 6" without direct lighting on each end isn't a big deal and this will save you $150 every time you buy replacement bulbs. Plus the 5 ft bulbs are more powerful (80w across 5 ft instead of 78w across 6 ft if you go with 2 3 ft units).

I got to thinking about this and heres my thoughts so far:
1x36"=39w overdriven by icecaps @78w so 16x78w=1248w
1x60"=80w overdriven by icecaps @100w so 8x100=800w
even if I squeeze 9 in there and put 2x24" on each side that's still only 1060w. What's your thoughts?

[StupidusMaximus]

Originally posted by beba
I'm thinking to use T5 only on my new 150g too

Just don't know what sizes . in 60" bulbs there is not much selection.

grim is apparently the person to ask. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1340633 It's about 500 pages long going back to 09/30/2005 but that's the most resent split. limited bulb selections another reason I was thinking of 2 rows of 36" bulbs. I just wonder about a "sub-PAR" gap in the middle.

[beba]

Originally posted by hooked on reef
grim is apparently the person to ask. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1340633 It's about 500 pages long going back to 09/30/2005 but that's the most resent split. limited bulb selections another reason I was thinking of 2 rows of 36" bulbs. I just wonder about a "sub-PAR" gap in the middle.

Yes I did read the post( some of it) :-)

Why not do 48" and 24" ?

[StupidusMaximus]

Because I have a touch of obsessive compulsiveness. well if I swapped every other one. humm
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Just when I think I have it figured out.

[StupidusMaximus]

Originally posted by hooked on reef
I got to thinking about this and heres my thoughts so far:
1x36"=39w overdriven by icecaps @78w so 16x78w=1248w
1x60"=80w overdriven by icecaps @100w so 8x100=800w
even if I squeeze 9 in there and put 2x24" on each side that's still only 1060w. What's your thoughts?

I knew something didn't look right.
1x36"=39w overdriven by icecaps @55w so 16x55w=880w
Back to the drawing board