Are TEK lights worth the money?

unmc2001 · 02/06/2006, 09:31 AM

How well built are these lights? I don't mind paying extra for a well built fixture but I am concerned that this unit does not have any cooling fans.

todd kaminski · 02/06/2006, 04:41 PM

I had one on an old system for a year and loved it. The light fixture was built extremely well, never had a problem with the unit itself . Dont woory about the cooling these lights dont throw off that much heat

horkn · 02/06/2006, 04:46 PM

t5ho really doesnt make that much heat. compared to a PC setup, it has a lot less watts of useage, and puts out a lot more light.

if you are still concerned, just make your own canopy and retrofit it, and save more money, get better reflectors, and then you can add fans to your canopy if you want...

dwdenny · 02/06/2006, 04:49 PM

horkn that is what I told him in another thread about aqualuxlighting.com guess he doesn't want to retro in that case I think that the TEKs are worth the money. HTH

unmc2001 · 02/06/2006, 05:05 PM

yes I do not want to retro, I don't like to deal with the canopy on my tank. I just want a complete system I can mount on my tank. I am considering the 4 X 39W tek light, the 4X 39W nova extreme and the 2X 96W orbit fixture. I have RBT anemone, GSP, finger leather, toadstool, mushrooms, button polyps, zoos, and xenia.

horkn · 02/06/2006, 05:07 PM

well, then yeah, it is worth the money.

have you seent he sls light that costs a bit less? its not as pretty looking, but it is the same besides looks

hdyoung · 02/06/2006, 07:36 PM

I got the Tek fixture. I'm new to the hobby so I can't compare directly to other light sources, but...

The fixture itself seems very well built. I give it an "A"

The legs are..... ok. I expeced a bit more for 80$ but I am not going to complain. They look good and do the job. I'll give the legs a "B".

The light is amazingly bright. "A" but remember I'm a newbie.

Heat production is acceptable. I can almost hold my finger on the light bulbs directly when they are fully running and warmed up. I've had water spash on them while running and no problems. All this with nothing but passive heating. "A"

Price? Well, at 500 big ones for a 6 bulb setup it was by far the most expensive part of my system. Still, I am happy I went this route.

jcgso · 02/06/2006, 07:47 PM

I have the Nova extreme and am very pleased with their output and quality and the prices are very good. That being said, Drs. Foster & Smith has all the Tek fixtures on cleance sale now. Prices are very good, but I have to wonder why they are discontinuing them.

old salty · 02/07/2006, 02:40 AM

TEK fixtures don't need cooling fans. They have cooling slots all over them (front, sides, and top) so they vent any heat they make. I wish they would have used stainless steel hardware for assembly as the screws on mine are beginning to rust.

HappyReefer2 · 02/07/2006, 03:01 AM

they're great! runs cooler than PCs, so doesn't need fan. uses less electricity as i'm using less wattage and tank is much brighter than PCs. they're aren't that expensive at www.seedsetc.com

02/06/2006, 09:31 AM	#1
unmc2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 301	Are TEK lights worth the money? How well built are these lights? I don't mind paying extra for a well built fixture but I am concerned that this unit does not have any cooling fans.

02/06/2006, 04:46 PM	#3
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	t5ho really doesnt make that much heat. compared to a PC setup, it has a lot less watts of useage, and puts out a lot more light. if you are still concerned, just make your own canopy and retrofit it, and save more money, get better reflectors, and then you can add fans to your canopy if you want... __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

02/06/2006, 04:49 PM	#4
dwdenny Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Edinburg, Texas Posts: 1,369	horkn that is what I told him in another thread about aqualuxlighting.com guess he doesn't want to retro in that case I think that the TEKs are worth the money. HTH __________________ "Attitude determine altitude" Visit MAAST.org just click the "Red House" Current Tank Info: 40g Breeder in the works

02/06/2006, 05:07 PM	#6
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	well, then yeah, it is worth the money. have you seent he sls light that costs a bit less? its not as pretty looking, but it is the same besides looks __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

02/06/2006, 07:47 PM	#8
jcgso Saltwater Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Posts: 547	I have the Nova extreme and am very pleased with their output and quality and the prices are very good. That being said, Drs. Foster & Smith has all the Tek fixtures on cleance sale now. Prices are very good, but I have to wonder why they are discontinuing them. __________________ Well dear, it was free...almost...sorta...kind of...I'm sorry, I'll never spend another penny on my tanks again...this week. Current Tank Info: Red Sea 425XL reef

02/06/2006, 04:41 PM	#2
todd kaminski Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: detroit michigan Posts: 68	I had one on an old system for a year and loved it. The light fixture was built extremely well, never had a problem with the unit itself . Dont woory about the cooling these lights dont throw off that much heat

02/06/2006, 05:05 PM	#5
unmc2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 301	yes I do not want to retro, I don't like to deal with the canopy on my tank. I just want a complete system I can mount on my tank. I am considering the 4 X 39W tek light, the 4X 39W nova extreme and the 2X 96W orbit fixture. I have RBT anemone, GSP, finger leather, toadstool, mushrooms, button polyps, zoos, and xenia.

02/06/2006, 07:36 PM	#7
hdyoung Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Dayton, OH Posts: 138	I got the Tek fixture. I'm new to the hobby so I can't compare directly to other light sources, but... The fixture itself seems very well built. I give it an "A" The legs are..... ok. I expeced a bit more for 80$ but I am not going to complain. They look good and do the job. I'll give the legs a "B". The light is amazingly bright. "A" but remember I'm a newbie. Heat production is acceptable. I can almost hold my finger on the light bulbs directly when they are fully running and warmed up. I've had water spash on them while running and no problems. All this with nothing but passive heating. "A" Price? Well, at 500 big ones for a 6 bulb setup it was by far the most expensive part of my system. Still, I am happy I went this route.

02/07/2006, 02:40 AM	#9
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	TEK fixtures don't need cooling fans. They have cooling slots all over them (front, sides, and top) so they vent any heat they make. I wish they would have used stainless steel hardware for assembly as the screws on mine are beginning to rust. __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

02/07/2006, 03:01 AM	#10
HappyReefer2 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mt View CA Posts: 157	they're great! runs cooler than PCs, so doesn't need fan. uses less electricity as i'm using less wattage and tank is much brighter than PCs. they're aren't that expensive at www.seedsetc.com