carpenter's DIY 90 gallon LONG

Why not buy a 4' T5 fixture and suspend it from the ceiling above the tank. Because it will be several inches above the tank, the light will have the opportunity to spread to the periphery of your tank. I don't see that it will be such an issue. I'd probably go with an 8x54W T5 fixture (such as Tek or ATI).

 

I'm trying to figure this out as we speak. I'm not sure if the T5's can penetrate deep enough since the tank is 19 inches deep. I would much prefer to go with T5's because of the power and heat issues that MH's have. Either way I haven't commited to either one and I have time to decide and get what is best for my situation. I love my BTA but I know that I need more light.

 

Your jig for the overflow is nice. Would you be interested in making me an overflow if I gave you dims? My tank just has strait pcs at the top and I would like to add the notches. Just by adding it to my exsisting setup. I would also like a couple of others for my Fudge set up and my Eyeball tank.
I would pay you including shipping

Only if your interested ---Its not like you have enough to do or anything!

 

59" T5 RETRO - 6 X 80W :: Aquarium Hardware :: Salt Water Skimmers, Aquarium Equipment, Aquarium Retrofit and Lighting Systems

We finally sold the eliptical machine! I'm looking hard at this retro kit. Looks like it has individual reflectors endcaps and ballasts. I would need to add more variation with the lighting color but it would be a great start and a good push to get me working on this project again. I've really hit a rut in this build since I finished the overflows and christmas time and all.

 

I use 5' T5's over a 6' tank and have no issues whatsoever with dark corners.

~Will.

 

Thanks Will. Is your tank similar to these dimensions?

Glasscages.com - Acrylic Aquariums

Can you post a link to your fixture? How many and which bulbs? You obviously have lots of corals, what about SPS corals? I don't plan on keeping SPS, (I know thats a broad generalization too), I'm just curious whether a fixture like this would be at its max power band or output?

 

looking good. keep us updated.

 

Looks great, jig for the slots is awesome. I've bent some acrylic with both a torch and a heat gun and honestly i personally prefered the torch (took practice though). It can be a tricky task, good luck with the rest of the build.

 

Its a standard 6' 125, so its 72" long x 18" wide x 22" tall. I got a retro fit setup with really nice individual 3" wide SLR parabolic reflectors, and all ATI bulbs . . . I wouldn't hesitate to add any SPS or clam to my tank.

My preference is mostly for LPS and softies tho as I like the movement, but lately I have been adding more SPS. Monti caps in my tank grow like crazy, but to be honest there very easy and the only sps I have first hand experience with under T5's semi-long term. There are plenty of people that have long term success with all kinds of SPS in taller tanks than yours and mine, so I wouldn't think twice about putting them over your tank. all T5's lack is the shimmer, but that can easily be supplemented with LED spotlights.

as for a bulb combo, I have the following front to back . . .

ATI Blue+
KZ Fiji Purple
ATI Aquablue
ATI blue+
ATI Aquablue
Ati Blue+

it took me a few tries to get the colors how I liked them, and thankfully I got a couple extra bulbs to play around with. all I have are crappy cell phone pics of my setup, hopefully santa will have a nice SLR in the works for me. here is a recent horrible FTS of my tank, it does my tank no justice what so ever.



~Will.