Got a t5 fixture

Well I finally got some t5s. I went with a fixture that didn't turn up much on a 3reef search, so I kind of took a gamble. Everyone seems to only have good things to say about their other fixtures though.

It is a 4 bulb t5 and I got the fixture for a little more than it would cost to replace my PC bulbs (which needed replacing). Visibly it is much brighter than the PCs were. I need to get some PAR readings on it though. Is it common for a LFS to rent one?

I really like the quality of the build on this unit. Everything is water tight and is really well built. Only thing I don't care about is it only has one power cord so I can't control the actinics independently. It has two ballasts so I may mod the fixture to have another cord.

Well here are the pictures:

 

Looking good. Is that a 48" fixture?

 

Yes it is. 48" 4x54watt so 216 watts total. It replaced a 384 watt PC fixture (4x96 48" fixture), but it being t5 and having better reflectors it is putting out way more light than my old fixture did.

 

yeah, it looks great, im looking for a similar fixture.

 

looking good there Stepho

how has everything reacted to the increased light?

Steve

 

Hard to say really. I didn't have very many corals to begin with and my rabbitfish recently decided to eat all of my GSP, Zoas and my frogspawn (which wasn't doing well under the PCs). All I have left are mushrooms, ricordeas, and Xenias. All of which are low in the tank and seem unaffected.