Need input on Aquatinic TX5

Does anyone have this light and what is the good/bad on it? i am thinking about the 36" one for my 30 gallon tank.

 

Hey, me again...there is no bad. I took some pics for u, im running 2 uvl superactinics, giesemann aqua blue plus, giesemann actinic plus, and a KZ fiji purple. This is my fixture over a 90 gallon:










Some may say cost is bad, but u get what u pay for. Good luck on your decision

Dennis

 

oh, forgot to add...this is a 36" fixture as well

 

I'd agree. There is no bad. A bit spendy, but as with most aspects of the hobby, as stated by luvsfeefs23, you get what you pay for.

 

Interesting delevopment...
We have 40 breeders here at the shop for coral frags, one has a Tek 6 lamp, one has a Tek 4 lamp and a TX5. All are 36" fixtures all have Giesemann Actinic+ and Aquablue+ lamps on them. The TX5 is the only one with the acrylic splash shield....
A guy from the local club lent me his Quantum meter and here are some results.
Tek 4 lamp, 2 Actinic+, 2 Aquablue- 7.5" from where shield WOULD be PAR is 462 uMol/m2/sec OUT OF WATER!
The TX5 3 Aquablue+, 2 Actinic+ 7.5" from Shield PAR is 347 uMol/m2/sec OUT OF WATER.....
Looks like the shield blocks more than we think.
If I have time before we leave I will take off the splash guard and retest....

Definitely not what I would've thought....

 

are all the bulbs the same age? Shield clean, dirty scratched up? Par is nice if u wanna split hairs, corals are gonna grow with either fixture. I like my aquactinic cause i dont have to worry about my my reflectors getting stained, bulbs getting caked with saltcreep or my end caps getting hit by water and shorting out. When i had my tek a few recommended if i didnt buy the shield for the tek at least rig something up to protect the endcaps on each end cause they had some water damage to theirs short out the unit.

 

Same age lamps, clean shield.
I'm not out to split hairs, PAR is a major component of coral growth, my goal is no acquire as much knowledge of PAR from different lamps and fixtures possible...
Trust me I love the TX5 we have here, I was just shocked that with an extra lamp it is still putting out 100 less uMol/m2/sec.... you would assume that between the extra lamp AND the active cooling it would've blown the Tek 4 lamp away...

 

i agree, doesnt make much sense.

 

That is interesting Joe, I do want to see the test with no splash guard. I saw tests of PAR on tek lights with and without the shield, and the difference was amazing on how much the shield lowered light levels.

Also, the tx5 uses WH ballasts. Those make less PAR than the same fixture if it were run with spec t5 ballasts. Not a lot, but that will take away PAR levels as well.

I think it is more in the shield, personally.

 

What is a WH ballast?