Odessey T5 Lights

Hello everyone
I am pretty knowledgeable in saltwater aquariums but I am having doubts with my T5 lights. I would really like to get more advice and tips from someone more experienced. ;D

I am currently running (one) T5 odyssey lights with 4 bulbs in the fixture, but I have (two) of these units. They are 48 inch by 10 inch. I got 2 blue actinic bulbs 10K, 1 10k sun bulb, and 1 I believe a 12k purple bulb.

The tank information is a 90 gallon acrylic tank with built in overflow. dimensions are 60 inch long, 18 inch wide, and 24 inch tall I believe.

My question is I am currently running one of the units on my tank but I was wondering if both would be better? : Many people give me different advice like put both on and instead of 8 hours a day have them for less time. Some say have 1 unit on only for 8 hours. The list can go on But I am really looking for a experts advice. Anything will be great. Thanks!!!

 

Im surprised no one had responded yet. I think the answer to your question lies in what you want or already have in your tank. Is it fish only? softies? I think you are probably ok for most things with one 4 fixture light particularly if you let it run for 10 hrs a day. That being said, there are people who know way more about that stuff than me so hopefully they will chime in. If what you have in your tank now is doing well then there is no need to change things unless you add stuff that has a larger light requirement. Not sure if that helps you at all, but hopefully it will get the thread moving along. Good luck!!

 

Hi there Dienerman
Anything advise given will work for me without a doubt. I am doing mostly corals than fish for the most part so I do have both. I really like corals that are easy to care for so I have right now like three kinds of shrooms, xenia, polyps, colt, etc so I know they dont require much light but a little bit of water flow.

The way I got (1) strip conected now is the atinic bulns 9 hours a day and the 10k sun bulb 5 hours a day. The reason why I have it like this is to set up like the sun rise and sunset with the atinic. Really the tank looks nice set up this way and all glowing corals look awesome.

With both fixtures on the tank is great and everything seems to be blooming but my water evaporates crazy fast.I need to add water ever 2 days. with one fixture my water evaporates in 4 - 5 days.

Well I think I covered everything but thank you for your response. I hope this fourm helps other people besides me.

 

do you have pictures, I am curious to know how are you able to place both fixtures? Is your canopy have space to hold both of them?

 

Pictures!!!!!!

Here are some pictures. The first one is one 4 bulb strip unit. The last picture show both on the tank. The second and third shows what the strip looks like

 

If the reflector is flat then all 8 will be fine. Running the fixtures with Actinics on then a midday burst of the daylights should work well.

 

No the reflector is not flat at all. Its like a hexagon look to it. 1 of the fixtures beams all over the tank with no problem.

 

Does it wrap around each bulb, sort of a double W shape, or all 4 at once?

 

All 4, i have the 24" version. I wish it was individual...

 

No it wraps all 4 bulbs at once. After some experienting since I only have 1 odysea 48" strip and everything seems to be doing fine. I just put in a Green Bubble Tip Anemone today and its not even moving around and wide open were its at.8)