t-5 lighting problems

hi again what sort of ballast would you recomend for 2 x 10k, 2 x14k and 2 x actinics steve

 

Also, if you see any 48" bulb arrangements that you like over a tank, and they happen to be some UVL bulbs in there, keep in mind that UVL doesn't make 60" 80w T5HO bulbs, so you'll have to go giesemann, ge and ATI.

 

If you already have a canopy, by all means get retrofits. The teklight is OK, but you can do better for cheaper.

If you wanted a no canopy tank, then teklights look nice.

The problems with teklights are few, but notable.
- they are not actively cooled, and hence have no fan. The heat is supposed to evacuate well enough, with no fan, but tests have been done that show you can gain a lot more PAR with fans cooling the teklight. This issue also makes the bulbs wear out quicker, since cooling them will prolong their useful life.

the other issue is the teklight reflectors are not the best out there, for a 2 foot tall tank, you really should get something better than tek reflectors (or even better than tek 2's). There is no room in the fixture to add a better reflector. use either aquactinics or Icecaps, they are much better and will not stain from salt spray like the tek or tek2 reflector.

You could gut the teklight and do what you want, but then it would be easier and cheaper to get retrofits, and then you can have waterproof endcaps right away. the teklight does not have waterproof endcaps, nor does it have room for them. You could add a shield to the lights, but this cuts down the light going into the tank by quite a bit. It also keeps more heat in the fixture, and ultimately in the bulbs, adding to the issue I mentioned previously.

 

I have t-5 8x54w What Steve said is true--1-1 ratio of white to actinic. However there are different color whites and actinics--my original came with white and blue--the lamps I replaced them with were super actinic and white actinics both of which have the purple looking spectrum. I would not have liked either one by themselves. But together they look great. Go to your LFS and look at the color light that you like and look at their bulb combos...ask questions.

 

the other issue is the teklight reflectors are not the best out there, for a 2 foot tall tank, you really should get something better than tek reflectors (or even better than tek 2's). There is no room in the fixture to add a better reflector. use either aquactinics or Icecaps, they are much better and will not stain from salt spray like the tek or tek2 reflector.

Yeah IC and Aquactinic SLRs are only 2" wide as compared to the 3" by SLS.
BUT I can tell you this, my Aquactinics SLRs are SO corroded and stained, all from ONE incident-granted I waited 5 months to clean them...- that I will need to buy new ones. There goes another couple hundred $$!! Long story short, no SLRs are stainless, esp not the REALLY good ones, the purer the Al, the faster it corrodes, thats aluminums trick, it oxidizes quickly to prevent further oxidation.
Back to the SLRs, I would go with 8 Aquactinics with the waterproof endcaps, you could even cram more but it will not really be needed. So you could either space them out a bit or have a little room in the front and back like I do, this allows you to access the tank without taking off the retro.
IF you go with the TEK SLRs you COULD cram eight in there but you might need to angle the end ones just a tad as you have no need to lit the glass pane.

My vote is retro with some decent lamps and fans... You will be set!!

 

All I know is that my old 5+ year old ATI t5ho reflectors still clean up with water,a nd look practically like new.

I have been told by those that have the IC SLR's that they clean up as easily as well.

I was really disappointed when I bought a tek 2 reflector to test, and it got the same salt spray as the ATI's and it stained permanently.

So, who at IC do we need to kick in the jimmy to make a 5 foot SLR instead of buying 2 24' ones and wasting more $$? I am shocked they still won't address this issue despite a ton of folks using 5 foot t5ho to light, either in addition to MH, or for sole lighting of their 6 foot tanks. This issue has been ongoing for like 3 years now.

 

Tom, I talked to Tom @ Aquactinics for like an hour about this... And why are there so many TOMS in this hobby!?!?!?!?

He said this.... Aquactinics MADE IC's reflectors up until last year when they found another fabricator that was closer saving on shipping charges.
Essentially all this raving IC gets over their recflectors was moot as they were slightly worse than the Aquactinics ones... Well of course they are going to make the IC ones not quite as good as theirs!
Neither IC nor Aquactinics will be making a 5'er anytime soon. I said 'Why the h*** not?!' Tom told me that there is not enough U.S demand for either 5' lamps nor SLRs.. I said bologna! But knowing that 48" is by far the most common lenght for reef tanks second by maybe 72" he said it wouldn't be a logical use of capital. I then asked well why not make 72"? He said A. Shipping charges would be nuts... B. Who the h*** makes 72" T5 lamps in the US or imports them to the US? I said, good point!

So long story short if you want 5' SLRs you need to buy SLS ones at 3" wide or use two 36"(not 24 horkn!!)to make the 60" you need.

Thats funny Tom, about the ATI ones... They claim they are the only ones that use the Miro IV Al, but Aquactinics does as well... I assumed thats why mine corroded so bad. But if you have a sump issue where your return shoots air into the tank and salt sprays on your SLRs, don't wait 5 months to clean them, regardless if you are too busy with kids and 3reef!!

Happy lighting!

 

Oops, I meant 2 36" reflectors. 2 x24" would be a little short, eh?
grrr about the answer Tom said about the 5 foot SLR's.

 

Asking questions CAN be one of the best ways to learn, as long as you LISTEN!
I would recommend ATI lamps.....
I would probably do 3 Blue+, a Fiji Purple and 2 Aquablue+ but that is just me. You could easily toss a 6000k GE in there to save some money, or you could start as many newbee's do and go with a 1:1 ratio of BLUE/WHITE and go from there, either more blue or more white!

Unfortunately color is tough to guess on, what you think is very blue heavy I might say only has a hint of blue!

Good luck!

 

I have been asking him since we first became Aquactinic dealers....
I know Hahnmeister has asked him before.... Looks like more people need to buy 60" T5s for this to happen!;D