t5 bulbs??

You wouldn't be able to cram IC ballasts in there, they are too large. Unless you have a Frankenstein light fixture!

 

Although it's been aluded to already, just for clarification, the 48" T5 bulb is a 54W bulb. There is no 80W T5 bulb, per se. You can overdrive the 48" bulb with an IceCap ballast, and it will consume 80W, but it's still a 54W bulb.

I have no experience overdriving T5's, so I don't know you could call the burn an 80W equivalent, but I'd guess it significantly outperforms the same bulb on a non-overdriven ballast. From what I understand, it drastically shortens the life of the bulb, and it creates a significantly greater amount of heat.

 

Im buying 80 watt T5 lamps Reefsparky - they are 150cm or 5ft long
I have Aquamedic, but have also seen Giesseman lamps in that lenght and wattage out here

I think you mean 80 watt 4ft or 48 inch lamps ?

Steve

 

Yes, Steve. The OP has a 4x54W fixture above a 48" tank. I should have specified in the second sentence that "there is no such thing as a 48" 80W T5 bulb.

Thanks!

 

Steve, 80 watt bulbs are 5 foot long, the 4 footers are 54watts.

OD ing them on IC ballasts runs a 54 watt 4 footer to right about 80 watts, (making this confusing for all) OD ing the 5 foot 80 w t5s makes them right around 100 watts.

But yeah, the trade offs for overdriving t5s are there, as mentioned by sparky, but the colors of the bulbs look lighter when over driven as well compared to normally driven.

 

A well cooled OD lamp should still last 14 months or so...

 

When you say lighter, horkn--do you mean closer to daylight (yellower)? Or more brilliant?

 

im going to go with the ATI 2 Blue and 2 Aqua Blue... All 54w, no overdriving.. dont want to bleach anything. thanks again everybody.

 

good choice.

 

this is what i run in my 4x54watt fixture.
2x UVL superactinics
2x Geisemenn Aquablue+