which t5 brand fixture??

I have mentioned before I am in the market for a T-5 fixture. I really like the new ATI Sunpod, but I do not want something i have to hang from the celiling. After the ATI, what is the next best T-5 fixture?

Im sure someone will say Tek - since they dont have a fan will they really heatup my tank?

also, is there a difference between T-5 and T-5 HO??

Thanks

 

Tek and no they dont put off any more heat than a fixture with a fan, the fans are only used for cooling the ballasts really anyway I have the 8x54w fixture and my day - night temps only vary by about 1 degree

 

T5 NO is normal output, which differs from HO significantly. You want HO only!!
If you want a good unit other than ATI look into one of the Aquactinic's models. They have the TX5 which is a 5 lamp, the Solar Flare which is a 6 lamp that is all ICE CAP components and therefore is OVERDRIVEN, it also has lunar light LEDs. The Constellation is a 7 lamp fixture.
All have fans, come with splash shields and have MIRO aluminum which is 98% reflective, same as what ATI uses.

The Solar Flare only comes in 4' and Constellation comes in 4' and a 14 lamp 6' unit.

The fans not only cool the ballast but cool the lamps leading to an almost 10% increase in PAR output.
This also helps push the hot air away from the tank.
It will be a good day when the new Teks with fans roll out....
I would do an Aquactinic first Tek second!

Happy reefing!

 

Tek gets my vote. Have the 8x54W over my 90 and love it. Great unit.

 

Its a great unit but there is definitely better... I have recently heard that the NEP can with the same lamps almost put out the same PAR as a Tek due to the fans....

 

The tek is definitely a good unit, but aquactinics are certainly better.

The tek's biggest issue is that it gets hot, and darkens bulb ends resulting in shorter bulb life and loses out on PAR due to the extra heat.

If you don't want a fixture, a retrofit is IMHO the best way to do it.

 

I had the 8 bulb tek as well, it does get pretty toasty. I didnt like no fans and wish i would have gotten the protective acrylic shield and if i had to do it over again i would have gotten the aquactinics at the least. I have a 36" aquactinics now and its awesome, I ordered my ATI 10x80 60" for my 250. Active cooling makes a difference

 

Thanks for all the help. The ATI looks like the nicest, I just dont want to hang it. Which aquactinics do you have?

 

Why not try a retro? Ice cap? tek makes one as well!

 

i Currently have a 5 bulb tx5 36" fixture and i had a 72" constellation. I dont know how long your tank is but they make a 7 bulb aquactinics constellation for a 48" tank and than they make the 48" solarflare that has the icecap ballast to overdrive the 6 bulbs in that fixture. Honestly youd be fine to save the money and get the constellation, u wont have problems growing anything with that kinda lighting granted your tank is 24" or less in height. When i had my tek 8 bulb fixture it was in the basement and i blew a floor fan over the top of my tank and thru the fixture to help cool it. With out it it raised the temp in my tank maybe a degree - degree in a half. Active cooling will prolong the life of your bulbs also.

Dennis