WMAS Discussion Forum : T5 bulbs selection http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Tue, 28 Jul 2026 06:39:09 +0000 Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:18:35 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.03 360 www.utahreefs.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=48031 <![CDATA[WMAS Discussion Forum]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/1by1.gif http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : My vote is still with the 6x36&#034;...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=411504&title=t5-bulbs-selection#411504 Author: Ahanix
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 15 2011 at 7:18pm

My vote is still with the 6x36" tek elite. ]]> Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:18:35 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=411504&title=t5-bulbs-selection#411504 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : I don&#039;t have enough money...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=411497&title=t5-bulbs-selection#411497 Author: thathiep
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 15 2011 at 5:08pm

I don't have enough money for the ATI fixture now butluckily I have enough for the retrofit T5Smile. I was thinking 24' 4 bulbs + 150w Phoenix MH or 6 bulbswithout MH?  I saw Chad (Bagfinger) retrofitand really like it.  What do you guysthink?

Thanks

Duy

]]> Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:08:43 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=411497&title=t5-bulbs-selection#411497 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : you can get shimmer from t5s on...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409888&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409888 Author: dc
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 09 2011 at 12:30am

you can get shimmer from t5s on the back wall of the tank anyway. if you tilt the back of the light fixture about 3/4" higher than the front (with enough surface flow) you can get shimmer on the back wall. it may depend on how close your lights are to the water though. i have good shimmer that way(back wall).]]> Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:30:35 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409888&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409888 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : Oh and mines an all blue reefbrite...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409806&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409806 Author: badfinger
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 6:37pm

Oh and mines an all blue reefbrite]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:37:38 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409806&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409806 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : I have a reefbrite strip.... you...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409805&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409805 Author: badfinger
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 6:35pm

I have a reefbrite strip.... you can totally see the shimmer, come by tomorrow and check it out. Its not exactly the same as MH, but still a little. ]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:35:32 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409805&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409805 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : thathiep wrote:...One drawback...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409799&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409799 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 6:23pm

Originally posted by thathiep thathiep wrote:

...One drawback from T5 is the shimmer effect.  How do I get the shimmer effect that I'mgetting from my MH
Move the water in faster/bigger waves. Come visit me and see the shimmer on my VHO lighted tank.
]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:23:11 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409799&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409799 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : Honestly after switching my MH...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409714&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409714 Author: DanhNgo
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 10:22am

Honestly after switching my MH to ATI. I really don't mind not having the shimmer effect. My corals are doing a lot better under them then MH. So it's all good.
 
Shimmer is overrated.
 
 
]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 10:22:01 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409714&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409714 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : CapnMorgan wrote:Add a few...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409706&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409706 Author: Ryan Thompson
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 9:20am

Originally posted by CapnMorgan CapnMorgan wrote:

Add a few low power LED's like a stunner strip. That will give you all the shimmer you need.

I would be hesitant to use the Stunner strips for the shimmer effect. I have watched dozens of threads where people can't even tell the Stunners are on when their main lighting is going.

A stunner strip will not punch through an ATI. You need some serious power to do that.

An "ALL WHITE" Reefbrite strip would punch through and create some shimmer but you will have retro it on to the ATI somehow. That may include some drilling and voiding of ANY warranty the ATI might have.
]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:20:51 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409706&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409706 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : Ahanix wrote: I ran a...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409704&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409704 Author: Ryan Thompson
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 9:16am

Originally posted by Ahanix Ahanix wrote:


I ran a 24" fixture over my 36" tank for about 7 months. When I switched to a 36" fixture, I HATED it!




Can you tell me why you hated running a 36" fixture?

Take into consideration also that this will be going over a 65g tank, and not a shallow 40 breeder. I can completely understand your side of the argument for a 40 breeder but with the 65 I can grow everything I want at the very bottom and I couldn't be happier.


Maybe I am wrong also, if the 24" fixture is going to be that much better maybe i'll give it a shot


Just my two cents, obviously you are going to do what you will do Duy, but I don't think i've ever heard of anyone being upset about buying a 36" fixture for a 50-65 gallon 36" tank. Kevin has a 36" ATI fixture over his 57g illuminata, maybe he can chime in?

With the 36" fixture over my tank it was a pain to do anything in the tank. Even adding water wasn't fun because I had to raise the light out of the way.

My biggest problem was I got an Aquactinics. For all the good reviews out there, I am not big on their stuff. It was quite a bit dimmer than my ATI. Length doesn't matter when it comes to T5's though. 24, 36, and 48" fixtures all run with 5% of each other, PAR wise. The 60" fixtures tend to produce a little more PAR. (This is all assuming we are using the same fixture, just in different lengths.)

As far as depth penetration, the length of fixture won't matter. A 24" fixture will penetrate the same depth as a 36" fixture. The 36" will just cover more area overall.

From the PAR numbers I have seen ATI is still the best out there. No other fixture even gives it a run for its' money. Supposedly Aquactinics is better than a Tek so I wouldn't ever be impressed with a Tek in the end. Not after using an ATI that I loved.

But in the end I think I could get a Tek to outperform an Aquactincs. Aquactinics cooling design was no better than Current USA's design. I hope they didn't spend a lot of time and money on the TX5 design, it failed.

I would take a 24" ATI over a 36" Tek any day of the week as long as it fit my application.


Edited by Ryan Thompson - April 08 2011 at 9:17am]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:16:32 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409704&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409704 <![CDATA[T5 bulbs selection : Add a few low power LED&#039;s...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409692&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409692 Author: CapnMorgan
Subject: 48031
Posted: April 08 2011 at 2:59am

Add a few low power LED's like a stunner strip. That will give you all the shimmer you need.]]> Fri, 08 Apr 2011 02:59:50 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=48031&PID=409692&title=t5-bulbs-selection#409692