t5 Lighting Fixtures
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=79059
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Topic: t5 Lighting Fixtures
Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Subject: t5 Lighting Fixtures
Date Posted: February 09 2016 at 10:06pm
| I'm looking to get a t5 lighting fixture for my 60 gallon cube 24"x24"x24" How many bulbs would you recommend. Ideas on Brands of fixtures and bulbs, as well as type of bulbs. (It will be a mixed reef but I won't have many SPS corals) I can't suspend it above the tank it has to sit on the rim of the tank (rimless) (If I have to suspended the light so it doesn't get ruined by the water or to give me adequate lighting; I can it's just hard I have vaulted ceilings.) Feel free to give me more ideas. I don't want to spend a lot of money my max would be around $400 |
Replies:
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 8:53am
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I've seen three of this same setup with an 8 bulb T5 over them. Those were mostly SPS tanks. If you aren't doing much SPS then you could do just fine with a 6 bulb. If you go with the 8 bulb I would suggest ATI bulbs and 4 Blue+ 2 Purple+ and 2 Coral+ (~20k color combination). If you go with the 6 bulb then I would do 4 Blue+ 1 Purple+ and 1 Coral+ (if that's too blue then replace 1 blue+ with another purple+) In the price range you are talking about you would be best to find a used unit and hopefully an ATI unit. Other units will work but the quality of an ATI unit is very hard to beat. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 9:58am
Thank you for the information, I'll look into that ATI unit.
I know the quality of something bought at a hardware store is not going to be the same but do you think they would still work and or work with the ATI bulbs? I found some 6/8 bulb t5 grow lighting systems that I was thinking about. |
Krazie4Acans wrote:Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 10:02am
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The hardware store ones may work but not all of them have mirrored reflectors behind the bulb and so there is quiet a bit of light lost due to the lack of reflection. I've seen them used but they are not nearly as efficient as that ATI fixture would be. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 10:14am
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OK great! I looked on BRS and new the ATI are worth going up to $500 for new. Going off of what you said about 6 vs 8 bulb would it hurt anything in a tank will few SPS corals to have that much light or would I be wasting money at that point? |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 10:31am
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If you can find the 8 bulb in your budget then get it as you may decide to change the contents of the tank later. If all you can find is a 6 bulb unit then that will work but you would need to replace it or add additional lighting if your goal for what is in the the tank changes. You could also look for one of the new ATI dimmable units. That would allow you to run the 8 bulb unit at lower power and then if you change later you can just turn the brightness up. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 1:07pm
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Last question. How high above the tank would you suspend the fixture? |
Posted By: jsol12
Date Posted: February 10 2016 at 11:01pm
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[QUOTE=Krazie4Acans]I've seen three of this same setup with an 8 bulb T5 over them. Those were mostly SPS tanks. If you aren't doing much SPS then you could do just fine with a 6 bulb. If you go with the 8 bulb I would suggest ATI bulbs and 4 Blue+ 2 Purple+ and 2 Coral+ (~20k color combination). If you go with the 6 bulb then I would do 4 Blue+ 1 Purple+ and 1 Coral+ (if that's too blue then replace 1 blue+ with another purple+) I am needing to replace my bulbs and have been doing the ATI. I have 10 bulbs in my fixture though...does that seem like too much? I have been wondering if I should leave 2 bulbs out. If all 10, what other 2 bulbs would you go with in addition to the ones you listed above? ------------- 150gal/25gal sump Red Sea Max S650, started 3/28/15 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 11 2016 at 3:52pm
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ATI t5 tubes are brighter and last longer than other brands. There is a lot of light absorbed by a foot of water. For not so bright lighting, simply place SPS near the top of the aquascaping and they will do fine. There are many here that have hung light fixtures using decorative shelf or potted plant hangers. Be sure to us a Molly Bolt for the upper hole of the bracket, not the cheap plastic drywall fasteners typically supplied with the shelf/hanger. I love the color of the aquarium when one tube emits a purple/pink light. It really helps colors POP.
  I'm curious to know what 24" multiple tube light fixtures were found at the hardware store.In the days of $15 shop lights (T12 and T8 tubes), I replaced the ballasts with Fulham Workhorse Ballasts to make them operate as VHO/HO(very high output/high output). I wired the ballasts inline rather than up in the fixture to reduce heat near the tank. This makes the shop light into a great reef lighting fixture. White reflectors are very close to being as good as mirrored aluminum reflectors, but back in the day I often used mirrored aluminum (pic below) for DIY reflectors.  Aloha, Mark
 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: February 11 2016 at 4:22pm
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Mark, is that mirrored aluminum still available? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: February 11 2016 at 4:57pm
I would add two more blue+ OR 1 blue+ and 1 purple+ to the 10 bulb. Most fluorescent fixtures will not work correctly without all the bulbs. If your fixture runs the bulbs in pairs then you can leave two bulbs, that would be paired, out and that would work fine. Your corals will tell you if it's too much light. They will bleach if the light is too intense. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: February 11 2016 at 4:59pm
That depends on which fixture you get. The 6 bulb I would put 4-6 inches above the water. The 8 bulb I would put 8-12 inches above the water. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 12 2016 at 7:23am
Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: kevin.st
Date Posted: February 13 2016 at 11:36pm
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I don't know if this has been made clear, but you must hang ATI fixtures. And yes, the ATI bulbs make a big difference.
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Posted By: kody72
Date Posted: February 14 2016 at 9:26am
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If you have a 6 or 8 bulb both will work great. 6 bulb you can put anything in the tank and do great. As for height anywhere from 6 to 14" would work. Start high and move down slowly. I had my 8 bulb ATI PM over a 48x36x27T tank and I could fry coral on the sandbed including sps and the fixture was 13" off the top of the tank. So you definitely gotta watch placement of coral. ------------- http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=60612&title=kody72-fishroom" rel="nofollow - KODY72 FISHROOM BUILD 281g DT 187g Rimless Frag ATI PM lighting SRO DSCR-300ext 8013908179 |
Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Date Posted: February 18 2016 at 9:10pm
| So I got a 6 bulb fixture and I got these ATI Lamps tell me what you think... 2 Blue Plus, 2 Special, and 2 Purple Plus. |
Posted By: bur01014
Date Posted: February 18 2016 at 9:17pm
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that will be a 12k look and a little pink for my taste - I'd suggest 2 blue plus, 2 coral plus, and 2 true actinic for best combo of pop and growth. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 19 2016 at 8:44am
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If you like the color, enjoy. I believe I'd like it. It will grow all types of coral very well. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: kmtfishchannel
Date Posted: February 19 2016 at 2:56pm
Perfect thanks! The color seems fine to me it's not to white and not to blue. |