Considering supplementing with Coralife Aqualight T5

[mark]

What about these to supplement my 2-250W 14K MHs. Not planning on growing anything with them, low price ($99 ea) but wattage seems low (28w bulbs).
http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=58023&IDProductRelationship=370

When I built the hood had planned it to fit pendant MHs and then NO 40W fluorescents that would be used for dusk/dawn. I've since been thinking actinics would be the way to go to get the corals to fluoresce but not finding any 40W actinic bulbs local. Seen the T5 fixture with daylight and actinics and considering as it would fit between the pendants and hood frame. It would be about 10" above the water and since sitting on the outside, it would also be above the euro-bracing. Like I said, just looking to get a like more from the corals.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/sm_hood.jpg

[midgetwaiter]

I have a few of these, the actinic is very meh, doesn't compare to VHO or NO actinic at all. It isn't the wattage, nobody has done a very good job of T5 actinic until recently and AFAIK there are only HO T5 actinic that are decent. I replaced my actinic bulbs with 20000k blues, it looks better but things like green corals don't really seem to "glow" like they do under true actinic.

Any place that deals in Hagen stuff should be able to get you 2 40W actinic bulbs and an electronic remote ballast for them at about $150 or less.

[Moogled]

I keep two of these under my tank.

I like the fluorescent color spectrum, but when it comes to coral growth it's sustainable at best. Patches of GSP and Anthelia double up every 3 month-ish for me, and that's IF you put them near the top.

They aren't bad lights, and I've had decent success with these lights, but judging from your current setup, these Coralife lights are probably a waste of eletricity.

[Tarolisol]

The coralife T5s are not high output if it matter to you at all.

[DanG]

Get HO T5's with the proper M shaped reflectors, or just stick with VHO or NO lights.

[kwirky]

these are garbage. I have the 48" dual bulb T5 normal output fixture (the one you gave the link to), and it gives less light than a normally driven T8 bulb. Get HO driven lights with individual reflectors if you're thinking of T5.

[mark]

guess if it sound to good to be true..., looking into HO.

[midgetwaiter]

these are garbage. I have the 48" dual bulb T5 normal output fixture (the one you gave the link to), and it gives less light than a normally driven T8 bulb. Get HO driven lights with individual reflectors if you're thinking of T5.

If this is true there is something wrong with your fixture.

[vanreefer]

http://www.oceanaquatics.com/view_product.php?product=LT-SG960090

for $150 I would go for these... only 50 bux more plus the cost of bulbs.

I just got 2 sets of these to compliment the colors under 2 x 400W 10K de halides

I like them... easy to wire

[mark]

for $150 I would go for these... only 50 bux more plus the cost of bulbs.

I just got 2 sets of these to compliment the colors under 2 x 400W 10K de halides

I like them... easy to wire

Which ones you suggesting?

[vanreefer]

FIXED....
POSTING WHEN i SHOULD BE SLEEPING :O

[mark]

For the TEKs, are the reflectors separate for each bulb (could I run the bulbs parallel to each other 12" apart)?

[vanreefer]

Yes the reflector actually attaches to the bulb

[kwirky]

If this is true there is something wrong with your fixture.

there's nothing wrong with my particular fixture. They're just poorly reflected. My NO T8 fixture has a real nice big reflector for the single bulb, while these T5's in the coralife fixture are crammed as close together as the attached tubes in a PC light. The lamps are almost touching the reflector, it's so crammed in there. If you want to gut it for the lamps and ballast, and maybe DIY your own reflectors, then I could see it being worth while, but as is, I'd recommend the fixture only for FW setups.

[midgetwaiter]

there's nothing wrong with my particular fixture. They're just poorly reflected. My NO T8 fixture has a real nice big reflector for the single bulb, while these T5's in the coralife fixture are crammed as close together as the attached tubes in a PC light. The lamps are almost touching the reflector, it's so crammed in there. If you want to gut it for the lamps and ballast, and maybe DIY your own reflectors, then I could see it being worth while, but as is, I'd recommend the fixture only for FW setups.

So not really comparing apples to apples then are we? I've had a couple of these since the very day they were available and I'm not going to claim they are perfect but they are a lot better than you are giving them credit for here and certainly a value for the cost. They're just not suited to the OP's purpose.

This may annoy the mods but it's been bugging me for a while. If I'm not mistaken you've only been doing this for a few months right? Your post history says you started your first reef in July. Give it some time and you'll learn that you can't rely on your eyes to make really good judgements about light intensity. Our eyes are too easily confused by the difference between point and diffuse light sources, especially when they are reflected. Maybe you should state ahead of time that your "recommendations" are based on 4 months experience, your enthusiasm is great but it needs to be tempered a little.

I'll ask you one thing, if these are so awful then how did I bleach my BTA with it 6 months ago? Can't do that with a NO fluorescent.

[Moogled]

http://www.canreef.com/photopost/data/500/DSCF0525.JPG


mark, this is the result of keeping two coralife T5 strips. My setup is extremely simple. This is a pretty old picture, but as you can see, the spectrum actually looks pretty good.

These units aren't as bad as people may say, so you should definitely give them a try. Plus, they are great lights for their price. A dual bulb lamp runs around 75 bucks.

[mark]

mark, this is the result of keeping two coralife T5 strips. My setup is extremely simple. This is a pretty old picture, but as you can see, the spectrum actually looks pretty good.

These units aren't as bad as people may say, so you should definitely give them a try. Plus, they are great lights for their price. A dual bulb lamp runs around 75 bucks.

Looks nice. Now I'm wondering again if 2 of these units would make my open brain and other glow? How deep and about how high above the water are the lights?

[Moogled]

Give or take 6 inches. I have them placed on top of the canopy.