Sunlight Supply Sun Blaze T5 HO Strip Light??? advice

ReefOcean · #1 09-06-2011, 11:13 PM

http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/sl...4+Watt%29.html

I am looking for lighting for my tank. I have decided to go with T5. I find I am going to be paying a fortune, for 6-8 bulb fixtuers but the sad thing is, I dont even know if I need that much. I dont know if I will want to upgrade to MH later on, I am on the fence right now.

So I found these, single bulb lamps for 30 bucks. They have relectors available for 12. These lights can be daisy chained up to 10.

So, I figure that I can add them as I need them, spread them apart and put a MH pendant in the middle if I want. However, I have never heard anything about these lgihts and couldnt find any reviews anywhere. It seems to me, these lights are a diamond in the ruff. i can start with 4, and move up from there.

Does anybody here have experience with these? aAre they worth it? would 4 of these equal a 4 bulb fixture?

parkinsn · #2 09-06-2011, 11:22 PM

I havent used that particular fixture but I have used one that is very similar. I picked it up from a grow-op supply place, worked very will for me. They were about the same price. They came with a 6500k lamp that I swapped out for a marine lamp. Built in reflector that worked well as I had a canopy on the tank. Used 4 of them on 20g that I had plumbed into my system. If you are just adding a few for supplement they should work great. Hope that helps.

ReefOcean · #3 09-06-2011, 11:29 PM

Well, I planning on using them for the main lighting. Swapping half the bulds with blue and pink. Maybe use 4-8.

The only problem I see, is that they wont be as powerful as a full blown multi-bulb fixture.....Maybe

rastaangel · #4 09-07-2011, 12:21 AM

I did a DIY 8 bulb T5 fixture using those in a 48". They are fairly difficult to wire together neatly as the daisy chains are large and bulky and I had to make my own to fit them neatly. They are also kind of a odd size bulb, when I put URI bulbs in it to swap out the 65ks they didnt fit well so I had to make spacers so the bulb would stay centered. Also the reflectors they sell that is made for them just slips over they whole light so you have to modify it to work with the switch, and its around 2.5" wide, so youll have a 20"+ wide light fixture if you use 8 of them. As for output they are the same as my friends TEK fixture.
If your able to figure them out and make it work there the cheapest way to do T5s, my word of advice if you plan on going to MH, dont bother making a full blown fixture with them and make a hood with a MH pendant and 2-4 of them as additionall lighting... Thats what I ended up doing...
Hope that helps...

ReefOcean · #5 09-07-2011, 12:34 AM

Thanks! that is everything I needed to know plus more.

Yes it is pretty cheap, with reflectors a 4 bulb unit comes in shy of 200 before taxes. I look at the fact I can add them, remove them and move them seperately as needed. Also when one breaks, I just have to replace one.

rastaangel · #6 09-07-2011, 12:46 AM

There good for LPS and softies but for SPS do MH

toytech · #7 09-08-2011, 05:07 PM

For $100 you can get an ''48 odyssea light from aquatraders thats 4 bulb comes with 10k and 450nm bulbs and is a nice looking fixture . I have one and its great and cheap .

ReefOcean · #8 09-08-2011, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toytech

For $100 you can get an ''48 odyssea light from aquatraders thats 4 bulb comes with 10k and 450nm bulbs and is a nice looking fixture . I have one and its great and cheap .

Yes, I was looking at those, but there is only one reflector for the whole light. It is important that the T5 fixture has a reflector for each bulb when doing SPS.