T5 Changeover

[demodiki]

I have decided to go with T5's and trade in my dual 250 watt MH setup over my 90 gallon. Who should I look at for price and quality?

[LoneStar]

Are you going retro or full on pendant? If you go retro, get individual reflectors for each bulb in your canopy. Icecap ballasts work great too.

As for pendant, ATI is one of the best! Tek fixtures would be next in my book. A little cheaper than the ATI's. Check out ReefGeek's website for a little comparison......

[demodiki]

I had thought to get retro so I could fit them into my canopy.

[Rychek]

I recently switched from PC to IceCap T5 retro on my 90 gal. I've only got 4 bulbs/reflectors at the moment (need to rework my mounting scheme), but I like the lighting/coloring. Coming from halides you'll probably want at least 6 bulbs though (if they'll fit).

[jc]

+1 on the Icecap's. I switched from accustart ballast which is what you get when you buy the cheaper retro kit from reefgeek.

[demodiki]

Well, we just bought our second new car in two weeks so a new lighting system is out of bounds until early next year. Cars or fish stuff....that's a close call.

[brewercm]

Anyone have any thought about the Aquatinics TX5 vs the TEK or ATI's (very expensive). I'll be buying my lights after my vacation the first week of December, and as my Christmas present.:bigsmile:

[BioCube14]

ATI are hard to get but well worth it in the end very nice light fixture. Keep in mind this will have to be hung on your ceiling unless you want to make a fixture of some kind. I really depends on what you plan to keep as far as corals if you want SPS i would go ATI but I hear you can do sps with those other lights but you may have to get something like 8 bulb on the other fixtures compared to a 4 bulb on the ATI

[lt1z28]

The TX5 is a better fixture than the Tek. It has active cooling which will give you about 15% more par. The ATI fixtures overdrive the bulbs which will put out alot more par than the TX5 and the Tek.

[brewercm]

I'm thinking I may try to go with the ATI 36" with six bulb configuration for this tank then. What bulb mix would be a good mixture?
In my 135 I was running URI super actinic VHO's and 12K Reeflux DE 250 watt MH. Would like to have the same spectrum more or less with maybe even a little more white then that was. If anyone has any input that would be great.

Sorry to hijack your thread demodiki, but sounds likek we're both looking for similar info.

[cpreefguy]

The ATI fixtures overdrive the bulbs which will put out alot more par than the TX5 and the Tek.

The ATI does not overdrive the bulbs, it has better output due to super efficient reflectors and active cooling.

[demodiki]

Sorry to hijack your thread demodiki, but sounds likek we're both looking for similar info.
No, it's all good. My purchase is delayed (I am enjoying my new Forester!) but I am tagging along and soaking up as much information as I can.

[lt1z28]

The ATI does not overdrive the bulbs, it has better output due to super efficient reflectors and active cooling.

Oops! That is correct the ATI does not overdrive the bulbs, The one that does overdrive the bulbs is the Aquactincs Solar Flare. I got the two mixed up.