budget t5?

[lildingy]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-203449243/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=t5+ballast&storeId=10051#product_description


what do you think about somthing like this for a budget build, or do you think i should go with the speciallized aquari type. thank you for your guys help you have been extreamly helpfull so far.

[reefreak]

It would work but you still have to buy the bulbs which run anywhere from 16-20 dollars a piece

[hobogato]

this light will be very yellow and will make all of your corals look very washed out or brown. (i am assuming they meant 4.1 K (4100k) as 41 K doesnt make sense)




Actual Color Temperature (K)

41 K

[lildingy]

Well heck :)

i found some $40 dollar 4 lamp t5ho ballast on line but then again i need to buy the endcaps and lamps, i guess a manifactured one may be cost effective in the long run i guess i have to do some math, I plan on building a hanging style canopy outta some reclaimed barn wood. So i may deside to go with the ballast and endcaps so i can offset the 4' t5 lamps. I really have no idea how many i need i heard somthing like 3-4 whatts per gallon depending on depth. I am very unfamiler with what it will take to keep these little glued on critters happy. If metal halide is required i may have to rethink the whole idea.

[Cammed_02]

Lots of people run t5hos and have great growth, if you want a budget build I say try this and be on the look out for discounted bulbs. Never hurts to try new money saving tricks in this trade.

[Zack]

I had the aquatraders t5 light for awhile and while the bulbs that they supply do suck, the fixture itself is not horrible for the price. I've heard of people swapping the bulbs out for better ones and having pretty good success with it.

[Scutterborn]

this light will be very yellow and will make all of your corals look very washed out or brown. (i am assuming they meant 4.1 K (4100k) as 41 K doesnt make sense)

Lol! Ace, it's a whole new spectrum. 41000 kelvin!!

[koa25]

Would that be Black? Would our eyes even pick that up? ha ha.

[koa25]

And yes. I am kidding.

[Kristy]

Besides being hideous with all that yellowish light, it will also encourage the growth of nuisance algae at that k. Not worth the trouble.

[hobogato]

you kid, but the science nerd in me actually researched to try to find out what color that would be :lauging: (way above the visible light spectrum btw)


Would that be Black? Would our eyes even pick that up? ha ha.

[koa25]

I googled it too. ha ha. Was curious. More or less kidding about the black part ha ha. The highest visible light range i saw was in the range of 28k. It was just a quick google. Sound about right?

[hobogato]

yep

[sobeones]

Hey i got my t5 setup with bulbs from ebay brand new for $40 and its working out for me just fine. Corals are growing as they would under an expensive setup.

[rrasco]

I have one of these 30" fixtures 4x24w. I don't think the bulbs are the greatest, but they are cheap, and replaceable. No problems with the fixture at all, it has worked well.

http://fishneedit.com/

[Zack]

I've heard several good things about the fishneedit ones as well and a buddy of mine has one over his 40 breeder and it is doing very well.