t5 bulb suggestions or switch to led?

[hobogato]

it is time to replace the supplemental bulbs on the 250, so i thought i would solicit advice here as well as research on my own.

for the blue bulbs, i like something that is a good mix of true actinic and blue. for the white bulbs, i like to have something like a 12K appearance. i am not partial to brand.


anyone have any bulb suggestions from personal experience that fit?

[Big_Pun]

coral plus by ATI is a great all around bulb it's like the ultimate 50/50 bulb. makes things pop like a actinic but no blue look and has other color spectrums also in it. I run two coral plus and Fiji and a blue plus

[hobogato]

thanks chris.

[hobogato]

you know, i could take this opporunity to switch to led for supplemental light...

do you all think 3W emitters would be bright enough? if so, how many do you think i would need for this tank as supplemental light (footprint is 3'x5')? i am currently running 4x54W of t5; anyone know what the equivalent would be in 3W leds?

[reefreak]

I have 9x3 watt LEDs as supplemental a and they are at 50% and light up my tank.

[Texreefer]

Ace, you can come check out my Vega,, it has 3 w emtters for all the different blues. I can turn on just one color blue and it is just 2 emitters and set it at 1% and it is enough to light up the entire tank with moon light..i'm sold on LEDs and think that is the way you should go

[FireWater]

With the LED Ace it is about the lenses. 3w emitters is plenty with the right lens. If you look at the current market of higher end LED fixtures you will see few emitters in reference to tank size. You have the skills to build your own so I say go for it.

[hobogato]

hmm... we are running 21 @ 3W on christy's 29, but it isnt as deep. that is my concern. if i multiply to account for area, i would need over 400! lol

[350gt]

Asfar as T5s...

I really like the ATi true actinic bulbs... Blue plus are great bulbs as well....

For a 12k look the aquablue special from ATi is all you need....

I personally didn't care much for the coral plus but under the right configuration with other bulbs, it could work.... Maybe 1 coral plus, 2 true actinics, and one blue plus?

If you really need par, maybe 3 blue plus and 1 aquablue special...

I like the purple plus bulb but it tends to make things a bit pink...

[Texreefer]

Nah!.. you could get away with a LOT less than that.

[hobogato]

thanks tony, i definitely dont want the pink look. i like the true actinics, but since i have mostly lps and almost no sps, the mix of actinic and blue seems to make them look best.

[350gt]

1 true actinic
2 blue plus
1 aquablue special or coral plus


I have a coral plus and blue plus if u want to try them out..... They are 48" bulbs though.. Might even have a aqua blue I think.... All are fairly new too.


Louis Has all the ATi stuff at great prices for carrying them locally.... Not marked up $20 like other shops.

[BBQHILLBILLY]

I have to get in here. Although the 8ft tank isnt running yet alllmost I am running a 6ft tank with footprint of 6x2x18.
I used 2 20 inch heatsinks with 36 LEDs on each. Right now I am using no lenses and the light is covering this tank. I can turn up intensity or turn down.
I have been testing this now for 2 weeks and the corals seem to be doing fine. Im afraid to put the 60 degree lenses on. May burn the coral.
The custom LEDs are so nice you can easily replace an LED or driver or potentiometer. I can use fans on heatsink or not. Right not not using any.
Once I move them over to the 8ft I will put the 60 degree lenses back on. The question should be go cree or bridgelux but LED is the winner in my book.
just my thoughts

[350gt]

Ace has to nice of a tank to take a risk IMO....

Why fix what isn't broke? Stick with what's working..... Maybe add a couple of strips along side of the t5s.....

[Texreefer]

this Acan head opens up LARGER than a Quarter when my blues come on.. never need and acan head puff up so big before.. color is pretty accurate under the blues
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o258/itili/IMG_2151.jpg

These are blues running about 80%
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o258/itili/IMG_2152.jpg

[allan]

Not sure it matters or has been discussed... but Ace will only be looking for what looks good right? For growth he has the Sol bulb that isn't due a replacement for another 5-6B years?

[350gt]

Not if the Mayans predictions are right........

[Big_Pun]

Not if the Mayans predictions are right........
get off tapatalk! +
ace i may have a purple plus and other ati colors maybe a fiji all 54w bulbs

[allan]

Not if the Mayans predictions are right........

They found additional calendars in various states of completion. I think the general take away is that the Mayans didn't think it was going to end.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[350gt]

I kid.....

IMO if the Mayans could predict ours, why couldn't they predict there own..

[350gt]

get off tapatalk! +
ace i may have a purple plus and other ati colors maybe a fiji all 54w bulbs

Let me try that Fiji to compare to the purple plus..... That is if ace don't want it....

And I double checked i have 1 coral plus and a blue plus laying around.

[rrasco]

I'm definitely in favor of LEDs. If you are just trying to light up the tank and going for color, LEDs are the way to go. Add some blue and white and put them on their own channel with dimming capabilities and you can mix whatever color you want. I can take mine all the way from 6500K to 20000K.

If you're trying to use them for growth, then there are lots of other things to consider. Spectrum, intensity, optics. I am thinking the 'puck' style groupings the manufacturers (Ecotech, AI) are going is a good way to get good coverage and color blending. If designed right, I believe 80-100 LEDs would work for your application.


I kid.....

IMO if the Mayans could predict ours, why couldn't they predict there own..

I've been saying this for years, if they were so smart, where are they now?

[hobogato]

thanks for the compliment tony, as you can see below, i am running some strips of leds already


Ace has to nice of a tank to take a risk IMO....

Why fix what isn't broke? Stick with what's working..... Maybe add a couple of strips along side of the t5s.....

ok, so my next question would be, would thin fixtures of leds work as well at lighting the whole tank as my t5s do now? the t5 bulbs run lengthwise along the front edge and back edge to keep from blocking out the sunlight from the solar tubes and led moon lights in the ceiling (circles in the drawing). i would like to replace the four t5 bulbs as well as pull the led strips i am currently running. that means i would have an area about 5'x8" along the front and back of the tank for diy led fixtures.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hobogato/projects/tanklights.jpg

[rrasco]

I think they would. LEDs are pretty impressive at putting out visible light, it's just getting the right light to grow corals that people have issues with. If you are going to rely on your solar tubes for supporting corals, I would even suggest using 1w LEDs. It makes it a little easier (and cheaper) to design a system around that. I am waiting on an order of 70 1W to come in and am planning to run maybe 24 on my standard 150. I need to experiment with them before I know what I can pull off. I'm also working on a spiffy way to have sunrise/sunset without an expensive controller. If you just want on/off, that's super easy.

[hobogato]

yeah, i dont need a spiffy controller. i would be happy with being able to turn on some of the blues with a timer, then some more and then have them all on for a while in the middle of the day (like i do right now with the t5s). the reason i was thinking of 3 watters is the fact that i am so happy with them over christy's 29 gallon.

[hobogato]

i do have to get some par from them because the par from the solar tubes takes a big drop in the winter time. maybe i could include some higher wattage whites on a dimmable driver that are on higher percentage during the winter and lower during the summer...

this might be taking shape now

[FireWater]

Sounds like you have a plan starting. I think you will be fine running the LEDs Ace.

There are more and more creative DIY products available to make whatever you want.

[rrasco]

3 watt are great, I was just suggesting alternatives. I'm only going to try and use 1w for a FOWLR.

By spiffy, I meant cheap and easy. Hopefully like $20 cheap. In the end it may just be a PWM generator that runs on an atmega, but it can run dimming programs.

[350gt]

Dimmable is the way to go ace.... It's nice to see them ramp down at night.... Especially since yours is in the center of your living and kitchen area....

I personally like t5/LEDs... Throw in the solar tubes and its a win win..

[Texreefer]

Looking at the diagram you posted.. why not 4 smaller led fixtures that hang from the ceiling at each end and in between the tubes..... that would be cool

[hobogato]

that would be cool for lighting the tank, but i like the way things look with nothing hanging over the tank. i will probably do new t5 bulbs this year, and next year i will see how the tank is doing and think about switching then. like tony said, why change what is working.

[350gt]

I love LEDs, don't get me wrong...

But the times I have seen your tank it glowed so naturally... I personally wouldn't change that...

With in the year add a strip at a time to see if you like it and that way your live stock slowly acclimates to them.

[Texreefer]

The frugal choice of sometimes the best!