Is this light quality ??

[milhous3er]

I know someone at my local reef club that has this light for sale-

AquaticLife T5 HO 4-Lamp Light Fixtures w/ Lunar LEDs

What I have now is a 96watt PC and a 42 (21x2) T5 light. I want to keep corals in my tank, but will this light be good enough for "most" coral. I don't want anenomes in my tank, so I don't need super high lighting, but I do want some leathers, zoas, acros and maybe FS and hammer.

What is the big difference in T5HO anyway. I've tried to do research on lights, but this is the one thing that confuses me in aquarium keeping.

I like my lights that I have now, but they are 2 different units that look kinda tacky.

BTW its for a 38 gallon for now, but in about a month it'll be for a 40 gallon breeder (hopefully)

 

[Big Dog]

I use the same light. Great light.

 

[milhous3er]

Big Dog,

I've read the reviews and it has steller reviews. Just curious to what the HO is all about. I'm assuming it stands for high output, but shouldn't all lights be high output ?

 

[Big Dog]

Milhous3er,

HO stands for High output blubs. Not all lights are high output. These are nicer blubs and newer types of lights.

 

[milhous3er]

So they'd be good on a SW tank then right ? I might be kinda annoying right now, but I was misled by my LFS when I bought my first T5 light. He said that they could hold all corals. [Moderator edit] when I turn off my PC, the tank looks soo dim and can barely see anything.

 

[Big Dog]

That is not a problem at all. If you want to exchange the light bulbs out. I would only get the Genesee blubs. No one else makes a better blub then them. There are other good lights out there. Why did you pick this light?

 

[milhous3er]

Well I was worried about my lights, and didn't like the look of 2 fixtures on my tank so I threw a feeler out on my local reef clubs website. Someone on there had this light, and they sent me a pm saying they'd sell it for $175.

After I researched it, it got quality reviews so I figure i'd ask some experts on here about this light fixture. Of course the person selling it gave it all kinds of rave reviews.

 

[Jimbo7]

I dunno what Genesee bulbs are, but Giesemann are some of the best bulbs out there. KZ and UVL also make a quality bulb. On a shallow tank they should be enough light for most anything. Start with some easier acros like pink or green birdsnest, and a green slimer. They are kind of the base line in my mind, you can work your way up from there and see how it goes.
Clams and anemones are a no go though.

 

[milhous3er]

In order of lights how would it go ??-
1. MH
2. T5HO
3. PC
4. T5

I didn't foget LED's, I just didn't put them in the list because of the "newness"

 

[Jimbo7]

Its all personal preference. Frankly you dont see too many plain T5's anymore, I wouldnt even rank them. They come on the crappy coralife plain fixtures.

MH seems to be more popular in the US for high end aquariums, while in europe T5HOs seems to be more popular. It all varies slightly on what fixtures and ballasts you use as well. My really really basic list would look something like

1| MH (Icecap, Ushio, Lumenarc) - T5HO (Tek, Giesemann) - LED (I'm bias, Cree, Luxeon)
2| MH (Current USA, JBJ) T5HO (Current USA, AquaticLife)
3| MH (Coralife, other cheap brands)
4|T5HO (Coralife, other cheap brands)
5|Giant reflector pointed at tank (Natural sun)
6|Regular Bulbs
7|Candles
8|Kerosene torch
9|Constantly exploding hydrogen balloons over tank
10| PC


*5-9 added for comedic effect...sort of.

 

[Kristall-99]

1. MH
2. T5 VHO
3. T5 HO
4. PC

Dont really deal with T5s in Reefs. They can be used in a regular fowlr Setup but PC is as far down as id go as coral keeping and even then your only gunna get some medium hadriness softies. ( aka zoas and the like)

Ahh guess Jimbos is alittle better as he added in quality of the brands

 

[Big Dog]

If you can afford the elect bill for MH. Then I would go for it. They will run very hot.

 

[Big Dog]

Sorry that is what I meant to spell Giesemann. These are the best.

 

[milhous3er]

I'm thinking about the nova extreme pro. It has 6 39w bulbs (236 total watts). The only thing that might deterr me from it is that it doesn't have a shield to protect it from an open top tank...

 

[Jimbo7]

TEK LIGHT T-5, 36" Light Fixture 6 x 39W lamps by Sunlight Supply* - AquaCave

 

[mrg02d]

Ive got a Current USA Sundial and its nice. 4 t5 bulbs, individually contoured reflector, built in timers, moon lights, and splash guard.

Put some ATI t5 bulbs in and its hot!

Matt

 

[milhous3er]

Wow...that light looks really nice. But $400 for a light fixture with NO lights ?? I appreciate your thought though.

 

[Jimbo7]

Yea, the only nice thing about that, is you are paying for quality of the fixture. You will have to replace the stock bulbs either way in most fixtures. The stock bulbs that come with current USA ones are pretty much crap.

 

[milhous3er]

Thanks Jimbo7, I didn't know I would need to replace the lights that came with the fixture. I found a MH and T5 combination light at fishneedit.com. Total of 456 watts !!?? Would that be overkill on my tank ??

It has 2 150w MH, and 4 39w T5HO lights..

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...but PC is as far down as id go as coral keeping and even then your only gunna get some medium hadriness softies. ( aka zoas and the like)
...

You can have just about any LPS and some of the more forgiving SPS using PCs. There are definitely better lighting setups out there than PC, but PCs aren't junk.