Anyone using T-5 Lighting on their Freshwater Planted?

[dapellegrini]

A friend I work with, who maintains a couple of large, high-tech Reef tanks (180g and 300g I think), turned me on to T-5's instead of what seems to be the much more popular CF hoods. I guess they are much more prevalent in the world of saltwater... He actually swears by MH but was adament that for my application T-5's were the way to go, if I didn't want to invest in MH.

After some research I determined that 216w of T-5 provide just a bit more lumens than 260w of CF. They also supposedly run cooler, last 24mo instead of 18mo and are definitely a few dollars cheaper for the replacement bulbs.

Armed with those ideas I went out and bought the cheapest 216w T-5 hood I could find - Odyssea (I know, I know). I hear A LOT about CF hoods, but I am wondering if there are any other T-5 users that hang out here? I am curious to figure out where my 72g ranks in terms of lighting with only 216w.

As I have mentioned in previous threads I have been very dissappointed with the Odyssea hood that I bought, but I am not completely turned off to the idea of a better T-5 hood. I am planning on trying some high-light/maintenance plants and am wondering if I should stick with a T-5, get a better fixture, maybe with 6 lights (324w) or maybe just go with a solid Coralife 260w CF... Or is my current lighting good enough?

Any other T-5'ers out there?

[Hara]

me...
This thread is 5 pages long now so I linked to the last page for the most recent pics..The T-5's have been on it about 10 months I think.

http://www.fantasyreef.com/showthread.php?t=355&page=5

[dapellegrini]

Hara, what brand hood are you using and how many watts?

[Hara]

Lets see, I believe it is the twin tube odyssea, 78 watts on 20 gallons.

[dapellegrini]

That's virtually 4 WPG, and of T-5! Are you using the Odyssea bulbs, or did you find something else that would fit in your fixture?

Cool tank BTW.

Do you think that 216w over 72g (exactly 3 WPG) is enough to tackle things like Rotala macrandra, assuming all other variables are in place?

http://www.plantgeek.net/plant-185.htm

[Hara]

I am using the odysea bulbs, thanks for the compliments on the tank. I would think that it would be enough. I could not say for sure as I have not been fortunate enough to get a clipping of the macranda as of yet.

I will also add that I do not use additives except for excel when I remember to dose...which isnt all that often and definitely without regularity.

[Toirtis]

I use the Coralife dual T-5 units on a few of my tanks....and I could not be more happy with them.

[mr funktastic]

i like t-8 bubls. i have never used the t-5 but was thinking i would try them in my next hood. i am a DIY kinda guy so u can make a t-5 hood for a quarter of what u would pay in a store. i made my 4X 24" t-8 hood for 30 bucks. and the ballast i used can run up to 4 bulbs at 48" so i can change it whenever i want. i forgot to ask the price on t-5 ballast but i am sure it isnt much more expensive. i but the t-6 bubls that fit into the t-8 ballast. i think lightning rod makes them. great bubls and alot of light.

[dapellegrini]

Well counting Toirtis that makes three of us with T-5 hoods.... I guess I didn't realize what an early adopter I was going to be. I went on a crusade for Nerites this last weekend and in discussion with a couple of independant LFS owners, it sounds like CF are on the way out and the T-5's are the new thing. Still lots of stock to sell off though before a real transition can start...

I was also considering doing a DIY T-5, but I don't have a canopy, would be hard to make one for my BowFront that would meet my standards, and to buy one is just over $400 at the LFS... Ideally, I think I would have liked to have 6x T-5's over 72g, but 4 seems to be working out ok. Unfortunately I bought a hood with non-standard length bulbs, so I will probably be buying a new T-5 setup in the not-to-distant future.

[mr funktastic]

just make the hood to fit over the square part of your tank. it only needs to be about 7" for 6 t-5 bubls. then just get a glass hood for the tank. if u use sold wood(like pine) and not ply u can just make a square hood and then router all the edges to get a decorative and nice looking hood. then put the ballast on the back of the hood. this will keep it out of view aswell as keep it exposed to the air for good cooling. u will probabaly need 2 ballast to support the 6 bubls but you are still looking at max $150 including wood ballast and accessories. the ballast are extreamly easy to wire up aswell.