Best T5's and Combo - Aquarium Advice

Jimbo7 · 05-30-2008, 09:36 PM

I recently purchased a Sundial T5-HO 4x39watt fixture but I think that the stock bulb are kinda sucky from what i read. What is everyone's favorite T5 manufacturer and what combo of their bulbs do you suggest? i have a lot of zoas, but also some birdsnest and stylapora (sp?) and a small acan colony.
TIA!

cmor1701d · 05-31-2008, 12:20 PM

The use of a high quality parabolic reflector is much more important than the bulb.
What bulb comes with that fixture and what did you read about the bulb (rather than the fixture) that blames the bulb?

The Giesemann bulbs do get hight marks from what I've read.

Jimbo7 · 05-31-2008, 04:32 PM

Well the fixture i have has individual bulb reflectors which from what i understand are the best? The fixture came with Current USA Slimpaqs and i dont remember exactly where i saw the review about the bulbs. I will try and find the link a bit later, i have to get ready for prom at the moment

**melosu58** · 06-01-2008, 09:08 PM

Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion.

cmor1701d · 06-02-2008, 01:45 PM

So how was the prom? Hope you had a GREAT time!

Individual reflectors that are rectangular don't give anywhere near the performance of individual parabolic reflectors. The Sundial has Individually contoured reflectors, but I have been unable to verify if they are parabolic (rounded) or rectangular. As you have the fixture you should be able to tell by looking at the reflectors. This is what it should look like...

**roka64** · 06-02-2008, 02:57 PM

I shot off an email to Current about their "individual reflectors" and here is their response:
"Dear Scott,

I attached a photo of what the reflector looks like. These are not true “individual” reflectors – it is a single reflector that is bent to contour each individual lamp.
Their really is not much of a difference between a parabolic and contoured reflector.
Hopefully the photo will clear things up.
Sincerely,
Ike"

So I am not sure if parabolic is better and they are just saying that so I would buy their brand as opposed to the Tek system.

pat8you · 06-02-2008, 03:52 PM

He went camping after prom with a bunch of his friends. I went up and looked at his fixture out of curiosity and they are individual reflectors but they aren't truly parabolic. The are shaped kinda like this.

Jimbo7 · 06-03-2008, 03:47 PM

Prom was a blast thanks for asking, pat got the bulbs right, is that good or?

cmor1701d · 06-04-2008, 12:46 PM

From my understanding, if it's not a true parabolic the next best shape is a bulb placed in the middle of a W shaped reflector. The reflector you have is just slightly better than a flat back reflector. I am not an expert but did quite a bit of reading when T5's started becoming popular a couple of years ago. There was quite a discusson on another forum about them and how the reflector made all the difference. There is like a 300% increase in light reaching the tank between a parablic reflector and a flat back reflector.

Scott is the photo that Current sent you similar to the pattern that Pat posted?

**Ziggy953** · 06-04-2008, 12:50 PM

TEK is probably one of the better options for T5s. They use a parabolic reflector and I use Giesemann bulbs on my TEK T5.

05-30-2008, 09:36 PM	#1
Jimbo7 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago, Il Posts: 80	Best T5's and Combo I recently purchased a Sundial T5-HO 4x39watt fixture but I think that the stock bulb are kinda sucky from what i read. What is everyone's favorite T5 manufacturer and what combo of their bulbs do you suggest? i have a lot of zoas, but also some birdsnest and stylapora (sp?) and a small acan colony. TIA! __________________ 90 Gallon Reef Tank 55 Gallon Seahorse Tank Frag_Tank

05-31-2008, 12:20 PM	#2
cmor1701d Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 3,894 Images: 43	The use of a high quality parabolic reflector is much more important than the bulb. What bulb comes with that fixture and what did you read about the bulb (rather than the fixture) that blames the bulb? The Giesemann bulbs do get hight marks from what I've read. __________________ Click here to Vote for Aquarium Advice on AquaRank . Vote EVERY day! Click Here for a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. ____ Cmor

05-31-2008, 04:32 PM	#3
Jimbo7 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago, Il Posts: 80	Well the fixture i have has individual bulb reflectors which from what i understand are the best? The fixture came with Current USA Slimpaqs and i dont remember exactly where i saw the review about the bulbs. I will try and find the link a bit later, i have to get ready for prom at the moment __________________ 90 Gallon Reef Tank 55 Gallon Seahorse Tank Frag_Tank

06-01-2008, 09:08 PM	#4
melosu58 SW 10 yrs and over Community Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 12,692 Images: 80	Moved to General Hardware and equipment discussion. __________________ View My Tanks http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i1...8/melosu58.jpg Click here to Visit FantasyReef

06-02-2008, 02:57 PM	#6
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 10,985 Images: 12	I shot off an email to Current about their "individual reflectors" and here is their response: "Dear Scott, I attached a photo of what the reflector looks like. These are not true “individual” reflectors – it is a single reflector that is bent to contour each individual lamp. Their really is not much of a difference between a parabolic and contoured reflector. Hopefully the photo will clear things up. Sincerely, Ike" So I am not sure if parabolic is better and they are just saying that so I would buy their brand as opposed to the Tek system. __________________ Age is relative, you are only as old as you act....of course, this works in reverse.... Questions loved, heeded advice greatly appreciated! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

06-03-2008, 03:47 PM	#8
Jimbo7 Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago, Il Posts: 80	Prom was a blast thanks for asking, pat got the bulbs right, is that good or? __________________ 90 Gallon Reef Tank 55 Gallon Seahorse Tank Frag_Tank

06-04-2008, 12:46 PM	#9
cmor1701d Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 3,894 Images: 43	From my understanding, if it's not a true parabolic the next best shape is a bulb placed in the middle of a W shaped reflector. The reflector you have is just slightly better than a flat back reflector. I am not an expert but did quite a bit of reading when T5's started becoming popular a couple of years ago. There was quite a discusson on another forum about them and how the reflector made all the difference. There is like a 300% increase in light reaching the tank between a parablic reflector and a flat back reflector. Scott is the photo that Current sent you similar to the pattern that Pat posted? __________________ Click here to Vote for Aquarium Advice on AquaRank . Vote EVERY day! Click Here for a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. ____ Cmor

06-04-2008, 12:50 PM	#10
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 3,915 Images: 5	TEK is probably one of the better options for T5s. They use a parabolic reflector and I use Giesemann bulbs on my TEK T5. __________________ Happy Reefing! *120 Build in progress 6/18/08* Visit our Article section for answers on a variety of topics. LFS, PWC, PH RO/DI what in the world? Look here! Pods, algae and more!

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