T5 lighting for my 75

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you don't want that 6500k lamp. it's going to look ugly compared to the designer lamps we have for the hobby now. if you had an 8 lamp fixture and you wanted to use one or two of them to save money, i'd say ok, but with a 2 lamp fixture, you are going to see the yellow.
try online. many vendors run sales from time to time on ATI and giesemann lamps.
yes, the generic lighting retro'd is much more cost effective, but is it as pleasing to the eye when you view the entire setup, or does it look like some kind of mad scientists lab project?
 
that i know, i wouldn't get a 6500k lamp i'm mostliekly going to get a 14000k, its either that or 10000k. it was justa general budget comment to put a 6500k. still the total cost even to do it this way would be alteast $50
cheaper then if i bought a whole strip fixture and having fans in a t5 or any fluorescent fixture is redundent, they don't even get nearly hot enough to require any sort of cooling

mine wouldn't look ugly, i've got a single lamp T8 now and i'd retro fit the T5 to be placed in the housing.
 
ahh..the cooler you can keep the bulbs, the longer they will last. i think you need fans when you are going to encase the lamps inside a fixture with a glass/acrylic cover.

don't forget your individual reflectors. where will you acquire those? do they sell single reflectors at electrical/lighting supply stores?
 
yes you can order them with reflectors, once i build the light i will be sure to post pictures of it, i'm even goign to put 4 feet of blue rope light as a lunar light, the anemones and coral i plan on putting in should hopefully be happy with the lighting
 
Do you have a build thread going for this? I'm thinking of building my own light, most likely T5, but I may look into building LED, if it looks manageable.
 
no i have not built my light yet, it should be here tomorrow or monday, and i'll be sure to put a diy up.

a diy for LED lighting would be a little more difficult to build, since i haven't found many places that sell individual LEDs. T5 lighting is a very poplular form of lighting in comercial and industrial building so finding T5 HO fixtures is very easy, LEDs are not even close to as popular and would still be rather expensive
 
There are a LED lights on Ebay for cheap, someone was selling 100 for $5. I just have no knowledge of electrical circuitry.
 
send me a link and i'll tell you if they are rated for 120 volts that our wall outlets provide us.
its possible they are 12volt LEDs and you'd require a transformer or a cord end with a built in one.
on another note if you don't know anything about electrical circuitry i'd advise against a diy. electricity is a dangerous thing and you may end up killing off your whole tank or even burnign your house down.
 
LEDs have taken a big step in the past year. My reef club, thanks to one member has been able to make some great fixtures. LEDs need a power supply. None are meant to be used with AC you would still need a rectifyer, not for the novice. Leds were $2.43 for royal blue (actinic) and cheaper for white. These are 3 watt. We were able to order direct from manufacturer. Power supplies were inexpensive aswell. Worst part was the epoxy. I found it for $5 and it attaches 30 leds. Check my DIY. 18 blues and my 70 POPS.
 
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