Richard's Nephew

[Saltybrad]

Hey everyone! I've got a 90 gallon currently using the dreaded 130 watt PC x4. Well the lights are shot and I want to switch to t-5's. How many and what size t-5's could I fit into an orbit 48" canopy with dual cooling fans? Also what would the recommended bulb selection be?:beer:

[liverock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12158036#post12158036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saltybrad
Hey everyone! I've got a 90 gallon currently using the dreaded 130 watt PC x4. Well the lights are shot and I want to switch to t-5's. How many and what size t-5's could I fit into an orbit 48" canopy with dual cooling fans? Also what would the recommended bulb selection be?:beer:

Hey...somebody that has these lights please chime in!

Need lights!

Richard TBS

[HowardW]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12158036#post12158036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saltybrad
Hey everyone! I've got a 90 gallon currently using the dreaded 130 watt PC x4. Well the lights are shot and I want to switch to t-5's. How many and what size t-5's could I fit into an orbit 48" canopy with dual cooling fans? Also what would the recommended bulb selection be?:beer:


An Orbit 48" canopy?? Do you mean an Orbit fixture.......if so, the Orbit fixtures only come as either PC's or the Outer Orbit which is halides with T5 actinic supplementation. If you have a canopy I wouldn't use a complete fixture but rather a retro setup mounted inside the canopy. If you're talking about just a T5 light fixture alone, you can run either 4, 6 or 8 48" T5HO bulbs depending on what you plan to keep and if you'll be using individual reflectors for the bulbs (makes a big difference).

I use a 4-bulb T5HO setup on one of my 55g TBS tanks and I use 2X UVL Super Actinics, 1X UVL Aquasun, and 1X UVL Actinic White

There are tons of choices of T5 bulbs depending on what look you want and what you plan to keep, the best ones are made by ATI, Geisemann, and UVL. Check out some of the sponsors here like ReefGeek.com to see them all.

[Saltybrad]

Thanks for the reply! I just ordered two Nova 54 watt retrokits to stuff into a 48 in PC canopy. I am planning on using the individual reflectors for maximum output. I'll post before and after pics.

[HowardW]

That should work fine, if you are looking for the maximum PAR a few of the highest PAR bulbs are the ATI and Geisemann daylight bulbs and the UVL Aquasun.

Just also keep in mind this setup will have a lot more power than your 4X65W PC's so I would make the change gradually.

[figuerres]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12164381#post12164381 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HowardW
That should work fine, if you are looking for the maximum PAR a few of the highest PAR bulbs are the ATI and Geisemann daylight bulbs and the UVL Aquasun.

Just also keep in mind this setup will have a lot more power than your 4X65W PC's so I would make the change gradually.

yeah start with the canopy riased and then lower it a few inches at a time over several days...


really PC Vs other bulbs.... depends on what you are thrying to keep.

I had a yellow figi leather, shrooms and tampa bay gorgoninas for years with just PC lights.

[Saltybrad]

Fshed a tourney in ft pierce the past weekend leaving Fri am, Still expecting our lights to be delivered that day we entrusted a neighbor to accept the package, And off we roll. Stay at the dockside and fish strikers hard..Ended up with a cpl dinners worth. Fishing for snook a friend catches what she thinks is a baby grouper.. I think not we save and arerate this speciman back to Orlando to find our retrofit awaiting. Dump him in the tank and then start converting from PC's OMG what a chore. Much wiring was not forethought for a retro, Basically we got two different wiring setups to put in the same cqanopy. Got R done. Now the miniatus and Blenny are having a turf war while we're seeing colors I've never seen out of our tank. It's all good:bum:

[Saltybrad]

Here are some pics of the T-5 conversion, This includes 2 10k's and 2 640's 54 watt. I'd appreciate any comments on spectrum and strength of lighting for this size tank. I'm guessing MH's would be the only answer to get the "shimmer"....
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/blonderee/DSC02552Small.jpg
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l77/blonderee/DSC02550Small.jpg
What would the slimmest MH fixture that could piggy back the orbit fixture? Hello My name is Brad and I'm an aquarium addict.:bum: