Need help with 24" inch T-5 lighting fixture choice

[The Saltman]

Hi guys,

I'm setting up a shallow frag tank and need to pick out a T-5 lighting fixture. I like a deep blue look, kind of like 20k, so a fixture with bulb choices would be great. I'm looking for a strong lighting fixture since the frag tank will be all acros.

[The Saltman]

bump

[The Saltman]

anyone?

[rtparty]

An ATI Sunpower will work perfect for you. Depending on how many bulbs you need will determine the bulbs I reco.

[Johnny C]

+1. If you can't afford the Sunpower fixture, a Tek Light would be my second choice. :)

[troyman]

go with halides still the best lighting

[flipperaust]

I like the look of the Korallin Fiji Purples. Seems to bring the colors out a bit more

[rtparty]

go with halides still the best lighting

He asked what T5 fixture to run. If you like halides, great! Keep it in the halides forum.

The T5 vs MH combat will always go on. I have had MUCH better results with T5. Some people have better results with MH. To each his own but don't come into a thread and post nonsense.

[VoodooMach]

Well if you run junk ballasts and reflectors on either, its not a good demonstration of either's ability.

[VoodooMach]

I think with a 4bulb fixture on a 24inch tank with 2 ATI blue plus bulbs and 2 ATI pure actinics will do well.

[rtparty]

I think with a 4bulb fixture on a 24inch tank with 2 ATI blue plus bulbs and 2 ATI pure actinics will do well.

Not enough PAR to keep acros and you will lose a lot of color with having such a limited spectrum.

[MikeandNicole]

I have the 24" Aquactinics TX5 fixture over our 20g tall. Has good reflectors and with 5 bulbs give you a really good choice. I grow acros under here with good results and my bulb combo back to front

Giesemann actinic plus 22k
Giesemann daylight 6k
KZ figi purple
Giesemann daylight 6k
Giesemann actinic plus 22k

This has worked for me.

[Johnny C]

Not enough PAR to keep acros and you will lose a lot of color with having such a limited spectrum.
You obviously don't have much experience with T5's... I'm sorry, but (according to my par meter) you are wrong. :)

[VoodooMach]

Not enough PAR to keep acros and you will lose a lot of color with having such a limited spectrum.

The blue plus is not a limited spectrum bulb, its just heavy in blue.

[VoodooMach]

LOL just noticed that we three have illuminatas.

[MikeandNicole]

I am slacking, I have had the tank since November it was our wedding gift to each other (A local LFS was having a deal on them and we got is basically at cost). We live in a small apartment now so we don't have the room for it. It is funny when you are looking for houses as a reefer because half the time you are thinking about how you are going to setup your fish tanks.

[VoodooMach]

yep. I've got a ton of reptile and amphibian tanks too so its always fun trying to figure out where to put them.