6 bulb or 4 bulb Tek T5- Help me decide- Pics

[Reefahholic]

The 4 bulb has a 12" width. The 6 bulb has 16" width.

Will the light on the six bulb even penetrate through my overflow box? Or would it illuminate it too much? I don't want the inside of the overflow box lit up. You would be able to see the silicone, elbows, and gutter guard.

I'm thinking maybe the 4 blub due to the space from the overflow to the front glass of the aquarium is 12" exactly. The same size as a 4 blub set up.

Any thoughts? Suggestions..




http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/JaredJHarms/b86e4cec.jpg

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/JaredJHarms/4d934512.jpg

My rock work stops and doesn't go under the overflow box anyway. I guess the 4 blub would be better....

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/JaredJHarms/6fa047ca.jpg

[JAustin]

I would do the six bulb because you'll be able to keep more SPS and you will have more of a color choice. Being able to mix colors would be nice. Just make a plastic cover for the overflow so no light gets in there.

[Reefahholic]

I agree with having more bulbs to play with color, but wouldn't it defeat the purpose if I've only got 12 inches where the light can actually get through (the back 2 lights would be directly over the overflow box). Also, if it were covered, nothing would get through right?

Am I thinking about it wrong?

[jake koppen]

I would have done 1” internal box then the plumbing in an external box on the back. You would have had room for the 6 bulb fixture then. You could get the 4 bulb fixture and save on electricity and bulb costs,, but 6 bulb would have been better if that over flow wasn't in the way

[Reefahholic]

Yeah, looking back....I wish I would have done an external overflow.

So are 54W T5's enough power/light?

[Michigan Mike]

TEK is a pretty wide reflector, the above does not make sense using 6 bulbs and covering the back defeats the purpose. Do you plan on lighting behind your rock? 4 bulbs will be fine with the way your tank is setup. If you had a true 18" width I would say go 6 bulbs.

Yes TEK t5 is good.

[bluewater921]

yes 6 bulb will give you a nice coverage n you should pretty much be able to keep anything under the sun .. but i have to ask please tell me your thinking about upgrading your tank really soon ...

[Reefahholic]

I just talked to grim reefer, and he said that 4 bulbs would do just fine being that anything over the overflow box would overkill due to most of the rock is in front of the box and in the first 12" of the tank.

Upgrading my tank...ahh I'm not sure what you mean. If your talking about needing light, fish, and corals... Yes!

If your talking about equipment other than lighting, No..

[Reefahholic]

TEK is a pretty wide reflector, the above does not make sense using 6 bulbs and covering the back defeats the purpose. Do you plan on lighting behind your rock? 4 bulbs will be fine with the way your tank is setup. If you had a true 18" width I would say go 6 bulbs.

Yes TEK t5 is good.


Thanks brother, my thoughts exactly.

All coral will be in front. Nothing behind rocks.

[bluewater921]

no im talking about that nice powder blue tang your housing in that little tank .. grim is really good and knows his lighting .. i would go with what he tells you ..

[ggrillo]

4 bulbs.
Getting 6 would just be a waste of money and electricity.

[Michigan Mike]

Bulb combo
Back
Blue+
Aqua blue speacal/ge 6500k
Fiji purple
Blue+
front

It's nice to have an extra bulb to play with colors and as a spare.
Ask grim, I'm sure he will say something similar.

[Reefahholic]

no im talking about that nice powder blue tang your housing in that little tank .. grim is really good and knows his lighting .. i would go with what he tells you ..

What housing are you referring to? The tank is not that little (90/g).

[Reefahholic]

4 bulbs.
Getting 6 would just be a waste of money and electricity.

Yes sir.

[Reefahholic]

Bulb combo
Back
Blue+
Aqua blue speacal/ge 6500k
Fiji purple
Blue+
front

It's nice to have an extra bulb to play with colors and as a spare.
Ask grim, I'm sure he will say something similar.


No doubt 6 would be ideal for a standard 90/g, but under the circumstances, I'll have to do a 4 bulb.

However, it's cheaper and saves on electricity. I don't plan on stacking the tank full of corals. I just want it to look decent with 8-10 fish. I'll be happy. Sometimes keeping it simple is a good thing.

[stevedola]

I think aquatinics TX5 is only 9.5 " wide due to the curved shape of the reflector it is able to fit 5 bulbs. I used to have one a few years ago and it grew sps fine.

Their constellation unit is 7 bulbs and only 14" wide. Minus the housing and reflector edge I think I measured 12.5" of actual bulb coverage.

Just a thought. Not sure if you had your mindset on Tek lighting but I can attest to the craftmanship of aquatinics. Good stuff.

[stevedola]

I personally dislike 4 bulb units because I cant get the right color combonation (for me). Just not a fan of too white or too blue which is what I think you achieve with only 4 bulbs

[stevedola]

I also used to have a 90g with an overflow exactly like that...I ended up cutting it out and just having the pipes(2 drains /1return) with screens on them. I couldnt take the cumbersome overflow that obstructed me, flow, light, ect. Could also get a overflows.com small box but I just left it as is with pipes...works great and its not that loud once you tweak it.