T-5 Reflectors :: Whose Are The Best?

[ukroylisa]

Aquactinics has 2" standoffs for their 2" reflectors. A very good reflector, just beating IC, way better than TEK, according to Grim. I have them and their great.
Roy

[jtma508]

Oh I can definitely steal 1/2" from the standoffs.

And ReefGeek sells ATI powermoduls but there aren't ay ATI retros on his site. Did I miss something???

[yeldarbj]

Look at www.AquariumSpecialty.com for the Aquactinics SLR's.

[The Grim Reefer]

Best T5 reflectors

ATI New Style Retrofit reflector which are 2" wide. Not available in the United States as far as I know.

Reefgeek Brand reflectors

Aquactinic retro reflector

Ice Cap

Tek II

The ATI and Reefgeek reflectors are a decent amount ahead of the Aquactinics. The Aquactinics is slightly ahead of the Ice Cap

There is a very good reason why reefgeek doesn't sell their own reflectors. If you as a vendor were suddenly competing with the distributor for sales of the product you were trying to sell would you be happy>

[fishboarder]

i didn't see the reefgeek brand reflectors on aquarium specialties website. does anyone else carry them?

[The Grim Reefer]

I think Premium Aquatics was going to carry them. AS had the 60" RG reflectors last time I looked.

[Aqua Keepers]

I searched for the ATI reflectors and can't find anything on them.

[jtma508]

I can't find any source for either the ReefGeek or the ATI reflectors. I guess maybe the question I should have asked was what are the best reflectors available that you can actually buy? Aquactinics?

[The Grim Reefer]

I'll see if I can get a list of the people selling the Reefgeek stuff.

[jma1978]

Grim, I've seen you mention a number of times that the ReefGeek reflectors are the best retro reflector on the market. But what makes you believe that? Have you tested them, and can you show us the testing results?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by jma1978
Grim, I've seen you mention a number of times that the ReefGeek reflectors are the best retro reflector on the market. But what makes you believe that? Have you tested them, and can you show us the testing results?

Lamp 24" from sensor in air measurement. Measurements are from center of lamp

ATI (Center 37) (3" 36) (6" 31) peak 38 @1/2" offset
Reefgeek (Center 37) (3" 35) (6" 26) Peak 38 @ 1"
Aquactinics (Center 33) (3" 32) (6" 30) Peak 34 @ 1 1/2"
Ice Cap (Center 32) (3" 28) (6" 28) Peak 34 @ 1"
Tek II (Center 26) (3" 25) (6" 23) Peak 23 center
Fauna Marin (Center 23) (3" 22) (6" 22) Peak 23 Center

9" 0ff center

ATI 20
Reef Geek 22
Aquactinics 24
Ice Cap 24
Tek II 20
Fauna Marin 20

[jlaurence32]

The Aquactinics reflectors are the only ones I've seen that are 2" wide, but you have to use the metal 2" wide Aquactinics standoffs to butt two units together at 2" apart. Unfortunately, Aquatinics longest relector is only 4 feet. If you want a 5 foot reflector, Reefgeek is the best and is sold at Aquarium Specialty but is 2.5" wide, same as regular Icecap standoffs.

This is the 5 foot reefgeek reflectors I have. Letters 'RG' in the part number means Reefgeek:

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/cat...oducts_id=3058

[Aqua Keepers]

Originally posted by scoobyalty
Just a FYI for anyone out there looking to purchase RG reflectors....I called them today to find out where I could purchase them due to the fact they do not sell them, but to my suprise they are going to be listing them on their website starting in January. But if you are looking to get them now they are very helpful and will accomodate you by taking your order through them and shipping them out to you. Great place to work with and I would definately reccommed you give them a call if you are interested in not getting middled.

Passing it on

[ReefEnabler]

Originally posted by jlaurence32
The Aquactinics reflectors are the only ones I've seen that are 2" wide, but you have to use the metal 2" wide Aquactinics standoffs to butt two units together at 2" apart.

couldnt you also just stagger the bulbs about 1.5" apart using the icecap standoffs... so you could still pack them 2" apart?


Dissapointing that there is no 60" aquactinics reflector.

Greg told me that the RG reflectors are more shallow to give a wider spread. According to Grim's numbers above, the PAR is falling off faster with distance with the ReefGeek reflector than it was with the Aquactinics:

Reefgeek (3" 35) (6" 26)
Aquactinics (3" 32) (6" 30)

I'd love to see measurements from much further to see how badly this trend continues with depth.

So I'm not sure I'd want those to illuminate my 72x24x30 tank since I want to push more light lower.

I wish we could buy the small ATI reflectors from inside the powermodul.

[ReefEnabler]

has anybody tried using two 36" aquactinic reflectors, cut the length of one down a bit, and and combined them to make a 60" reflector?

According to the Reefgeek website thats basically with the 80w icecap retros do, but I'm not sure how they actually connect the reflectors of if they are both just clipped on independently.

[JasonD]

I just bought some 3' T5 reflectors from hello lights. does anyone know what brand they are selling? They seem to work OK just wondering where they fit in the scheme of things, did I get a good reflector because they were like $20 each.


Jason

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by ReefEnabler
couldnt you also just stagger the bulbs about 1.5" apart using the icecap standoffs... so you could still pack them 2" apart?


Dissapointing that there is no 60" aquactinics reflector.

Greg told me that the RG reflectors are more shallow to give a wider spread. According to Grim's numbers above, the PAR is falling off faster with distance with the ReefGeek reflector than it was with the Aquactinics:



I'd love to see measurements from much further to see how badly this trend continues with depth.

So I'm not sure I'd want those to illuminate my 72x24x30 tank since I want to push more light lower.

I wish we could buy the small ATI reflectors from inside the powermodul.

Contact Aquactinics or a vendor and see if you can get a deal on a bunch of 36" reflectors. Overlap two of the reflectors in the center to get the right length and drill through both reflectors and bolt a 3rd lamp clip through both and use that to hold them together and support them. Problem solved.

[ReefEnabler]

great idea I hope they'd offer a deal on that. I could just use a few rivets to connect em and that would keep it nice and rigid, simple as pie. thanks.

[Kenmx10]

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
Contact Aquactinics or a vendor and see if you can get a deal on a bunch of 36" reflectors. Overlap two of the reflectors in the center to get the right length and drill through both reflectors and bolt a 3rd lamp clip through both and use that to hold them together and support them. Problem solved.

Grim your a Genius. You ought to start making your own fixtures and we can all buy from you?

[JRechcygl]

Grim Just stumbled unto this thread... So if Reef Geek's SLRs are so great, who is making the SLRs for them? Someone has to be doing it, they are not making them in there warehouse... Do you know who designed them?

I know for sometime Aquactinics was making ICs but they have gone elsewhere for sometime now...

Also as far as the ATI ones are concerned, they claim that the SLRs are MIRO IV aluminum, but with aluminum the purer it is the more likely it will corrode, and I have heard they are stain resistant...

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally posted by JRechcygl
Grim Just stumbled unto this thread... So if Reef Geek's SLRs are so great, who is making the SLRs for them? Someone has to be doing it, they are not making them in there warehouse... Do you know who designed them?

I know for sometime Aquactinics was making ICs but they have gone elsewhere for sometime now...

Also as far as the ATI ones are concerned, they claim that the SLRs are MIRO IV aluminum, but with aluminum the purer it is the more likely it will corrode, and I have heard they are stain resistant...

I dipped the ATI Reflector in my tank and just let it sit. Didn't really do a thing to it I could see. Greg at reefgeek had also assumed they would be very delicate but that doesn't appear to be the case. It isn't that the aluminum is more pure, its the bonding they use to create the reflective surface that is the difference.

I don't know who is making the reefgeek reflector which has now been branded Aqua Illumination. I know there was a lighting engineer involved. Once you have the design and material anyone with a good break could build them.

[JRechcygl]

Good point on the break....
I did see the aquaillumination ones, and they do appear to use Miro IV aluminum.

I can tell you my Aquactinics stained pretty good but I also neglected them for sometime after a low sump level incident, thats my fault though.

As far as making 60" Aquactinics SLRs... Like Grim stated drill a hole and piece them together, the extra lamp clip can be used not only to hold the two SLRs together but it also prevents the SLR from sagging. I suppose it also can act as a heat sink...

[ReefEnabler]

I made some 60" aquactinics reflectors doing what Grim suggested, but instead of a 3rd lamp clip I opted to use aluminum rivets to add a bit more stability. It was really easy and they hold strong:

[JRechcygl]

Grim just brought this one from the depths again.... I was again thinking of redoing the retro and continued to debate the Aquaillumination (RG) ones... My concern(aside from the trend that PAR drops faster in their than my current Aquactinics) is if the RG ones are "better" how come they don't use the same Miro IV 98% reflective Al that Aquactinics and ATI use they use the 96% reflective that SLS uses on the Tek..?

And in all reality does that 2% matter?

And wouldn't Aquactinic's SLRs be better for driving PAR farther down deeper tanks?

[The Grim Reefer]

Originally Posted by JRechcygl

Grim just brought this one from the depths again.... I was again thinking of redoing the retro and continued to debate the Aquaillumination (RG) ones... My concern(aside from the trend that PAR drops faster in their than my current Aquactinics) is if the RG ones are "better" how come they don't use the same Miro IV 98% reflective Al that Aquactinics and ATI use they use the 96% reflective that SLS uses on the Tek..?

And in all reality does that 2% matter?

And wouldn't Aquactinic's SLRs be better for driving PAR farther down deeper tanks?

The Reefgeek/Aqua Illumnation had more PAR, I think the deeper you go the more the advantage would be based on the fact the Aquactinics spreads the light more. Not sure on the reason for the use of the material but the reefgeek reflector with the better Miro actually put out a little less light for some reason. Still trying to figure that one out.