Anyone using a T5 only Fixture?
 

I'm still not convinced about the whole LED movement so I'm looking at getting a T5 Fixture...

Any thoughts on which would be best on a 60x30x20 tank?

I run only T5s with great success, its all about the bulbs! I run aquatic life fixtures and giesmann bulbs. You may be restricted though based on the size or your tank, I think aquatic life does make a 60" though...

For SPS ?
I would go for an ATI sunpower 48" long with 8 or even 10 bulbs...
with good bulbs (ATI,KZ,Giesemann, UVL)

maybe ill add I dont run SPS, and I run 6 across. My carpet and clams seem very happy.

I use t5 only and am having great results. Granted I'm relatively new to SPS but the few pieces I do have are growing nicely. My zoas and LPS love it too

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The ATI 60" fixture would be awesome on your aquarium. I run the ATI 8 x 80w T5 fixture on my 220 and the results are amazing. Here is a pic of how my tank looks today. ATI T5 bulbs are also an excellent choice.

My Tank as of 30 days ago:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75...m/Dec82012.jpg

And here is a link to a Reef Central, Tank of The Month using the same.
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....k-of-the-month

:)

What combo of bulbs are you using there? It's a great colour

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Wow, that's a beautiful tank!

Which ATI fixture - Power Module or Sunpower?

What is your bulb selection and in what order? I am looking at the ATI's...

Thank you. It is the ATI Sunpower 8 x 80w.
Bulbs are 3 ATI Coral Plus, 3 ATI Blue Plus and 2 Giesemann Actinic+

:)

For actinics I love UVL super actinic... nice color and pop !

In my mind t5hO only or with MH is still the best and add to that a stunner strip of royal blue leds for night viewing and thats a perfect mix...

I have a 30 inch coralife fixture and it sucks because I can only buy coralife bulbs in that size :(

There's been a lot of positive advice about the ATI fixtures on Reef Central so I might go that way.

Was looking at the 60inch Sunpower with the 8x80W bulbs.

Which 2 bulbs do you (Bill@IA) use on the separate powercord?

And do you have any problems with heat?

moppy

I put the 2 80w Giesemann Actinic+ bulbs on the seperate power cord.

I have not had heat issues. You can easily raise the 8 bulb fixture if things get a little warm because the immense PAR output still keeps everything lit very nicely. Using an Apogee MQ 200 PAR meter I found I get 1500 PAR AWL, fixture 8" off the water.

:)

the ATI kicks butt, but getting the 80w bulbs can be an issue....you may have to order a case to get them

and the 48" inch ATI would be more than enough coverage anyways...
theses unit are throwing out PAR and spreading it nicely...

One cannot go wrong with T5 and MH but can go wrong big time with LED. Ask the gurus ;)

Thanks for all the input so far. There's actually a thread on RC with 1,000's of responses tanking about going back to T5 or MH from LED as people aren't too happy with the look, growth etc...

I know it's not a fad but LED's have a way to go, especially in price, until I get in.

Bill@IA, do you use a doser or a calcium reactor? That's my next big decision...

I use a doser for the most consistent results.

:)

Moppy, I run both led on the main tank and T5 on the frag tank. I agree that T5 lighting display a much vibrant color. I recently moved a few pieces from the maintank to the frag tank and vise versa, the color difference was astonishing. Some of the pink birdsnest and red spatulata that looked intense in the frag tank looks really washed out in the maintank and others more so of the blue color spectrum looks awsome in the maintank but just so so in the T5 tank. I think it all depends on what you are looking for in your fixture whether you want to get the best color out of your corals or scarfice a bit of the color for low maintenance, controllable lights. One thing I don't like about T5 is the life span of the bulbs, I have found once the spectrum shifts you better be ready to change you bulbs or get ready for some major algae out break. I have never had any issues with my AI sol. 9 month for replacement on 6-10 bulbs can be costly.

Here is the maintank
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/...DD2AC152F5.jpg

Frag tank with t5
http://i1088.photobucket.com/albums/...DB751BE876.jpg

I've got AI sols on my 90 gallon, still playing with the color intensity but I'm very happy with the Led's, please excuse the picture quality, my camera is not the best
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/...ps839230cf.jpg

Dammit Rich, now I have to come over and buy frags!

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Anytime bud. Lol

I've been running T5 only fixtures on my reef tanks for the last 5 years or so and I keep nothing but SPS corals.

I had a 8 x 54 watt Sfiligoi stealth on my 90 gallon reef and I now have a 12 x 80 watt Sfiligoi stealth on my 225 gallon reef. I had originally wanted an ATI powermodule but they were severely backorded at the time so I ended up going with Sfiligoi. After seeing the build quality of the first fixture, I'd have a tough time going back to anything else.

Previously I had been running metal halide and was unhappy with the excess heat as well as the general color of my tank. With a 12 bulb T5 fixture, I can now mix and match bulbs to get the tank looking exactly how I like without having to worry about sacrificing PAR. My current tank is 24" deep and I have no problem keeping SPS alive and happy on the sandbed so long as they aren't being shaded by the forrest of acros above.

The only drawback IMO to using a strictly T5 fixture is the cost of bulbs, especially if you are using 80 watt. I spend ~$400 to $450 every year on bulb changes and I need to order them in from the US as I've had a difficult time locating the 80 watt bulbs from Canadian retailers. ReefGeek has a good selection but you pay a premium for shipping. Luckily I work close to the US border so I get most of my equipment shipped to a border town that has a package holding facility for Canadians.

I am using a 6 bulb Tek fixture. I replace my bulbs every 6 months. That's $300 a year. I wish I bought ATI instead. I think that its important to use a fixture with active cooling vs passive cooling.

I would highly recommend t5s but leds are very nice.

Rich,

Seeing as my tank is currently fallow until March 15th, I will put $30 a paycheck aside until then.

After that I will visit your place and leave with lots (hopefully) of frags. Perhaps start thinking of a little SPS/LPS package for me :)

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Thanks everyone.

Any chance BBlinks that I can come by and see your set up sometime?

Always looking for new ideas. (and frags once the new tank is up and running)

I'm just in Abby

Anytime moppy.