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11/12/2019, 01:22 PM | #1 |
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Lights
Hi guys, am wondering about lights in my aquarium. Currently I use 4 t5 bulbs @54w each. They are setup in pairs of 2 blue bulbs and a 50/50 with a marine white. Apparently these bulbs should be replaced annually, is there a reason behind this other than making the manufacturer money? Next year I was contemplating switching to
https://www.swelluk.com/aquarium-sys...ctinic-8w-19w/ https://www.swelluk.com/aquarium-sys...18000k-8w-19w/ But I can't find any reviews about these led lights that fit in place of my t5 bulbs. Are they any good? For approx £100 I can replace 4 t5 bulbs with 2 blue 2 white leds that use less power and should last longer. Are they worth getting or would I be better staying with my t5 bulbs? I simply cannot afford to go and buy a ready made led unit costing £300 upwards. I also quite like having a hood on my tank, helps with evaporation and keeps the fish where they are supposed to be. So retrofitting bulbs in the same spot seems like a no brainer to me. If money were no object I'd have a bigger tank with a sump (currently not present) with fancy led lights. If anyone could recommend a reasonably priced led rig that would fit over my 48 inch tank I'd obviously consider. Anyway thanks so much for taking the time to read this and I welcome any feedback. aquarium 300l (80g) tank 36 kg crushed coral and aragonite substrate 40kg live rock Deltec mce600 skimmer 1000lph filter pump Filter floss 1 2800 lph pump,( hydor koralia 3200) 1x hydor koralia 1600 pump 1 algae blenny 1 kole tang 1 long nose Hawk fish 1 Royal gramma 1 strawberry conch 3 nassarius snails 1 boxer shrimp 6 small red legged hermits 1 Mexican turbo snail 1 tuxedo urchin 1 tube anemone 1 peppermint shrimp Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk |
11/12/2019, 01:31 PM | #2 |
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T5 shift towards the red spectrum as they age.
Algae loves red... |
11/12/2019, 02:43 PM | #3 |
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https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video...-investigates/
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video...-investigates/ I cannot comment on those replacement LEDs.. (I just replaced my ATI T5 with LEDs as I was sick of bulb replacement costs..)
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11/12/2019, 02:44 PM | #4 |
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With age the color spectrum shifts and algae grows more rapidly. Additionally the light intensity decreases. I reccomend the ATI bulbs and just replacing one bulb every 3 months. This way you spread the cost across the year as well as reduce the shock of sudden light intensity increase.
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11/12/2019, 02:57 PM | #5 | |
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Quote:
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11/12/2019, 03:05 PM | #6 |
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Ati bulbs won't fit in my hood, the bulbs I need are 54w but 1047mm in length. It's the aquarium manufacturer way to make sure you use their bulbs. Grr.
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11/12/2019, 04:42 PM | #7 |
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No one uses those bulbs, at least on this side of the Atlantic.
T5s are a great lighting option, but those strange dimensions are making it tough.
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
11/13/2019, 03:23 AM | #8 |
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With t5s in my tank they are either on or off, no dimming etc. Obviously fancy leds have a wake up cycle, sleep cycle etc.
Is this a problem to just be on or off? I do turn the blues on first for 2 hours, then add the whites for 4 hours then blues only for 2 hours. Best I can do. Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk |
11/13/2019, 08:10 AM | #9 |
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No problem at all. T5s are great. Lots of people consider them to produce better quality light than LED.
If you had a more standard fixture, we could give you recs about brand and bulb combinations. ATI and Giesemann are the most popular. Is there a way to rig your current fixture to accept the standard length bulbs?
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Pat Current Tank Info: 125 in-wall , 40b sump. 6 bulb T5. ASM G2 skimmer. LPS and leathers |
11/13/2019, 09:17 AM | #10 | |
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