T5 Light System Recommendation Needed

[Oneilwiz]

Hi everyone, I just lost the ballast to the T5 Deep Blue Solarmax 48 inche.

Question: What is the best T5 system I can buy?

NB: I would love LED but cant afford that know have a wedding coming up .

 

[mbg75]

Ati

 

[bonomo53]

+1 ati.. might still be able to get a tek elite which is also pretty good, thats what im running and i love them.

 

[SPotter]

ATI all the way!!! I switched from LEDs to a sunpower and my tank looks great.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[tunicata]

I researched this exact question and came to find that most posts/etc say:
ATI, TEK (specifically TEK Elite), ...anything else seems fair game for 3/4th spot.
(and ATI bulbs)

Mainly due to individual reflectors, higher par values, quality of ballasts and quality of fans for heat dispersement.

When I first looked, I thought "Oh darn, these lights are expensive"
I got a chance to look at 4 systems side by side. Two had the TEK elite and 2 had the ATI Sunpower. They both looked good, and I decided I would try to get the ATI since they were comparable in price if you get them used (smaller price difference).

So, I settled in to wait for a gently used ATI. For 48" they go used between 275 (miracle deal) to 350$.
They weight about 24+ lbs without bulbs so unless you get free shipping your looking upwards of $50 from UPS.
This is referencing the 48" Sunpower (the price doesnt seem to vary much regardless of it being the 8 bulb,1 bulb, 6 bulb version when bought used)

My research online showed that the Sun Power module is the better bang for your buck compared to the Power module. It's up to $600 online, with a lot of variation in price (520-600).

Also, I read that ATI prefers their fixtures to live outside of a canopy. The fixtures have side vents, so you'd need a specially crafted hood or to just hang it from the ceiling or one of those steel contraptions that suspend the fixture without messing with your ceiling.

MY ATI fixture and bulbs will both be coming in today.
I'll say more about them next week. I'll probably have pics etc in my tank thread.

 

[Oneilwiz]

I researched this exact question and came to find that most posts/etc say:
ATI, TEK (specifically TEK Elite), ...anything else seems fair game for 3/4th spot.
(and ATI bulbs)

Mainly due to individual reflectors, higher par values, quality of ballasts and quality of fans for heat dispersement.

When I first looked, I thought "Oh darn, these lights are expensive"
I got a chance to look at 4 systems side by side. Two had the TEK elite and 2 had the ATI Sunpower. They both looked good, and I decided I would try to get the ATI since they were comparable in price if you get them used (smaller price difference).

So, I settled in to wait for a gently used ATI. For 48" they go used between 275 (miracle deal) to 350$.
They weight about 24+ lbs without bulbs so unless you get free shipping your looking upwards of $50 from UPS.
This is referencing the 48" Sunpower (the price doesnt seem to vary much regardless of it being the 8 bulb,1 bulb, 6 bulb version when bought used)

My research online showed that the Sun Power module is the better bang for your buck compared to the Power module. It's up to $600 online, with a lot of variation in price (520-600).

Also, I read that ATI prefers their fixtures to live outside of a canopy. The fixtures have side vents, so you'd need a specially crafted hood or to just hang it from the ceiling or one of those steel contraptions that suspend the fixture without messing with your ceiling.

MY ATI fixture and bulbs will both be coming in today.
I'll say more about them next week. I'll probably have pics etc in my tank thread.

Hey thanks for the info, will look into that tonight.

 

[Oneilwiz]

Hey everyone might be a dumb question but;

How long corals could do with out daylight 10K bulb? I am only running actinic blue right now cuz my ballast for the daylight bulb is dead waiting on replacement part

 

[Edjersey]

don't worry about it.. they can go for days without any lights..and you're running actinics anyway so you're good till that replacemment ballast arrive..

 

[Oneilwiz]

Thanks Ed Jersey