Thanks for the input, 80 $ a year isnt that bad really... Cause its yearly not monthly, ive eliminated leds due to the fact that i cant hand them above my tank, my ceiling is an old drop ceiling with sealed tiles, id have to break the the tile and it would just result in an awful mess ! T5 or MH are my only options. Ive seen the odyssea combo of the two, totalling 396 w, would a 24 in fixture be adjustable to sit on my tank?
Question on t5s
- Thread starter dimdim
- Start date
I live in ontario canada, ive ran all the searches for used lighting within 300km of my house and NONE i simply cant afford a fxture over 200$ whats a generic bulb? Money is an issue, and since theyre are no used lights available to me, ill have to buy new, online, and ship to canada, i dont really have many other options? Im wondering what my par levels would be from an ebay fixture from the states, bout 140-150 then 30 for shipping, they dont have a fan, while some others do, most have just one reflector for all bulbs, but i did see one with individual reflectors, my tanks 18 inches tall
reefguy
Member
If you don't have the money for a correct fixture just save it till u do. Please trust me from someone that owned odyssea products they r not that great. The light u get us going to be crap. The fixture might be.. Ok... But the bulbs are total crap. You are going to have to replace them cause u won't get the light u need and u will have crazy alg growth.
Wait to buy the correct light. I learned this along time ago. Nothing in this hobby comes quick. Take ya time and do it right the first time.
Wait to buy the correct light. I learned this along time ago. Nothing in this hobby comes quick. Take ya time and do it right the first time.
Which bulbs would be crap? All of them? The mh and actinic t5 ? Does the hqi overpower the actinics? I guess if the lights are crap, and if some of odysseas fixtures are crap then their customer service must be crap as well issuing 2 and 5 year warrantys on their fixtures.. Im assuming the chinese leds are crap from ebay too ? Whats the difference in the bulbs the actinics are 420 nm 4x24w and hqi 14000k 250 w with two heavy duty fans, imo i think this might be worth a try its at the top end of my budget...
reefguy
Member
I can't speak on that topic considering everything in the USA comes from china.. Haha but I have not bought them so I don't know. Can't help u on that one. If they are the taotronics then I have heard mixed reviews about them. That's what I was going to get but was going to spend the same amount for a DIY kit from rapidled so I just got the DIY.
Ahh touche reefguy! Lol i go by the saying cheap china... ! Im electrically inclined thats for sure, so no DIY here. I think im gonna get the one on ebay thats 220 bucks, slightly over budget but free shipping, 6x24in with indivivual german reflectors, and a 5 year warranty on the ballast, yup 5 years! I do believe it has bluemoons in at as well, dont think theres a fan though?
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Dude you will regret that Odysea fixture, I had to do a lot of work on mine to keep it safe and working, had to put fans, put different bulbs in mine, its fine now, but not like the better ones with better ballasts and bulbs. The output is overrated.
ive completely eliminated all odyssea fixtures except for the halide t5 combo.. im willing to do some work to that fixture as it has just a wicked look to it.
other then that i have found a few more fixtures id like some input on for my tank, i finally got to a computer so ill post some links to the fixtures
Current USA Nova Extreme T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 4X39 Watt, 36 inch
WavePoint T5 36" High Output T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 4X39W WavePoint Lighting Wave Point
36 inch 4 lamp Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Lighting Fixture Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Light Fixture
and now some 24inch fixtures that i really like
JBJ Trinity T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture 4X24W 24 inch will this fit on a 36 inch long tank?
36" 234W T5 HO Aquarium Light Hood LCD Timer Coral Reef 6x39 Fluorescent Actinic | eBay
24'' AQUARIUM LIGHT T5 HO 6X 24 WATT REEF LUNAR MOON LIGHTS LED LIGHTING HOOD k9 | eBay
24" Aquarium Light 48/96/144/346/380 LCD T5 Fluorescent Actinic Metal Halide LED | eBay
any of these under 250 fits my budget.
i want a nem and some sps eventually, will any of these cut it?
other then that i have found a few more fixtures id like some input on for my tank, i finally got to a computer so ill post some links to the fixtures
Current USA Nova Extreme T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 4X39 Watt, 36 inch
WavePoint T5 36" High Output T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 4X39W WavePoint Lighting Wave Point
36 inch 4 lamp Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Lighting Fixture Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Light Fixture
and now some 24inch fixtures that i really like
JBJ Trinity T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture 4X24W 24 inch will this fit on a 36 inch long tank?
36" 234W T5 HO Aquarium Light Hood LCD Timer Coral Reef 6x39 Fluorescent Actinic | eBay
24'' AQUARIUM LIGHT T5 HO 6X 24 WATT REEF LUNAR MOON LIGHTS LED LIGHTING HOOD k9 | eBay
24" Aquarium Light 48/96/144/346/380 LCD T5 Fluorescent Actinic Metal Halide LED | eBay
any of these under 250 fits my budget.
i want a nem and some sps eventually, will any of these cut it?
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
The Halide from Odyssea is the house burner dude. Google it. People lost their homes over it man.
</title><meta name="description" content="24"/30"/36"/48" INCH HO QUAD 4PC T5 AQUARIUM SALT FRESH WATER LIGHTS FIXTURE in Home Garden , Yard, Garden Outdoor Living , Gardening Supplies , Hydroponics Seed Starting , Grow Lights |eBay"><meta name="keyw
thats the fixture i was going to buy cause i figured its a huge deal, it ships from ontario, the same province i live in, what you guys think or feel about these fixtures i linked to
thats the fixture i was going to buy cause i figured its a huge deal, it ships from ontario, the same province i live in, what you guys think or feel about these fixtures i linked to
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Man, this 250 Watt HQI will get you going, the Hamilton Bulb in it isn't the best but it isn't completely horrible either, you can run it and when you replace it, just buy a Phoenix 250 Double Ended Bulb 14 K temperature and you should have all the light you need for anything in that tank, forget the T5's or go LED or go home. LOL It comes with the ballast and everything, it even has moonlights in the fixture. 
Metal Halide Aquarium Lighting: Hamilton Technology Cayman Sun HQI System
Metal Halide Aquarium Lighting: Hamilton Technology Cayman Sun HQI System
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
I got mine from Canada, no name, it was an Odyssea.
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Just looked at it, its an Odyssea man. You don't want it.
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Man, this 250 Watt HQI will get you going, the Hamilton Bulb in it isn't the best but it isn't completely horrible either, you can run it and when you replace it, just buy a Phoenix 250 Double Ended Bulb 14 K temperature and you should have all the light you need for anything in that tank, forget the T5's or go LED or go big or go home. LOL It comes with the ballast and everything, it even has moonlights in the fixture.
Metal Halide Aquarium Lighting: Hamilton Technology Cayman Sun HQI System
Man, this 250 Watt HQI will get you going, the Hamilton Bulb in it isn't the best but it isn't completely horrible either, you can run it and when you replace it, just buy a Phoenix 250 Double Ended Bulb 14 K temperature and you should have all the light you need for anything in that tank, forget the T5's or go LED or go home. LOL It comes with the ballast and everything, it even has moonlights in the fixture.
Metal Halide Aquarium Lighting: Hamilton Technology Cayman Sun HQI System
i cant buy from them already checked shipping prices, outside my budget... to ship to ontario itll cost about 47 bucks. besides im guessing there isnt much blue in a hqi, im a very big fan of the blue actinic to make my corals pop, i think the usa nova extreme fixture would be better then the odyssea what if i used a 4 bulb t5 ho fixture and then two more 24k t8s in the two bulb fixture i have ? the t5s would be great for softies and lps, then would the addition of two 24k t8s @ 36" be enough to support a mature tank when i want a nem?
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Man, that's what the 14K bulb is and the 20K bulb is even bluer. If its outside your budget, be patient and save up, you'll thank yourself later, this hobby takes patience, lots, to do it correctly. MH is way better than T5's anyday.
If its outside your budget, be patient and save up, you'll thank yourself later, this hobby takes patience, lots, to do it correctly. MH is way better than T5's anyday.