Best T5/LED Hybrid?

[CodyRVA]

Thanks everyone for the input! I've looked at the reefrbite LED strips, considered attaching them to my ATI fixture. My only concern is, a 48 inch strip has 24 LED's, would this be over kill? I've had an aquatic life fixture before and I personally love them, but i already bought an ATI 6 bulb used. If i go with a reefbrite strip and attach it to my ATI, do you guys think i'll need one front and back or just one? I'd like to be able to treat these as a daytime supplement to the T5s and as moonlights for early morning/late evening. Thanks again!

 

[Fin]

You can always order one and see how you like it and order a second one, if you think it is needed. Not sure what size tank you have, but I have a friend that has a standard size 120 that is pretty nice. His lighting is an 8 bulb T5 TEK Light with two 48" ReefBrite XHO fixtures attached (1 in front and 1 in back). This is the tank I am speaking of - Nomadic1

 

[CodyRVA]

You can always order one and see how you like it and order a second one, if you think it is needed. Not sure what size tank you have, but I have a friend that has a standard size 120 that is pretty nice. His lighting is an 8 bulb T5 TEK Light with two 48" ReefBrite XHO fixtures attached (1 in front and 1 in back). This is the tank I am speaking of - Nomadic1

Thanks for the tip, I think i'll start with one and go from there, I have a 80G Deep Blue Rimless, 4 feet by 2 feet, 16inches tall. Again, I just want to make sure i'm not going overboard with the lighting.

 

[reefndude]

Are the reef brights dimmable?

 

[CodyRVA]

Are the reef brights dimmable?

From what i've been told, no they're not.

 

[blazn420]

Put together a four bulb T5 fixture and a Current LED fixture. The T5s are switched on two channels. The LEDs can be ramped. The day starts with LED ramp up, with T5 actinic then daylight bulbs. Funny looking but mixed reef corals are growing well.

I am using the exact same scenario and I am having great results the current led is very reasonable on price and dimmable and comes pre programmed or u can maks your own even has lightning storm and Coral acclimation for under 150$

 

[monkdaily]

On this subject I just retrofit 2 giesemann actinic+ bulbs to my hydra 26 rail. In three days my corals looked so much better I don't think I'll ever go back to just leds

 

[midtnmike41]

On this subject I just retrofit 2 giesemann actinic+ bulbs to my hydra 26 rail. In three days my corals looked so much better I don't think I'll ever go back to just leds

Do you have any pics of this retrofit? I am thinking about adding 2 t5s to my hydra rail.

 

[Reef-roach]

As Sabellafella stated, the two lower screws can be taken off the ATI unit and match the hardware that comes with a reefbrite. You can, however, reverse the mounting arms on the reefbrite so you don't have to bend anything. There is a little inline dimmer you can get for reefbrite, but it dims in 10% increments. Here's one I installed at the fish store I work at.

 

[klondike4001]

Are the reef brights dimmable?

Yes they are dimmable, you just have to buy the dimmer separately.

http://aquariumenvy.us/products/reef-brite-in-line-dimmer-compatible-w-tech-xho-lumi-lite

 

[john.m.cole3]

As Sabellafella stated, the two lower screws can be taken off the ATI unit and match the hardware that comes with a reefbrite. You can, however, reverse the mounting arms on the reefbrite so you don't have to bend anything. There is a little inline dimmer you can get for reefbrite, but it dims in 10% increments. Here's one I installed at the fish store I work at.

very sleek! and what's the name of the inline dimmer?

 

[john.m.cole3]

Oh, I see it up above

 

[dolpator]

I wasn't getting good results with the hydra 26's in my 150g. So I added 4 t5 retro kits and it's been a lot better. I running three ATI blue + and 1 purple + and let the leds handle start and end of day. Results have been a little better, wished I had gone hydra 52's, however they were just not in my budget.

 

[dolpator]

I wasn't getting good results with the hydra 26's in my 150g. So I added 4 t5 retro kits and it's been a lot better. I running three ATI blue + and 1 purple + and let the leds handle start and end of day. Results have been a little better, wished I had gone hydra 52's, however they were just not in my budget.

 

[s2nhle]

Wow, very great thread here. Thanks,

 

[Goldenvue]

Depends on what you want. If you want fully controllable led's then your cheapest alternative is led fixture with some t5 retro's inside a canopy or home made fixture. If you just want t5 with supplemental led just get a nice t5 fixture and use the dusk dawn bulb's and add in some blue pop e5's. I run a 8x80w ati sunpower and have two e5's in the dusk dawn setting so I have that nice blue led for two hrs before the rest kick on and then two hrs after the t5's go out.

Yep that what I did added 2x24t5 to my radion sunbursts love it!!

 

[monkdaily]

Do you have any pics of this retrofit? I am thinking about adding 2 t5s to my hydra rail.

I will post some tonight but you will have to excuse the jankyness of the build. I was gifted a 2 bulb t5 that i Frankensteined

 

[christopher besu]

 

[christopher besu]

I have had a hobby of retrofitting LED'S into things for a while and thought I would share a little of my hobby. If you need any help let me know.

 

[monkdaily]

This is my set up. Pretty janky but I'm not looking back