"Budget" t5 options

[Ahogue21]

Got a low bow I'm setting up for a zoa growout/frag tank and planing on doing t5s looking to do a 4 bulb fixture and not looking to throw a large amount of money at the project so I've come up with the following options

A. Sunbrite fixture from brs
B. Amazon agrobrite fixture
C. Friend recommended doing a diy canopy with 2 of the let lighting retrofits

Thoughts? I've currently got some of my frags in a lagoon 25 on an ai prime hd and while I could add another hd I'm not sure 2 is enough for a 4ft tank and think I may see better growth with t5 as well

 

[SDboatguy]

Look for a USED ATI fixture ? Aquatic Life Hybrid would allow you to add LEDs, if wanted, down the line. The LET retro fits work nicely, but are not cooled ,so you should add some fans in the canopy to get the most out of your T5s. What are the dimensions of the tank? You may need more than 4 T5s ...

 

[Reefinny Verified Sponsor]

Agree with above look for a used ATI fixture.

 

[Ahogue21]

48x24x10 have been told a 4 bulb will work just fine

 

[SDboatguy]

24" front to back ? If so Id like more T5 - I have 4 T5 AND hydras on an 18" front to back and when I was T5 only I had 6 lamps.The "rule" is 1 T5 for every 3 inches +/-. I you really are on a budget, I'd be patient and look for a used ATI fixture either a 6x54w or 8x54w . If you end up getting one of the other lights you mentioned in a canopy don't forget to cool the lamps with some kind of fan on the label end.

 

[Reefinny Verified Sponsor]

48x24x10 have been told a 4 bulb will work just fine

I had the same tank I ran a 48" 6 bulb with 2 reefbrites.

Grew everything.

 

[rtparty]

For zoa's and a 10" deep tank, you don't need 6-8 bulbs and an ATI fixture. Complete overkill.

Get the 4 bulb Sunblaze from BRS or the Aquatic Life hybrid. With the hybrid you can use your LED now and add another later.

 

[Bpb]

Yep. Any of the above options would be perfectly fine. Hang it 12” up and if you’re just growing Zoas you’ll do just fine.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Odyssea with timers and flip up top for feeding. eBay topdogsellers.

You’ll want to get new tubes eventually.

 

[Greybeard]

I found a used TEK fixture, installed new ballasts, new ATI bulbs... excellent lighting quality, good looking, way, way less anything else I was looking at.

I have an Oddysea 24" 2 bulb T5 over my refugeum. I'm not overly impressed with the quality. It works, for now, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend them.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Find a used fixture. Preferably ATI. Any will work though.

 

[Chef Tommy]

Go with option B. I've had the fixture for over 5 years with no issues. Been using it now for 6 months on a 75 with 3 blue plus and 1 actinic. The zoas on the bottom have been growing fine and the sps up top are all colored up and growing as well. Fixture is 8" over tank which is about 12 " from sps & 24" from zoas. You can also use a pulley kit to make it super easy to move the lights around.

 

[SDboatguy]

For zoa's and a 10" deep tank, you don't need 6-8 bulbs and an ATI fixture. Complete overkill.

Get the 4 bulb Sunblaze from BRS or the Aquatic Life hybrid. With the hybrid you can use your LED now and add another later.

Not disagreeing ,but at least with an ATI 6 lamp, the OP would have the option to run only 4 and the fixture quality would enhance bulb life and efficentcy as well the ability to grow other stuff if desired down the road. And as I stated above +1 on the Hybrid

 

[Ahogue21]

Not sure i really care to mess with the hybrid due to 1. Having $700 in it with primes and fixture before bulbs 2. I really don't need that much adjustability in lighting

 

[Bpb]

Not sure i really care to mess with the hybrid due to 1. Having $700 in it with primes and fixture before bulbs 2. I really don't need that much adjustability in lighting

I like where your head is. Turn it on. Grow corals. No funny stuff or obnoxious price tag

 

[Ahogue21]

Generally i like to get nice stuff hell I was going to buy all nice colored brs pvc but it's going to be in a utility room in the basment I just want simple and working its not for sale so to speak just to try my hand at it

 

[rtparty]

Not disagreeing ,but at least with an ATI 6 lamp, the OP would have the option to run only 4 and the fixture quality would enhance bulb life and efficentcy as well the ability to grow other stuff if desired down the road. And as I stated above +1 on the Hybrid

Few love ATI more than I do. It just isn't needed here unless there is a screaming deal on a used one.

T5s last longer than people think and zoa's don't require more than 100PAR most the time. The Sun Blaze will provide that easily and save a ton of money. Unless the ambient temperature is high, the open design of the Sun Blaze will do a good enough job at cooling. Is it optimal? No but I wouldn't worry a ton about it.

A few years back I visited a friend's house and his tank looked amazing. Good colors, great growth, healthy. I asked what T5s he was running and he didn't know. So I asked when he last changed them and he could not remember. We did some digging and they were the original bulbs from when he bought the fixture almost 3 years before. I always questioned it but kept it in the back of my mind. When BRS did their latest "tests" on bulb life, it brought all that back to my memory.

 

[Ahogue21]

Also plus side to the basment it's generally cooler as well can always ad a fan if needed though

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A few years back I visited a friend's house and his tank looked amazing. Good colors, great growth, healthy. I asked what T5s he was running and he didn't know. So I asked when he last changed them and he could not remember. We did some digging and they were the original bulbs from when he bought the fixture almost 3 years before. I always questioned it but kept it in the back of my mind. When BRS did their latest "tests" on bulb life, it brought all that back to my memory.

Yup. Tis true.

 

[Chef Tommy]

Here is the 4 bulb fixture over a 75 mixed reef. All of the 30 + frags are doing awesome; all colorful & sps are showing signs of branching out after a month.

Really like that I moved this fixture over, I'm doing much better with T5 than led lighting.