Controlling T5's

[ageno125]

I'm looking in to adding some supplemental T5 to my canopy, looking at the retro fit kits.

Whats the easiest/least expensive way to control it, dimming it throughout the day.
thoughts? thanks

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I wouldn't dim it. it shortens the life of the bulb. just have it come on. it actually takes some time to come up to speed fully any way.

 

[twilliard]

Dimming t5's is a pain for DIY projects
storm controller +PWM to 0-10v converter

 

[ageno125]

I wouldn't dim it. it shortens the life of the bulb. just have it come on. it actually takes some time to come up to speed fully any way.

Sounds like an easier route. So standard onoff timer would do the trick? Whats a common length of time ON then? I would image I would have to slowly acclimate them the corals to it, maybe extending length of time by an hour or so.

I have a Kessil 360 and thinking of adding two 24T5s.

 

[ageno125]

Dimming t5's is a pain for DIY projects
storm controller +PWM to 0-10v converter

Yeah was looking at the Arduino route: PWM to -10v isn't easiest nor smooth.

 

[Eric Noa Jr]

I'm looking in to adding some supplemental T5 to my canopy, looking at the retro fit kits.

Whats the easiest/least expensive way to control it, dimming it throughout the day.
thoughts? thanks

Personally I don't see the need to dim T5's. If you run 4 bulbs then have 2 turn on and a few hours later the other two. As far as least expensive goes the LET kits seems to be good and fairly inexpensive.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Sounds like an easier route. So standard onoff timer would do the trick? Whats a common length of time ON then? I would image I would have to slowly acclimate them the corals to it, maybe extending length of time by an hour or so.

I have a Kessil 360 and thinking of adding two 24T5s.

yes a timer is fine. it depends on the peak par you want really. 4 hours or so??think of it just like adding an extra ramp. and yes acclimate by adding time..
as Eric said if its 4 tubes go slower and stagger as thats a LOT of extra par so use two timers.

 

[TheEngineer]

Yeah was looking at the Arduino route: PWM to -10v isn't easiest nor smooth.

If you don't need it to be all that smooth you can do it with a resistor ladder. It isn't pretty but it works.

 

[twilliard]

Most t5 ballasts are 0-10v for dimming there are a few digital ones made but spendy.

 

[oceanslide]

Buy the LET t5 retrofit from brs. Then just use a simple timer to run it. I don't think dimming would be be worth it unless you bought an ATI fixture. Make sure to acclimate your tank to the T5s! I started with 30minutes A day for a week and added another 30 minutes every week or so.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Buy the LET t5 retrofit from brs. Then just use a simple timer to run it. I don't think dimming would be be worth it unless you bought an ATI fixture. Make sure to acclimate your tank to the T5s! I started with 30minutes A day for a week and added another 30 minutes every week or so.

+1. I have two of these in my canopy. It's really easy to setup and use the timer on the reefkeeper

 

[ageno125]

Buy the LET t5 retrofit from brs. Then just use a simple timer to run it. I don't think dimming would be be worth it unless you bought an ATI fixture. Make sure to acclimate your tank to the T5s! I started with 30minutes A day for a week and added another 30 minutes every week or so.

thanks for the insight! Did you do just one bulb to start with or did you start acclimating with two bulbs? That's how I'm thinking of acclimating them.

 

[ageno125]

+1. I have two of these in my canopy. It's really easy to setup and use the timer on the reefkeeper

Whats the exact overall length of the fixture, assuming you have the 24" LET Fixture?

Trying to figure out if I need to pop some holes on my canopy. I asked LET and they gave me an "about" number...

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Whats the exact overall length of the fixture, assuming you have the 24" LET Fixture?
Trying to figure out if I need to pop some holes on my canopy. I asked LET and they gave me an "about" number...

I have the 60'' LET Fixture in my 72'' canopy so I don't have the length problems that your talking about.

 

[oceanslide]

thanks for the insight! Did you do just one bulb to start with or did you start acclimating with two bulbs? That's how I'm thinking of acclimating them.

No I started with both. Pretty sure you have to have both bulbs in to complete the circuit for the retrofit to turn on

 

[ATI North America]

I'm looking in to adding some supplemental T5 to my canopy, looking at the retro fit kits.

Whats the easiest/least expensive way to control it, dimming it throughout the day.
thoughts? thanks

Our dimmable ballasts (H.E.P.) are 0-10v, you can manually adjust intensity with a simple cheap potentiometer if you wanted to do it manually.

I wouldn't dim it. it shortens the life of the bulb. just have it come on. it actually takes some time to come up to speed fully any way.

We believe this is half false. The basis behind this idea is when people fail to properly "season" or burn in the new bulbs at 100% for 50 hours. If you do not do the burn in, you are absolutely right, dimming will crush the lifespan. If you do burn in however, dimming has no negative effects on the lifespan.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

We believe this is half false. The basis behind this idea is when people fail to properly "season" or burn in the new bulbs at 100% for 50 hours. If you do not do the burn in, you are absolutely right, dimming will crush the lifespan. If you do burn in however, dimming has no negative effects on the lifespan.

I agree its a half false but the tech details are a bit hard for new comers. I do a lot of fluoro installations and dimming is common and few if anyone ever do a burn in and the life of the tube is def shortened, indicated by the plain old burnt ends and flickering of the tube plus color change. in my industry its cheaper (not really) to just keep replacing the tubes. wasteful, but people are impatient.
IME although not with your tubes and ballast, a tube life and color is shortened by prolonged dimming. Im sure you know who kino-flo is, I knew them when there were in a garage w magnetic ballasts.

Imo if your buying one of the best lights in the Reefing industry why would you ever dim it. or consider doing so. what are you saving really. saving 90 par?, a coral can take that IMO. Acclimation? ill buy that.
Ramping? that's what led's are for IMO. Folks chase par so hard why waste it.

"Just because you can, doesnt mean you should"- saltyfilmfolks

@ATI North America .... love your work. I Really Do.

 

[ATI North America]

Imo if your buying one of the best lights in the Reefing industry why would you ever dim it. or consider doing so. what are you saving really. saving 90 par?, a coral can take that IMO. Acclimation? ill buy that.
Ramping? that's what led's are for IMO. Folks chase par so hard why waste it.

"Just because you can, doesnt mean you should"- saltyfilmfolks

@ATI North America .... love your work. I Really Do.

I agree with you on this. Corals can certainly handle it, while maybe not right away, acclimating them up to full power is possible. A decade ago when I owned a retail store people thought I was nuts (OK I probably was) that I had 1000w radiums in massive Sunlight Supply air cooled reflectors over a 12" deep SPS setup about 18" off the water. Corals coming from the wild LOVED IT. I still feel it was a good transition from real sunlight (mostly farmed corals from Sulawesi), to artificial light.

Frankly I think the biggest benefit is for the humans. People like sunrises and sunsets. Especially in this LED world they want the control and human comforts of mimicking a daily cycle.

There are a number of benefits to the dimmable Sunpower regardless of if you actually use it to DIM. Built in controller, 1 plug, temperature controlled fans, demo mode (for troubleshooting) etc. all helpful even when you run it at 100%.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I agree with you on this. Corals can certainly handle it, while maybe not right away, acclimating them up to full power is possible. A decade ago when I owned a retail store people thought I was nuts (OK I probably was) that I had 1000w radiums in massive Sunlight Supply air cooled reflectors over a 12" deep SPS setup about 18" off the water. Corals coming from the wild LOVED IT. I still feel it was a good transition from real sunlight (mostly farmed corals from Sulawesi), to artificial light.

Frankly I think the biggest benefit is for the humans. People like sunrises and sunsets. Especially in this LED world they want the control and human comforts of mimicking a daily cycle.

There are a number of benefits to the dimmable Sunpower regardless of if you actually use it to DIM. Built in controller, 1 plug, temperature controlled fans, demo mode (for troubleshooting) etc. all helpful even when you run it at 100%.

I agree with all that(and yea yer a nut too), but that was prob only 1500 to 1800 par, as an old Lectrician i like my tubes hot, its just better.
Its def about consumer demand for sure, weather they need it or not. and the convenience of the tek now is OUTSTANDING as is your work with it.
Now can you get on my Led t5 mh combo please

 

[ageno125]

wow, this was some great info!

thanks for all you help and insight! Im digging this forum