Mangrove swamp

[TriggerFinger]

We aren’t hijacking. We are enabling him to get a controller lol.

Sorry @sfin52 for hijacking your thread a bit

This is not a hijack, this is very good info for people to know. Sfin and myself both appreciate this kind of stuff!! I already have good plumbing talk bookmarked on this thread. Keep thinking outloud please

 

[jsker]

Quiet you...

See what I got started ;Hilarious ;Hilarious

Good info on different controllers. I have a Apex classic that has been rock solid, and the IU is really welcoming and easy to use. I was look at upgrading but I rally have an issue with the new design and construction of Neptune.

I have been slowly switching over to GHL. If GHL had a much better IU, GHL would be the clear winner in the controller and doser category.

I did not realized that Hydros was as good as some are posting here. The Hydros are something to look into for a controller.

Enabling, Let's talk lights. Myself, I went the inexpensive rout and found that I could not grow corals without some better par. I ended up upgrading and I have been happy for now. After 5 years I am thinking of upgrading are switching. FYI Ecotech and AI are the same company.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

See what I got started ;Hilarious ;Hilarious

Good info on different controllers. I have a Apex classic that has been rock solid, and the IU is really welcoming and easy to use. I was look at upgrading but I rally have an issue with the new design and construction of Neptune.

I have been slowly switching over to GHL. If GHL had a much better IU, GHL would be the clear winner in the controller and doser category.

I did not realized that Hydros was as good as some are posting here. The Hydros are something to look into for a controller.

Enabling, Let's talk lights. Myself, I went the inexpensive rout and found that I could not grow corals without some better par. I ended up upgrading and I have been happy for now. After 5 years I am thinking of upgrading are switching. FYI Ecotech and AI are the same company.

I am seriously temped to go back to halide with either t5 or orphek bars for some "pop" added in. I am so tired of shadowing with LED lol.

 

[jsker]

I am seriously temped to go back to halide with either t5 or orphek bars for some "pop" added in. I am so tired of shadowing with LED lol.

I would have went Halide, the reason I went LED was for Heat, power use, and bulb replacement. Down here in Florida the A/C is already running all the time, add the heat generated and power Halide use I want to try LED's. We are also going to get hit with another utility rate hike in the first quarter.

I also like t5's but again heat, ballast replacements and build replacement.

I have seen system the use the combo of Radons and T5's that grow very well

I have been looking at the GHL Mitras LX 7200 great light with the power to grow. I also like the Giesemann LED's but have not seen them in person, I have seen the GHL lights.

 

[sfin52]

Any updates from Noop? They were on last night.

They said something about a new controller. I want to play around with spectrum but scared to touch the controller.

 

[sfin52]

I would have went Halide, the reason I went LED was for Heat, power use, and bulb replacement. Down here in Florida the A/C is already running all the time, add the heat generated and power Halide use I want to try LED's. We are also going to get hit with another utility rate hike in the first quarter.

I also like t5's but again heat, ballast replacements and build replacement.

I have seen system the use the combo of Radons and T5's that grow very well

I have been looking at the GHL Mitras LX 7200 great light with the power to grow. I also like the Giesemann LED's but have not seen them in person, I have seen the GHL lights.

I have a cheap grow light t5ho on my 90. I LOVE it. Heats not a problem since tanks are in the basement. Just about all year round. A little extra heat helps the heaters.

It would take me 5-6 years in bulb replacement to equal cost of led. By that time led will need replacing.

 

[MERKEY]

They said something about a new controller. I want to play around with spectrum but scared to touch the controller.

Didn't they want you to put these over a full tank of sps ?

Sucks your coral are dealing with it and
I'm pretty sure the light issues from the controller would have caused some serious issues at this point With sps.

 

[Goaway]

They said something about a new controller. I want to play around with spectrum but scared to touch the controller.

I read the facebook post. The other guy now has issues. This is feeling like "tempting fate" type deal. I wanted to go a year before I gave a full review. If the controller is bluetooth capable, they should easily be able to turn that controller into an application ran by a computer.

I wish I knew the real ratio of good controller vs bad controllers. These lights aren't even a year old from what I know. I am interested in how well par levels keep after 1 year. I am always fiddling with my settings. Issues are bound to happen from what I am reading.

I'm not a software engineer, I don't know how to rip programs off of things and decode and recode. I guess I should have learned how. Wish my husband would have kept to that. He went a different road due to real life circumstances.

 

[sfin52]

Didn't they want you to put these over a full tank of sps ?

Sucks your coral are dealing with it and
I'm pretty sure the light issues from the controller would have caused some serious issues at this point With sps.

They wanted to put over the 90. I told them nope started new tank with them. I'm sticking with them for now time will tell.

For sure it would have.

 

[jsker]

I have a cheap grow light t5ho on my 90. I LOVE it. Heats not a problem since tanks are in the basement. Just about all year round. A little extra heat helps the heaters.

It would take me 5-6 years in bulb replacement to equal cost of led. By that time led will need replacing.

When I had T5's, this was over 15 years ago. I was replacing bulbs between 6 to 9 months. Technology has improved, on ballast and bulbs. No basement here in Florida, if there are. There are very few since we are so close to sea level.

I do agree, that LED are not the most cost effective way to go. Myself I do like the shimmering in the tank and also the ability to control the spectrum, ramp up and down, and also the moonlight mode. It is great to be able to see the tank at night except during the new moon phase. Still dark.

FYI I was just looking at the SunPower T5's and they a dimmable. Bulbs are a little less in price the years ago. Some good stuff here.

 

[sfin52]

When I had T5's, this was over 15 years ago. I was replacing bulbs between 6 to 9 months. Technology has improved, on ballast and bulbs. No basement here in Florida, if there are. There are very few since we are so close to sea level.

I do agree, that LED are not the most cost effective way to go. Myself I do like the shimmering in the tank and also the ability to control the spectrum, ramp up and down, and also the moonlight mode. It is great to be able to see the tank at night except during the new moon phase. Still dark.

FYI I was just looking at the SunPower T5's and they a dimmable. Bulbs are a little less in price the years ago. Some good stuff here.

I agree I really love the shimmer of led and if you are in area where heat is an issue led are a great option. I do love the control ability of leds and the blues at night are amazing. There's just not one perfect light. Seems like a combo is the best way to go.

 

[jsker]

I agree I really love the shimmer of led and if you are in area where heat is an issue led are a great option. I do love the control ability of leds and the blues at night are amazing. There's just not one perfect light. Seems like a combo is the best way to go.

Now if I could find the right kit, I might just keep my older AI hydras and add T5's
May questions would be

1. Controlling the T5's to match the current LEDS for ramp up?
2. Finding the right kit for the right look over the tank?
3. How many bulbs?
4. What spectrum of T5 bulbs. I use to run the full spectrum with a dimmer/timer when I had just the T5's.
5. I guess I could us the controller?
6. Just found this setup link

 

[sfin52]

Now if I could find the right kit, I might just keep my older AI hydras and add T5's
May questions would be

1. Controlling the T5's to match the current LEDS for ramp up?
2. Finding the right kit for the right look over the tank?
3. How many bulbs?
4. What spectrum of T5 bulbs. I use to run the full spectrum with a dimmer/timer when I had just the T5's.
5. I guess I could us the controller?
6. Just found this setup link

I would put t5 on a timer for peak time and off middle of ramp down.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Now if I could find the right kit, I might just keep my older AI hydras and add T5's
May questions would be

1. Controlling the T5's to match the current LEDS for ramp up?
2. Finding the right kit for the right look over the tank?
3. How many bulbs?
4. What spectrum of T5 bulbs. I use to run the full spectrum with a dimmer/timer when I had just the T5's.
5. I guess I could us the controller?
6. Just found this setup link

My recommendation

1. T5 hybrid fixture on a timer or time controlled by outlets on controller.
2. Aquatic life has a nice fixture that can hang or has a wall mount that makes the lights look like they float. LEDS affix to the T5 fixture, so makes it even more clean of a look.
3. 4 bulb should suffice. The above mentioned fixture has 2 bulbs (front and rear) with each pair on its own power supply and ballasts.
4. depends on what color you like. If you like blue, use 3x blue plus and either a purple plus or coral plus. If you like a little whiter, use 2x blue plus and 2x coral plus. put one of each in each bank.
5. for on and off, yes. I use a timer for all 4 bulbs in mine, as no need for 80w x4 on a 2 outlets on my Apex.
6. that is fine, but bulbs must be burned in for 50 hours at full power before dimming can be done correctly. This either requires a cheap fixture to burn them in or to do it in the fixture above the tank.

For acclimation, you can just put LEDs on acclimation mode with reduced power for them when the t5s kick on. I did not do this over my 180. I just left the 6x kessils at what they had been at, had the lights cut on for an hour for 2 days, then 2 hours for 2 days and so on. My peak with t5s is now 8 hours with the kessils running 90% at 60% color for 4 hours with a weird kinda modified Saxby schedule for them. It basically has peaks and lows during the course of the day to give the corals a little rest here and there.

Also, for bulbs, if you did a 4 hour peak time, for example, then you would not need to replace every year. Most bulbs are listed for replacement time being 10-12 hours of run time a day. So you get more life out of the bulbs.

I have had my fixture up for about 16 months and just now changed the bulbs. Par was only 7% different from old to new bulbs. Bulbs did not even have the black marks near the ends yet. Not sure on spectrum, as I cannot measure that. I can compare it to my T5 fixture on the nem tank that runs 11 hours a day and at a year I have a 25% drop in par come a year.

 

[jsker]

I would put t5 on a timer for peak time and off middle of ramp down.

I like that, and that is what I used to do, but now that I have a controller I would have the controller be the timer and ramp up.

Your such an enabler ;Hilarious now you have me thinking about pulling the trigger and getting the T5 kit;Hilarious

 

[jsker]

Also, for bulbs, if you did a 4 hour peak time, for example, then you would not need to replace every year. Most bulbs are listed for replacement time being 10-12 hours of run time a day. So you get more life out of the bulbs.

If I run my lights for 12 hour with 4 hour of peak time, then I would not have to change the bulbs as often?

 

[sfin52]

I like that, and that is what I used to do, but now that I have a controller I would have the controller be the timer and ramp up.

Your such an enabler ;Hilarious now you have me thinking about pulling the trigger and getting the T5 kit;Hilarious

I've had great teachers.

 

[sfin52]

If I run my lights for 12 hour with 4 hour of peak time, then I would not have to change the bulbs as often?

That's how I read it.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

If I run my lights for 12 hour with 4 hour of peak time, then I would not have to change the bulbs as often?

Correct. Most recommendations for t5 bulb replacement assume 10-12 hours of the bulbs being run a day. If you use them to supplement and not acheive the no shading period during your peak light, then no need for a year being the time to replace.

365 day year w/ 10 hours a day: 3650 hours

365 day year w/ 4hours a day: 1460 hours

So for giggles, lets say 3500 hours is the life expectancy of the bulbs. That is about a year at 10 hours. 2 years at 4 hours.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Correct. Most recommendations for t5 bulb replacement assume 10-12 hours of the bulbs being run a day. If you use them to supplement and not acheive the no shading period during your peak light, then no need for a year being the time to replace.

365 day year w/ 10 hours a day: 3650 hours

365 day year w/ 4hours a day: 1460 hours

So for giggles, lets say 3500 hours is the life expectancy of the bulbs. That is about a year at 10 hours. 2 years at 4 hours.

How Do I Replace T5 Bulbs and How Often Should I Do It? - ATI North America

We wanted to spend a few minutes talking today about the wonderful world of T5 bulb changes. It may come as a surprise, but the question of “How often do I need to change my bulbs?” is one of the most popular questions we receive! Admittedly, some people might be a little afraid to ask... View...

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