Need Help! LED Strips for T-5's - should I or shouldn't I?

[drstratton]

I would like to add led light strips to the outside on both sides of my Nova Extreme 48" T-5 8 bulb Fixture with Lunar Lights

I just ordered new bulbs:
2 ATI Aquablue Special
2 ATI True Actinic 03
4 ATI Coral Plus

I currently have soft corals in my tank, but I will be adding LPS and maybe down the road SPS.

Here is what I'm thinking of buying!

ReefBar 453 nm Deep Actinic Blue Aquarium LED Light 9W/Ft Coral Lunar Moon

http://www.21ledusa.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RB5730BLWP

Or:

ReefBar 2:1 12000k White/Actinic Blue 453 nm Aquarium LED Light 9W/Ft Coral

https://www.21ledusa.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RB573021WP

Would this be overkill on my tank! I would really like to add the shimmer effect of the leds!

Thank you!!!

 

[drstratton]

Maybe I should have put this on the New to Saltwater forum!

 

[twilliard]

What length are you thinking of getting?
Will this be used while all lamps are on or just sunrise sunset?

 

[drstratton]

Morning Todd!
I'm mostly interested in getting the shimmer effect from the LED's, so while the lamps are on and they come with lunar lights so that will be a bonus at night. I sent an email to the maker of the fixture that I'm looking at, but I would also like input from others here!
Thanks!!!

 

[twilliard]

Any day!
I was trying to calculate the par of your new lamps and led strip.
It will be quite impressive!
I think when you get your new lamps in that will help you choose the right nanometer

 

[drstratton]

Any day!
I was trying to calculate the par of your new lamps and led strip.
It will be quite impressive!
I think when you get your new lamps in that will help you choose the right nanometer

Being inexperienced, how will I figure out the correct nm, is there a formula?
Thanks!

 

[twilliard]

No formula for what you are wanting to do.
Is more of what you see.
450nm range gives my tank that shimmer in the morning and night
Once all my other channels come on the shimmer fades down quite a bit

 

[drstratton]

My T5 isn't really adjustable, it has two switches each one controls 4 lamps. I usually just have them come on at the same time, because I don't like the look of the tank with just the white, but I would like to change that and have them start at different times. Any suggestions as to how to best utilize my new bulbs, like maybe have the 4 coral plus come on first and then the AB Special and Actinic come on a bit later. Then if I get the LED strips I will have to figure out how to run those. Thanks!

 

[twilliard]

I would arrange the actinics on one ballast and the rest on the other ballast (switch)
Start the actinics first in the morning to help avoid light shock then an hour later turn on the other switch.
After the 8 hour photoperiod turn the non actinics off leaving the actinics on for the remainder of the the time you choose. (Evening)

 

[drstratton]

That's the problem, I only have two actinics. Maybe two actinics and 2 coral plus and then the 2 AB and the remaining 2 coral plus later?

 

[twilliard]

Let me go look up the spectrums of these lamps

 

[twilliard]

That's the problem, I only have two actinics. Maybe two actinics and 2 coral plus and then the 2 AB and the remaining 2 coral plus later?

That would be a good start!
It will add some early 10k but with the actinic maybe not to bad.

 

[drstratton]

That would be a good start!
It will add some early 10k but with the actinic maybe not to bad.

Thanks Todd! That's what I will do. My new bulbs and Nitrate test kit were supposed to arrive today, but I think they might be stuck in Portland because of the bad weather.

 

[twilliard]

Lets cross our fingers Rene'!

 

[drstratton]

Thanks for the link Todd! I'm going to post the link here for anyone that might read this thread and need this information!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/par-readings-from-sunpower.223967/

 

[reef jacob]

Hey so I have the same problem but on a 48in 8 bulb t5 that has 2 switches and one plug so I cant put a timer on each switch so right now I just do full blast all day which is working for my sps but is a shock for the corals every morning so maybe I could buy a led strip and run that for the morning and evening then have the 8 t5s on for about 8 hours in between the morning and the evening.

 

[twilliard]

Hey so I have the same problem but on a 48in 8 bulb t5 that has 2 switches and one plug so I cant put a timer on each switch so right now I just do full blast all day which is working for my sps but is a shock for the corals every morning so maybe I could buy a led strip and run that for the morning and evening then have the 8 t5s on for about 8 hours in between the morning and the evening.

Are you good with electricity?
There will be two ballasts in it. You can separate the two from the single cord and add another cord to it.
That will give you the ability to run both ballasts on timers

 

[reef jacob]

Are you good with electricity?
There will be two ballasts in it. You can separate the two from the single cord and add another cord to it.
That will give you the ability to run both ballasts on timers

yeah I know to wire and solder so ok ill try that but should I still do the led strips and use them as a dusk and dawn

 

[reef jacob]

and since each switch has 4 bulbs on it what light hours should I do like 2 hours of 4 bulbs then 8 hours of 8 bulbs then 2 hours of 4 bulbs then off

 

[Vaughn17]

How come no Blue Plus in your T-5 combo? Personally, I would replace the AB specials with Blue Plus.