This Was A Fun Little Project. T5 Retrofit.

Ty Hamatake · Mar 9, 2017

revhtree said:
Well done!

Thank you! It was definitely worth the effort.

Kenfishy · Mar 9, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
The T5s are wired separately from the LEDs. The kit comes with a ballast and a three prong plug to plug in separately from your current light source.

This specific kit is an add-on (retrofit) to your current light source. If you don't have your lights yet there are much easier, and cheaper, options to go with.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/sun-blaze-t5-ho-lighting-fixture-sunlight-supply.html is a good "budget" choice.

Also, seeing how easy T5s are you use, I would definitely suggest going with them. If you want more options a hybrid is a good choice, but the cost definitely goes up with that option.

Also 2 bulbs would probably not work as a primary light source. You'd probably need at least 4.

Ty Hamatake · Mar 9, 2017

Kenfishy said:
I tried a coral plus with a blue plus and tried to compensate by turning up the blues on the hydras. But I found it works better to do 2 blue plus and turn up the whites on the hydras instead.

I feel like that may be what I end up doing. Thanks for the tip!

Tokash23 · Mar 9, 2017

Thanks for the info i am still very undecided on what i am going to do for lights. I will probably just go led in the end, but adding t5s is intriguing. Nice tank by the way

Tokash23 · Mar 9, 2017

Kenfishy said:
Also 2 bulbs would probably not work as a primary light source. You'd probably need at least 4.

Noted thanks for the headsup. I was almost pondering completely piecing together my own fixture but would still be missing out on things that i like about leds in the end (ramping and intensity control).

Ty Hamatake · Mar 9, 2017

Tokash23 said:
Thanks for the info i am still very undecided on what i am going to do for lights. I will probably just go led in the end, but adding t5s is intriguing. Nice tank by the way

LEDs are fun, T5s are easy, both are good choices and it just depends on what you want for your tank! Do you have a build thread going? And thank you! Hopefully these lights helps liven everything up.

Tokash23 · Mar 9, 2017

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/282987/

Things have kind of come to a halt monetarily but this is my progress so far im hoping for alot of growth when i get things going but time will tell.

Ty Hamatake · Mar 9, 2017

Tokash23 said:
Noted thanks for the headsup. I was almost pondering completely piecing together my own fixture but would still be missing out on things that i like about leds in the end (ramping and intensity control).

Just an FYI, there are dimmable ballast (the one I got is). You would need a controller to take advantage of it I think, but if you were planning on having one anyway... after the "burn-in" phase for the bulbs you can ramp up and down for the "sunrise/sunset" if you want.

Just so you don't limit yourself to LEDs for that one purpose.

Tokash23 · Mar 9, 2017

Ty Hamatake said:
Just an FYI, there are dimmable ballast (the one I got is). You would need a controller to take advantage of it I think, but if you were planning on having one anyway... after the "burn-in" phase for the bulbs you can ramp up and down for the "sunrise/sunset" if you want.

Just so you don't limit yourself to LEDs for that one purpose.

Interesting....learning new sstuff all the time ill have to look into it thanks for the tips!

john.m.cole3 · Mar 13, 2017

Awesome Sauce. very effective

Clayton Jessup · Apr 20, 2017

That looks really good what size tank is that on a 75g ?

Ty Hamatake · Apr 20, 2017

Clayton Jessup said:
That looks really good what size tank is that on a 75g ?

Thank you! Yeah it's a 48" 75 gallon.

Clayton Jessup · Apr 21, 2017

That's a great hood I am staring a slow 75g build as well

Ty Hamatake · Apr 21, 2017

Clayton Jessup said:
That's a great hood I am staring a slow 75g build as well

Thank you, I put a lot of effort into it! Do you have a thread going? I love my 75, it is the perfect size for me right now. Plenty of space to scape and not a whole lot of limitations on what fish you can keep comfotably.

Clayton Jessup · Apr 21, 2017

As of yet I do not have a thread started yet , but I drilled it my self with a 3/4in return line and a Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow

I was excited about that

Clayton Jessup · Apr 21, 2017

What type of wood did you use to create the hood ?

Ty Hamatake · Apr 21, 2017

Clayton Jessup said:
As of yet I do not have a thread started yet , but I drilled it my self with a 3/4in return line and a Synergy Reef Ghost Overflow I was excited about that

Very nice. I was going to drill my own tank, but chickened out! What was your experience with it?

I used 1x6 pine, but you can still see the grain of the wood (despite my best efforts to sand it out). I like it, but some people may not. It's hanging on some DIY electrical conduit and cables.

Clayton Jessup · Apr 21, 2017

It looks good I'll say even though yo say u can see the grain .. I have drilled multiple tanks now and I prefer over the large tower overflows which take up Aquascaping Space in a aquarium ..