I am planning to upgrade my lighting in my 55G tank. Right now my tank is a FOWLR but I eventually want to convert it to a reef tank. I was looking at ballasts from ballastwise.com for T8 bulbs, but I am confused which model ballast I should choose. If anyone has any info or experience with these ballasts, please help! :help: Any advice would be appreciated :welcome:
Need help with DIY Lighting
- Thread starter bladeruner143
- Start date
How many bulbs are you planning to run?
Will you want to have actinic bulbs on a separate light schedule for dawn / dusk effect? If so, those bulbs would need to be on a separate ballast from the daylight bulbs.
What's the appeal of T8 bulbs for a 55g reef? I'd personally go with T5 HO if you want to stick with a fluorescent style bulb -- high intensity output and individual reflectors available for each bulb.
Will you want to have actinic bulbs on a separate light schedule for dawn / dusk effect? If so, those bulbs would need to be on a separate ballast from the daylight bulbs.
What's the appeal of T8 bulbs for a 55g reef? I'd personally go with T5 HO if you want to stick with a fluorescent style bulb -- high intensity output and individual reflectors available for each bulb.
The T8 were the lighting type that i found the most info on, which is why i was planning on using them. I would like the dusk/dawn effect, so i guess i would like to have the actinic bulbs as well. As for the number of bulbs, i guess that would depend on how many watts each bulbs could put out. Id ideally want a set up that would be able to generate enough light to grow just about anything in my tank without breaking the bank! :eek3:
Honestly, to not have limits on what you can grow in the bottom 1/2 of a 55g, you'd need to consider something other than T8 lighting. I would think that with enough T8 bulbs, you may be able to grow some moderate light SPS corals near the very top of the tank, but that's about it. Most soft corals and many lower to moderate light LPS would probably do fine under an adequete T8 set-up. If you want a clam or anemone, I'd highly recommend choosing some other lighting type.
By the time you piece together a DIY T8 set-up, a few extra dollars should get you a nice DIY T5 HO system. This, of course, assumes you'd be buying everything for either set-up -- endcaps, stand-offs, ballasts, bulbs, reflectors. The largest added expense would be in the individual reflectors for the T5s, as IceCap SLR reflectors run about $20 a piece. But, T8 bulbs don't readily come designed for reefs in 4' lengths, so you'd end up buying twice as many parts and bulbs (to run 2' bulbs; once you step up beyond 2' lengths bulbs for reefs tend to be T10 & T12), adding to your costs quite a bit.
By the time you piece together a DIY T8 set-up, a few extra dollars should get you a nice DIY T5 HO system. This, of course, assumes you'd be buying everything for either set-up -- endcaps, stand-offs, ballasts, bulbs, reflectors. The largest added expense would be in the individual reflectors for the T5s, as IceCap SLR reflectors run about $20 a piece. But, T8 bulbs don't readily come designed for reefs in 4' lengths, so you'd end up buying twice as many parts and bulbs (to run 2' bulbs; once you step up beyond 2' lengths bulbs for reefs tend to be T10 & T12), adding to your costs quite a bit.
So what would the difference between the T5 HO system and the T8 system in terms of parts that I would have to buy?
Each system would require the purchase of appropriate ballasts, bulbs, endcaps, standoff mounts, reflectors.
Here's an example of a T5 HO retrofit kit, which includes all the parts needed to install the lights into a canopy (notice the price includes the bulbs):
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...High-Output_Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_ReefGeek
If you shop around and wait for things to go on sale, you can piece together your own DIY parts for less money. But, that might mean a lot of internet and / or local searching, as well as waiting a couple of months for things to go on sale.
The cost difference for ballasts is probably the biggest difference, however, if you're forced to set up twice as many 2' T8 bulbs compared to fewer 4' T5 HO bulbs, purchasing 2 T5 HO ballasts should be no more or less expensive than buying 4 T8 ballasts.
2 x 54w (4') T5 HO ballast:
http://www.ballastwise.com/item.asp?PID=28&FID=15&level=1
Endcaps and standoff mounts cost pretty much the same for either system...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1
T5 HO bulbs run about $20 a piece for 4' bulbs, while 2' T8 bulbs run $12 - $15. Right there alone, extra money would be spent on T8 bulbs initially and at each replacement than T5 HO bulbs.
T5 HO lighting has the option (and a highly recommended option) for an individual reflector for each bulb, which is said to increase light output to the tank by 200% - 300%
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...5_Retrofit_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_IceCap
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_Sunlight_Supply
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_Sunlight_Supply
When it all comes down to it, if you're going to buy all the pieces (be it separately or in a retrofit kit), you'll get more lighting bang for your buck if you choose T5 HO over T8. Plus, there are dozens of bulb choices available for T5 HO, although there certainly is not a lack of T8 bulb choices.
Here's an example of a T5 HO retrofit kit, which includes all the parts needed to install the lights into a canopy (notice the price includes the bulbs):
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...High-Output_Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_ReefGeek
If you shop around and wait for things to go on sale, you can piece together your own DIY parts for less money. But, that might mean a lot of internet and / or local searching, as well as waiting a couple of months for things to go on sale.
The cost difference for ballasts is probably the biggest difference, however, if you're forced to set up twice as many 2' T8 bulbs compared to fewer 4' T5 HO bulbs, purchasing 2 T5 HO ballasts should be no more or less expensive than buying 4 T8 ballasts.
2 x 54w (4') T5 HO ballast:
http://www.ballastwise.com/item.asp?PID=28&FID=15&level=1
Endcaps and standoff mounts cost pretty much the same for either system...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1
T5 HO bulbs run about $20 a piece for 4' bulbs, while 2' T8 bulbs run $12 - $15. Right there alone, extra money would be spent on T8 bulbs initially and at each replacement than T5 HO bulbs.
T5 HO lighting has the option (and a highly recommended option) for an individual reflector for each bulb, which is said to increase light output to the tank by 200% - 300%
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...5_Retrofit_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_IceCap
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_Sunlight_Supply
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Reflector_for_1-54W_Bulb_by_Sunlight_Supply
When it all comes down to it, if you're going to buy all the pieces (be it separately or in a retrofit kit), you'll get more lighting bang for your buck if you choose T5 HO over T8. Plus, there are dozens of bulb choices available for T5 HO, although there certainly is not a lack of T8 bulb choices.
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