Would this work for tank lighting?

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dorkfish

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Jul 25, 2005
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Yes, but you'd probably want to change the bulbs to a more "marine-ish" spectrum. Also, it would be better if you could get a a fixture with parabolic reflectors, wich greatly increases the effeciency of the fixture.
 

AshtonMitchell

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Aug 11, 2007
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it would but i would get a different spectrum for the bulbs.
 

Fishieness

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Jan 14, 2006
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one with individual reflectors would be MUCH better. and yes, youll ahve to replace the bulbs.
 

Subliminal

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Feb 21, 2007
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There's nothing wrong with 6500k bulbs with actinic support. That's what the PC fixture i had had, and some of my corals were growing like crazy.

:)
 

fsn77

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Feb 22, 2006
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There are T5 users that work a 6500K bulb into their set-up, even seen a few people using bulbs with a lower K rating than that (I think it was 3000K or 3500K). A reef tank running heavy on 6500K T5 bulbs will likely start to look pretty yellow, but bulb choice (to an extent) is as much about personal preference in regards to appearance as it is coral growth. It also depends on what corals are going to be in the tank.
 

Amphiprion

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Feb 14, 2007
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Well, with the better tubes, bluer T5 lamps run almost as bright as their lower kelvin counterparts. Because of this, it almost boils down to a matter of personal taste. I think a mix of colors looks the most natural (more of a crisp white), whereas many others prefer the bluer look. I can bet that even the lower PAR higher end bulbs will outdo any one of those in that fixture. As far as the 3000K goes, it is great for color enhancement and PAR, but you need to have at least 6 bulbs to temper the color.
 

mosthated

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Jul 25, 2007
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so what should i be looking for in a t5 light fixture?
i know single reflector for each bulb what else?
i dont have a canopy so i was looking for a unit type deal.
but i could make one if retro fit kit would be better but i kinda wanted to but i dont know anything about ballast or end caps, all this stuff i see lol...
educate me!
 

Amphiprion

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The best fixtures (or DIY retrofits) all include individual reflectors (FYI, IceCap SLR reflectors are the best in terms of punching light down) and active cooling via fans (very important, especially if you are overdriving--but still necessary normally, as it gives you a 20% light boost). Lastly, it boils down to bulb choice. Some lamps can have literally double (or more) light (in PAR) than other tubes--for this purpose, ATI, GE, and UVL bulbs are the better ones. Bulb choice is a matter of taste in the end, though, but the former factors are the most important in any fixture or retrofit kit.
 
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