LED Lighting Suggestions

[Walter White]

For what its worth. There have been several very long discussions on RC regarding the best ballast for Running T5. A lot of experts involved with a lot of experience. The general consensus among the T5 experts is that the Philips Advance ballast is the best on the market for running these bulbs. Also since they haven't been branded for the Aquarium trade they are also some of the cheapest.

I am running the 54W version of these myself. Here is a link to the 39W version if you are interested.

http://www.lighting-spot.com/icn2s39.html?fee=9&fep=1310&gclid=CJX2xb7d7McCFY81aQod3S4Nrg

 

[Walter White]

This is the other most recommend ballast out there also cheap!

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-51479-2X39-24T5HO-Fluorescent-Ballast/dp/B00875YUZQ

 

[SynDen]

Not sure, I got mine off Reef Geek when they were still open but I was under the impression that BRS was basically the same kit. But looking at http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/4-ft-let-lighting-miro-4-t5-high-output-retrofit-kit.html the picture pretty clearly shows HEP ballasts
and well looking around the net and at my ballast, it appears that almost all the ballasts out there are HEP
http://premiumaquatics.com/products...ballast.html?gclid=COPNrf_f7McCFYQ-aQod5mULBQ

 

[SynDen]

For what its worth. There have been several very long discussions on RC regarding the best ballast for Running T5. A lot of experts involved with a lot of experience. The general consensus among the T5 experts is that the Philips Advance ballast is the best on the market for running these bulbs. Also since they haven't been branded for the Aquarium trade they are also some of the cheapest.

I am running the 54W version of these myself. Here is a link to the 39W version if you are interested.

http://www.lighting-spot.com/icn2s39.html?fee=9&fep=1310&gclid=CJX2xb7d7McCFY81aQod3S4Nrg

Hmm I'll have to try those on my big tank when I get around to the lighting

 

[szavoda]

Just pulled the trigger - $1800 in lighting on the way from BRS. Hopefully my credit card is safe with them these days (I got zapped by their latest hack) ! Finally be able to start getting some of those corals that everyone has been offering!!

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

Just pulled the trigger - $1800 in lighting on the way from BRS. Hopefully my credit card is safe with them these days (I got zapped by their latest hack) ! Finally be able to start getting some of those corals that everyone has been offering!!

Did you go with the Kessils then? What else did you get?

 

[szavoda]

Yea:

3x Kessil 360w-e
4x LET 36" Retro kits
4x ATI Coral Plus bulbs
4x ATI True Atinic

If the bulbs aren't exactly what I want, I will switch them out, but I think they will do ok. I have to start re-designing the lighting enclosure to work with these, but it should be pretty easy.

 

[szavoda]

Oops - Totally forgot about the connector cables. I also added an Apex LSM lunar module with 3 LEDs.

 

[lpsouth1978@msn.com]

Hopefully the T5's will help reduce the shimmer of the Kessils! I recently saw a tank with only Kessils and the shimmer was OUT OF CONTROL!! I love shimmer, but this was WAY too much and distracted me from enjoying the tank. The T5's should help with that. Beyond that, I have no experience with them, but have always worried about coverage.

 

[zombie]

Hopefully the T5's will help reduce the shimmer of the Kessils! I recently saw a tank with only Kessils and the shimmer was OUT OF CONTROL!! I love shimmer, but this was WAY too much and distracted me from enjoying the tank. The T5's should help with that. Beyond that, I have no experience with them, but have always worried about coverage.

A lot of that is the level of surface agitation too. As long as you don't blast the surface with your pumps, the shimmer is really nice with most high end leds (especially kessils)

 

[szavoda]

You mean like with my Gyre

 

[Shaunv]

I have a 2 bulb fixture from Aquatic Life and a 2 Bulb fixture from Aquatraders. The Aquatraders was super cheap but works well. The bulbs I use are 2 ATI Coral+, 1 ATI Blue +, 1 Geisseman aquablue. The coral+ is really pinkish if you don't run a blue light with it. With the blue light though, it's great. I am also using 1 Kessil 350 but will be swapping that out for 2 160's over my 40 breeder.

 

[Miah2bzy]

LED Lighting Suggestions

Nice setup with the t5s. I put a 2 t5 setup on my nem tank and really like the coral plus blue plus combo from ati. On my other tank I'm running 2x48" geismann pure actinic and those are nice too.
When it comes time for pictures you'll want to take photos with a tripod under your different lights and then blend the photos together, I do this with my halide/T5 setup and that's the best photo I've been able to get yet.