T-5 Reflector Question?

[jquigley78]

Since I currently own a tek light with 6 bulbs, I am trying to maximize its efficiency, and was wondering if you can upgrade to Icecap reflectors, by taking out the SLS reflector? Has anybody tried this. Also I will be lowering the fixture, once I get the seaswirl out of the way, which only allows me to keep the lamps at about 6-7" above the water to 2-3" above the water. Also I am going to be adding a fan to blow across the top of the unit, to keep the bulbs running cooler. Are there any other suggestions or something that I am overlooking? I am getting really good growth on my SPS and my LPS have all adjusted to the t-5s, I am just looking to see what a little more light will do to color up some of my SPS.

[Chad Vossen]

upgrade your daylight bulbs to the icecap 660 ballast and keep your actinics on a normal driven ballast.

this is all i got on the subject. do be carefull, with 6 T5s, it is possible to burn your corals from "too much light". at least this is what i have heard from reefcentral.

[David Grigor]

Icecap reflectors are wider so it's a no go on trying to retro the reflectors into the fixture and still use all 6. Of course you can gut it, reuse the bulbs, ballast, and endcaps ( although I'd also upgrade to waterproof ) and install them into a canopy.

The Tek uses passive cooling which also makes it ineffecient just from my little tests it was 14% over no fans my fans were in the back of the canopy. Jason got over 20% with fans on the ends of the bulbs. I don't know how well you can add a fan to the fixture but if you upgrade to an icecap you would need the active cooling or your not going to gain much.

[jquigley78]

So, for short term gain, about all I can do is lower the unit closer to the water, which I would think every time you drop the distance by half you are almost doubling the light intensity, True or False? Also will making my photoperiod longer help at all? Currently its at 12hrs for 2 blue+'s and 5hrs for all 6 Bulbs. I did hear something on ReefCentral about blowing a fan across the top of the tek units whikch would help them run better/cooler but there were no statistics to back it up.

[David Grigor]

Fan is a proven with any T5s to increase the output. The only question is how much role the fixture blocks the air. Bottom line there is going to be a gain. I've proved it and so has many others that the cooler the bulb the higher the output.

Yes, you should always strive for as low as you can mount it without getting salt stray. Every inch higher you loose intensity and is linear. The only thing you have to weight is if you use many different spectrum bulbs the closer to the water the less mix/spread and looking at the tank from the side you may see more stripping effect and not a uniform color.

Active cooling, reflectors, height don't really get the attention from most as they should. The amount of light difference from these variables can easily trump the bulb par alone which always looked at so closely and gets all the press.

The ultimate question though is say you did increase output by 10-20%. How does that relate to your coral coloration and/or growth. IMO: Water parameters will play a more important role in growth than a 10-20% gain from light alone. In most cases though, I think the increase light will not play a significant role in these areas but something you probably should strive for. Bottom line: What improvement you can make to your fixture are not going to be a silver bullet.

[jquigley78]

I realize that the light improvements wont be a silver bullet but they are the last perameters that can be improved. My water permaters are perfect
salinity 1.025
Ca 440
Alk 8.8
Ph 8.3
Phospate 0
Mag 1300
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
And these have been this way since I switched to the two part system about 4 months ago. I know I need to lower my lights which are currently about 7" above the water, I just need to get my sea swirl switched to something else since it block how low the fixture goes. I was just looking for any other suggestions reccomendations for improving my light quality without scrapping what I have for the time being

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

[David Grigor]

Yes, 7" is quite extensive. 3-4" should be about the max height. This is going to be a bigger gain than any of the other improvements you can do.