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arthuriv 
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 Topic: Good or Trash?
Posted: September 03 2010 at 5:28pm |
Does anyone here own one of these AquaticLife T5 lights or know anything about them? If so what do you think about it. I'm considering buy the 72" 12x39 with 6 LED lunar lights for my 210 gallon tank.
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72 Inch 12x39 Watt AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture w/ 6 LEDs |
Thank you!
Arthur
Edited by arthuriv - September 04 2010 at 11:05am
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arthuriv
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 11:06am |
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No one?
Edited by arthuriv - September 04 2010 at 11:07am
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SGH360
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 11:12am |
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if your going to spend money on one of this consider buying a tek light fixture or better yet an ATI fixture
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kody72
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 12:11pm |
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arthuriv
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 6:32pm |
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So what makes the TEK or ATI light fixtures better?
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bugzme
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 6:34pm |
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Better components all around!
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Jeff
125 tank
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T-5 lighting
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I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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arthuriv
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 7:05pm |
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Better components? What ballast, fans, reflectors? Bulbs don't count!
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 7:05pm |
 arthuriv wrote:
So what makes the TEK or ATI light fixtures better?
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ATI's put out about 25-30% more PAR than the Tek fixtures. I recently read a thread where a guy tested the Aquatic Life against an ATI and the ATI was putting out about 40-45% more PAR.
The ATI's are better because everything they are built with is better. Better cooling, better ballasts, better reflectors and much better bulbs. You can get better bulbs for the Aquatic Life but you will drop $20-$30 a bulb.
If you can hang the fixture, use a 60" over your 72" tank. An ATI Sunpower will be plenty for anything you want to do.
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 7:07pm |
arthuriv wrote:
Better components? What ballast, fans, reflectors? Bulbs don't count!
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Bulbs do count. ATI bulbs are better than Aquatic Life bulbs.
When ordering Tek or ATI stuff you get to choose your bulbs. When you are talking about dropping that kind of money on a fixture (the Aquatic Life) and then having to replace all the bulbs? It gets even more expensive.
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Will Spencer
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Posted: September 04 2010 at 7:38pm |
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If you would consider a MH and PC fixture I have a 72" Aquaspace light with 3 150Watt DE MH bulbs and 4 24 Watt PC bulbs for sale for $200. It needs to be cleaned up a bit and needs all new bulbs, but that is a steal for a really nice light fixture. Of course if you are set on T-5's it won't help you much, but I just wanted to throw it out there. This fixture originally cost almost $1400.
Edited by Will Spencer - September 04 2010 at 7:40pm
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arthuriv
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 2:29pm |
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Bulbs don't count because I can put any bulbs I want in. I'm comparing hardware. The only real difference I believe there may be is ballast!! Reflectors are either made by the same company or made of the same material, but could possibly be formed differently. Fans are fans. What else is there to a T5 fixture not much but housing and extra luxuries! The AquaticLife fixture has LED lunar lights and a built in three way timer which TEK and ATI don't have. So I really don't see how they could be better!!!
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sterling18
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 3:33pm |
arthuriv wrote:
Bulbs don't count because I can put any bulbs I want in. I'm comparing hardware. The only real difference I believe there may be is ballast!! Reflectors are either made by the same company or made of the same material, but could possibly be formed differently. Fans are fans. What else is there to a T5 fixture not much but housing and extra luxuries! The AquaticLife fixture has LED lunar lights and a built in three way timer which TEK and ATI don't have. So I really don't see how they could be better!!!
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Your right it is the ballasts because they can drive a bulb to perform that much better. As for timers, don't depend on OEM timers as they might fail. Go for a controller. I don't know what I do without one.
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bugzme
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 3:35pm |
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Apparently you are pretty set on this fixture. I would really like to know how well it works.
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Jeff
125 tank
50 gallon sump
T-5 lighting
Rum drinker, Carbon User
I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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Ryan Thompson
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 4:14pm |
arthuriv wrote:
Bulbs don't count because I can put any bulbs I want in. I'm comparing hardware. The only real difference I believe there may be is ballast!! Reflectors are either made by the same company or made of the same material, but could possibly be formed differently. Fans are fans. What else is there to a T5 fixture not much but housing and extra luxuries! The AquaticLife fixture has LED lunar lights and a built in three way timer which TEK and ATI don't have. So I really don't see how they could be better!!!
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Actually you are mistaken.
A fan may be a fan but how it cools the bulbs can be totally different. A T5 bulb needs to maintain a temperature of 95F at the cold spot for maximum performance. To date I haven't found another fixture outside of ATI that can do this.
A reflector isn't a just a reflector. Almost all of them are made out of different materials or coated differently. Also how they are shaped plays a huge role in how much light gets redirected back into the tank. A crappy design can cause what is called restrike. Where light hit the bulbs again and doesn't find its' way into the tank.
If a timer and lunar lights makes a fixture "better" to you. Then get that fixture. But what makes a fixture better to me and most others is how much light is it giving my corals.
Two very different ways to look at a fixture.
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arthuriv
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 4:17pm |
bugzme wrote:
Apparently you are pretty set on this fixture. I would really like to know how well it works. |
Its not that I'm set on this fixture, its just I like the idea of having the lunar lights tho I've never had them and the timer is just a bonus. Also I'm able to purchase this light at wholesale for a lot cheaper. I can also get the TEK's wholesale but only 36" and 48" at this time. Ultimately I would love to get one of the Ice Cap fixtures but they cost much more and I can't convince the wife to let me spend that much and if I do I have to let her spend that much as well. Currently I'm running UV lighting T12 bulbs with an Ice Cap 660 ballast bulb I need new bulbs and would like to upgrade to T5's at this time and rewiring the 660 ballast to T5's and buying reflector cost as much as buying a fixture. So the idea is to eventurelly replace the ballast in any fixture I buy with the Ice Cap 660 ballasts and run UV lighting T5 V-HO bulbs.
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bugzme
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Posted: September 05 2010 at 4:22pm |
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Actually I would like to get rid of my Icecap 660 and change to 2 regular ones. I really don't like overdriving! The ends are already turning black and I have 3 fans running whenever the lights are on.
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Jeff
125 tank
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T-5 lighting
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I KNOW ROCKS THAT ARE YOUNGER THEN ME!! I AM A Realist! I write what I think!!
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Luckedout
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Posted: September 06 2010 at 12:14am |
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This may be off topic, but what good are lunar lights anyways?
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-Ben
90g Mixed reef
www.body-balancechiropractic.com
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SGH360
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Posted: September 06 2010 at 12:19am |
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they kinda look cool at night stimulate nightfall. honestly you can purcahse them seperatly, and get a good fixture.
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: September 06 2010 at 3:14pm |
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Also, There are now PC-R tubes that do better than ordinary PC's with a reflector and can make coral look colorful too. If it was me, I'd take Wills offer. That's the best lighting for the $.
Oh and moonlights can be purchased at Walmart for $5
Edited by Mark Peterson - September 06 2010 at 3:15pm
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SGH360
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Posted: September 06 2010 at 3:15pm |
what does R stand for Reloaded? Any info of what brands carry this fixture
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