# New T5HO light fixture....what neons should I get ?!?



## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

Hy guys.

So here's my dilemma... I've been running 4x23W CLF on my 25 gal long(planted RCS/Bee tank) and now I bought a 24" 4x24W T5HO light fixture from someone.

The problem is that, being from a salt water aquarium, it came with 2x white and 2x actinic neons.

I'd like to change the neons and I wanna know what kind of neons should I go for ?!?

Should I go for 4x10000k or 4x6700k or 2&2 or 1&3 or 3&1 ?!?!?

My plants are Crypto, S subulata, HC, some mosses and I'm gonna put together a moss wall soon.

I also have pressurized co2.

So what do you guys think ?!?!

Thanks.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

Depends on the look you want. I personally think 6700k looks pretty great on it's own, but some people prefer warmer and some prefer colder.

One option is to buy a bunch of different temperatures, and have them switch on at different times of the day, to match what the sun naturally does. It won't really effect the plants, but it does make the fish a bit more comfortable than just blasting them with a ton of light.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

Well I only have shrimps in my tank.

Maybe I'll go with 2&2 or 1&3 !!!!


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## jimmyjam (Nov 6, 2007)

go with 3 and 1. or all 67.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

Yeah, I think I'll go with 3&1, just to give it a bulueish color....


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

Are the lights independantly switchable? I have a four light fixture where two bulbs are on one timer, and the other two are on another. As a result, I use a 10,000k and a 6700k bulb for 6 hours and the other matching set is the same for another 6 hours. Both sets overlap for four hours. As a result, I get two hours of medium light, four hours of high light, and another two hours of medium light. Simulates a normal day pretty good I think.

As for the bulbs, I started with just 6700k but when I later added a 10,000k I realized how green the water looked with just the 6700k.

Lee


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

Lee_D said:


> Are the lights independantly switchable? I have a four light fixture where two bulbs are on one timer, and the other two are on another. As a result, I use a 10,000k and a 6700k bulb for 6 hours and the other matching set is the same for another 6 hours. Both sets overlap for four hours. As a result, I get two hours of medium light, four hours of high light, and another two hours of medium light. Simulates a normal day pretty good I think.
> 
> As for the bulbs, I started with just 6700k but when I later added a 10,000k I realized how green the water looked with just the 6700k.
> 
> Lee


Yeah, the bulbs are connected 2&2
http://www.goreef.com/Aquatic-Life-24-4x24W-T5HO-Fixture-w-Lunar-LED.html

And your idea of the light schedule is great...I'll use it it...but I think I'll do it like this:
- I'll get 3x6700k and 1x10000k
- use 1x67000k and 1x10000 for 10 hours(10AM - 8PM)
- use the other 2x67000 for 4 hours(1PM - 5PM)
- use the 2xLED moonlight for 3 hours(8PM - 12AM)

The only "problem" with this schedule is that I have two neons running for 10 hours and the other two are running for only 4 hours so I'm not gonna be able to change them all together, which is kinda annoying...so maybe I'll just go with 2&2 

*BTW, how many hours/day do you keep the light on and between what hours ?!?!*


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## Lee_D (Jun 11, 2010)

My lighting hours are dependant on my work day. They go on just before I leave for work and turn off after I get home. That way the light is on for feeding in the morning and some fish also get a late afternoon snack. I've read that anything over eight hours is a waste of electricity.

Also keep in mind, four bulbs is quite a lot of light. You didn't mention how deep your tank is, but at 24" long it is likely not to deep. You may be spending the next while fighting Algae due to the excess light, so you may not want to compound it by having a long day.

Having said that, I have two of these lights over a couple of crypt tanks and I like them so much I wouldn't buy anything else now.

Lee


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## Sameer (Sep 30, 2007)

On my T8 setup I got for 12 hours with three 1 hours breaks in between. 

btw, if you dont mind, how much was your fixture? Whered you buy it from and where and how much are the bulbs? Thanks


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

My lighting schedule is 12PM-8PM.

About my tank...it's 24" long and 16" high.....the light is 3" above the tank...

I think I'll remove one neon and run with just 2x67000 and 1x10000 for 8 hours.

I do have some algae but I also have the HC that requires some light.....

I bought a 20 gal salt water setup just for this light....I paid 250$ and then I sold everything(livestock, tank, filter...) separately for ~200$.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

If you have algae now, you'll likely have more, as T5HO have more lumens per watt than CFL. Shouldn't be much of a problem since you're running co2 though.

Eight hours sounds like a good plan. I personally do 7 hours at full strength, and 3 hours (1 before full, and 2 after full) with only a couple bulbs.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

That sound like a good plan...what's your schedule ?!??


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

11am - 12pm - 52 watts of 6500k CFL
12pm - 7pm - 120 watts of 6500k T12 + 52 watts of 6500k CFL
7pm - 9pm - 52 watts of 6500k CFL

Pretty simple, but I'm running a DIY rig, so there's only so much I can do.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

How big is your tank Antoine ?!?!

I see you're running 170W for 7 hours.


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## Antoine Doinel (Dec 20, 2010)

It's 65 gallons, so it's really not much light, especially considering most of it is only T12.


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## qwerty (Dec 15, 2009)

If you look into it, the PAR measured from 2 T5HO bulbs should be enough to get you into the range for high-light assuming roughly 18 inches between your bulb and your substrate.

4 T5HO bulbs should put you way far and beyond what you could probably get away with unless you were to suspend the lighting some 20 inches above the top of the aquarium.

3 T5HO might be more feasible but would still need to be raised a bit.

Of course this all changes depending how tall your tank is.

Watts are meaningless. A 24W bulb emits the same amount of light as a 54W bulb. The only difference is that the 54W bulb is longer, so it is emitting this light over a wider area. Thus it requires more Watts to power the bulb. Both bulbs will ultimately be outputting exactly the same amount of light assuming they're using the exact same quality, and design of reflectors, and the bulbs are the same type (T5HO, T8, etc).

Long story short... Google "PAR T5HO T5NO CF" or something along those lines. I personally feel you may find you have far more light than you can use though.

I would link you some info particularly, but it's located on other forums, and I'm not sure how mods, etc might feel about me linking to other forums.

In regards to the bulb types. I use a 6500k and a roseatte. The roseatte to my knowledge emits light in a spectrum that's more useful to plants, though it appears dimmer to our eyes because it doesn't emit much in the yellow/green spectrum. Quite frankly I don't think it's the biggest difference in the world cause I used to run all 6500K bulbs and noticed no real difference in the plants when I switched.


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## Alexpatrascu (Jun 13, 2010)

Thanks a lot qwerty for this detailed info...it actually makes sense...

My tank is 15" high and the light is 3" above the tank.

So maybe I'll use only two bulbs and this way I can alternate them....

About the info from the other forums....maybe you could send them by PM, and hope the mods don't have a problem with that !!!

Thanks


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## Roberacer1 (Aug 21, 2010)

Alexpatrascu said:


> Yeah, the bulbs are connected 2&2
> http://www.goreef.com/Aquatic-Life-24-4x24W-T5HO-Fixture-w-Lunar-LED.html
> 
> And your idea of the light schedule is great...I'll use it it...but I think I'll do it like this:
> ...


If you look at the Aquaticlife setup for freshwater they come with a mixture of 6700K's and 650nm's (rosette). I have one of these 2 bulb rigs on my 30gal tall. It seems like lighting is a non issue on that tank. Actually it may be a bit too much still as I have a problem with red algae (I'm about to do another post regarding this. Fascinating stuff that). I should tell you that green grows well too but I don't consider that a problem as it just tells me that my water is good. Besides the fish eat it. Well some of it anyway. I'm injecting CO2 as well.

When I bought my lights the guy that was working in that department that day told me that "if it was him he would take the 650nm out and buy another 6700k". He thought the fish looked better with the other bulb. I would agree except mine is a blackwater setup. The water itself changes the color of the light. As such the greens are much brighter. The 650nm is specifically a plant bulb. The 6700K is enough to bring out colors of the Cardinals and my Turquise Discus. My Marlburoughs look great too so I think it is just fine lookwise. That said it is a little hard to tell that the spots on my pleco are in fact orange/yellow. (mustard spot) As far as what is needed for the plants. I look at it this way. Of the fixtures sold at the supplier I bought mine from this was touted as the best. Oddly I was looking at Coralife and got talked out of it. Another story there. Aquaticlife has a rep for knowing what they are talking about and they are not singing a song that other manufacturers aren't that way either. I took Aquaticlife at their word. So far I think that was the right thing to do.

I am thinking yours is likely too much light for that tank and if you ever want to have it one for any real amount of time I would probably only use the two bulbs. Like I say even that is alot. For the record probably too much for discus. So I will just keep putting more plants to block it out then. hehe.


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