# T5 light raises water temperature



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

After I installed 6 bulb ATI sunpower T5 with reefbrite xho, y water temperature has risen to 80F from 78F
I hang the light about 6" from the edge of the top tank. My tank is 20" deep.

Is it normal that T5 raises water temperature? Is there anything I am doing wrong here? Help?


----------



## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

6" is a tad too close IMO. 8-10 inches is better IMO. Raising it will help and you can always add a fan blowing across your sump to help of that doesn't fix it.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

8-10" 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

Ok I will hanging it higher


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

You will be very happily with that fixture I have the same one mine is at 9" a little tip to make readjustment after maintenance easier set the height then put tape on the cables were they enter the adjuster on the side that way when you lower the light back down you just lowered to the tape mark


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

aaron86 said:


> You will be very happily with that fixture I have the same one mine is at 9" a little tip to make readjustment after maintenance easier set the height then put tape on the cables were they enter the adjuster on the side that way when you lower the light back down you just lowered to the tape mark
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


What's your water temperature? Are you using some type of cooling device?


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

Nope holding at 78 using a reefkeeper only goes up if I'm running the fireplace 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

80 isn't terribly bad make the adjustment to the high wait 24 hours then see if you need to readjust your heater


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

aaron86 said:


> 80 isn't terribly bad make the adjustment to the high wait 24 hours then see if you need to readjust your heater
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


My heater is set up to 78 and shut off


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

Never rely on the internal thermostat get a temp controller or at the very least a mercury style thermometer set the temperature using that 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

aaron86 said:


> Never rely on the internal thermostat get a temp controller or at the very least a mercury style thermometer set the temperature using that
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I am using inkbird temperature controler which shut off the heater when it gets to 78. I also have floating thermometer in the tank


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

Oh ok I miss understood 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

T5's are pretty hot bulbs in general, right under MH's. In my new system i've taken it into account to help save a bit of cash. During the day the tank stays at 76.8 with the lights on and during the night time the tank goes down to 75 without the lights. My system is setup for this and the controller turns off at 77 just in case if it ever gets over. Although I have quite a bit more water than you to fool around with.

The real question here is "why is everyone using an inkbird when they could have just bought a controller?"


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

altcharacter said:


> T5's are pretty hot bulbs in general, right under MH's. In my new system i've taken it into account to help save a bit of cash. During the day the tank stays at 76.8 with the lights on and during the night time the tank goes down to 75 without the lights. My system is setup for this and the controller turns off at 77 just in case if it ever gets over. Although I have quite a bit more water than you to fool around with.
> 
> The real question here is "why is everyone using an inkbird when they could have just bought a controller?"


How do you keep it at 76 using T5?


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Again I have a total volume of 165g of water to work with. I have the opposite problem you have with heat. Right now I have a total of 400w of heat going thru my 40g sump and it isn't enough. I need to add another 200w heater if I want to bring it up to 77 or 78.

Your smaller tank will heat up much faster, but will also cool faster as well. Which you would need to worry about if a blackout ever occurred. 

I agree with everyone else about raising the lights. They should be around 10" or so above the water for a few reasons. One of course would be the heat that the unit throws off. Another would be the total spread of the lights. And lastly, the salt spray that hits the lights will decrease the life of the lights in the long run.


----------



## deeznutz (Aug 21, 2013)

You need a real controller, whether its balls to the wall or just a simple Reef keeper lite. For $150 bucks, you can't beat it.


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

deeznutz said:


> You need a real controller, whether its balls to the wall or just a simple Reef keeper lite. For $150 bucks, you can't beat it.


How would a real controller solve my issue?


----------



## aaron86 (Jan 1, 2012)

I just looked up the inkbird it's not great but not terrible either the hysteresis sucks though plus or minus 1 degree but better than not having one at all 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

aaron86 said:


> I just looked up the inkbird it's not great but not terrible either the hysteresis sucks though plus or minus 1 degree but better than not having one at all
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It has been pretty spot on when I compare it with my floating thermometer in the tank


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Something like a RKL will make things much more manageable in the long run. First off it had a built in temp probe to keep your tank running at the right temperature. Then it has three other plugs that can be controlled, which you could use the internal timers to run any type of lighting. You can also use one of the plugs for a refugium light, ATO, dosing pumps, skimmer neck swabbie, auto feeder...The ideas are almost endless


----------



## deeznutz (Aug 21, 2013)

Just like anything, probes have to be calibrated. How do you know you temp is spot on from a floating thermometer? You need something like a Thermopen to really know what the temp is. Cross reference it with ice water and boiling water.

A controller is by far the best piece of equipment in a tank. Can you go without it? Sure, but why? I'm sure you have more the $150 in live stock. Just makes sense to me, I guess.

A real controller won't bounce back and forth like a heater will. It uses a programable hysteresis and you can set it to you needs.

Just my $0.02


----------



## canadianeh (Dec 26, 2016)

I raised it to 9" this morning, and the temp has been holding steady around 78 and some change. I think the height adjustment solved the issue. 
Thanks guys for the advice!

I am planning to get an Apex in the future.


----------



## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Good to hear the temp came down. In the long run it's better for the tank and its critters anyways!


----------

