Gd news for T5 light searcher!

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

there are T8 and T10 tubes around...basically those are the normal aquarium fluorescent tubes that have been around for eons and also those tubes in our old HDB void deck days...

they are definitely much cheaper...but much bigger as well..

the beauty of T5s is that they produce as much or even more light than the t8 or t10 but yet take a fraction of the space

meaning you can squeeze more tubes and have more light....best of both worlds....but ....more expensive ..haha

T8 and T10 are the normal flo. tubes?....he...he thought they were something different.... Thanks bro Roidan

[roidan]

so T5's are just as good as MH's....

personally i feel that MHs still have the edge over T5s in terms of perfomance....but cooling wise of coz T5s win...hehe

[roidan]

T8 and T10 are the normal flo. tubes?....he...he thought they were something different.... Thanks bro Roidan

basically they are the tua tua gee fluorescent tubes around hardware shops and aquarium shops....

[roidan]

T5= 16mm tube diameter

T8= 26 mm tube diameter

T10= 1 1/4 inch tube diameter

[lightningstrike]

hi bros,

i m only going to use the T5s to supplement the actinic blue effect as i m currently utilizing 2x 150W 10000k MH. color looks a bit yellow. my question is the 30W dymax Bulbs, r they marine blue or actinic blue. it makes a difference. or shall i do away with all the hassle and juz get FLs to supplement the actinic blue. coz at least i noe for sure i will get the true actinic blue effect. e.g. using zoomed coral sun 420Nm.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

yeah , thats why most reefers prefer the MH still in terms of performance and output. Would like to make a change and see if the T5's work just as good on a reef system. Cooling wise I guess it won't be too hard on the chiller itself.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

any place other then k&k sell Dymax? Tampinies very far from leh, i stay CCK

some of your local LFS should be carrying this Dymax brand so you check with them. Heard some shops carrying it at the moment but soon whole of Singapore will be carrying it....he..he

[lightningstrike]

can anyone answer my question on my previous post? anyway, can anyone tell me where is the cheapest place to get this dymax T5s?

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

it's acthinic blue but as for price wise you need to check with your usual local supplier. Some LFS might have different pricing....

[lightningstrike]

hi AP,

but how do u know it is truely actinic blue. it might be normal marine blue for all u know right? issit written on the bulb?

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

Hi , lightningstrike ....no it's not written on the bulb but I asked my supplier and the output and color spectrum is the same as my arcadia. I haven't bought a replacement so that I can actually see whats written on the packaging.

[lightningstrike]

so what brand is the T5 bulb?

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

written as Dymax only....

[Nic a Jon]

Hi lightningstrike,

to answer ur question...the blue tube that is being supplied dymax T5 (bot at aquarama ) was actually just blue/or marine blue. How do I know that? I actually took out the white tube and on the light to see the effect of the blue tube. No actnic effect. I also bot a arcadia actnic blue to compare. For my set, the dymax blue tubes is just blue color.

[jd_n]

Juz take note, dun everythin ask supplier coz they may or may not knw their products, those tat tell u (dunno/not sure) is better than those tat tell u (yes, sure it is, i have sold so many set.....). Its best to verify wat u heard thru proper research be it on the net, feedbacks or even checkin with Dymax itself. Information release by Dym*x regarding its capablitiy of its product must deliever wat's stated or mentioned else the company will be subjected to legal issues provided end user lodge a complain to CASE. As for LFS, they can merely pass off as (someone else told me one, heard it from other reefers ....bla bla....).

Nxt will be the ethics of LFS. It suprising tat we mentioned to others here in SRC to take wat LFS said like a pinch of salt and nw its like, supplier said it is (something) than it is tat (something).

Do note tat anything tat is not written or printed on box, casing, tubes, instruction manual, technical spec....... will not be liable for legal liabilities and it will be more like salesman telling LFS false details or unsured details or worst... its up to the seller to determine. Its not surprising tat one moment u have customer tat goes up and asked:" is it a 20k tube?" and LFS will "Yes". Nxt....will be somebody else who asked" 10k tube?" and "Yes" is the answer.

To those tat have the intention of using T5 for the 4 footer...u may wanna reconsider. T5 is indeed good for 2ft coz u uses less tubes, ur depth is lesser and therefore the T5 is capable of supporting in term or light, intensity, coverage and temperature efficiency for the nano tank.....but for a 4 footes, ur tank shd be betw 2-2.5ft in height and even u have 10 40W T5 which add up to 400W doesn't mean u have 400W of light equvilent to a singel 400W Mh. Tat 10x40W merely mean PUB will be more than happier, tats all. 10 40W T5 will give u good coverage thru out the tank but each tube only give u 40W of light and tat 40W of light with tat intensity can nvr match 150W MH which will give u the intensity thru water up to certain depth. Unless u can get 150W T5, then i would say it as good as MH.

I have dismantled my 3ft T5 before after it failed me. The ballast is very compact and tightly wrapped by rubber with hardly any spec shown. And if u were to modify, any new ballast bought off the self have to be house externally.

I m not sayin Dya*x T5 is not good, its value for money but juz too many ???? tat shd be taken into consideration especially when both 2ft and 3ft tat i owned failed (mayb i m juz to unlucky ).

As for those who want value for their money or on tight budget but y wasted ur money where u could have save it and get something better.

The same concept applies to 2ft upgrading to 3ft then to 4ft......FL to PL to T5 then to MH, even MH also from 150W to 250W then 400W.....1/4hp chiller to 1/2 then 1.25hp.

During process, lots of $ is wasted. Isn't above true life experience tat is revolvin ard us.

Infact if u r on tight budget or living off allowance, u shd nvr have pick up this hobby coz when certain addictives or equipment fail...u have to ask urself how soon can u replace them and once replace, days, wks or mth.....and can ur corals be compromised? Or activate reserve $$ then eat grass liao .

[Weapon_Master]

Can say for sure on the spec of the Dymax lights whether it is cheap and good or cheap and useless. I think only time can tell!

I do agree that this cheapo Dymax would be better for shallower tank of 1.5ft as compared to 2 or 2.5ft. The intensity can never be comparable to MH.

Anyhow mine is 1.5ft in height so

Alot also depends on the reliability of the LFS that you bought the equipment. Unless you can be assured that the LFS will be responsible to ensure that equipments are not faulty dont buy from them.

I think the LFS that sold them should offer assistance and even replacement when the fault cannot be fixed.

I dont think I have this problem cause I know I bought it from a reliable LFS and I know him personally.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

jd_n....you mean to say if you're poor or can't afford...one should not go into this hobby?.....

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

Can say for sure on the spec of the Dymax lights whether it is cheap and good or cheap and useless. I think only time can tell!

I do agree that this cheapo Dymax would be better for shallower tank of 1.5ft as compared to 2 or 2.5ft. The intensity can never be comparable to MH.

Anyhow mine is 1.5ft in height so

Alot also depends on the reliability of the LFS that you bought the equipment. Unless you can be assured that the LFS will be responsible to ensure that equipments are not faulty dont buy from them.

I think the LFS that sold them should offer assistance and even replacement when the fault cannot be fixed.

I dont think I have this problem cause I know I bought it from a reliable LFS and I know him personally.

yeah I agree too on that. So far my set is almost out of it's 2 weeks knock out stage according to jd_n....

[arcanehacker]

jd_n....you mean to say if you're poor or can't afford...one should  not go into this hobby?..... 

Nah.. I dun think anyone is so poor as not able to maintain a marine aquarium.

I just think its plain snobbishness for someone to say that..

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

Nah.. I dun think anyone is so poor as not able to maintain a marine aquarium.

I just think its plain snobbishness for someone to say that..

yeah....what kind of remark is that?.....

[Weapon_Master]

Well..... To each its own is all that I can say. There is simply no point arguing over this

Bottomline is ultimately you and only you will decide on what you can afford and what you want. After making your decision thats it. If its a good product and value for $, good for you.

If it turns out to be not so good, dont blame anyone cause everyone here is only advising and not saying you "must" buy this or that.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

he..he..I think my tank alone cost more then his set-up.... but it isn't nice to say that if you can't afford it to forget about ever starting one. The newbies that want to get into this will be turned off for sure..

[jesperlam]

Seems like went back to sch days when my lecturer explained about the calculation!...hahaz (Took Electrical Eng. few yrs back)

Thanks all bros here for all the explaination...very detailed and now have better understanding about the lightings liaoz!

Might get a T5 for my 2 ft tank....hehe

[jd_n]

i m not lookin dwn on poor nor m i sayin tat if one r poor they shd not come into this hobby but one have to really prioties wats impt in life. Tats wat i m tryin to say in my previous thread. I can also be poor at tines when my allowances are used up and my CFO will nag if i were to touch any in the bank. But at least i still have saving and credit cards to rely on.

Now with restricted fianance, do u think the impt thing in ur life now is to get money to sustain urself rather than to sustain ur hobby, unless u r those tat ur fish must eat but u can go hungry. And ultimately, its ur LS tat suffers coz u can't sustain it. ( i dun think the above applies to anybody here, more like guys with lots of committments but there r more thing in life which nd to be pritories before hobby rite.)

Now take it as if u r a student, ur main role is to study and wat ever ur secondary role u wanna take up...by all means but when it come to hobbies which involves LS. U have to really cater for them be it equipments, food, condition.....Now, take it as if u r leavin off ur parents allowance which i believe all students do and unless u have "si fang qian" Is tat sum able to allow u to spend comfortably in sch, socialization, and to maintain ur hobby. If its enough, than wat happened when ur hobby suddenly nd tat extra cash....won't the other 2 be affected like not enough money to eat in sch or go out. Or if u choose to b able to spend comfortably both in sch and goin out and wat will happen to ur LS? suffer?. Shd some hiccups occurs, how r u to sustain wat u have? By asking for more allowances or goin to work to sustain ur hobby? Dun forget ur main role which is to put in 100% into ur studies and after u have graduated, landed urself with a good job, u can do all u want. I belive all ur parents also do not wish their kids to neglect their sch works due to hobby. A small scale mairne tank would be enough to provide with as much enjoyment as a large one and at the same time, maintenance and equipments are much cheaper and easier to maintain. Y go for a big one and in the end tighten ur belt. The same theory applies, save up to go for somethin better, reputable so tat u dun ended spending more.

btw i m juz merely providing some feedbacks abt the T5 tat a few others and i had, tat experienced breakdown in abt 2 wks time and does not means.."Gurantee breakdown in 2wks-1mth time". So dun macham "jd_n say breakdown in 2wks time but my haven leh"

[jd_n]

he..he..I think my tank alone cost more then his set-up.... but it isn't nice to say that if you can't afford it to forget about ever starting one. The newbies that want to get into this will be turned off for sure..

I m glad ur tank cost so much more . There is nuthin wrong to put off newbies tat wanna come into this hobby, i rather they not come into this hobby if they r not prepared and later LS dies or starts selling in pasar malam due to giving up, other committments....bla bla.