T-5 Combo question

[Poseidon]

That sounds cheaper then buying 2 off the get go!

 

[chadfarmer]

overdriving bulbs smaller than 5 foot get very hot

i want to say the 3 ft bulbs run at 60w each on the icecap

 

[aquaman3680]

So it would be 60 watts each on a 660?

I will have 4 fans in the canopy, two blowing in and two blowing out. Would this be enough?

Matt

 

[Poseidon]

That is more then I have, (for fans) I have a single 6" fan blowing along the top of the reflectors. My Canopy is open back to though, is yours?

 

[aquaman3680]

Yes it is open back. How are the T-5's heat wise when over driven compared to MH's?

Matt

 

[Poseidon]

I can't give an exact temp drop, but I can tell you I no longer use a chiller. I made the switch to T5 when my chiller quit actually. I had been thinking of trying T5 for a while, and I had been buying bits and pieces here and there for a couple months ahead of time when I found a good deal on a used ballast etc... Anyway, one day I was checking out the tank, and noticed the temp was up to 86, HMMM... that was strange, so I checked out the chiller, and the light was on to indicate it was cooling, but it wasn't! So... That day is when the halides came off and the T5's went on. After about 2 months I sold my halides, and I have not missed them at all! (Well except the shimmer lines.)

I think you will do well with T5, even overdriving they are cooler then the 2 250W halides I had on the tank before.

 

[aquaman3680]

Thanks again! I bought a 430 Icecap ballast just so I can run the day/night effect. Only reason I did that is i got a great deal on it. It was $65 for the ballast the wire harness and there end caps w/ mounting brackets.

When you overdrive T-5's do they reach a maximum limit as to what you can overdrive them to?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Poseidon]

The ballast does that part, there is not a user selectable switch or anything. The Ice caps figure all that out for you. Good price on the 430, it can drive ONLY 2 bulbs though, regardless of lamp length, just keep that in mind.

I think one of my 660's was $75 with harness and heat sink.... Then I bought another for the sump, and a 3rd for back up, and I did not spend more then $100 on any of them. I did end up burning one up, so I need to send it to IC for repair, saltwater in the wire harness = Green Flames! Not a good thing!

 

[coral88]

Where is a good place to get a good deal on a Icecape ballast?

 

[aquaman3680]

If you just check around for used ones on various forums you can find a pretty good deal. I got mine on RC.

Poseidon- So with the 430 will it overdrive the bulbs at all. I was going to put the actinic bulbs on the 430 rather than the whiter bulbs.

As far as bulbs I think I will do

Actinic +
6.5K GE
Aquablue
Actinic +

Would those bulbs get me pretty close to the color you have?

Matt

 

[Poseidon]

Yes, the 430 will overdrive them. As for the bulbs, it will be a little more blue because the actinic + are a LOT brighter then the true actinics. It will have good par though, that is for sure!