Aquatic life t5 hybrid questions plz help:)

[Rickdareefa]

I'd like to put a t5 hybrid over my new 40b frag tank build. I'm going to put a hydra on it. Can you adjust how far apart the t5 bulbs are apart? Is that why they sell the end caps? I have another brand t5 hybrid but it feels too wide for the 40 breeder.
Thx for your help$

 

[sharis100]

Mine are fixed. Maybe you can get build a bracket from Tslot? Or use those brackets that come off the led and add bars instead of T5?

 

[Rickdareefa]

Mine are fixed. Maybe you can get build a bracket from Tslot? Or use those brackets that come off the led and add bars instead of T5?

I'm just trying to figure out if you can make the fixture skinnier front to back with brackets they sell in this pick it looks like the 2 dual t5 bars can be fitted to a skinnier bracket is that right?

 

[sharis100]

So if you remove the side brackets and use tslot drilled to make smaller, and middle bracket smaller - although with a hydra on it you are limited to the width needed to place hydra, then you might be able to narrow slightly but definitely not worth doing in my opinion. Either get the kind you can twist the T5s to direct them in, doesn’t @scottw sell a noop version that twists and you can use with any led? Or live with some light spillage with the Aquatic Life fixed fixture, or try another solution to give you what you want. At this point, with T5 bulbs probably going the way of the dinosaur, try extra led bars maybe?

 

[Rickdareefa]

So if you remove the side brackets and use tslot drilled to make smaller, and middle bracket smaller - although with a hydra on it you are limited to the width needed to place hydra, then you might be able to narrow slightly but definitely not worth doing in my opinion. Either get the kind you can twist the T5s to direct them in, doesn’t @scottw sell a noop version that twists and you can use with any led? Or live with some light spillage with the Aquatic Life fixed fixture, or try another solution to give you what you want. At this point, with T5 bulbs probably going the way of the dinosaur, try extra led bars maybe?

Yea I know but I've tried soo many times to steer away from t5 but nothing else performs the same. Noop is what I have on the other 40b but it still seems to wide on a 40 cuz the angle I put them at is pretty steep so the edges of the tank kinda lose out.

 

[sharis100]

You can always build a canopy or a T slot holder

 

[Rickdareefa]

You can always build a canopy or a T slot holder

Meaning use a retrofit kit? I'm not to fond of those. I just want an aestetically appealing hybrid that fits a 40 breeder

 

[sharis100]

The Aquatic Life fixtures look sleek and aesthetically pleasing as is, but they are wide. Taking the hydra and suspending light bars off the sides using Tslot or maybe a premade solution like reefbreeder would look aesthetically pleasing in a smaller foot print.

 

[Cook]

The standard width of the Aquatic Life T5 fixture is 18". Brackets and end caps to change the width are available directly from Aquatic Life. I currently have 19.4" brackets and endcaps on mine to fit a Mitras when it was over my 40 breeder. Aquatic Life does make a 16" bracket that is currently out of stock. You would need to ask them when they are expecting more in or if you are handy you could potentially drill holes in the 18"' frames and cut them down to fit. I will be posting my fixture for sale soon when I can locate the original 18" parts as I intend to keep the 19.4" parts. I don't have the 18" endcaps, just the brackets and supports.

 

[Steve Burton]

Hmmm, perhaps the 40B is the problem here, sounds like time to upgrade to a 2x4 footprint 60 or 80 lol. You need more room for corals anyway!

 

[wantsummora acropora]

I'd like to put a t5 hybrid over my new 40b frag tank build. I'm going to put a hydra on it. Can you adjust how far apart the t5 bulbs are apart? Is that why they sell the end caps? I have another brand t5 hybrid but it feels too wide for the 40 breeder.
Thx for your help$

I had an AI t5 hybrid which I dismantled and you could on that one but you would have to rebuild it and change the reflector.

 

[timeconsumer]

How do you feel about some mild DIY Work?

You could buy something like a 4x24w Agrobrite T5 fixture and cut out a hole in the center, remove the two center bulbs, and install the Hydra in the hole that you cut out.

 

[Adam]

With a 40B even 2 T5's with an LED fixture is going to be a lot of light if they are both on at the same time. I have two Black boxes and two 36" T5's over a 60 Frag that's 4'x2' and it's more than enough. Four T5's over a 40B would need to have the LED turned off when they are on or the par would be over 400 at the bottom of that shallow of a tank.

Would a couple of Orphek LED bars be something you'd consider? They get very close to Blue+ T5 and never need to have the bulbs replaced. And two of those would put you right in the same price range after you buy the T5 bulbs and they have great mounting options.

 

[myvwrock]

With a 40B even 2 T5's with an LED fixture is going to be a lot of light if they are both on at the same time. I have two Black boxes and two 36" T5's over a 60 Frag that's 4'x2' and it's more than enough. Four T5's over a 40B would need to have the LED turned off when they are on or the par would be over 400 at the bottom of that shallow of a tank.

Would a couple of Orphek LED bars be something you'd consider? They get very close to Blue+ T5 and never need to have the bulbs replaced. And two of those would put you right in the same price range after you buy the T5 bulbs and they have great mounting options.

I have a six bulb t5 fixtur and it a good amount of light on my 40b

Sent from my LM-K500 using Tapatalk

 

[Rickdareefa]

Hmmm, perhaps the 40B is the problem here, sounds like time to upgrade to a 2x4 footprint 60 or 80 lol. You need more room for corals anyway!

I would love to go bigger but don't have the room. Plus the frag tank I'm replacing is tied into my system and going any bigger would require more upgrades I don't wanna pay for:$

 

[Rickdareefa]

With a 40B even 2 T5's with an LED fixture is going to be a lot of light if they are both on at the same time. I have two Black boxes and two 36" T5's over a 60 Frag that's 4'x2' and it's more than enough. Four T5's over a 40B would need to have the LED turned off when they are on or the par would be over 400 at the bottom of that shallow of a tank.

Would a couple of Orphek LED bars be something you'd consider? They get very close to Blue+ T5 and never need to have the bulbs replaced. And two of those would put you right in the same price range after you buy the T5 bulbs and they have great mounting options.

What kind of t5 fixtures are you using to do that? 2 single fixtures? Or a retrofit? Care to show a pic?

 

[Adam]

What kind of t5 fixtures are you using to do that? 2 single fixtures? Or a retrofit? Care to show a pic?

It's a completely diy retrofit. This isn't something I would have in a living space. The mounts and wires are mostly inside the black boxes. The ballast is actually a spacer for the boxes.

Here's another right after I made it.

 

[Rickdareefa]

Oh wow that's cool! But definitely above my pay grade:0 plus this is my man cave so I'm looking for a good clean look but props on the construction don't think I could pull that off. Very

 

[Rickdareefa]

Oh wow that's cool! But definitely above my pay grade:0 plus this is my man cave so I'm looking for a good clean look but props on the construction don't think I could pull that off. Very

I'd probably electrocute my self or set the house on fire

 

[Adam]

I would take a good hard look at the Orpheks. It will give to the clean look you're after and not have all the light bleed T5's have.
@Trizzino post up some pics for Rick please. @dball711 swears by them too.