Nova Extreme PRO T5HO or TEK LIGHT T5 Light

alright so i was going to upgrade the lighting i have to one of these two (TEK LIGHT T-5, 48" Light Fixture 8 x 54W lamps by Sunlight Supply* - AquaCave) or (48" 6x54W Nova Extreme PRO T5HO 3x10k/3x460nm Actinics by Current USA*(1081) - AquaCave) and while i was looking around i noticed that one of the lights has one more actinic light then the other one, i was wondering if thats a huge difference or if it doesn't really matter but also i was wondering what you guys thought on the lighting and help me decide witch one i should pick.
appreciate the help

 

I have heard the TEK light is a really nice light. I have the nova extreme pro T5 6x 54 on my 120 and I have not had any issues so far.

 

I believe either of those 2 fixtures would be ideal -for almost anything you want to keep, depending on the depth of your tank - on very deep tanks T5 does not have the penetration of MH lighting - so clams / SPS low or on the sand bed may not be an option
in deep tanks lit by T5

if I had to chose between the 2 above , I would probably go with the 8 lamp fixture as this gives more light and would be great for SPS and Clams ( 6 is OK, but 8 would be better IMO) and also it gives you more flexibility when deciding what tubes to use
you can experiment with different colour temperatures to give the aesthetics you like without sacrifising the light needs of the corals

Steve

 

I just got a 6 x 54w for my 60 gallon and love it the Nova is really well made compared to the coarllife I had before and if it helps sway you options I got mine for 341.00 free shipping and no tax just fallow this link below:

IT COMES WITH THE BULBS TOO!

Current USA Nova Extreme Pro T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 6X54 Watt, 48 inch

 

The Tek Light uses a higher quality reflector and If I'm not mistaken you can choose your own bulbs. The bulbs that come with Nova are not the best. I suggest the TEK but you may want to run a fan across it.

 

I have a Nova Pro 6x54W on my 72 gal. I have a Maxima clam on the sandbed and it is growing and doing well. The Nova comes with a splash shield, legs and bulbs. The Tek doesn't. You can buy a new set of bulbs for the Nova and still be cheaper than the Tek with bulbs and accessories. Plus the Nova is Fan cooled and the Tek isn't.

 

A 6 bulb Tek fixture with good bulbs (ATI, UVL, Giesemann) will probably perform close to an 8 bulb Nova fixture even with all the extras you get with the Nova fixture especially if you use the bulbs that come with the Nova.

What size tank is this going on, and what type of coral are you planning on keeping?

 

I'd say it depends on the depth of the tank. The tank I have (75gal) was previously lit by a TEK 8 bulb fixture and the guy ended up running 6 on it because it was pretty brutal up top. I'll be buying the TEK because I want it hanging and I want a top of the line fixture. If you're planning on mostly LPS and Softies with some SPS up higher you could definately use the Nova. As far as fans, you can buy a $5.99 desk fan at office depot and be fine with it. TEK has my vote though.

 

Don't get the 8 bulb Nova. It doesn't have individually contoured reflectors. The 6 bulb Nova probably has as much output as the 8.

 

The "newer" Nova Extremes (not Pro) supposedly use the same reflectors as the NEP does now..

I personally would opt with a Tek for a few reasons even with the NEP coming with a couple more bells and whistles.

The NEP does have fans, albeit not the best.. As far as cooling on the Tek goes, just run a fan across it or cut out some of the fixture and add computer fans.(Seen it done, supposedly helped them on the prototype for the AC'ed Teks...whenever they come out)

Downside to the Tek's legs is they are overpriced IMO and not all that great. You can adjust them but still too much $$ if you ask me... I would go with the hanging kit if I bought the Tek.

As for the splash shield, I would run my Tek without one, keep it cooler and get more light into the tank. NEP's splash shield unlike ATI or Aquactinic's does NOT help with the cooling and just blocks some of the light. When I tested the PAR on a shielded and UNshielded NEP the UNshielded was quite a bit better.

The Tek is sleek and has better SLRs like stated... ALSO it is built in the USA and Sunlight supply, is great with customer service. Current on the other hand is known for being elusive when people need to contact them. It took my wholesaler days to get ahold of Current and rectify the broken lamp issue with the NEP we had shipped.

I would regardless of the fixture you choose aim for 1 lamp per 3" of tank width for best results.