WavePoint T5 Questions

Hey everyone,

I have a SS TekLight 4 bulb T5 over my 55g reef with ATI bulbs and it is GREAT! I recently set up a 65g reef and decided to go with the much-less-expensive WavePoint 4 bulb T5 fixture. I have searched but have not found any conclusive evidence with SPS under WavePoint fixtures. I have a few new SPS frags under the light now, but one of them is starting to die. Before I lose any coral, I was debating four options:

1) Ride out the storm and see if the WavePoint fixture will come through as a good light.

2) Purchase another TekLight and swap it out with the WavePoint since I know they work well.

3) Try the Hamilton Fiji Sun 6 bulb T5 fixture since it has more bulbs and pretty great reviews on MarineDepot (Hamilton Fiji Sun T5 HO Light Fixtures w/ LED System).

4) Add on the modular AquaticLife 2 bulb T5 fixtures to supplement the WavePoint fixture (Aquarium Lighting T5 Fluorescent Light Fixture: AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures).

Any thoughts and/or opinions???

 

Option 5) Replace bulbs with Giesmann or ATIs.

 

Nothing?

 

This.

Giesmann and ATI bulbs produce a lot more PAR than regular OEM tubes.

 

Thanks or the reply, Mr. Bill. Do you have a preference on bulb combos?

 

Yes. I prefer all ATI Coral Plus. A 50/50 mix of Coral Plus and Blue Plus looks good, as well.

 

Alright, I just ordered 2x ATI Aquablue Specials and 2x ATI Blu+ bulbs. This is the same combo that I run in my TekLight fixture over the 55g with great results. I'm sure that the ballasts in the WavePoint fixture are not as spectacular as the ones in the TekLight fixture are but I'll share my results!

 

I used that wave point fixture the ballast is fine. The big problem was the reflectors werent that good so I had a low par on the bottom of a 24g aquapod. I swapped the stock bulbs out for kz ones and it looked great. Had sps up fairly high and thy grew fine. That tank was 17.5" tall.

 

Thanks for the info, nc208082! I have a couple SPS frags and they are mid-high up in the tank. I have 4 brain frags on the bottom of the tank and they are doing just fine under the wavepoint stock bulbs. My new ATI bulbs should be in next week so I'm excited to see the difference!

 

I think you will really like them a lot. You'll have to let us know what you think.