reefshops? and more???

Currently in the moving process, fish are all outside on the porch right now in their old 50 gallon awaiting their new tank. I'm picking up a uv filter, overflow box, and a couple of those koralia knockoff double headed sunsun powerheads from reefshops.com, and i'm reeeeaaaally tempted to pick up a t5 light setup from them as well.

it's between this
T5 HO LIGHT FIXTURE 6X54W 1.2M
and this
T5 HO LIGHT FIXTURE 6X80W 1.5M

i have a 135 gallon 5 feet wide 26 inch tall 18 inch deep tank and i'm going with a pretty deep sandbed so everything will be at 20 inches deep and up. i figured i could get away with the 4 foot wide 324watt fixture, just might have some slightly darker sides on the tank.

So the lights do not have individual refectors, there is only 1 power chord so setting up a timer for actinics and daylights wouldn't work, no built in moonlight (don't laugh i like those things) and i don't think there are fans (wording throws me off).

anybody have an experience with these lights or just be able to throw some advice/opinions/criticism/aloha this way?

Here's my tank before the move

 

Great prices there but I don't have any experience with that light.

 

I think there is a real quality issue with the flat reflector and no fan.

If you are handy with tools make your own canopy and put a 6X54W high bay T5HO fixture from Prolighting.com in there. It has good ballasts and a molded reflector that goes around the bulbs like individual reflectors and mount a computer fan on the side where the silk screen label is on the bulbs.

 

Yeah, i realize i'd lose some light without the individual reflectors. the prolighting setup looks good but even then i'd have to add in the fan, there isn't anyway to setup a seperate light timer and i'd also have to purchase 6 bulbs and make the canopy still, and its also more expensive shipped before any of that.

I've basically made up my mind that i am going to be picking up one of the 2 light setups (unless convinced otherwise), now i'm just not sure which one it's going to be. i know that the 6x54 watts would be enough for the size and depth of my tank, but i figured i'll be losing some light without the individual reflectors so maybe i could make up for that with the 6x80 setup.

6x54 -
pros: cheaper, uses less power, distributes less heat, should be enough lighting, standard 48inch fixture makes it easier for replacement bulbs
cons: might not be enough light (no individual reflectors), light won't fit tank without canopy or modification to legs, leaves 6 inch lightless gap on both sidses of tank

6x80 -
pros: WILL be enough light, light also covers entire length of tank, less chance of having to upgrade,
cons: more power used, more heat to the tank, might be overkill, may cause algae blooms (i'm gonna try to run the stock bulbs)

so far i'm leaning towards the 6x80 because i think i'd rather go bigger now than regret it later and not have enough lighting for some corals down the road. either way i'm planning on putting in some computer fans and hopefully wiring the lights to 2 seperate plugs so that i can use a timer for actinics and daylights.

 

Ive been looking at those lights as well for a while.. the guy sells them on ebay too. shippping is pricey but the item cost is so low it evens out. if you do get them, let me know how you like them.. as for the flat reflector, UVL sells a t5 bulb with internal reflectors that help alot with flat or parabolic reflectors. you could eventually use those bulbs and more light will get into the tank. I know I use there PC-Rs and have seen PAR reports with the internal reflectors on there PC-Rs and T5s..

 

i wondered if anybody made anything like that, thanks a bunch man, my future is looking less bleek

 

go with the 5' 6x80w fixture.. cover the whole tank.. let me know how they work out please..

 

one more question while i'm asking, UV sterlizer, worth it? i'm buying as much stuff as i need 1 time to save on shipping from china.

 

Hold it, stop the music! Your saying you have a 135 gal tank that is 5' long and 18" wide, you don't have a canopy and your considering a 48" fixture? I would get the 60" if this is what you can afford now and swap it out later when you get more money. The only advantage to 48" fixtures are the bulbs are made by more manufacturers as we speak but that will change.
I have a 72"x24"x29" tank and I have a 47" and a 23" retrofit 8 deep T5 fixtures. I had a 4' 120 gal tank previously so I just bought a 23" and put them together side by side. Retrofit fixtures are about 1" shorter in length to allow for the shorter working area. It's still the same size bulbs. I have them on a sliding shelf that I built inside a 15" high canopy. All in due time my man. I've been doing this for a long time. Whatever way you go is up to you, it just depends on what your future plans are. Corals do like light though. I do like your corals.

 

The prices on that site seem really good though! They dont look to be in the US though, unless I am mistaken....where are they?

Also just make sure whatever you buy is new and not a refurb or return!