6 or 8 bulb T5 over 120 gallon mix reef

[Coach v]

I am rebooting my reef tank, it will be a mixed reef. It is a standard 120g, 48" x 24" x 24".

I just purchsed two used 48" ATI dimmable fixtures, one is 6 bulb the other is 8 bulb. I plan on trading the one I don't use for lights on my planned 36" long anemone tank (29g tall).

I will probably switch 1 to 2 bulbs out for a led strip for shimmer and perhaps sunrise/sunset.

Would you go with a 6 or 8 bulb setup?

 

[LOVEROCK]

8 bulb for more play or for replacement for leds !

 

[robbiereef8691]

8 bulb I would use just in case lol

 

[N-A-S-O]

I have a Ati 8 bulb on the same exact tank.

 

[RedoubtReef]

8

 

[A. grandis]

8

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I am rebooting my reef tank, it will be a mixed reef. It is a standard 120g, 48" x 24" x 24".

I just purchsed two used 48" ATI dimmable fixtures, one is 6 bulb the other is 8 bulb. I plan on trading the one I don't use for lights on my planned 36" long anemone tank (29g tall).

I will probably switch 1 to 2 bulbs out for a led strip for shimmer and perhaps sunrise/sunset.

Would you go with a 6 or 8 bulb setup?

Curious, what LED strips are you thinking of using?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

8 is my vote

 

[spsick]

8

 

[Coach v]

Curious, what LED strips are you thinking of using?

Not sure yet

 

[Coach v]

I won't have the lights in my possession until Friday. My F-I-L made the deal for me and will bring the lights up when they come to me visit. You have to be creative when you live in the sticks!

 

[nereefpat]

I will probably switch 1 to 2 bulbs out for a led strip for shimmer and perhaps sunrise/sunset.

What do you mean by this? You will rewire the fixture, or pull the bulbs out?

 

[Coach v]

What do you mean by this? You will rewire the fixture, or pull the bulbs out?

I will pull a t5 bulb and put a stand alone led strip in its place.

 

[oreo54]

I will pull a t5 bulb and put a stand alone led strip in its place.

Just found these if you just want 450nm accent strips. Posted at DIY section.
Looks to be Samsung boards and diodes.

Blue Booster 450nm 96 LED Sun Board Grow Strip

This is for 1 30mm x 400mm Sun Board in the spectrum you choose with the option of 30mm Double sided Thermal conductive adhesive tape pre-applied EACH STRIP HAS: 96 - 450nm Royal Blue LEDs 48 watts recommended max 1800mA recommended max 24VDC 30mm x 400mm (approximately 1.2" x 16") PCB Double...

growdaddyleds.com

Just an FYI

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Just found these if you just want 450nm accent strips. Posted at DIY section.
Looks to be Samsung boards and diodes.

Blue Booster 450nm 96 LED Sun Board Grow Strip

This is for 1 30mm x 400mm Sun Board in the spectrum you choose with the option of 30mm Double sided Thermal conductive adhesive tape pre-applied EACH STRIP HAS: 96 - 450nm Royal Blue LEDs 48 watts recommended max 1800mA recommended max 24VDC 30mm x 400mm (approximately 1.2" x 16") PCB Double...

growdaddyleds.com

Just an FYI

You have to add a DC ballast or something, because those will not work off the t5 ballast, by just removing a bulb.

I will pull a t5 bulb and put a stand alone led strip in its place.

 

[Coach v]

You have to add a DC ballast or something, because those will not work off the t5 ballast, by just removing a bulb.

I do not plan on using the t5 ballast to power the LED strip, that is why I said a stand alone led strip.

 

[landlubber]

i had an 8-bulb sunpower dimmable over my 120 and also had a reefbrite xho strip mounted to it as well. Great fixture but after 7 years of dealing with bulbs every 6 weeks about a year ago i jumped ship to Radion XR30s and can honestly say its been great.

 

[nereefpat]

I will pull a t5 bulb and put a stand alone led strip in its place.

To me, it makes more sense to use the 6 bulb fixture and add LED strips to the front and back.

Great fixture but after 7 years of dealing with bulbs every 6 weeks about a year ago i jumped ship to Radion

Yikes!!
Assuming you mean every 6 months, that's still really overkill. I let mine go closer to 18 months.

 

[oreo54]

Yikes!!
Assuming you mean every 6 months, that's still really overkill. I let mine go closer to 18 months.

Changes 1 bulb every 6 weeks.
Creates a 1 year rotation for 8 tubes ..approx.

 

[nereefpat]

Changes 1 bulb every 6 weeks.
Creates a 1 year rotation for 8 tubes ..approx.

I guess that's one pain-in-the-butt way to do it. I'd get sick of that too.