Supplementing LED Lighting

So I was thinking about supplementing my 120 watt dimmable LEDs over my 180 with some T5s. What is everyone’s opinion on how much I need and what type of bulbs to get? I was thinking either 2-4 54 watt bulbs or 2-4 80 watt bulbs with mainly actinic bulbs.

I guess it would depend on the purpose of the supplemental lighting. Growth? Better coverage? Spectrum?

I guess a mixture of growth, spectrum, and color. My LEDs have no optics and the coverage is great. I would just like to have a little better color and growth.

Halides! We missed you yesterday!

Yea I know. I will be back to halides someday for sure just not yet. We were out of town and are sorry we missed it.

Casey added 4-54w to his tank

I was thinking that or 2 -80 watt bulbs just can’t find the 2-80 watt bulb option. I was thinking of just hanging the cheap ones from aqua traders in my canopy. Possibly change out the bulbs for some ATI bulbs if needed. Maybe 3 actinic and 1 10000k? Or 50/50?

http://www.aquatraders.com/48-inch-2x54W-T5-Aquarium-Light-Fixture-p/52123.htm

Depending on how much effort you want to put in, you could DIY a couple of lamps.

My 75g had two T12 actinics to supplement my LEDs. They added a nice punch. I didn’t bother with reflectors. The canopy was painted white and I didn’t notice much loss.

I literally just got two of the aquatraders dual 54 watt units today. I’m going to run two ATI blue plus and two of the default 10k bulbs that came with the unit for now. Im not worried about it being too white because I plan on running the t5’s on the same timer as the full spectrum leds. You should note that the aquatraders don’t have separate power for each bulb. The unit is either on or off.

[quote=“ClownfishSushi, post:9, topic:8257”]
I literally just got two of the aquatraders dual 54 watt units today. I’m going to run two ATI blue plus and two of the default 10k bulbs that came with the unit for now. Im not worried about it being too white because I plan on running the t5’s on the same timer as the full spectrum leds. You should note that the aquatraders don’t have separate power for each bulb. The unit is either on or off.[/quote]

Quick followup… two 10k bulbs really wash out the tank in white. I’m going to try running just one and see how that looks.

Thanks for the follow up! We pretty much have the same setup all around. Overall are you happy with the fixtures and output/coverage even if you need to switch the bulb types around? How did you mount/hang them in your canopy?

[quote=“mortyn02, post:11, topic:8257”]
Thanks for the follow up! We pretty much have the same setup all around. Overall are you happy with the fixtures and output/coverage even if you need to switch the bulb types around? How did you mount/hang them in your canopy?[/quote]

My canopy has an empty spot running down the middle of it. I used L-Brackets to screw all three units into the canopy itself.

This is what it looks like on the inside.

Too be honest I’m pretty disappointed so far with the overall performance of the LEDs. The coverage is just too narrow leading to either cooking corals or starving them with no middle ground. I’m also concerned that the spectrum is too narrow in wavelength and even with the full-spectrum LEDs the additional wavelengths only hit directly underneath the additional bulbs. In other words, there are only twelve small spotlighted sections in the tank where red spectrum is hitting.

I think people who have these units farther off the water have more success. I’m between 6-7" off the water and I’m afraid the light is just too focused at that height.

As far as the new units… what I’m doing is having two glass braces made for the top of the tank. I ordered two 3/8" thick glass braces that are 22"x3". I’m going to lightly silicon them onto the top of the tank and I’ll have the perfect brace to securely lay the t5 fixtures only a few inches off the water.

I’m second guessing removing the second 10k bulb. Sure, it’s a whiter look but the entire point is that I want the corals to get the wavelengths that I know they are missing. I’m not sure if a single 10k bulb is enough to accomplish that.

Problem solved!!!

If you look at the time and money spent messing with lighting,buying new or more or bigger, at the end of the day everybody wants the look and growth of halides or t5. Well news flash… you need halides to get the look of halides or you need to spend big money and get the high end led fixtures.
Do I like the price of my halides? Hell no I dont, they cost alot more with heat and price of bulbs every year but they are proven to work and produce what everybody is trying to do with led. Imo stick with what works.

Jason have you thought about spinning the lights and adding 1 more?

I have the same LEDs without optics and the coverage is fine. The optics reduce wasted light but we have to dial back the LEDs anyway to reduce the intensity and not burn the corals. I just think I must be missing some spectrum that I am hopping a few t5 bulbs will help fill in the gap so I can get better growth and color. I had halides and agree they are the best I just can’t deal with the added cost at this time. I will probably be switching back to halides later down the road just trying something new for now. Jason keep me posted to see if the t5s make a difference.

[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:14, topic:8257”]
Jason have you thought about spinning the lights and adding 1 more?[/quote]

It would require a modification to the canopy. Going to see how the t5’s help.

So what bulb configuration did you decide on? I agree to see if the T5s help jason your welcome to stop by sometime and see my setup without the optics see if you may want to take yours off. Just let me know.

[quote=“ClownfishSushi, post:16, topic:8257”]

[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:14, topic:8257”]
Jason have you thought about spinning the lights and adding 1 more?[/quote]

It would require a modification to the canopy. Going to see how the t5’s help.[/quote]
Why would you have to modify the hood? Rotate the lights and put them completly in the hood. I would try to spin them without making any major modifications and see how it looks. I have 3 led on my 4ft frag tank and tryed them the way you have and I didnt seem to get as much coverage as I did when I rotated from the way yours is now. :TWOCENTS

[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:18, topic:8257”]

[quote=“ClownfishSushi, post:16, topic:8257”]

[quote=“beadlocked450r, post:14, topic:8257”]
Jason have you thought about spinning the lights and adding 1 more?[/quote]

It would require a modification to the canopy. Going to see how the t5’s help.[/quote]
Why would you have to modify the hood? Rotate the lights and put them completly in the hood. I would try to spin them without making any major modifications and see how it looks. I have 3 led on my 4ft frag tank and tryed them the way you have and I didnt seem to get as much coverage as I did when I rotated from the way yours is now. :TWOCENTS[/quote]

Each unit measures 15.5" long. The space in the canopy is 10" wide. I can’t rotate the units without cutting into the canopy.

Mount them below the canopy.i would take a peice of wood and run it long ways across the space in the hood and then as a temporary setup I would use zip ties or somthing and spin the light fixture inside the hood just to see how the spread is. Again this is just a temporary fix to see if there is any difference. Like I said I have 3 led on my frag tank that are about the same size and I had to spin then I didn’t like the coverage as it was like yours, focused in the middle. If you rotate your getting more front to back then left to right. I wish I had a 4th light on my frag tank. I’m thinking about adding some 50w led chips I have laying around to see what that does.