Solite, Illummax, Dymax

[gemo82]

I went and had a look also. Illummax really no space for individual reflectors. Went aquamarin but they also do not carry Solite anymore. So now at a lost as to where and what lightings to get. Thought of DIY, but material cost expensive, mainly due to waterproof end caps as compared to those selling at LFS with splash screen so no need waterproof end caps. Thought of buying a Hopar set, then take out the eballast etc to DIY, but the end caps are normal ones so quite no point as i believe the eballasts they use are cheap kinds, might as well buy to DIY...

So maybe I'll still buy Illummax in the end? But I want the option to have timer to on 2 tubes and 4 tubes at different times, also for the LED lights to have timer, and having only one main cable does not allow me to do that. Maybe I get 2 of Illummax 2 tubes, so that I can do that? Then add LED lights myself for nite lights? Will having 2 light sets take up too much of my tank top space?

Sorry for the rambling....My thoughts are in a mess....

[illumnae]

i understand how you feel. i just went through the same conundrum a little while back. i ended up going for a quality set. got 4 tubes with individual reflectors. you can DIY to cut costs (i paid more and got a set from DElightings).

lights are an integral part of your planted tank and i think it's good to invest in a good set instead of getting a cheaper set and in the end pay through electricity bills (need more tubes since you aren't getting individual reflectors), not having as good growth and/or earlier malfunction/replacement.

[gemo82]

Thanks Illumnae. At times I just feel like giving up searching for the dream stuff, just buy something off the shop and carry on with other systems for my tank and get started.

Think I found what I am looking for in a light set for my 2 feet tank. It is this Sundial T5HO 4 x 24watts with photocell LED night lights, fans and 2 integrated timers for the 4 tubes.

http://www.current-usa.com/sundial_t5ho

Expensive, especially the shipping cost. Am trying to contact a friend from US to help me ship over, cause he got allowance from his company for shipping things home. Any opinion on this light set?

[ranmasatome]

Such sets usually come at a premium... what i did when i DIYed my system with gull wing reflectors, was first measure everything out then start searhing for housing..
I used those old light sets taht you can buy from polyart...i don't know if they still sell them but when i doing my DIY.. they had a whole bunch of JUNK lights and i went there to salvage for covers... i bought 2 aluminium covers for $15-20!!! and then came home and DIYed my sets, putting 2 tubes of T5HO with individual gull wing reflectors into each set. i can't remember how much it cost already but definitely still cheaper than anything out there... think if you search on DIY projects i might have posted it.. but i can't remember liao.

[ronang]

Thanks Illumnae. At times I just feel like giving up searching for the dream stuff, just buy something off the shop and carry on with other systems for my tank and get started.

Think I found what I am looking for in a light set for my 2 feet tank. It is this Sundial T5HO 4 x 24watts with photocell LED night lights, fans and 2 integrated timers for the 4 tubes.

http://www.current-usa.com/sundial_t5ho

Expensive, especially the shipping cost. Am trying to contact a friend from US to help me ship over, cause he got allowance from his company for shipping things home. Any opinion on this light set?

Better check properly, I think that it has a 110V e-ballast.

[illumnae]

if you can afford to ship it in from the US, why don't you order a set from DElightings? it may end up costing you less. as i mentioned earlier i had my lightset made by DElightings. i have 2 fans cooling my ballast, but no LED nightlights. or you could DIY a set like justin mentioned. there are a number of DIY sets shown in the DIY subforum that look quite good

[gemo82]

Ronang you are right!! It is for 110/120v!!! Man, I missed that. Means there is no way I can use it here in Sinapore? Adding a transformer or something?

Illumnae, I cannot afford the shipping. Was considering tacking along with my friend when he ships things home from US as he can leech from company to pay for his shipping.

DElightings quite expensive for 2 feet 4 tubes. Comparitively, the US-Current light set would be cheaper with everything built in (minus the shipment). But now it is 110/120V, I do not know if I still can buy and use.....

If cannot, means I got to go back to my option to DIY to get what I want (but given my knowledge in electrical stuff, this is a little worrying.)

Anyone can point out to me if I can still use the light set rated for 110/120V?

[ronang]

Ronang you are right!! It is for 110/120v!!! Man, I missed that. Means there is no way I can use it here in Sinapore? Adding a transformer or something?

Illumnae, I cannot afford the shipping. Was considering tacking along with my friend when he ships things home from US as he can leech from company to pay for his shipping.

DElightings quite expensive for 2 feet 4 tubes. Comparitively, the US-Current light set would be cheaper with everything built in (minus the shipment). But now it is 110/120V, I do not know if I still can buy and use.....

If cannot, means I got to go back to my option to DIY to get what I want (but given my knowledge in electrical stuff, this is a little worrying.)

Anyone can point out to me if I can still use the light set rated for 110/120V?

Yes you can use it with a step down transformer, but at the cost of heat, $ and higher engery consumption. Not worth it IMHO. It's better to get 55W PL lamps. It's the cheapest to run and buy at the moment. penetration is higher than T5 too. You can get 4 sets for the price you are paying for a 4 tube T5HO set. Tubes are cheaper too on the long run as 1 55W tube is about the same price as a 1 T5HO tube.

[bossteck]

Hi Ronang,

When you say PL has better penetration compared to T5, do you mean T5 or T5HO?
There's a big difference.

Cheers

[ronang]

Hi Ronang,

When you say PL has better penetration compared to T5, do you mean T5 or T5HO?
There's a big difference.

Cheers

A 55W PL tube has better penetration than 2 X 24W T5HO tubes. I have tested this with a photographic light meter. Both types tested were Osram 865 tubes. Method used was to shield the sensor of the light meter with a toilet paper tube to minimise the ambient/reflected errors at a measured distance of 40cm and 60cm. I don't have the lux value as my meter is a one with needle readout that reads in EV (exposure value). The PL tube had higher deflections on the meter at both distances. The reflectors of the light sets were removed during the measurement. I equate 2 24W T5HO tubes to 1 55W PL as they both occupy approx the same area in a light set. All I wanted to do was to compare. All the tubes were brand new. I have not test any other brand of tubesas I could only get Osram ones for the T5HO.

Foot note: The difference between the lux and the lumen is that the lux takes into account the area over which the luminous flux is spread. 1000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up that square metre with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000 lumens, spread out over ten square metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux.The difference between the lux and the lumen is that the lux takes into account the area over which the luminous flux is spread. 1000 lumens, concentrated into an area of one square metre, lights up that square metre with an illuminance of 1000 lux. The same 1000 lumens, spread out over ten square metres, produces a dimmer illuminance of only 100 lux.

So when comparing light intensity you must look at the lux and not the lumens.

[ranmasatome]

have you tried it with reflectors? since it was mentioned that reflectors increase the intensity by about 90%..

[ronang]

I did not try with reflectors as I wanted to know about the intensity of the source as the output change with reflectors should be a proportional if all other things are equal. Maybe I should check it with the light housings that I have.... so that a conclusion can be made with say, a 2ft JEBO T5HO vs a 2ft Atman PL set. Now you've got me going.

[bossteck]

Hi Ronang,

Thank you for sharing and taking the time to explain your findings.
Based on your experiment, I should be glad I didn't buy that T5HO I was looking at last time.

Cheers