[nerdyjon]

Looking for more light for my 20 gallon long and stumbled upon this on ebay.

Let me know what you think. If it's worth it or if I should go with more name brand light fixture.

http://cgi.ebay.com/30-T5-HO-Aquari...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19b8c2b664

 

[NJAquaBarren]

I have no experience with Odyssea either but one of my local LFS uses them exclusively for their display tanks, including reef tanks and all are healthy and vigorous.

They are inexpensive enough that they might be the one time I could recommend going with the configuration that you want while saving for you dream fixture as you could almost always sell such a low-priced light and recover much of your investment.

Check the forum for more information though. Most expensive choice is always buying cheap and then having to replace later.

 

[Hoppy]

4 x T5HO on a 12 inch high tank is way more light than you could ever need for growing plants. Even if the reflectors are terrible you will probably still have much more light than the plants can use. You could raise the fixture a foot or so above the tank and run only two bulbs and, if you have good reflectors, you will have high light intensity. If you have very poor reflectors, you could possibly get by by raising it only a few inches, and using only 2 bulbs. I hope you plan to use pressurized CO2, because that will do far more good than any extra light will.

 

[nerdyjon]

I have 65W PC on my tank and I want more than enough to really get the plants red.

 

[skiboarder72]

Way too much light!

 

[Hoppy]

That much light is more likely to turn the plants black with BBA than it is to turn them red.

 

[nerdyjon]

Ok thanks for the advice.

I just remember someone saying that light is the key for colors.

I remember they made blood red blyxa.

 

[tyler79durdan]

What do you think about the Odyssea 4x54 t5HO on my 75 with one bank of pink/12000K on @ 9am the both banks(same bulbs) on @1pm then back to one bank @5pm until 9pm? Is that too much for my 75? I dont want my plants to turn black or anything.

 

[GTR]

Do you plan to hang the light or use some sort of leg system that will only raise it 2-3"?

I have a 4-lamp fixture but with legs the spread from front to back is terrible with only two lamps on.

 

[tyler79durdan]

I'm using the stock Odyssea leg system which raises the fixture 5" from water level w/glass tops? What'da ya think?

 

[GTR]

Really depends on how well the reflector spreads the light. I know the stock legs on my light only lift it about 3". That made a big difference over it just sitting directly on top of the tank though.