# tek lighting for a 90g



## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

The main reason to get the 4x54 would be if you ever want to go CO2 and because 108 watts might not cut it. I know Bill Harada uses a 4x54 on a low tech 120 gallon. Probably the same footprint, except 6 inches less front to back depth. Its a little overkill, but better too much than two little for not much more bread.


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## ianmoede (Oct 1, 2004)

go for the 4. i have 4 on a 55 and love it.


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## bharada (Mar 5, 2004)

Yeah, go with the 4x54. Even over my 120 I only use all four lights for 4 hours mid day.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

ok good. i just needed someone else to tell me to get the 4x54w who resides outside of my head.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

Well, after much debate, much internal struggle, much man vs man, i finally ordered the tek light tonight. I got the 4x54 after thinking of going high tek, then reef, then planted marine, and now back to low tech.

I will be doing a mountainous moss scape...with jagged mountins and such.

I got 4 free bulbs with the fixture so i went with the 6000k midday giesman
and the 3000k GE. I figure the 3000k is gonna be yellow but i am growing moss...worse comes to worse i buy 2x 11000k geissman's and have some back up bulbs. Its my first t5 fixture, and though there are better ones out there(was leaning towards the aquatinics TX5) i figure for low light tank...the tek fits the bill and the job. Finding a bulb combo that will look pleasent to me may take some trial and error.

Now my reef i am setting up will be getting much better lighting(ati powermodule).

Anyways, i wanted to go no co2, but if i add pressurized to a low light setup, am i asking for issues? I figure if its low light and low nutrients, adding additional co2 to ward off algae would be fine, since the lighting will be the limiting factor.


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## supaflyz (Apr 4, 2006)

Go for the 4x54 setup. I got it over my 180 with no problem. Although I think I do need to run my mh to get plush growth and alot of algae lol.


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

You have made a good choice. As for the bulbs YMMV, all depends on your eye. Providing some flexibility for any setup is the best tact. You may have been ok with just 108 but to be sure (as I) wonder "what if".

IMO Ian made a good choice. Although it may seem like over kill for a having the ability to go 216 for a couple of hours would help some plants thrive. I made a frugal choice and kick myself at times for doing so. Gear like this will last many years and it's hard to justify change unless it's totally not manageable.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

I am really talking about a whole 90g moss tank, with several different varieties. Lots of rock(probably lava rock) to some sort of massive rocky, mossy scape. I Figured 108w with good reflectors should be fine for the moss and i can do a 2-3hour midday spike of 216w.

I am leaning towards drilling the tank for internal horizontal overflows and sumping the thing.

My big question really is if the addition of pressurized co2 to a low light setup will cause an algae outbreak? I want simplicity but i'd also like the best posible growth.

And dont get me wrong, the TEK is a nice looking fixture, its just that it has a poor design in the fact that it is passively cooled and the reflectors are not the best and the material used for them stains easily. Much better than CF though. The reef guys have shown adding a clip on fan to the fixture increases the par output signifcantly.


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

sayn3ver said:


> I am really talking about a whole 90g moss tank, with several different varieties. Lots of rock(probably lava rock) to some sort of massive rocky, mossy scape. I Figured 108w with good reflectors should be fine for the moss and i can do a 2-3hour midday spike of 216w.
> 
> I am leaning towards drilling the tank for internal horizontal overflows and sumping the thing.
> 
> ...


Passive cooling is a plus IMO as there are no fans running to keep the thing cool or an additional part that can fail.

I would only see the co2 as a plus if you need to kick the growth a bit and help mitigate BBA.

Sounds like a fun project and in no time you'll probably never see the rocks anyway.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

That is my hope. Just a moss jungle....tirmmed to perfection ofcourse.


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## scolley (Apr 4, 2004)

sayn3ver said:


> I am considering 2x54w and a 4x54w tek fixtures for my non-co2 tank 90g.


Regardless of whether a mid-day 4-bulb spike is appropriate for a no-CO2 tank is a separate question really. If you get the 2 bulb, your options will be forever limited - you'll be stuck with low light, slow growth. With the 4-bulb, you will have many other options.

It's that simple.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

Thanks Scolley,

I went with the 4 bulb. :icon_smil 

It will be here monday. Now i just need to get on the ball and finish my tank stand(gotta finish the poly).

What do you think of adding co2 to a low low light tank:icon_ques


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## Betowess (Dec 9, 2004)

I primarily run 2x54 watt Tek on a 90 gallon. Sometimes I run the second bank for one, two, or three hours depending upon the plants. 

Adding CO2? Yes, it opens a host of positives. How much CO2 is sort of like how much light. The more gas the faster the plants (er, moss) grows. More fert uptake. Benefit of lowering pH/kH. So yes, add gas if you can. But even a 2x54 watt Tek on a 90 is still mid light, as they are BRIGHT! That's partly because the WPG (watt per gallon) rule falls apart with bigger tanks and even faster with HO T5 bulbs with good reflectors.


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## kzr750r1 (Jun 8, 2004)

Depending on how you intend to support it, raising the fixture can be another way to decrease even the 108. 

I'm using the cable locks attached to the ceiling but it's usually 2 to 4 inches above the tank.

Nice to have the weight supported and move it up and out of the way when doing maintenance.


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

i plan on bending some 3/4inch electrical conduit and securing it to the back of the stand and then hanging the fixture from there with probably chain. Although those adjustable cable hanging systems look neat.


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## spypet (Sep 15, 2006)

sayn, since you are in NJ, check out this
craigslist bulbed 6x54w Tek for $300

http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/fur/352700640.html


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## sayn3ver (Sep 1, 2006)

shoot. Alittle late. I wish i would have seen that as it has the 2 bulb 4bulb setup which i still could have used and if i went high tech one day it would have been been enough light for a nice carpet.


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