New Navra T5's

[FunkyParrot]

Just finished building and wiring my Navra T5's. I've built two T5's into my Fit tank hood to compliment the Lumenarcs above.

Total cost under £40.

dual 54 watt Osram ballast from eBay second hand (£9)
2 X Navra blue T5's (£20)
End caps and some wire (£7)

End results, my newly purchased LPS corals look amazing. I didn't know they could look that good. Its amazing the colours that stand out.

I'll pop a photo on this evening.

I'm happier than a pig in ****. :D

[cav]

You can't beat a couple of blue tubes. I'd take them over actinics any day now.

[Timo]

Did you buy the Navra blue tubes online?

[FunkyParrot]

Yes mate. Popped the name into google and came back with a well known supplier. It did take a week or so as they were out of stock.


Did you buy the Navra blue tubes online?

[cl0wn]

You can't beat a couple of blue tubes. I'd take them over actinics any day now.

what's the difference between narva blues and actinics?

[FunkyParrot]

I always thought that 'actinics' was just a general descriptive word for a type of blue light in the 14-20 k spectrum. I may well be wrong.

Certainlly, I don't believe there is anything special about the KZ, ATI etc blue tubes when compared to the Navras. I believe there are only a few tube manufacturing plants in the world. They certainlly work well for me.

PS. Stupid new PC has just blown up at home so I can't upload photos.

Cheers

Al



what's the difference between narva blues and actinics?

[cav]

I foudn this bit of info:

The ones that are labeled "True" or "03" atinic are very purple. (this is the 420NM bulb)

The ones labled "Atinic blue", are a brigher blue, and they put out nearly double the light of the "True" atinic bulbs. (This is the 460NM bulb)

[FunkyParrot]

Been a while since I updated this.
I've added the T'5 to my tank hood. It looks ugly, but it works!

As they are so lightweight, I attached the Deltec Gull Wing reflectors (a nightmare to source in the UK) to a small wooden baton.

http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=1244

The balast weighs next to nothing, so this is screwed to the hood at the back (out of shot). I'm not an electrician, but using the diagram on the ballast even I managed to wire both tubes up with no issue.

I need to sort out the chocolatebox connector as that is a live wire, - just asking for trouble if I spill water onto it!

http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=1245


http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/picture.php?albumid=165&pictureid=1243

The misses hates the Lumenarcs in the lounge, but she doesn't understand....

[grumpy_banghai]

So why are Navra better???

[reefergeek]

look far better than the arcadia t5 blues, got 4 of the navra ones on mine the zoas glow lol