# Tek Light 4 or 6 bulb on a 120G



## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Am in the last throws of buying a new lamp for my 120G and about settled on a TEK 6 bulb 48" fixture. But after pouring through old threads I see alot of 4 bulb fixtures being used on comparable tanks, and even on smaller tanks when purchases have been calculated on WPG it seems people have found the happy medium running half the bulbs for longer periods.

Maybe I'm getting indecisive in my old age any 6 or 4 bulb 48" tek owners out there with larger tanks ?? 

Thanks


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## nfrank (Jan 29, 2005)

i have a 4 bulb tek light over my 120 and now run 2 bulbs for 4 or 5 hours and 2 for 10 or12hrs. (cant remember the exact intervals). Started with 4 bulbs running all the time and that was too much.... no algae with the current photoperiods.

Those T5's in that fixture are extremely efficient and seem to provide more light than the wattage suggests. I am very happy with my 4 bulb system. 

I should mention however that i have a built in overflow with occupies an 8"x16" section of the back center.
--Neil


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

I just bought the TEK 6 bulb for my 120 gallon. I also bought the acrylic shield and suspension hanger. This way I can run the light over an open tank, choose how many bulbs I want going 2-4-6, and can change the height of the light.


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Does your fixture have 2 cables & 3 switches ??


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Can anyone give me the switching sequence of the tek 6 bulb 48" fixture W/ 2 cables, thought they only had 2 switches = the 2 outside bulbs on 1 sw & all 6 on the other ???


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

1 sw = 2 outside bulbs
1 sw = 4 interior bulbs


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Thanks, how many Hrs are you running it ??


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## peteski312 (Feb 15, 2008)

Have the 6 bulb on a 90 gallon. I am running the 2 bulbs from 10 -noon, 4 bulbs from noon-2, 6 bulbs from 2-4, 4 bulbs from 4-8 and the 2bulbs from 8 -10pm. I figured on going with the over kill fixture rather then regretting my purchase.


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Thanks Peteski ! which bulbs did you go with ??


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

I'm in the planning stages of my 120g now. Would you mind telling me the other specs on your 120g, like filtration, flow, co2, reactor? Thanks!


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

2X 2028 eheims, inline Rex reactor on one & glass diffuser @ opposite end of tank


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## Car (Nov 18, 2008)

peteski312 said:


> Have the 6 bulb on a 90 gallon. I am running the 2 bulbs from 10 -noon, 4 bulbs from noon-2, 6 bulbs from 2-4, 4 bulbs from 4-8 and the 2bulbs from 8 -10pm. I figured on going with the over kill fixture rather then regretting my purchase.


What are you using as far as timers on the lights? I'm not sure what to use on my 75 gal. i plan on having 3 T5HO, 2 on and one for a noon burst.


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## PHalas (Dec 5, 2005)

Well after copious amounts of procrastination I decided on a 6 bulb version with the tank legs. As you can run the 4 center lights & the 2 outside on seperate switches I decided to go with a combination of Giesemann 6k midday's & aquaflora's going try them in this order front to back : 6K 6K AF 6K AF AF
the reason being I read in a posts that if you put an AF in front it throws of a reddish light hence the 6K's will be up front when running 2 or 4 bulbs. i also have an extra 6k so if the 6K AF combo does"nt look good when running the 2 bulbs only, then I replace the AF with a 6K & run 2X6K's....Hopefully I made the right choice, I'll know tomorrow evening as it will be installed on my tank!!


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

PHalas, can we have a pic when it's installed? I went with the 2 pt suspension hanger, but would like to see it on a 120g with legs. Wondering how far off the tank it will sit.


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

Car said:


> What are you using as far as timers on the lights? I'm not sure what to use on my 75 gal. i plan on having 3 T5HO, 2 on and one for a noon burst.


I'm still drying soil so my tank is not set up yet. I've been reading APC/PT and GWAPA (my local plant assoc) for months now, trying to learn all the new info out there, as I haven't kept a planted tank in about 4 years, coming back to it after a "reefer" period. They have digital timers at Home Depot that give you up to 10 options for lighting periods. They are a tad expensive, 15$ish each if I remember correctly, and I need three of them (lights and co2), but it is what it is....If your only doing 2and1, you can get them cheaper w/2 options to turn on and off. That's what I use on my 75 gallon shelldweller/tropical tank (which I'm redoing after this 120g is up and running ).


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