Tek Vs Tek ELITE

[TRDfan]

Do you guys/girls have any experience or info on one vs. the other. The differences i see is that the Tek ELITE has 98% reflective rate reflectors vs. the 95 on the regular. Plus the ELITE comes with cooling fans and the regular tek does not

Do the fans make more noise?? is there a big difference in light out put btwn the two?? Im considering getting the 6 bulb unit

 

[Imbarrie]

Are you asking if the fans make more noise than not having them?
I had a TEK Elite 6 bulb 48" for my 75. It was surprisingly quiet.
I would not get the light without active cooling. T5 ballasts get hot and without fans directing that heat it will make the whole unit hot. That will transfer to your tank.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Also your bulbs will last longer

 

[TRDfan]

Thanks for the imput fellez. Didnt think of the bulb longgevity with the heat

I had a TEK Elite 6 bulb 48" for my 75.

where you able to keep sps with this fixture?? if so which sps??

ALSO...do you guys know why the fixtures are being discontinued??

 

[Imbarrie]

What size tank do you have?
I had many kinds of SPS growing halfway up on the rock work.
I had Montis, Acro and many other kinds growing.
A BTA that got huge.

Attached a pic, all this grew out under a TEK Elite 6 bulb in a 75 gallon tank that was pretty dirty. Meaning drastically under-skimmed.

 

[TRDfan]

I have a 65g which is 24inchers high. Abit higher than ur 75g. Looks like you had quite abit of success with this fixture by the look of your tank.

what bulbs were you running on it?

 

[bonomo53]

iam running a tek elite right now love the light only problem ive had is with the fans not working but got them replaced under warranty

this was my tank with them

 

[mbg75]

The active cooling on the elite allows for higher par and allows bulbs to retain the par longer.

Also label ends of the bulb should be installed opposite the exhaust end of the fixture.

 

[Imbarrie]

I would not run this without the shield also. Make sure it comes with the plexi splash shield or the reflector will rust out in months.

 

[TRDfan]

wow...you guys have some nice tanks with this fixture!!!

what bulbs are you guys running??

 

[bonomo53]

i'am running 3 ati blue plus 1 ati purple plus and 2 ati aquablue special but thinking about changing it up since i need new bulbs

 

[Imbarrie]

I was using ati also.
Blue plus with 3 whites. I can't remember the temp, it was a couple years ago.
I run LEDs now.

 

[bonomo53]

barrie how are you like the leds compared to the tek are you still getting good growth and color out of sps?

 

[Imbarrie]

I'm still adjusting to the LEDs I just bought. The blues and whites are individually dimmable.
I went from the TEK to a couple black box LED and then to the Nova A6 that I have now.
These have the optics I need since I have a 30" high tank. T5 would never reach the sand at that depth with any par.
Most of the difference I see with these LEDs is the containment of light within the DT. As they are not 48" bulbs there is less light spilling into the room and more penetration in the tank.
Where it is needed.
The TEK is a great light but with the legs it is so high off the water I had to mod it to keep the light from spilling on the floor. Even so with Florescent tubes it will radiate more. The. There is the heat issue with T5.