T5 for mixed reef-how many watts?

[targa81]

How much wattage could I put over a 50 G , I will be lighting various SPS near the top and a crocea or maxima clam. Also some softies in darker areas. I am using 3' 39 watt T5 fixtures ,they come with 6400K daylight bulbs but I want to alternate with HO T5 true actinics.

[Invigor]

if you want to do sps and clams, you need as many as you can fit into your canopy

[OCDP]

Agreed haha... as much as possible!

[Invigor]

I remember a tank of the month quite some time ago on reef central where the guy had a 4x2x2 tank (120gal?) lit by 8 t5 54w and had nothing but enormous acros...so take it from that and go from there.

[AndyL]

If you follow the euro method, generally you're going to install 1 T5HO per 2.5" of linear distance - oddly thats also the size of most reflectors. So basically you're going to pack em in there.

Andy

[targa81]

The reflectors I'm looking at are either 4,6, or 8 bulbs in the 36" length. Judging by the results on that 120G tank then I would think that 4 39 watters would be enough. The tank I want the lighting for has no canopy and I don't want to hang a pendant so I think the T5's are the way to go.