Check out this SPS tank

[michika]

Originally Posted by Justusfish

I'm suffering from coral envy. That's a shocking bit of growth!!!! How is that even possible? I don't even see a rock in there; it's all coral!! Good lord, I feel so inadequate!

The colors are just amazing, just looking at the full tank shot makes me want to drool. Can you imagine how much pruning this guy must do? I wonder if he shared/sold them when his tank was up.

[Reefer Rob]

I think a lot of the T5 fixtures in Europe "overdrive" the tubes. You can achieve the same result with Icecap ballasts. A 5' 80W tube will be about 100W with an Icecap. More than enough light, but a little flat looking IMO.

[GrimReefer]

he claims that the colours improved after switching from MH to T5...

Advice: In my opinion the most important ingredients for successfully keeping sensitive sea animals are: Take time, much time and watch the animals closely. Changes to the system must always be done slowly. Fast changes usually have negative impacts. Don't overlook the fact that most of the available animals and decorations (LR) are taken from the oceans. As a diver in tropical waters I enjoy swimming in untouched coral-reefs, full of great and small life. The ability to do this in an incomparable system is very important to me. As a diver there is an unwritten law: "Grasp nothing, do not carry anything forward... Except photos and memories." The thought to put animals from this singular habitat into an artificial biotope seems grotesque. The uniqueness of the habitat "coral reef" is dependent on every resident. Every organism is a small, important part in the success of this wonderful world. It is necessary to understand and be conscience of these. I try to offer my animals an adequate and natural habitat. If possible, I always give after-cultivations and coral fragments the advantage. My topmost aim is keeping corals and fishes and not has to replace them. Unfortunately, there are reef keepers who replace the fishes and corals once in a while. Simply, unsuitable conditions and a lack of experience/interests are the reasons for it. I personally disassociate myself with those that do not care. The preservation of the natural coral-reefs isn't only a thing for the governments; everybody can and should make their own contributions.
Fish Kept: 2 Zebrasoma flavescens 1 Zebrasoma veliferum 20 Pseudanthias squamipinnis 11 Chromis virdis 3 Amphiprion ocellaris 2 Oxycirrhites typus 2 Synchiropus splendidus 2 Labroides dimidiatus 1 Salarias fasciatus 1 Gobiodon okinawae 2 Gobiodon histrio
Corals/Plants Kept: several stone corals
Tank Size: 210

Photo caption: full view

Description: Tank Details: - Tank Size: 210 gallons - Lighting: Pure T5!! 2x54 Watt ATI Aquablue Special 2x54 Watt ATI Blue Plus 4x80 Watt ATI Aquablue Special 4x80 Watt ATI Blue Plus For a total of 856 Watts. The lamps are changed every 6-8 months. T5 for stone corals? The light conditions compared at tropical reef roofs, we can often offer our corals only compromises both in the spectral light composition and in the intensity of radiation. It just therefore makes sense to put the radiant energy with artificial light sources available in the areas in which the photosynthesis is supported optimally. In comparison with the exclusive illumination with HQI the lights offer the corals a more efficient possibility with T5 technology of delivering sufficiently photo synthetically utilizable radiation (PUR). This also is due to the more unfavorable radiation orientation besides the high waste of energy (approx. 20%) of the much HQI lamps with a stronger shading of one's own. Through this coral can as a percentage absorb less PUR radiation. By the T5 lights my corals have got much more colored. The growth also has increased. For me the T5 technology is the best opportunity for the light extraction. - Water Changes: 10% weekly changes with Reverse Osmosis water. - Technical Equipment: Skimmer: Aquamedic Turbofloater Flow pumps: Tunze Streams Ozone: None UV: None

[ClubReef]

I really like these T5 tanks. Some of them are gorgeous such as IWAN's. But one thing I have noticed with T5 is the corals become bit more pastel over time. I see this in my own tank now that I have a T5 and MH combo. Perhaps this is due to the wider spread of light with the T5 tubes or maybe intensity??? Have others noticed this effect?

[Reefer Rob]

I liked the pastel look with T5s rather than the darker on the bottom look with MH. The only thing I (and more important, my wife) didn't like with T5s was the washed out look it gives the whole tank. I'm running 400W MHs now. If the heat thing is too much of a PTA this summer, I'm switching back to T5s (over-driven) with my next bulb change... if my wife lets me

[GrimReefer]

Originally Posted by ClubReef

I really like these T5 tanks. Some of them are gorgeous such as IWAN's. But one thing I have noticed with T5 is the corals become bit more pastel over time. I see this in my own tank now that I have a T5 and MH combo. Perhaps this is due to the wider spread of light with the T5 tubes or maybe intensity??? Have others noticed this effect?

with the T5/MH combo, do you still get a nice glimmer effect?

[ClubReef]

The glimmer is still present.