T5 Lighting

lorenz0 · #1 01-19-2009, 07:19 AM

You can keep any type of SPS under t5's. BUT it all comes down to the fixture and your bulb choice. If your fixture is a cheaper t5ho one with a single reflector i would say no, but individual reflectors i would say yes. Than with bulbs you need to run a higher end bulb. cheaper bulbs don't give off the same light as a higher end bulb.

Thats a quick some up of the answer. you could literally write a book on T5 lighting and growing coral and how it compares to MH.

Stones · #2 01-19-2009, 12:48 PM

I rely soley on a T5 fixture to light my 90 gallon SPS reef. After switching from metal halides, I haven't noticed any adverse effects and most of my acros are improving in colour since I made the switch. Like the previous posts stated, so long as the fixture has individual reflectors you should be able to keep any type of SPS coral. Active cooling makes a big difference as well and improves light output and bulb longevity.

fishytime · #3 01-19-2009, 03:09 PM

Short answer....yes. 16 bulbs total mind you.

Colors faded a bit when I switched from MH but are coming back now.

digital-audiophile · #4 01-19-2009, 03:26 PM

The T5 vs. MH debate brings me much pleasure

I run a 6 bulb tek on my 90 and have been more than happy with it. After using MH I just prefer the T5 and I would have a hard time going back to MH.

I have kept SPS under them just fine - growth and colour (allthough I am out of the SPS game, after my last tank crash) I have three clams that are very happy at the bottom of my tank.. and these are cretures that I had always read needed at least 250W of MH to thrive.

Trigger Man · #5 01-19-2009, 06:19 PM

I feel the same as others that have written on here, I've been running t5's for years now and I have kept everything from some of the most light demanding to the not so much light needing SPS with no problems. All my SPS has always been located in the mid to upper range in the tank, with my birdsnest in the lower 2/3rds of the tank and everything has shown growth with my 4x 54 watt 48 inch tek fixture. I have recently added 2 more t5's just to get some additional light at the back of the tank as the lighting holder makes my unit sit closer to the front of my tank then totally center.

tang daddy · #6 01-19-2009, 08:02 PM

I keep sps with t5 aswell 8 bulb with 24" deep tank most high requiring sps is kept 4in from the top the rest at mid level.

reeferious · #7 01-20-2009, 05:32 AM

switch to t5 and you wont regret it. recently switch from 2x250 mh to 6x4 and 4x4 t5 on my 90 and things are just blooming although i do stagger photoperiod 6 hrs with 10 bulb, 8 hrs with 8 bulbs and 10 hrs with 6 bulbs. no heat issues even during dog days of summer and coral colors are amazing. you really should experiment with different bulbs until you are satisfied with what you feel is the best combo for your tank.

Red Coral Aquariums · #8 01-20-2009, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorenz0

You can keep any type of SPS under t5's. BUT it all comes down to the fixture and your bulb choice. If your fixture is a cheaper t5ho one with a single reflector i would say no, but individual reflectors i would say yes. Than with bulbs you need to run a higher end bulb. cheaper bulbs don't give off the same light as a higher end bulb.

I agree with lorenz0 here and my answer would also be yes to your question. But in my opinion a combination of the two is the perfect choice giving you punch and color. One other observation I have noticed that when customers have T5 lighting and they are looking at large clams or acros I am constantly asked if their lighting will sustain these. Now on the other hand customers running MH 250 + that question never comes to mind.
Kevin

FlamesFan · #9 01-20-2009, 03:27 PM

T5 is becoming the dominate choice in SPS reef systems. One glance at any tank on the zeovit website (which is dominated by T5 reefs) will prove my comment.

The main thing that every agree's on, it's all dependent on your fixture. Some people figure they can save money by going T5 and still get the same results. This can be very untrue when you can spend just as much on a proper fixture to support SPS under T5's. This includes High output and overdriven fixtures with INDIVIDUAL reflectors.

Another big choice for people going T5 over MH is the color selections you can get from the variety of bulbs. The right selection of bulbs can make SPS look gorgeous.

Stones · #10 01-20-2009, 06:29 PM

I've noticed a few comments now that most people using T5s and keeping SPS seem to limit keeping their higher light corals within the top few inches of the tank. I'd just like to mention that I keep acros all the way from the top of the tank down to the sandbed and they all seem to do just fine. Growth rate may be slightly slower for the corals lower down but I'm finding that the corals lower down in the tank are often the ones to achieve better colouration than the corals located at a higher level in the tank. As previously posted too, most of the people on the zeovit forums run all T5s and you would be hard pressed to find a tank that kept all their SPS in the top portion of the tank.