4x24 t5 or 150w halide?

[Reeferz412]

I have both a coralife 150w pendant and a nova 4x24 t5. I want to sell one and keep one. I would have the one I keep running on a 20 gallon high with a mix of softies and hard corals. Which would you recommend? I enjoy the actinics and the colors but I Want what is best for my future corals.

 

[bladeyamaha]

Keep the MH 150 watt for deeper tank, T5's won't do for deeper tanks but not sure how deep is too deep for T5's, I'm too tired to figure out, but if it were me I'd keep the the 150 MH. Is it a HQI? Plus I think the 150 will just do a better job on the hard corals.

 

[rtparty]

The T5's will be plenty over that tank with some good bulbs in the fixture. I would worry about heat and getting the right color with the MH's.

A good T5 setup can easily light tanks up to 36" deep. 30" is the max I would do hard corals with a good system but softies can be on the bottom of a 36" tank.

Your 20 gallon tank isn't too much for the T5's to penetrate.

 

[gonpostal]

^Agreed

 

[grigsy]

I would go with the halide. Get a 150 watt 20K bulb, maybe the Ushio 20K or a PHX. Those will give you good color and growth.

 

[bladeyamaha]

The heat might be an issue but you can keep more distance with the 20 probably, but you will at least know you have the ability and wattage to keep any hard coral with the 150 MH.

 

[bladeyamaha]

I'm a little old school and I just don't see how 96 watts of T5's are going to sustain hard corals at all on a 20.

 

[bladeyamaha]

A power compact at 130 watts would have got you closer.

 

[InLimbo87]

The Nova fixtures do not have individual reflectors, correct? Given this, I'd say go with the MH. Significantly more light, and 150 shouldn't be too bad as far as heat goes.

Blade, individual reflectors or not 96w T5's are going to put out more light than 130w PC's.

 

[rtparty]

I'm a little old school and I just don't see how 96 watts of T5's are going to sustain hard corals at all on a 20.

I had 96w of T5 over my 40 gallon breeder and had more light than a 250w MH over my tank.

If you research it all out you will see that T5's have come a LONG way and can very easily out do a halide system.

96w of T5 is way more light that 130w of Power compact. The watt per gallon rule is useless and should never be used in aquariums. There are too many factors for such a generalized rule.

I have seen quite a few PAR readings that put even the crappiest T5 systems putting out right around the same light as a 150w MH.

 

[Reeferz412]

lol the decision is still split.... I would miss the actinics.... but I still hear halides are the best for sustaining. As for the heating issue.. I have enough flow to only go up about 1 degree during the day. I know its a difference but not that big of a difference. I have a phoenix 14k bulb for the coralife btw. I have no lights for the nova... my guess is go top notch with giesemann if I were to pick the t5?

 

[Reeferz412]

correction bulbs* silly me its happy hour at 4 today this labor day weekend! Excuse my terrible terminology ha ha.

 

[rtparty]

Ati t5 bulbs are better than geisemann bulbs.

 

[bladeyamaha]

"Blade, individual reflectors or not 96w T5's are going to put out more light than 130w PC's."
-somewhere

OK, Thanks already stated I'm a little old school, try reading, but thanks for the info.