500w Outer Orbit HQI vs. 216Watt T5's in a 33 Gallon Long Setup- Which one???????????

F

futureeyedoc

New member
OK so I've posted this question in several other forums and no one seems to be able.... or more likely WANTS TO answer it! LOL... Hoping some fellow folks in Bama can give me their opinions. Even if you don't feel like an expert on lighting, I'd appreciate your opinion.

Anyways, I just bought a 33g long with a 20g sump off of a guy in Muscle Schoals. CRAZY deal, can't believe I got it. It came with 4X54w T5 lighting. However, someone I know has a 48" 2X250w outer orbit HQI (with the 18led's, etc...) that they might be willing to trade me for the t5's + some frags, etc...

My question is, should I step up to the 500w of Metal Halide, or is that just way overkill and will just photo-bleach everything (15w per gallon). I'd like to be able to keep SPS and clams down the road. I realize the 33g long is only about 13inches deep so will I really gain anything with the halide - other than just a bigger electricity bill, more heat, and more noise? Again, the T5's are about a foot off of the water, 216watts total, and have 2 new 10k's and 2 new actinics in there. It has inidividual reflectors.


ANYYYYYYYY opinions and help would be greatly appreciated. What little feedback I have received elsewhere suggests the Halides might actually be overkill, but I love the idea of the moonlights, as well as the extra wattage since I might step up to a 55 or 90 gallon tall in the future!!!!!


THANKS!!!!!!!!
 
I think the t-5 lighting would allow you to keep some of the more light demanding corals/clams in that shallow of a tank with none of the negative effects the halides bring (increased power bill, heat issues, etc.)

God bless,
Chris
 
I recently took down a 40g breeder which had 400w MH over it for awhile. I had problems with bleaching that I think were at least partially due to the light. Those T-5's should be plenty for just about anything you'd want to keep in a 33g IMO.
FWIW,
Mariner
 
K, thanks for the help.... thats sorta what I figured, but being possibly given the chance to basically swap up to some crazy lights that would be awesome even on a 50 or 100 gallon tank... I was kinda considering the swap...
Any more opinions please let me know!


Also , I have a 150w MH (DE, 14K) over my 24g nano cube and love the shimmer ( of course) and the coloration that I get out of that. Am I still going to be pleased with the T5's???? I know I obviously won't get the shimmer effect, but any thoughts?
 
I would stick with the T5s. Just remember to change your bulbs as needed. I would say no longer than 12 mos(some people d oevery 6 mos. from what I've read, seems overkill to me) if you have any SPS. My 2 pieces of SPS RTNd at about 14 mos under my T5s (I was saving for a lighting upgrade and didn't wanna buy new bulbs).
 
Yeah, you'll lose the shimmer. But, if it were up to me i'd keep the t5 setup. That just sounds like way too much light on that small tank. You can get amazing colors and variety with t5's. If it weren't for the shimmer, i would have gone that way on my 75.
 
A 33 Long is what... 13" tall? The 2x250w would be serious overkill for all but a very few extremely light demanding animals -- ones which have not acclimated to lower light in captivity already.

T5's aren't going to have that punchy characteristic you see with MH's. For what it's worth, though, I get some shimmer lines with my PC's. Not the degree you get with MH's of course, but enough to add that illusion of move movement. The critical component here is water clarity.

Nor are your T5's going to be extreme blue like the 14k bulbs, but if you are using a true 03 actinic bulb, you will get much of the same over-saturation of color you get under 14ks.
 
Awesome, then T5's it is. Thanks for all the opinions, I'm shocked about how many answers I get to my questions once I actually ask it in the right place!

thanks again
 
You got that on ebay didn't you? That was a hell of a deal, I was planning on bidding but went to the beach and forgot all about it. Let me know of you ever want to get rid of it and post a few pics when you get it set up if you don't mind.

Congrats on the new tank.......
 
Yeah actually I did. Definely an insane deal, I would've never owned something that nice for quite a long time had it not been for that deal. I've got pics taken right now but I can't figure out how to get them to less than 50kb to post them through this site or what outside site to use to post them through/hold them at.
Anyone know how to do that? If so I'll post those pics asap
 
I'm with everyone else on the T-5's. It is a awesome looking tank. (I have seen it before. I bought a 29g setup off of the same guy a few years back) Since he works in a cabinet shop the stand and canopy are top notch! Congrats on getting a good deal and good luck with it!
 
Dang, I still can't figure out how to get the dumb pictures posted. Either I can't get it into the file formatt they want, or if I can its almost impossible to find a program that down sizes the images to 50kb or less.... Any more ideas... I feel like an idiot here!
 
I have two 33 long frag tanks, both with T5s. One has 4 bulbs driven buy an Icecap ballast (80 watts per bulb I believe), the other has two 54 watt bulbs. I just recently set it up, but i love the look, and my SPS are doing fine. I considered MHs, but it just seemed like too much.
 
Ok so hopefully this finally works.

-Here's a pic of the tank without anything in it, getting ready to get it cycling in a few days!

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212970.jpg


-Here's the 4X54w T5 Catalina Lighting I was talking about

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212971.jpg


-I added an "ocean reflections" backround - the one that you have to put on with soap and water - all I can say is what a great product! Also painted the overflows black to match and added 2 Koralia 2's in the corners to help with flow

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212972.jpg


-Here's the return - should I add a Loc-Line or split it into a Y or just leave it as is??? It'll be about 1200gph!!!!

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212973.jpg


-Here's the right 1/2 of the sump (20g long) with the skimmer, return pump, etc..


http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212974.jpg



- Here's the left side of the sump with 2x13w PC Catalina lighting for growing Chaeto, etc...

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212975.jpg


- And lastly here's the 1" PVC "overflows" in the back ( if you can call them that...lol) - 1 per side.... from what I read that setup can handle 600gph per "overflow" so if it really works that way it'll be perfectly tuned with the return pump @ 1200gph...

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m337/futureeyedoc/Saltwater aquarium pics/P7212976.jpg



Enjoy, I'll post more pics as I get it up and running
 
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