ATI 6 x 80w T5 unit v 2 x 250w MH unit for nem tank?

[Chuu]

Hey Guys,

I'd ask this in the lighting section, but it is more relevant to anemone health..

Which would be better for an Anemone tank? My tank will have 1 large Magnifica and alot of Bubble Tip Anemones.

The tank is 5ft long, 2ft deep.

Not sure what kelvin bulbs / mix of actinics would be best if the ATI T5 unit is good enough as i'm just speculating right now. Any suggestions if the T5 unit is good, I do like the bluer side of things.

Thanks!

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

most of the nem keepers on here use MH, but especially on a five foot tank you could keep anything you want w/that ati fixture

 

[NaClCrocodile]

Are you thinking Power Module or Sun Power? I personally like the T5s better than MH but you should be fine either way.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I haven't kept Mags, and my only experience with T5's is as supplemental, so take this with a grain of salt.

Mags are light loving anemones, and seem to be looking for the most light they can find in our tanks. With MH, there are bright spots, which seem to help them find the brightest part of the tank, whereas with T5's the light is linear, and may cause a Mag to move more --- in search of the bright (( more )) light.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Double post

 

[Chuu]

Not sure yet on the exact model as i'm buying a tank/cabinet/sump/ati 6x80w unit (which comes with 3 x ATI aquablue plus and 3 x ATI aquablue special 80w t5 bulbs) anyone know how they are with nems? I did read their PAR rating is good.

..and Todd, yeah I read that about Mags. Might give it a go and if he can't settle, will move on to someone with a MH unit and just stick to a full on BTA tank with clownfish.

 

[Chuu]

Found out it's a sunpower.

 

[NaClCrocodile]

I'd check to the power here and go with Todd.

 

[NoBigDeal]

Not sure yet on the exact model as i'm buying a tank/cabinet/sump/ati 6x80w unit (which comes with 3 x ATI aquablue plus and 3 x ATI aquablue special 80w t5 bulbs) anyone know how they are with nems? I did read their PAR rating is good.

..and Todd, yeah I read that about Mags. Might give it a go and if he can't settle, will move on to someone with a MH unit and just stick to a full on BTA tank with clownfish.

I had T5s in a 55 gallon. I never realy had a problem with anemones moving in effort to find a "brighter" spot. As long as they were receiving the appropriate flow and in good light, they never moved.

With that said, I wouldn't mix E. Quadricolor with H. Magnifica.

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

I have nowhere near the experience with nems that Todd has, but I do have the exact light unit you are talking about. I use it on a 180 and burn corals 24 inches under it...on a five foot tank you will be able to keep anything you want(the problem will be too much light for lps and zoas)

 

[Toddrtrex]

I had T5s in a 55 gallon. I never realy had a problem with anemones moving in effort to find a "brighter" spot. As long as they were receiving the appropriate flow and in good light, they never moved.

With that said, I wouldn't mix E. Quadricolor with H. Magnifica.

I have nowhere near the experience with nems that Todd has, but I do have the exact light unit you are talking about. I use it on a 180 and burn corals 24 inches under it...on a five foot tank you will be able to keep anything you want(the problem will be too much light for lps and zoas)

Not being argumentative... either one of you doing this with a Mag?

And for that matter, what anemones do you have? (( Sort of been playing with the idea of switching out my MH on one of my tanks for all T5 -- but don't want to upset my Haddoni.

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

No Todd, don't have a mag...but I switched from MH to this ati t5 and burnt the heck out of my favias, zoas, and pretty much everything except my acros, and I can tell you from experience this light is every bit as bright as 250 mh...I just have two varieties of bubble tips, bare bottom tank so no carpet nems for me

 

[NoBigDeal]

Not being argumentative... either one of you doing this with a Mag?

And for that matter, what anemones do you have? (( Sort of been playing with the idea of switching out my MH on one of my tanks for all T5 -- but don't want to upset my Haddoni.

I've never kept a Mag so my words aren't as concrete as yours Todd. I was just basing my experience off the anemones I have had.

I had a BTA, two Haddoni's I revived from a bleached state (green and blue) and a Sebae that I also revived. The Haddoni's and the Sebae seemed to really enjoy the lighting the most. I can post pictures of them later.

 

[madmike]

Here is my mag under 6x80 watt ATI sunpowers. you can also see my small blue gig in the photo. I've had the mag over 1&1/2 years, the gig is only about 4 months old. Keep in mind my tank is less than 20" deep but the lights are about 14-18" off the surface.

Heres a pic showing how bright these things really are.

IMO not all T5s are created equal, I have tested a few fixtures with my par meter and the ATIs blow them out of the water when it comes to par.

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

Here is my mag under 6x80 watt ATI sunpowers. you can also see my small blue gig in the photo. I've had the mag over 1&1/2 years, the gig is only about 4 months old.

gorgeous tank man!! Besides the bellus, what are the other two fish in that pic?

 

[madmike]

The other is a male bellus (my pair spawn regularly) and the large on is an over 12 year old vlamingi tang.

 

[Chuu]

what tubes are you using in the sunpower?

 

[madmike]

4 blue+, 1 aquablue special, and 1 fiji pink... I was running 3 blue+, 2 aquablue, and 1 fiji but I just didnt need the extra par so I switched an aquablue special out.

 

[Chuu]

thanks mike, i do like the colour you got from that combo

 

[NoBigDeal]

I do remember there was a thread on here a while ago that had a MH vs T5 debate. If I recall correctly, the T5s were concluded to resemble the sun more then MH does. By the time the sun hits the reefs, the light is coming from so far away it's linear whereas MH has a bright spot and can have dead spots.

To add on, I would assume that once a Magnifica or any anemone for that matter finds a spot with bright light to them they would stop moving in order to avoid running into other corals, and losing it's spot. That's just my theory though.