back to MH....

[ctreefer]

I'm debating going back to metal halides from my T5s on my 29 gallon tank. I’m really not happy with the colors (or lack thereof). Growth and polyp extension has been good, but I can’t get the blues and pinks to come out. The only thing that pops are the greens. I’ve thought maybe it was insufficient nutrients, and some colors did start to increase a little following a few months of increased bioload, but so did the browns, and the colors are still not what they should be. Anyways, the current setup is 3 24” T5 overdriven bulbs with reflectors from reefgeek. I went this way to keep heat low and low energy consumption. However, overpowered t5s produce a good amount of heat and consume about 150 watts of power anyways.

I am thinking of going with a 175 MH without supplementation. I’m trying to get to a whitish blue hue with some pop. Any thoughts?

 

[jjackson]

14k

 

[mahoneyc3]

i second the vote for 14k, i hear the phinox bulbs are awsome-chirs

 

[RichConley]

Re: back to MH....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8090786#post8090786 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ctreefer
the current setup is 3 24” T5 overdriven bulbs with reflectors from reefgeek.

!!!

I think every single setup i've seen where T5 lightening can't just be chalked off to too low nutrients, its been with T5s running on Icecaps.


I'm starting to think that maybe they put off more UV or something.


I think a cheap triad ballast will solve your problems.

 

[Serioussnaps]

i bet you are using SLR reflectors too????

you are scorching your corals....shorten the daylight period significantly and keep the actinics on the same...

or stop OVERDRIVING the bulbs...your on a 29 G ...how deep is that????

it reallys sounds like you are getting toooo much light whether it be the spectrum or intensity..

also what brand bulbs are you using???/ i am waiting for you to say Giesmann??if so...get some ATI's

 

[dvanacker]

I think T5's are being used as a scape goat when people don't get the colors they want they automatically think it is the un tried and true T5HO lighting that must be the reason.

I did the same thing...my green slimer went from green to light green/yellow. I thought it could be the T5's but since then I've changed some other aspects of my aquarium and my green slimer has never looked better now.

I think the problem is that a lot of people who use T5's are new to SPS keeping. Lets face it most people who have a handle on sensitive SPS have been keeping them for longer then a couple of years which by coinsidense is longer ago then when T5HO started to catch on in north america. So the experts have there MH systems that they have been using for quite some time and are happy. In most cases new guys just starting out and buying new equipment for there SPS tanks are the guys getting T5HO.

So my whole point here is that there is a lot more to SPS keeping then just lights. And sometimes a lighting system is good but just needs to be tweaked for best results.

 

[JMBoehling]

I've got (02) 54 watt T5's on my 90.. Just decreased from (04) to (02) and my SPS are extremely happy. I also have (02) Solar tubes for natural light. The perfect balance seems to be 50% Super Actinic (Uvi) and 50% Aqua Blue Plus (Geissman)