How many T5s?

[cdangel0]

I have a 92g corner tank. I am looking to upgrade from PC to T5 lighting. I keep mostly softies with some LPS, but would like to be able to keep more varieties of things, and don't want to go the MH route (too much $$).

I'm looking at fixtures that use 39w bulbs.

Would I be better with a 4, 6, or 8 bulb set-up?

Is it possible to have too much light, would the 8 lamp be a waste?

Still doing research and appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[luke33]

Isn't a 92g 48"? What are the measurments of your tank?

 

[cdangel0]

Sorry, it's approx 36" wide 24" tall and 34" deep. the biggest problem I have with lighting is the tank is shaped like a giant piece of pizza.

 

[gasman059]

More than 30 deep IMO u need a combo of MH and t5 to get the best of both worlds.
That tank is too deep for t5 alone.

 

[cdangel0]

I'm sorry - I used "deep" as a front edge to back corner measurement, it's probably just shy of 24" from sand bed to top of water line. (about an arm's length - kids hid my tape measure)

 

[cdangel0]

Any other opinions?

 

[luke33]

The problem is your tank is only 36" wide and imo, a overdriven 39w t5 won't be able to penetrate like a mh would be able to. I like t5's more personally but sometimes mh are just better, like in this case. Like always this is a matter of opinion.

 

[MercZ]

I have seen a tank like yours that had a MH in the very middle of the canopy with T5's around the outer edges making a triangle. I believe he was able to fit 4 T5's (2 along the front and 1 on each side) with the MH retro in the center. You might want to try this. The one I saw had a 20k MH with one of the front T5's and both sides super actinic and the other front T5 an aquablue. It looked very nice.

 

[Icefire]

6x39w if you can fit it.

 

[cdangel0]

Being as I don't have a canopy I think I'll go the 6x39w route - would 8x39w be overkill then?

What about bulb colors? 3 acintics and 3 10k?

 

[cdangel0]

Bumping for bulb temp opinions.

 

[Inundation]

I have run 4 48" T5HO's and I can tell you right now that if you are worried about bulb temp, you should be. I don't have any experience with MH bulbs, but if I am not running fans on my tank, the lights raise the water temp about 4 degrees. It sits at about 78 with the fans runnnig and 82 if they aren't on. Disastrous.

 

[David Grigor]

Are you looking to do retro or planning to buy a fixture ? There is a wide variety of performance from fixtures so 6 bulb of one fixture is not necessarily comparable to 6 of another or a retro with icecap reflectors for example.

With an odd shape like that you will get the most out of doing a retro so you can customize the number of bulbs and bulb configuration to maximize your tank since it isn't just a standard retangular shape.

 

[cdangel0]

I have no canopy so I am limited to a fixture - or figuring out how to build a canopy for a really funny shaped tank.

I think the 6 lamp fixture will fit best - any wider then that and I start to get over-hang.

What would be the best bulb configuration for a 6 lamp set-up?

Split 10k and acintic blue 50/50 (3 of each) or do I want to mix in other Kelvins to get a nice white look while bringing out the colors in my coral?