Lighting 20 Long: 2x39 watt?

[Patrick Bateman]

How's it going everyone?

I'm not new to Reef Central, but I am new to Reef keeping. I have lurked this site for nearly 5 years, and I am thinking about finally making the plunge into Reef keeping. I just had to tear down my 29 gallon planted because -I kid you not- a large quantity of beer/hooch/booze was poured into the open top. Not by me, by some random drunk girls who though my room was a great place to hide from the police.

I still have some equipment I was using for that 29 gallon, Including my Aquatic Life T5HO fixture (36" 2x39 watt). It doesn't have true individual reflectors, but the single reflector is curved around each bulb so I think that makes it a little more efficient. I opted for the 36" fixture on my 30" 29 gallon because I wanted bulbs that ran the length of the tank. No dark Spots. Of course I would need to switch out the bulbs, but I was wondering how this light would work for a 20 long reef set up?

I know that 4 tubes is the general "minimum" recommendation for T5's and reefs. I was thinking that since the 20 long is shallow, (12") and the bulbs run the length of the tank, that the 2x 39 watt fixture might be enough. I don't plan on keeping many difficult corral's -maybe a hardy SPS or two up high- in addition to softies and some LPS.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Patrick Bateman]

bump

 

[rwb500]

it will work fine. the 20 long is also 30" long, like your 29 gallon, so the light will overhang the edges. but i guess you're used to that by now!

quote i found on another message board:

"I have a 2 bulb t5 on a 20 long, and it works just fine so far for my sps/lps/softies. It really depends on what you want to keep. It's only 12", and if you pick the right critters and zone them well you could keep a lot with 2 tubes"

you will have to choose bulbs very carefully. I am no T5 expert so hopefully others will chime in. I am guessing you will want 1 ATI Blue Plus (one of the highest PAR and most popular T5 bulbs) and then something else to make the overall color a little less blue and more white.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Yes I am wondering what the best bulb combinations is as well. I am used to avoiding actinics like the plague with planted tanks so I don't know much about which ones to get ha. I will definitely check into that blue ATI plus.

**Edit: here is a post I found where someone compares 4 different ATI bulbs in a 2 bulb fixture. Im really liking the Blue+ and the Purple+ combo.


I am used to having daylight or even slightly red hued tanks. If im going to do a reef, I think I want it to look more blueish. I like the look of darker blue reef tanks, it makes them look like they are deep in the ocean.

Just in case anyone was wondering, this is what a 36" fixture looks like sitting on top of a 30" 29 gallon (or 20 long). I was afraid it would look terrible, but its not bad right? It is so hard to find a good light for a 30" tank because the 30" fixtures only have 24" bulbs. I think that this is a great way to get even coverage -the bulbs are the same length as the tank;the fact that it looks decent is just an added bonus.