Lighting for 72" tank
- Thread starter rjjr1963
- Start date
Reef Frog
New member
Great question. I'm following along.
I noticed in an API thread that some people do this. It seems that fixture is almost too powerful for many corals BTW. I was wondering what the lighting on the 6 inches in either side would be like.
Maybe a good place to grow chalices, Acans and other low light corals? Maybe it's an advantage in some cases?
I was wondering about a 48" fixture on a 60" tank.
I noticed in an API thread that some people do this. It seems that fixture is almost too powerful for many corals BTW. I was wondering what the lighting on the 6 inches in either side would be like.
Maybe a good place to grow chalices, Acans and other low light corals? Maybe it's an advantage in some cases?
I was wondering about a 48" fixture on a 60" tank.
Reef Frog
New member
Gotcha. But I was wondering if the light intensity at the end of the tanks is enough to sustain & grow corals, and if so what kinds. Or is is it a virtual dead zone for most hard corals?
Or maybe just right do down species? I've never notice this discussed before.
I'm guessing that with a fixture less than the tank length, using mounting legs will be impossible and hanging it from the ceiling will be the only option.
Or maybe just right do down species? I've never notice this discussed before.
I'm guessing that with a fixture less than the tank length, using mounting legs will be impossible and hanging it from the ceiling will be the only option.
gone fishin
New member
I originally had a 48" T5 overmine and it definately had some shadowing towards the sides. I eventually got a 72" aqauticlife 12 bulb T5HO light. It was a good light but I got tired of the bulb replacement. I now have maxspect razors on the tank. Good luck
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
I run a 60" DIY fixture over my 72" tank. I'm running four 60" T5 bulbs and a 60" BML strip LED.
FTS:
Given that it is T5 I really don't get a lot of shadowing on either end. Given that the only thing I have there are the powerheads, the 6" not covered by the light really doesn't have much of an impact. The light is mounted in my hood and 5-6" off the water surface. I like the result and love that I only have to buy 4 bulbs every year instead of 8, almost halving the replacement cost.
FTS:
Given that it is T5 I really don't get a lot of shadowing on either end. Given that the only thing I have there are the powerheads, the 6" not covered by the light really doesn't have much of an impact. The light is mounted in my hood and 5-6" off the water surface. I like the result and love that I only have to buy 4 bulbs every year instead of 8, almost halving the replacement cost.
Reef Frog
New member
Rocket Engineer,[l/B] first congrats on the Tank of the Month honor. I've followed your tank thread & you deserve it!
I too have decided on a 4x T5/ BML LED hybrid on my future LPS/SPS 60"x24"x24" tank. I have bought into the idea that a linear strip is much superior to the puck style fixtures, and have also bought into the virtues of passive hearing they describe. My current plan is to let the BML LED handle the actinic & blue spectrums primarily. But not sure if I should get some white or daylight spectrum in there as well or just let the T5 handle that. Any opinions on that? I'm assuming you're happy with your set up, right?
Since I've been able to scorch even SPS like Pavona & stylos in the top 1/3 of my Red Sea Max 250 (*), I have fear & respect for the power of T5s, even mediocre ones. I was planning on getting the standard non dim able API power module, but while lurking in those threads it seems like they're so darn powerful (PARful?) that they will melt my prized LPS favias, scolys, chalices & other low light corals. So then I'm thinking a dim-able ATI fixture is the way to go.
But I just can't keep from thinking that dimming fluorescent tubes of any kind is a bad idea. In my mind I see ballasts and bulbs burning out like crazy. I've just begun to pester folks in the ATI threads but haven't rec'd much food info yet.
So then my thoughts move to using screen to block some of this supposedly lethal ATI super light. Maybe disable the vaunted "German made reflectors". Me thinks "naw that's stupid." So my inquiries then go to suggest buying a "less powerful" T5 fixture. Somebody said "low PAR T5 bulbs". Hmm. Do they even exist?
What brand T5 fixture & T5 bulb combo are you using? Is it ok with LPS & high light need SPS like acros?
As you can see this relatively simple subject has me quite confused. If I was a member of your rocket design team, you would surely fire me or have me making coffee or something. Please forgive this rambling wall of text. I don't expect any detailed explanations but a few comments on your experience or words of wisdom would be much appreciated. BTW raising a light fixture to reduce light exposure is not an option. It must be 4"- ~7" above the water line. No higher.
TIA & again, congrats on the ROTM.
(*) RSM250. 6x ATI 39w T5 tubes. No individual reflectors, just s single aluminum box. Footprint 36" x 17" footprint. 18" high. Surprisingly powerful for a decent but run of the mill unit based on its ability to lighten up my hard corals. So the quality fixtures have me scared.
I too have decided on a 4x T5/ BML LED hybrid on my future LPS/SPS 60"x24"x24" tank. I have bought into the idea that a linear strip is much superior to the puck style fixtures, and have also bought into the virtues of passive hearing they describe. My current plan is to let the BML LED handle the actinic & blue spectrums primarily. But not sure if I should get some white or daylight spectrum in there as well or just let the T5 handle that. Any opinions on that? I'm assuming you're happy with your set up, right?
Since I've been able to scorch even SPS like Pavona & stylos in the top 1/3 of my Red Sea Max 250 (*), I have fear & respect for the power of T5s, even mediocre ones. I was planning on getting the standard non dim able API power module, but while lurking in those threads it seems like they're so darn powerful (PARful?) that they will melt my prized LPS favias, scolys, chalices & other low light corals. So then I'm thinking a dim-able ATI fixture is the way to go.
But I just can't keep from thinking that dimming fluorescent tubes of any kind is a bad idea. In my mind I see ballasts and bulbs burning out like crazy. I've just begun to pester folks in the ATI threads but haven't rec'd much food info yet.
So then my thoughts move to using screen to block some of this supposedly lethal ATI super light. Maybe disable the vaunted "German made reflectors". Me thinks "naw that's stupid." So my inquiries then go to suggest buying a "less powerful" T5 fixture. Somebody said "low PAR T5 bulbs". Hmm. Do they even exist?
What brand T5 fixture & T5 bulb combo are you using? Is it ok with LPS & high light need SPS like acros?
As you can see this relatively simple subject has me quite confused. If I was a member of your rocket design team, you would surely fire me or have me making coffee or something. Please forgive this rambling wall of text. I don't expect any detailed explanations but a few comments on your experience or words of wisdom would be much appreciated. BTW raising a light fixture to reduce light exposure is not an option. It must be 4"- ~7" above the water line. No higher.
TIA & again, congrats on the ROTM.
(*) RSM250. 6x ATI 39w T5 tubes. No individual reflectors, just s single aluminum box. Footprint 36" x 17" footprint. 18" high. Surprisingly powerful for a decent but run of the mill unit based on its ability to lighten up my hard corals. So the quality fixtures have me scared.
RocketEngineer
Space is big.
gone fishin, to add to what Reef Frog asked, was that a 48" fixture on a 72" tank? I did that when I first set up the one you see in my post and the 12" on each side was too much shadow for me. The 60" fixture with only 6" on each side worked much.
Reef Frog, the BML fixture I have is a 14000K and the bulb combo I use is a 12000K-14000K so the color difference between the LED on and LED off isn't much. The only real difference I can see is how bright the tank is and that is noticeable. Unlike most, I'm using the LEDs as my "noon" lighting and run the more blue T5s longer to give me a dawn/dusk effect. I use the LET Miro-4 retrofit kit which has the same ballast as the ATI. With this setup I grow SPS mid-tank and above and LPS down to the sand bed.
Reef Frog, the BML fixture I have is a 14000K and the bulb combo I use is a 12000K-14000K so the color difference between the LED on and LED off isn't much. The only real difference I can see is how bright the tank is and that is noticeable. Unlike most, I'm using the LEDs as my "noon" lighting and run the more blue T5s longer to give me a dawn/dusk effect. I use the LET Miro-4 retrofit kit which has the same ballast as the ATI. With this setup I grow SPS mid-tank and above and LPS down to the sand bed.
gone fishin
New member
Yes, the 48" fixture was on a 72" tank. In the beginning it was fine for the fish and leathers mushrooms that sort of thing. I really liked the 72" T5 fixture I was able to keep most corals that I wanted(LPS/SPS). I just hated the bulb replacements and started pushing them out farther until I started getting into a bit of trouble. I will say that after using the Maxspects for about 18 months now, I believe a T5/LED hybrid would probably be the way to go for me at least.
On a side note the 72" inch fixture was repurposed to a grow table for my wife. It usually gets used from January to about April to start her flowers and herbs for the outdoor gardens.
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