iFisch
New member
Is 40w of HOT5 enough to keep a few (5) SPS, I want to get a frag pack from DFS. Just one pack, and I only want to keep 5 frags, placing all 5 at the top of the tank. Giving them enough just enough room to grow, while maintaing LPS/zoa on/close by the SB, under the SPS frags.
I'm currently running 48w PC, but from my reading, T5 is about 1.6x more effective than PC, meaning the 40w of T5 is equivalent to 64w PC.
The tank is a 14g Oceanic BioCube, but the actual main tank is about 12 gallons, with a 2 gallon fuge.
The smallest T5HO fixture I can find is 18" and 2x20w T5HO and it has SLR (Single Light Reflectors) which is supposed to improve light by 20%. I'm not sure I really want even a 70w MH, because I live in FL, and we have our thermostat set at 77*. My tank averages around 81-82 with stock lighting. I don't really want to go much higher, temp wise. If I go with the T5, I will be cutting wattage (heat) and increasing light output.
And I don't really want to load up on fans just to keep the MH cool, because I want something that looks simple. Just a single fixture, with fans built in.
According to that article I read, the fixture I speak of, would be putting out 64w of PC light. The tank isn't very deep. We're talking 10" from the top of my SB to the top of my tank. And from my reading of an RC article where someone compared PAR of MH and T5, the T5 almost had more PAR putout than anyplace in the tank, except for a few spots. So that's what has me set on getting this fixture.
HOWEVER, I want to hear from all you SPS freaks out there, what 'ya think of my "plan". Please don't "flame or bash" me. If I can't keep SPS, I won't. I was just hoping by slightly upgrading my light, I'd be able to have 5 frags flourish on the upper 1/4 of my tank. I don't want to add anymore than 5 frags, because I also like LPS and zoas.
Turnover rate is going to be 28x over, as I'll be picking up a new, stronger pump to replace the stock pump. And I see a good "rule of thumb" is once you start to see coraline growing, it's "time" to add SPS. So I was going to wait a few months, the recommended 3-4 months before adding them, IF the amount of T5HO I could be getting, is sufficient.
This is my second tank, and I have about 1 year's hobby experience. Never tried SPS, but know how to maintain good water, when to dose, etc.
Let me know what you think...
-Nick :rollface:
EDIT: found image I was talking about. Red is T5.
EDIT 2: What if I went with two 18" models, giving me 80w of T5HO. Low selection on bulbs, but a 20" model is just too large.
I'm currently running 48w PC, but from my reading, T5 is about 1.6x more effective than PC, meaning the 40w of T5 is equivalent to 64w PC.
The tank is a 14g Oceanic BioCube, but the actual main tank is about 12 gallons, with a 2 gallon fuge.
The smallest T5HO fixture I can find is 18" and 2x20w T5HO and it has SLR (Single Light Reflectors) which is supposed to improve light by 20%. I'm not sure I really want even a 70w MH, because I live in FL, and we have our thermostat set at 77*. My tank averages around 81-82 with stock lighting. I don't really want to go much higher, temp wise. If I go with the T5, I will be cutting wattage (heat) and increasing light output.
And I don't really want to load up on fans just to keep the MH cool, because I want something that looks simple. Just a single fixture, with fans built in.
According to that article I read, the fixture I speak of, would be putting out 64w of PC light. The tank isn't very deep. We're talking 10" from the top of my SB to the top of my tank. And from my reading of an RC article where someone compared PAR of MH and T5, the T5 almost had more PAR putout than anyplace in the tank, except for a few spots. So that's what has me set on getting this fixture.
HOWEVER, I want to hear from all you SPS freaks out there, what 'ya think of my "plan". Please don't "flame or bash" me. If I can't keep SPS, I won't. I was just hoping by slightly upgrading my light, I'd be able to have 5 frags flourish on the upper 1/4 of my tank. I don't want to add anymore than 5 frags, because I also like LPS and zoas.
Turnover rate is going to be 28x over, as I'll be picking up a new, stronger pump to replace the stock pump. And I see a good "rule of thumb" is once you start to see coraline growing, it's "time" to add SPS. So I was going to wait a few months, the recommended 3-4 months before adding them, IF the amount of T5HO I could be getting, is sufficient.
This is my second tank, and I have about 1 year's hobby experience. Never tried SPS, but know how to maintain good water, when to dose, etc.
Let me know what you think...
-Nick :rollface:
EDIT: found image I was talking about. Red is T5.
EDIT 2: What if I went with two 18" models, giving me 80w of T5HO. Low selection on bulbs, but a 20" model is just too large.
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