Recommended by LFS

[Primetime33]

Since I have not received any recommnedations from this forum, I have to believe my LFS owner and get a MH and PC kit for my 110 G "TALL" reef tank. I want to have LPS,Softies and SPS. He claims that T5's are not good for my tank due to its depth. He says that T5's are "cheap" bulbs. The measurements of my tank are as follows:48Lx18Wx30H. Is he wrong? Does he have a valid point? After reading a lot of the information on the forums here, I was leaning towards the 2x250 HQI/T5 Outer Orbit System from Current. He said that I would be better served buying a HQI/PC kit. Since I am in an area of SoCal that gets extremely hot in the summer months, I need to have a sytem that emits as low a heat volume as possible while still being an effective lighting solution. What are your recommendations? Please help me make a decision.


Thank you,
Prime aka confused reefer.

 

[ronald7410]

Yeh id agree with him. If your tank is 30" tall, ur gonna need MH. MH is recommended for 24" and above because it penetrates water better than any other lighting.

 

[Primetime33]

Ronald,
What about the T5 part of the config? Should I have PC or T5?

MH/T5 or MH/PC?

Prime

 

[Bri Guy]

I would think you could do either or, but most MH setups come with PCs on the side for some reason.

(maybe there is a reason!)

 

[GSMguy]

get the t5 he is trying to sell you his junk no one wants the outer orbit with t5 is sooo much better and there is way more choicee for bulbs

 

[GSMguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8979432#post8979432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bri Guy
I would think you could do either or, but most MH setups come with PCs on the side for some reason.

(maybe there is a reason!)

the reason is t5 is new the powercompact is a scurge of this industy and will be dead soon

 

[GSMguy]

the current halide and t5 is a sweet setup i will have envy of you when you get it

 

[Primetime33]

Thank you erveryone. GSM.. I think I will go with the T5 MH/T5 setup

 

[GSMguy]

you will not be unhappy worth the extra money also t5 bulbs last way longer and are cheaper than powercompacts and produce more light
i like lots of light i run over 10w per gallon
i am biased
what light bulbs are you getting for the halide the 20k or the 10k
check some prices online to make sure the fixture your buying is a good deal i know a vendor that will take very good care of you on the current fixture

 

[GSMguy]

you will not be unhappy worth the extra money also t5 bulbs last way longer and are cheaper than powercompacts and produce more light
i like lots of light i run over 10w per gallon
i am biased
what light bulbs are you getting for the halide the 20k or the 10k
check some prices online to make sure the fixture your buying is a good deal i know a vendor that will take very good care of you on the current fixture

 

[Primetime33]

I have not goten to the point of bulb selection. What would you suggest for bulbs and what vendor do you recommend?

Prime

 

[ronald7410]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8979591#post8979591 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
get the t5 he is trying to sell you his junk no one wants the outer orbit with t5 is sooo much better and there is way more choicee for bulbs

i agree with this guy. PCS are dying off slowly. make sure u get the VHO T5's or the TEK T5's. those are the ones with high wattage.
i think bigalsonline.com sells them but im preaty sure u can get some cheeper ones elsewhere.

 

[GSMguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8984757#post8984757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ronald7410
i agree with this guy. PCS are dying off slowly. make sure u get the VHO T5's or the TEK T5's. those are the ones with high wattage.
i think bigalsonline.com sells them but im preaty sure u can get some cheeper ones elsewhere.

the light he is getting is t5ho built in to the fixture with two halides its a nice setup

 

[Primetime33]

Hopefully, once this light is installed in a few weeks, it will enhance the coraline algae growth. I have virtually none at the moment.

Prime

 

[GSMguy]

keep your calcium,magnesium,alk and ph up and the corraline will take off like crazy when my water is perfect it grows constantly problem is my tank is still young in my opinion so the params are jumpy

 

[GSMguy]

corraline will grow under no flourescent with good water quality

 

[Primetime33]

Thanx GSMGuy,
My CA was a tad low (360) but it has since increased to 400 the last test. I dont want to increase it too fast so that I will not skew other params such as Alk and PH.

Prime

 

[McCrary]

I run 2x250 watt SE halides (10K Ushios) with 2x54 watt T5 actinics (Giesseman 420nm) on my 110 tall. The tank is pure SPS with some clams. Its a retrofit kit, the MH are Icecap ballasts and the T5 are Tek.

 

[angelopasto]

I have the outer orbit MH 2x150W 10,000 and with PC 2x 130W, I also have T5 and I got yo say that the T5 are crap. If you want shimmering you must get MH. The T5 with the MH look good but alone they just don't do it!!