Switching from mh to t5 u think be beneficial for sps?

[jackson6745]

Mo, this is true. My experience using a par meter is with the sfiligoi and spectra units. The T5's absolutely suck compared to an ATI fixture. PAR is half of what an ATI future puts out. I actually do run 2 ge65k and 2blue plus to get more par. I know what properly driven t5's are capable of though.

On my 32" cube the SPS are really starting to fill out. Shadowing has been a problem, I am actually getting STN on shaded portions of coral. I don't lose the whole coral, just the shaded part will recede. I am seriously considering getting rid of the Giesemann spectra adding 10 or 12 tubes over the tank. If I can find a 10 bulb ati or maybe run 2x 6 bulb fixtures.

The thing that's holding me back is my colors. Most of my SPS color is spot on. I am afraid that if I go all t5, I will fade colors, or maybe lose some of the vividness that I get under the radium. What do you think?

 

[kevensquint]

I use both 250 radium's and a set of 6 T5's. I can grow my sps with either/and/or. From my experience, best colors, growth comes from mainly T5's with a 3-4 hour dose of MH. I was doing the opposite and colors were not as deep. IMO, the lack of piercing intensity of the T5's help reduce the paleness of my colonies in my low nutrient tank. So in fact, this precise method may apply depending on your other variables like nutrients, Alk level etc..

 

[Moser]

Mo, this is true. My experience using a par meter is with the sfiligoi and spectra units. The T5's absolutely suck compared to an ATI fixture. PAR is half of what an ATI future puts out. I actually do run 2 ge65k and 2blue plus to get more par. I know what properly driven t5's are capable of though.

On my 32" cube the SPS are really starting to fill out. Shadowing has been a problem, I am actually getting STN on shaded portions of coral. I don't lose the whole coral, just the shaded part will recede. I am seriously considering getting rid of the Giesemann spectra adding 10 or 12 tubes over the tank. If I can find a 10 bulb ati or maybe run 2x 6 bulb fixtures.

The thing that's holding me back is my colors. Most of my SPS color is spot on. I am afraid that if I go all t5, I will fade colors, or maybe lose some of the vividness that I get under the radium. What do you think?

Richard, your tank is sweet.

I am reluctant to say to anyone who is happy, to change anything. We always think we can do better, but the answer is that if your colours are good, don't change anything!.

If there is a problem, then it might be worth trying something different, but a major change to a system WILL de-stabilise it for a while.

That said, if the tank is generally running well, it will recover well and imo, colours with T5 can be tweaked to your taste and are better than any other light source. If you add the LED from the ATI Hybrid, you can't beat it.

The MH shimmer is slightly more natural though- you can't beat that!.

I am glad I switched my lights. I am VERY impressed with them.

Mo

 

[Moser]

I use both 250 radium's and a set of 6 T5's. I can grow my sps with either/and/or. From my experience, best colors, growth comes from mainly T5's with a 3-4 hour dose of MH. I was doing the opposite and colors were not as deep. IMO, the lack of piercing intensity of the T5's help reduce the paleness of my colonies in my low nutrient tank. So in fact, this precise method may apply depending on your other variables like nutrients, Alk level etc..

+1

It's all a balance. If nutrients are low, T5 is the best.
If you need more PAR, add more White tubes.
BUT I only used blue + and Coral + and it was plenty. I'm now experimenting with actinic tubes.

It would be nice to hear from Joe Peck. He has experience with heavy amounts of actinic T5. The colour is so nice with them, I'm adding more and more…
mind you, I have 48 tubes over my tank, so I can chop and change. I was told that actinic T5 does nothing for a coral's biology- but it doesn't seem that way from what I am slowly seeing!.

Mo

 

[BrentH]

I to have rtn on shaded spots .... As far as the ati 10 bulb unit I can't seem to find them anywhere online did they discontinue them or something? I agree that someone said that any major change like replacing all your lighting will have a negative impact for a little while till the tank stabilizes but I'm on the idea that this change will be better in the long run for power usage and the tank colors and coverage I need to figure out bulb combos now and all that also someone said they use atnic bulb to reduce par ? Do the actnic bulbs produce no par or less? Sorry guys for ally he questions I'm just excited about this upgrade

Mo, this is true. My experience using a par meter is with the sfiligoi and spectra units. The T5's absolutely suck compared to an ATI fixture. PAR is half of what an ATI future puts out. I actually do run 2 ge65k and 2blue plus to get more par. I know what properly driven t5's are capable of though.

On my 32" cube the SPS are really starting to fill out. Shadowing has been a problem, I am actually getting STN on shaded portions of coral. I don't lose the whole coral, just the shaded part will recede. I am seriously considering getting rid of the Giesemann spectra adding 10 or 12 tubes over the tank. If I can find a 10 bulb ati or maybe run 2x 6 bulb fixtures.

The thing that's holding me back is my colors. Most of my SPS color is spot on. I am afraid that if I go all t5, I will fade colors, or maybe lose some of the vividness that I get under the radium. What do you think?

 

[BrentH]

Sorry mo I just read what you posted about the actnics interesting I do have a 2 bulb retrofit t5 with ati actnis on one of my tanks and it does create awesome look

 

[kevensquint]

Here is a pic with 8hrs/Day MH and 4hrs/day T5. I'm not at home so I can't post a pic now of the current opposite scheme of 8hrs T5 and 4hrs MH. But the colors are in fact a few notches deeper now.

Here is my DIY canopy that allows me plenty of flexibility.

 

[BrentH]

Lookin good man!!!!

 

[Moser]

Lovely tank, Kevin.
I can't remember if you posted your filtration etc previously?.
Really like it.

Do you run actinic T5?.

Brent, it was me that said I was removing some coral+ tubes to add actinic and get a little more pop / reduce par a little. I am running the T5 at 80%, but will increase to 100%.
There are conflicting opinions on the value of actinic T5….

Mo

 

[kevensquint]

Mo, its a 75 peninsula BB with remote DSB in sump and skimmer. That's all. Actinics are useful, I tried 4 actinics out of 6 tubes and I got some bleaching on a few branches. Its not so much PAR, but PUR. The 420nm wavelength is a serious photosynthesis spectrum even if it looks dim to humans.
My best results are 2 URI actinics/2 blue +/1purple +/1 coral+

 

[Moser]

Are the URI similar to ATI actinics?.

I was planning 3Actinic/ 3 blue+/ 1coral+ / 1 purple +.
Coming from Radiums with Blue plus tubes, you can see I like it blue!.
I will consider replacing 1 actinic if it is too much and possibly add a coral+ or a blue+ to get the right colour/ brightness in the tank...….

Mo

 

[kevensquint]

I have a spectrometer and no they are not identical. I cannot say which is best tho. The UV's...(sorry I had vho in mind) seem to have more low NM wavelengths, but my corals enjoy ATI equally IME.
IME, you might want to try the look/results with one more coral + in place of one actinic or blue+

 

[Moser]

I started with 50:50 coral+:Blue+.
Nice place to start, but was very bright….

I added a little bit of red from the purple+, which brought out some pinks.
The actinics made everything really pop, so I added one more. I'm at
3blue+, 2Actinic, 2coral+ and 1 purple+. I was thinking to try one more actinic, but maybe I'll stop if it does cause bleaching…. I need to adjust the LED's yet too!.

Mo

 

[BrentH]

I'm going to buy that same bulb combo mo your stating .... I likenalptnof blue as Well I'm about to buy a few unitsand bulbs one last question? How come you didn't use the 60" fixture? I diesnt Seem like many people use them as much anything I hold know? And thanks again for helping me pull the trigger on this

 

[jackson6745]

I to have rtn on shaded spots .... As far as the ati 10 bulb unit I can't seem to find them anywhere online did they discontinue them or something?

I believe they did discontinue them. I wish I could find a 36" 10 bulb unit.

 

[Moser]

As far as I know, 10 tube power modules are available.
My LFS has a 24" 10 tube. Sunpower only go up to 8 tubes.

Hybrids are only available as 4 or 8 tube.
I looked at 60" units, but my tank is 72" across and I have acro's on both side walls, so I needed better coverage. I decided to mount units Front to back. I had 86-96" to cover due to internal weir boxes.

I could have used 60" and 24" on the sides and 60" and 36" in the middle, but that would have used 3 different lamp sizes, so I went for 36" and 48" units instead. I have two 48" units in the middle.

I have almost every inch covered!

Mo

 

[BrentH]

It seems like most guys have the fixtures pretty close to the water how high is your off the surface ?

 

[Moser]

About 8". I would ideally have it even higher, but the hanging wires drop it about 6".

If its T5 alone, then you can run it even 2 or 3" over the tank, but the LED needs to be higher.

Mo

 

[billyzbear]

There are alot of bulbs to choose from some that haven't been mentioned.
GE daylight will bring out the yellows, high par too
geissman actinic plus is between blue plus and actinic
geissman azure is a new bulb between blue plus and coral plus more green
KZ cost more, thier blue is bluer than blue plus, purple has some nice actinic added, new gen 2 is a little bluer than coral plus
From my testing, too much true actinic caused some coral to color shift also some sps turned more green. Par meters don't really measure thier intensity. Two out of eight is plenty. I would not have them on by themselves. I think it adds to color shifting.

 

[Moser]

They seem to colour shift in a nice direction with actinics.
What did you notice?.

Any bleaching?.

Thanks
Mo