T5 Growth Pics

[NewSchool04]

I thought I'd post some growth pics with T5's. I have a 6 bulb Tek light and bought it late Jan. 2005. Before that I ran PC's and had a strickly LPS and zoo tank. I went with the T5's b/c I was worried about heat, they were a little less expensive and I liked the look of the Tek light.

My tank is a 75 gallon AGA RR.

A. loisettea 2/28/05

A. loisettea 12/07/05

A. divaricata 2/28/05

A. divaricata 12/07/05

A. cerealis 2/28/05

A. cerealis 12/07/05

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Sweet. Any full tank shots?

 

[NewSchool04]

Monti cap 2/27/05

Monti cap 12/07/05

Monti cap frag for sale now . . . ?

A. austera 2/27/05

A. austera 12/07/05

T5's work, no doubt about it.

 

[NewSchool04]

Full tank shot 12/07/05

I see a ton of T5 vs. MH on this forum. I'm not very familiar with MH, but do I do have a 150 HQI pendant on a nano cube just for experiment, frags and fun but nothing serious. I posted this to show people that T5's are legit and should be considered when getting into this type of coral.

 

[masterswimmer]

Very nicely put together. Great evidence. Your corals not only grew beautifully, but they colored up fantastic.

Russ

PS - I've been running SLS TEK 6 x 54w T-5's since I started my tank in March, '04. Only thing on my wish list is that they come out with a truly eye popping actinic bulb. The T5 actinics are fair at best.

Still,
Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

Here's a shot of my ORA A. Tort Blue:

August, '04:

January 28, 2005:

Dec. 12, 2005:

Russ

 

[NewSchool04]

Russ, I agree with you, I don't use the actinics. I wasn't happy with them during my initial bulb swapping episodes, no pop, really no nothing.

However . . . I decided to forgive the T5 actinic when all the other happy T5 bulbs turned my nerdy next door torch coral into the talk of the tank. No pasties, just a full lap dance for all in the 75! She used to be shy, once the real lights came on she came out of her shell!

 

[NewSchool04]

I would never usually admit this, but your tort is bigger than mine!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Nice

 

[masterswimmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6281781#post6281781 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewSchool04
I would never usually admit this, but your torch is bigger than mine!

ROFL

Guess we should work on some kind of swap. You have any nice pink birds nest? I do, if you don't. Just don't have a before and after pic of that:

Hippo in the back is not for sale/swap or trade:

Russ

 

[NewSchool04]

I've never had any type of birds nest, I think after looking at that pic you posted I'm going to get a frag. That really is beautiful.

 

[masterswimmer]

That colony started last February as a 1" stick crazy glued to a rock. Wish I had that pic to compare for you. Do I hear trade?

Russ

 

[masterswimmer]

I also just noticed your sig says you just started a 12 gal nano with MH.

I just started, last Friday, a 16 gallon bowfront with my first venture into MH lighting. I went with the Coralife Aqualight 150w HQI MH tank mount. Trying to find some different things to go into a different kind of aquascape (somewhat unique, I think)

Russ

 

[NewSchool04]

PM'd you masterswimmer

 

[masterswimmer]

PM'd you back NewSchool

 

[old salty]

Nice pics!! Glad I went with T5's. I just put 12 frags in my tank yesterday morning, but it's nice to see what I have to look forward to.

 

[NewSchool04]

if your frags don't look like my colonies by tomorrow old salty . . . you did something wrong!!!!

Good luck with your tank, just remember you can't blame it on the lights!

 

[amheck]

Nice shots. This gives me hope, although I only have the 4 bulb tek setup. And I do use 2 of the Blue+ blubs. Since you don't use the actinics at all, I'm assuming you have a lot more usable PAR for the corals than I.

Aaron

 

[NewSchool04]

I use 3 blue + and 3 aqua blue

 

[Ball]

I also have a 75 gallon SPS tank with the Tek 6 bulb T5 fixture. I love it. Ive had the fixture for just over a year.

NewSchool04, your corals have excellent growth. Nice.

I recently switched to 4 blue + and 2 aquablue and love the color. I used to have 2 blue +, 3 aquablue, and 1 GE. I didnt like the color and I really think the corals recieved to much light from them. When I switched to the 4 blue+ and 2 aquablue, the colors gradually got darker and more rich.