<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7428965#post7428965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
I always love these T5 threads, they all end up the same. They all start with someone considering using T5 on an SPS tank. They all request pictures of T5 lit tanks for references. They all have pictures or links to the awesome T5 tanks in Europe (tanks using $1500+ skimmers and bacterial filtration systems known for keeping nutrients to an almost non-existent level). They all have several picture-less T5 guys in the US (who are not having the success of the Europeans because they lack the water quality) professing how the T5 is brighter than MH (because another T5 user told them it was in his tests). Then, the MH guys start asking for pictures of their tanks and a few trickle in (mostly of smaller recently started tanks that look good but not comparable to the European tanks). Then the T5 users, blame the lack of pictures from US users is because T5 is new to the US market. Isnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t this great!
T5 lighting has been available in the US since 2003. They began being popular in 2004. That is plenty of time for someone to have a beautiful tank by now. Also in that time I think we also realized that 400 watt MH lighting was not a necessity to keep thriving SPS. Remember all the pictures of the beautiful European tanks using the insanely expensive Geismann fixtures with their hammertone reflectors that performed miserably in Sanjayââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s reflector test? Those test results quickly led me to concentrate on water quality over lighting. I think that most successful SPS keepers also now know that water quality is far more important than light intensity.
It is not such a stretch to assume that T5 lighting is good enough to keep thriving SPS. Especially since the majority of people using T5, are doing so in tanks that are under 18ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ in depth. I have played with a par meter and I can say that light plays a small role in the coloration of acro colonies. I have corals on the sand with coloration that looks painted on. Those corals receive light measurements of approx. 100 ppfd. That is very weak when you consider the corals in the top half of the tank are receiving between 900 ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ 500 ppfd.
All these people with these bare bottom tanks are experiencing lightening of acro colonies because of low nutrients. They have even gone so far as to suggest that you need to add nutrients to the tank because the nutrients are so low. Maybe they should consider reducing light by using T5 instead of the 400 watt MH with those super duper reflectors that they have been using. Or better yet cut down their photo period and save a lot on electricity. I have seriously considered adding T5 lighting to supplement my MH. I must say that T5ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s blue plus bulbs really have something that makes acro colony colors pop. I have also seen these same tanks without the T5 supplements and found that the difference is unreal. Unreal to the point I will be adding it to my tank just to get the same effect. I kind of think of it as the magic bulb! Once someone with LED lighting is awarded Tank of the Month on RC, we will then take this argument in yet another direction.
. It takes a good year or two for a SPS tank to mature and more if you start with frags. I personally have about 90% SPS in my tank right now under T5. I also use the Zeovit system. The colors on my existing corals are pretty darn good. At the moment I am having some issues with my greens (they are more yellowish) because of a different problem yet to be determined. I have a feeling its being caused by either too much light (not likely) or too little Iron or Potassium (much more likely). I will be getting some iron here in the next day or so and hopefully I will see my greens start turning back to green, rather than yellow/green.
