T5 question?

[joebuckmaster]

Does wattage really have anything to do with growth in a tank. I was thinking of switching to T5 set up. The wattage is not there, and the spectrum is not as high I know that you can find t5 bulbs 15-20k range but most are 6500 to 6700. I have a buddy that works for GE he says he can get me the ballasts that I need for a T5 set up. but the only bulb GE makes is a max of 6500. I am currently running 4x110 VHO's but I am not happy with the color it looks to fake. Should I stay or switch over? I would like to start getting some different types of coral. Any opinions would be great.

Joe

 

[trottman]

just because u have a ge ballast does not mean that u have to use ge bulbs. i would use a ratio of 1:1 GE daylight bulb and Blueplus bulb. go to www.reefgeek.com for bulbs.

if you want too see a pick of that light combination tell me and i will post one. T5's are the next new great reef bulb. they are very bright, good color, and great growth!

 

[drgabe]

No wattage doesn't equate when using T5's. The number that is more useful is PAR. Its basically the amount of light that reaches a certain depth and can be used by your corals.

The nice thing about T5's is using individual parabolic reflectors that will direct far more light into the tank, than normal VHO, and far more than PC lights will.

Check out the lighting forum and the T5 thread for color combos, but what Trottman suggested will work.

 

[trottman]

what i suggested is basically the best PAR you can get while still having an actinic spectrum. the only way to get better PAR is to use all 6500k bulbs, but then your corals will have no color. (live the big tank at inland aquatics)

 

[joebuckmaster]

A picture would be cool, so how many T5's in a 75 I think possibly 6 would fit so 3 6500 and 3 atinic blues would work???

 

[mpcart]

I run 2 Blue+, 2 sunlights, and 2 aquablues on my 58. I do a dusk to dawn effect and get a nice range of actinic, white/blue, and white light.

I keep mostly SPS and they are growing great.

-Mike

 

[dphins]

The blue + bulbs have great par for a blue bulb. That way you don't lose anything mixing your bulbs.

 

[joebuckmaster]

How many should I use, it will have to be the 54 watters, and I think 4 will fit good maybe even 6.

 

[mpcart]

6 of the retros with SLS reflectors will fit in an 18" wide tank.

-Mike

 

[dela]

I think it's Phillips that is about the introduce a VHO T5. I'm excited about the aquarium potential of that lamp.

I wonder if GE makes a 3 or 4 lamp ballast. Advance does not seem to.. http://www.advancetransformer.com/uploads/resources/EL-2110-R01.pdf