T5 Questions

[Mr. Fish]

Could I keep sps coral and clams on the sand bed if I use a 48" 4 bulb tek light fixture http://www.sunlightsupply.com/aqua/...LIGHT&title=Fluorescent Lighting&type=product on my 55 gallon

 

[Slim_jim989]

depends on what tank you have?

 

[Dalbery]

Yeah, How deep is your 55 gallon? how wide is it? 12" or 18"? I would definately be looking at the tek elite. Well worth the price diff over the standard Tek fixture.

 

[Mr. Fish]

It is a standard 48"L 13"W 20"T 55 gallon. What makes the elite better, other than it including a splash guard.

 

[preef]

4 bulbs will probably not be enough. Go with a 6 bulb unit and you won't regret it. I have 6 bulbs over my 72g (same depth at the edges and a few inches taller than a 55g) and I have SPS a few inches off the bottom. I has a clam there for about a year too. Finally moved him up a little after I rearranged my tank.

 

[Mr. Fish]

4 bulbs will probably not be enough. Go with a 6 bulb unit and you won't regret it. I have 6 bulbs over my 72g (same depth at the edges and a few inches taller than a 55g) and I have SPS a few inches off the bottom. I has a clam there for about a year too. Finally moved him up a little after I rearranged my tank.

The 6 bulb fixture is 15 inches, that's wider than my tank. The 4 bulb is 13 inches, the same width as my tank. Wouldn't I just be lighting the floor with the 6 bulb and not get anymore light in my tank.

 

[stevek480]

4 bulb is fine for a 55g.

 

[williamjhitchcock]

6 bulbs would probably be hard to fit in there. Make sure to buy some quality ballast and bulbs. Ice cap 660 ballast and 4 ATI Bulbs (2 blue plus + 2 True Blue bulbs) are the best thing that has happened to my tank and especially my corals. my growth and colors are now insane on my 45 gallon

 

[Mr. Fish]

6 bulbs would probably be hard to fit in there. Make sure to buy some quality ballast and bulbs. Ice cap 660 ballast and 4 ATI Bulbs (2 blue plus + 2 True Blue bulbs) are the best thing that has happened to my tank and especially my corals. my growth and colors are now insane on my 45 gallon

I thought the Tek Light came with a ballast.

 

[solastsummer]

I have a 4 bulb no namer t5 unit and i have a 60g that is the same footprint as a 55 but taller, and i have in the past kept a clam on the bottom just fine. Just make sure you have good bulbs.

 

[unclejed2]

It is a standard 48"L 13"W 20"T 55 gallon. What makes the elite better, other than it including a splash guard.

The six bulb would be a waste for you, it is 4' wide so you will loose a couple bulbs, (you may already be aware). The four is o.k. but not quite perfect for SPS. LED fixtures are the wave of the future. I am currently using them. If you do go for the 4 bulb T5, you may keep the easier SPS if you locate them middle-3/4 of the way up in the tank. You will have to change the bulbs every 6-8 mos. instead of 8-12 mos. though to ensure good PAR and intensity.

 

[preef]

The 6 bulb fixture is 15 inches, that's wider than my tank. The 4 bulb is 13 inches, the same width as my tank. Wouldn't I just be lighting the floor with the 6 bulb and not get anymore light in my tank.

My Nova Extreme pro six bulb fixture is 12" x 48" with individual contoured reflectors. It would fit.

 

[crvz]

I've seen folks have great performance with the 4 bulb tek fixture on tanks about that size. I think you'd be fine.

 

[IslandCrow]

I've kept acros and a crocea clam under a 4-bulb Tek T5 in a 46g tank. They did better when I upgraded to a 5-bulb overdriven setup, but as long as you're meeting their other requirements, I think you should be just fine. At 18" below the surface, my PAR tests on the 4-bulb Tek showed equal or better results beter than most 250W metal halides.

 

[Mr. Fish]

Cool,

I am definitely going to get a 4 bulb HO t5 fixture, I am not sure if I can afford the Tek Light right now though.

 

[IslandCrow]

I definitely wouldn't get anything less than the Tek. It's probably going to be the minimum for what you want to do. . .depending on the clams and SPS of course. . .I've been assuming worst case since you didn't give any specifics there.