T5s, how do u figure the watts per??

wigs009

New member
I looking to upgrade my lighting. I know that for decent corals you should do around 5 watts per. Does the same hold true for T5s? I really want the the T5s for my tank, but im just not sure how many bulbs and what fixture to get. 75 Gal tank, $300 budget. Any help would be appreciated.
 
HO T5s have a fixed wattage according to length unless overdriven.

Go with 4 to 8 bulbs with individual reflectors. 4 bulbs if you only want softies and LPS. 6-8 if you want clams and SPS.

BTW:

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watts per gallon means nothing. It all depends how deep the tank is. If you have a 75 you would be fine with 4x54watts of t5
 
I agree...watts per gallon is an old methodology that doesn't really mean anything. I would go more with par, and spectrum.
 
agreed, you get more light per watt with T5 anyway. 4-6 bulbs should do with seperate reflectors. Check out the Tek light from Sunlight supply. Cheapest at reefgeek and seedsetc. IMO it's the best T5 out there. I did A LOT of research before deciding to get this one.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7550244#post7550244 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquabucket
HO T5s have a fixed wattage according to length unless overdriven.

Go with 4 to 8 bulbs with individual reflectors. 4 bulbs if you only want softies and LPS. 6-8 if you want clams and SPS.

BTW:

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To Reef Central!

I disagree. A 4 bulb SLR Icecap retro should be more than enough for anything in a 75gal. I've seen a lot of tanks with this setup and the softies have to be kept in the bottom to keep them happy. Anything over 4 bulbs on a 75 is overkill, plus the retro is around $300 I believe.
 
Fair enough that you disagree. I have been using T5s since they came out and run a TEK set-up with 8 bulbs over a 72 bow. I also have a set-up with 4 bulbs over a 40 breeder. The color on SPS corals on the 8 bulb set-up blows away the 4. At one time I had a 6 bulb unit over a 30G and pics of that tank can be seen in my gallery. Also Crocea, Maxima, and Gigas clams will benifit greatly from the added light.

The number of bulbs is a matter of preference and in no way would an 8 bulb set-up be overkill if you desire to keep mainly high light demanding livestock. With a 6 to 8 bulb set-up you also have the ability to add a variety of bulbs covering multiple spectrums and color.
 
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