Thinking about switching to T5's on my anemone tank..professional opinion?

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

My metal halide ballast might be going bad. Thinking should I fix this MH fixture or is this a great opportunity to go with a T5 fixture? I know I will lose the shimmer but it would be nice to have a lower electric bill. The real question here is will my anemones stay healthy and strong with just T5 bulbs? I was thinking about getting two of these fixtures Nova extreme SLR 48" x 8" Saltwater; 216 watt.

Anemones .. S. Mertensii and Purple M. Doreensis

I think the Mertensii will be fine since it sits on the live rock just worried about the LTA. Will two of these light fixtures be enough to keep my LTA happy and beautiful?

 

[elegance coral]

Once an LTA is healthy and well established, it can acclimate to some pretty low light levels. I've kept them under a couple of standard 18W fluorescents. It may lose some of its purple color and turn more brown IF the PAR drops though. They also may move around a little when you first make the change.

I think people have proven that anemones can be kept under a wide range of lighting, including T5's. Me personally, I will always prefer to use MH with anemones.

 

[WDLV]

I will preface this by saying that I have never used T-5.

...however I have used MH, VHO flourescent, PC flourescent, and NO flourescent. IME, it doesn't matter what kind of light source you use. You still need approximately the same W/Gallon to acheive the same result. That being what it is I have found that MH is the cheapest way to go because you can replace fewer bulbs less often and it requires fewer ballasts to start with.
I do not personally know anyone who has switched from MH to T-5 and been happy long term, though online communities are full of people who rave about them.

 

[MarinaP]

I am not a fan of experiments on established systems. I would stick with what has proven to work for you. I use MH on my system.

There was a thread about MH vs T5 several months ago, you might find it among BonsaiNut's recent posts.

 

[bues0022]

Though I generally respect and agree with the opinions of the above people, in this example I will have to call them out and respectfully say that they are incorrect in several facets.

however I have used MH, VHO flourescent, PC flourescent, and NO flourescent. IME, it doesn't matter what kind of light source you use. You still need approximately the same W/Gallon to acheive the same result.

I'm actually a bit surprised at this comment, because Watts per gallon is a useless measure of the amount of light entering the tank. Quality, not quantity. I know of several keeping multiple different species of anemones under LED's - which would have an extremely low watts per gallon number. Furthermore, if you could stuff huge amounts of NO light over a tank and I would be skeptical if the light would be sufficient to keep much of anything alive.

Once an LTA is healthy and well established, it can acclimate to some pretty low light levels. I've kept them under a couple of standard 18W fluorescents. It may lose some of its purple color and turn more brown IF the PAR drops though. They also may move around a little when you first make the change.

I think people have proven that anemones can be kept under a wide range of lighting, including T5's. Me personally, I will always prefer to use MH with anemones.

I think there is an incorrect assumption here that T5's have a lower light output than MH. While there are admittedly many variables such as MH wattage, active cooling across the T5 bulbs, and individual reflectors, I believe that T5 bulbs/fixtures are more than adequate for keeping everything and anything alive in the tank. In fact, Mcliffy2 has a thread in the Large Tank forum and he has had difficulties with keeping LPS even on the bottom of his tank from bleaching - he has a T5 fixture.

Though I agree that experiments are not always the best on an established tank, I do not think the switch of lighting would necessarily be a bad thing. Just make sure to acclimate your tank to the lighting, and I think you will be surprised at the quality of light the T5 fixture can produce (just make sure you have individual reflectors and active cooling fans blowing across the bulbs)

 

[WDLV]

I'm actually a bit surprised at this comment, because Watts per gallon is a useless measure of the amount of light entering the tank. Quality, not quantity. I know of several keeping multiple different species of anemones under LED's - which would have an extremely low watts per gallon number. Furthermore, if you could stuff huge amounts of NO light over a tank and I would be skeptical if the light would be sufficient to keep much of anything alive.

C'mon. This is an industry rule of thumb. Anyone who has a few years of experience knows first hand that WPG and GPM are not perfect ways of determining value but it's the best generalization we have. Afterall we're talking about general ideas here. Not every bulb is created equal. Each brand under the same rating will have different PAR and spectral values but we're not looking to split atoms. Once he narrows down what technology he wants then it's time to start comparing spectrum, PAR and other values.
All I'm saying is what my experience has shown me. WPG is a recognized means of comparison when comparing the different technologies. I've had two similarly sized tanks one with 288W of PCF and one with 250W of MH and the results are similar but the annual bulb replacement cost was significantly different. The other thing people worry about is their electrical usage. IME, this is of minimal concern unless you're doing it for environmental reasons. I thought a drastic reduction of MHs and large pumps would have a significant affect on my energy bill. After I broke down a beautiful system, I found that there was no difference in my bill that I could notice. So, I've started building back up my systems and low and behold there's no change in my utility bill. The bottom line is that if you have a budget for your reef like most of us do, you will want to save money on bulbs and buy cooler animals. For me MH has been the best way to accomplish that goal.

 

[WDLV]

Wicked... one more thing you might want to look into. If you have an Icecap ballast or something similar, you will have done the wiring yourself. Before you throw in the towel, try clipping off the connections, re-stripping the wires and using fresh wire nuts or solder joints on the connections. I have had this happen before and it turned out to be a slightly corroded connection... not a bad ballast.

If you're using wire nuts you can also squeeze some silicone around the wire nut after it's securely fastened to keep moisture and salty air out.

 

[rkelman]

I don't think its a bad idea to switch to T5's. I a tank with MH and 1 with T5's. I get good growth under both (corals) the Nems are fine under either. I'm not sure how much electricity your going to save though.

 

[nikon187]

The energy saving you are going to see are a couple of dollars a month at best with the switch.

 

[Amphiprion]

With those particular two species, I don't see any issues with the switch. They both are reasonably tolerant in terms of different lighting levels to begin with, too. A good T5 setup will be plenty, though I'm not sure of how effective those particular fixtures actually are. I haven't seen any PAR values for those fixture/reflector combos, either. I know one of the high-end fixtures and/or the overdriven setups will be more than enough for most, if not all, species. Of course, this all assumes they are in good health to start with.

Bottom line: either will work in the right circumstances.

 

[westohooligan]

With those particular two species, I don't see any issues with the switch. They both are reasonably tolerant in terms of different lighting levels to begin with, too. A good T5 setup will be plenty, though I'm not sure of how effective those particular fixtures actually are. I haven't seen any PAR values for those fixture/reflector combos, either. I know one of the high-end fixtures and/or the overdriven setups will be more than enough for most, if not all, species. Of course, this all assumes they are in good health to start with.

Bottom line: either will work in the right circumstances.

+1. You will have the problem as you won't get that mesmerizing shimmer anymore! :strange:

 

[wicked_NaCl_h2o]

Well, some thing is wrong with the light fixture I have now. One day I was sitting on the couch and one of the MH lights went out. I thought oh crap one of my bulbs needs replaced. Then just when I was about to order new bulbs MH light came back on. So I'm thinking its the ballast. I would sure hate for it to break and I didn't have the parts to fix it or a replacement light fixture. What I have is an 48 inch Current USA Outer Orbit 2x150W 10K HQI-MH w/ 2x130W Dual Actinic & 6 Lunar Lights. This light fixture has been discontinued. LOL

http://www.marinedepot.com/48_inch_..._USA-CU01040-FILTFIMHMPMDMLM6-CU01042-vi.html

 

[BuckeyeTodd]

I recently switched from 3x150 to T5, and every week I'm having to move stuff down the tank. I have a favia that I burned 28 inches under the fixture. I have multiple corals I've had to move to the edges of the glass(acans and chalices). For what its worth, by BTA's have had no change under the new lights.

 

[elegance coral]

Walt may be on to something. If you are having MH's go out in the middle of the run time, it sounds like a short. Before spending the money on two brand new fixtures, I'd check all the connections, and make sure they're tight. Naturally, it could be the ballast, but I'd start with the least expensive fix first. I'd also switch places with the bulbs. This way you can determine if the problem is the bulb, or wiring/ballast.

Another thing to think about is room to access the tank. If you cover the whole top of the tank with lights, it can be a pain getting into it.

 

[WDLV]

I have to ask a silly question because I'm not familiar with the particular setup. Are the ballasts incorporated into the reflector like the aquaspacelight or are they wall mounted elsewhere? If it's the latter, it will be a little bit easier to work on. If you're not comfortable working on something like this I'm sure there's a hobbyist near you who would be willing to take a look at it.

I'm not trying to push you to do this but I'm under the impression that you were happy with the performance of your current setup but figured that if you have to sink any money into repairing/replacing it that you might as well try out a new type of lighting. Also keep in mind that repairing the existing setup will be cheaper than buying a new one.
Particularly if you have an incorporated type of fixture. Those ballasts are usually pretty cheap and replacements can often be found at a local electrician's shop I still think you probably just have an partially open or shorted wire somewhere. FWIW, this comes from a guy who works on all modalities of medical equipment for a living. I did a good bit of research a few years back on lighting spectrum and styles to determine what would be the best light for treating babies with jaundice. I learned a lot and as a result became a fan of of LED lighting....

 

[Reefvette]

Wicked

Wicked

I wouldnt steer ya wrong but i think it all depends on the heights of your tank.

I kept a 2 ft gigantea under t-5s that were about 4 inches above the water and the nem was 4 inches deep.

Right now i am running LEDS and as you know im getting a good response from my magnifica and my mertens. Lots of growth and extension.

I have given up on the old watts per gallon and even the MH is best theory.

 

[gweston]

My RBTA is fine under 2xT5HO's (36") in a 29gal tank, but I supplement with a daylight 6500k fluorescent T8 (24"). The RBTA is centered in tank and gets a bulk of the light. It is healthy and very well colored. But its tentacles do have a bit more extension than I'd like. I wouldn't go less of course. I'd think 4xT5HO is quite good, but if the tank is deep or the anemone is low in the tank.. then may need to boost it up. The more bulbs the better! I'd get whatever I could fit/maximize over the tank. For my 125gal in progress, I am looking at potentially going with 12x 36" T5HO bulbs eventually. Two banks of 6x.

But as others said, consider the tank as a whole and what the entire tank's requirements are.

 

[Reefvette]

Wicked

Wicked

If you need to go for a 8 or 10 buld fixture, these bioluminescense (sp) of the mertens looks crazy under leds i could only imagine when you can get crazy t-5 colors.

 

[njdevilsfan]

do this my 30 btas look better under 4 t5 bulbs than anything else i have had them under
if you miss the shimmer add 1 stunner
just add some screen at first i have burnt more corals than i would like to add up with t5s