reefrubble
Premium Member
qckslvr76, Looks like you have plenty of light , and colors look super . Thank you for the pics . Ted
Who in Tampa area uses T 5 only (SPS)
- Thread starter reefrubble
- Start date
Ted if you don't have good color it's not likely to be from running halide over t5. Lots of people have been getting crazy good coloration from halides for years. Have you tried to raise or lower the lights? Can make a big defference. My 250 bulb is almost 16 inches from the waters surface. Tank is 20 inches deep. Acro's are at the top and 3-4 inches from the bottom. Acans look good and so do the Ricordea that are huge instead of shriveled.
Also ted chris's tank has plenty of light to grow sps. I think he said his tank was set up 2 years and they started from frags. That is plenty of growth for 2 years. I still don't like t5's even though they work.
If you want a mess of zoanthids I would actually say get t5's because with all the blue and funky color bulbs out there you can make them glow just about like you have just actinics on but the tank is bright. Not so much for sps.
Also ted chris's tank has plenty of light to grow sps. I think he said his tank was set up 2 years and they started from frags. That is plenty of growth for 2 years. I still don't like t5's even though they work.
If you want a mess of zoanthids I would actually say get t5's because with all the blue and funky color bulbs out there you can make them glow just about like you have just actinics on but the tank is bright. Not so much for sps.
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RockDocPro
New member
Fort Myers
Fort Myers
I have T5's over my frag tank. I have the 48" Nova Extremes, an 8-bulb fixture and a 4-bulb fixture, for total of 12, alternating 10K and 460nm actinic:
Fort Myers
I have T5's over my frag tank. I have the 48" Nova Extremes, an 8-bulb fixture and a 4-bulb fixture, for total of 12, alternating 10K and 460nm actinic:
reefrubble
Premium Member
Rob , Thanks . I think part of my problem is my water is too clean ( lack of nutrients) . I need more fish , and I need to feed more .
Ted
Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
RockDocPro , It looks like your frags are growing so well under T-5s . that you are running out of room .
Ted
Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
Rob , I do have that monster I-Tech skimmer , and it keeps my water super clean . That is why I said I need to get some more fish , and feed more . Ted
reefrubble
Premium Member
Sorry I'm tired .
Yep Ted on the feeding.
I just got a funny phone call a few minutes ago. It was a guy that was saying he was talking about a t5 tank that was tank of the month while he was at johns. Saying how the corals where growing funny because he didn't think they had enough light. He was talking about how t5's are not enough for acros in most tanks. He added there are exceptions when we talked. Not sure what he said at johns.
Funny how I can get bashed by people that don't even know who I am or they don't pay enough attention to a conversation to see who is doing the talking. Makes you wonder if they really even heard what was being said.
I will not deny that I agree that t5's shouldn't be used for acro's in most cases. <---- yeah I said most cases not all.
I just got a funny phone call a few minutes ago. It was a guy that was saying he was talking about a t5 tank that was tank of the month while he was at johns. Saying how the corals where growing funny because he didn't think they had enough light. He was talking about how t5's are not enough for acros in most tanks. He added there are exceptions when we talked. Not sure what he said at johns.
Funny how I can get bashed by people that don't even know who I am or they don't pay enough attention to a conversation to see who is doing the talking. Makes you wonder if they really even heard what was being said.
I will not deny that I agree that t5's shouldn't be used for acro's in most cases. <---- yeah I said most cases not all.
I've got both setups, I have a 120 with 2x250w 14k Pheonix bulbs, and I have a 40B with T5's plumbed into the system that I mostly keep zoas and yumas in. I originally had T5's over the 120, but just wasn't happy with it. To my eye the T5 setups just don't seem to have a crisp look, to me it is kinda like a slightly out of focus picture. Both setups have their pluses and minuses. You can grow anything under T5's with overdriven bulbs, even in a deep tank. But you pay for that when you have to replace the bulbs that much sooner, and that can be a big hit on a big tank. Imagine having to replace 24 bulbs every year. Then you have to experiment with bulb combos to get the look you want, that can add up.
The bottom line is that both systems work. Each one has it's pluses and minuses. When you add the costs up for each system, especially on a deeper tank, there isn't gonna be much difference, especially if you are overdriving the T5's. The cost difference is gonna be about an ORA frag a year probably.
The bottom line is that both systems work. Each one has it's pluses and minuses. When you add the costs up for each system, especially on a deeper tank, there isn't gonna be much difference, especially if you are overdriving the T5's. The cost difference is gonna be about an ORA frag a year probably.
Reef18Keeper
New member
I'm not in Tampa but I run T5s over my tank with SPS
reeferfriendly
New member
if you replace 24 t5 a year thats a little over 300 dollars and if you replace 2 halides with good bulbs you are around 200ish i think you will save that other hundred easy in electric alone over the year between the consumption of the lights and the ton less heat to chill with the T5 it will probally work out the same the final decision is gonna boil down to personal pref imo i use both and i like both maybe a nice combo of small halide? like 175w with T5 atinic suppliment may be what you are looking for?
Who replaces 24 bulbs of T5 a year? Even if you get a 10 lamp unit and you replace them early you arent even replacing 24. I agree the color combos are the initial costs but some of you really need to research how long a T5 bulb last. If your getting 8 months out of a Halide than you can expect a year plus out of a T5. I suggest looking at tanks you like. Ask them what they are using and what bulbs. Wattage and domensions of tanks. Then go from there.
reeferfriendly
New member
they were reefering to the cost of t5 replacement on a large tank with 12 bulb system that is over driven which means 6 months is about right for change that comes to 24 bulbs a year i over drive my 4x36in t5 with ice cap 660 and after about 5-6 months the ends glow crazy orange and shortly after that they basically melt if i dont change them but thats only on the over driven set the others are fine for a year to 18 months from what ive noticed
I'm wondering where to get decent t5 bulbs for $12.50 each. I thought they were at least over $20. Maybe the price has come down drastically since I used them it seems the quality has at least come up some. Also I pay just under $60 for my very good 250 halide. I use no actinic supplementation so I save there also.
I use a good reflector so I can raise the light fixture enough to where I really don't need a chiller but I like my tank cool so I run one anyway.
I use a good reflector so I can raise the light fixture enough to where I really don't need a chiller but I like my tank cool so I run one anyway.
reeferfriendly
New member
current has them atm 15-16 ea on the website can get cheaper if you look also alot of info on halide vs T5 comparison on this site http://www.ultraluxlight.com/compared_to_metal_halide.html my 120 is now running basically the 6 bulb fixture they have here (give or take the same ) it fits like a glove in my 4x2x2 hood swapped out the shop bulbs for the currents and so far im very happy fixture was 175.00 both ballast included shop bulbs came with also but scrapped them set up with 2 cords and can run 2 4 or 6 bulbs at a time was cheap,easy to install and works great tanks happy im happy and GF is ha....... well not real mad
thats a heck of a fixture warranty. 25 years?
Scared of the current bulbs. My old fixture came with one and I took it out quickly. Most people go for proven bulbs. I guess as more and more people use the current stuff people will gain confidence in them. Got any full tank shots with all current bulbs?
Scared of the current bulbs. My old fixture came with one and I took it out quickly. Most people go for proven bulbs. I guess as more and more people use the current stuff people will gain confidence in them. Got any full tank shots with all current bulbs?
mattliu
Member
how bout a link to a t5 sps tank that has the pigment density of halide sps tank .... ... besides green pigmentation ? ? t5 cannot generate the concentrated light required to truly color up the more exotic color morphs. if you're going to go through all that hastle with expensive powerheads, skimmers, etc. just spend the extra to get the pretty colors that sps has to offer. otherwise why not be happy with a blue or pink discoma under fluorescents ?
reeferfriendly
New member
google images search T5 sps some are really nice but again matter of personal pref and also as stated before you will not get that shimmer effect out of t5 as nice as the halide
