Zoos never been the same since T5s went on tank

[izzie]

I have alot of zoos well did have alot still do have alot but there very small now. They used to be huge polyps now they are rather small. This occured when i put my new lights on. I went from 2 metal halides (150 watt and a 250 watt) to 8 54watt T5 lights. Ever since that day my zoos are super tiny except where there is no light. I tried moving some lower to the bottem thinking to much light. Then i moved some to the top some in the middle and some at the bottem. All are doing the same. The only ones big still are the ones under rocks in shade. Everything else in the tank is great. SPS is doing unreal growing about 1/2-1" a week. I have to frag it every 3 weeks or so. Any ideas on my zoos and if it is the lights or something else. I have also started dripping kalk since i got my T5s. Could this be it. Thanks.
Izzie

[plyle02]

8x54 watts, is that on a 55 gallon, if so, you may be over doing it just a bit. I use 6 bulbs on a 75, and have certain Acros on the bottom, with the ballast over 6 inches off the top of the water surface. I still don't think alot of people out there realize how powerful t5's are. I would raise the fixture as high as you can for now, and light acclimate all corals from the very bottom, and slowly start bringing them up. Are you using individual reflectors, are the bulbs being overdriven? I sincerely doubt kalk dripping is effecting these corals, if anything, you would notice your sps dropping tissue if you had an alk or ph spike. Sounds to me like your light is way toooooooo intense......

[izzie]

Yes im using individual reflectors and the lights have been on my tank for almost 6 months now. So you would think they would have been acclimated now. No im not overdriving them. Thanks.
Izzie

[HBtank]

I have problems with many corals being overlighted. A couple types of zoos for sure.

The zoos do not bleach, they just kinda stay "small" and don't grow, or waste away.

Some zoos love it though. I have some orange skirts and armor of gods that love it. Some pink with green centered zoos love it too. My green bay packers seem to be ok, but not really great. Most other the same, look good and opening but not really spreading. I have one set of really nice orange centered on green zoas that have had a hell of a time, and I finally have them in very dark shade, we will see.

In particular my yumas, hairy mushrooms, zoos and pagodas have had the worst time with it. I need more shade! Waiting on some montis to grow.. lol.

[db_triggerfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10092026#post10092026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by izzie
Yes im using individual reflectors and the lights have been on my tank for almost 6 months now. So you would think they would have been acclimated now. No im not overdriving them. Thanks.
Izzie

Wow, how did you fit 8 bulbs with individual reflectors on a 55g?

[izzie]

3 straight into tank 4 on angles and the last one isnt in a reflector its just in the middle of all 8 figured the 7 other reflectors woudl do the trick. I kinda modified 2 of the reflectors to not sure how efective they are now but i thought it was better then none.

[sjm817]

8 lamps over 55 is a TON of light. I might use that many over a 120.

[izzie]

and see when i went to T5 i was told 6 prob wouldnt be enough on a 55g for SPS. I guess that was when no one really new about t5s

[plyle02]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10093531#post10093531 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by izzie
and see when i went to T5 i was told 6 prob wouldnt be enough on a 55g for SPS. I guess that was when no one really new about t5s

Hey Izzie,
Here is a very recent pic of my 75 under 6 bulbs w/ ind. reflectors.... Works for me...... http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/114849FTS_June_07__Medium_.JPG

[izzie]

Thats a really nice tank. Cant wait till mine gets like that hopefully. I think im going to put 2 actinic++ in instead of the 10000k. Hopefully that will cut back on some of the intensity.

[Cody Ray]

Do you really get half an inch to one inch of growth a week?

[izzie]

Yes on my monti digi i do. Never seen anything grow this fast. It never grew fast at all in the guys tank i got it from and it took off in mine. Ive had many fellow reefers here in my city think i was crazy till they have come one week then the next and seen the growth. But then my LPS wont grow at all. Its really wierd.