Frag tank t5 question

[trwells]

I am thinking about setting up a 20 gallon long (30x12x12) tank for a frag grow out tank. I want to use t5 lighting for the tank but I am pretty in-experienced with t5 lighting. So I was wondering what would be recommended. If I went with a reefgeek 24 inch high output retro kit should I get 2 or 4 bulbs? Naturally I will need to stagger the lights to make sure they cover the 30 inches.

Thanks,

-Travis

[dustinP]

id go with four, there arent too many things you can do with only two bulbs

[burnah]

id go for the 4 bulbs and have 2 of them with 10k, one daylight and a blue one :)

[trwells]

alright, sounds good.

Thanks for the responses.

[Poorcollegereef]

four bulbs minimum, six is even better if you can make it fit... I went with t5 for a while (1 year to the day) on my 20L and eventually went with a 175w MH. It is more than possible to have a successful t5 frag tank, but I was not satisfied with the growth rates for my sps. Also, it was just as cheap to run the MH as the t5 I had for given photo periods. The thing normally skimped on is the reflectors, make sure you get high-end individual reflectors. Got to make those assistantship funds last a long time...

[trwells]

I don't think 6 would fit over the 12 inch width. I think it is roughly 2.5 inches per bulb with the individual reflectors. I am more concerned about heat than cost of running. My chiller might not be able to handle 2 sets of lighting. Probably will have to use a reverse lighting cycle.

The tank might be a month or so off. I have to finish up the semester and build the stand first. Then work and internship so I can afford the lighting.

[SkyPapa]

I recently bought the Reefgeek 4 x 39W Icecap retro kit with normally driven bulbs and Icecap reflectors for my 20L frag tank.

Grim Reaper, the T5 expert, recommended this arrangement for close to 10K;

ATI Aquablue
GE 6500K Daylight
ULV actinic white
ATI Blueplus
front

It gives a very bright white light over the whole length of the 30 in. tank with the 31 inch Icecap reflectors.
I'll have to wait and see about growth but it looks promising to me after about 2 weeks since setup.

[Poorcollegereef]

(duh) for some reason I had it in my mind that the 20L was 16"...don't ask why, the 20L is right beside me... haha, rough semester. But I am lost on the temp part. Unless your tank is covered with glass, you shouldn't have heat issues. How warm do you keep the room it is in... and don't say "room temperature" :P

[trwells]

naturally it is room temperature...

It really varies - they weather here in lubbock is odd. We have highs of 78 and lows of 30 on the same day numerous times a year. Sometimes I don't switch AC to heat fast enough and the temp in the house will drop to 67. In the summer it may get up to 78 or so in the room. I aim for 75ish.

The tank is pretty stable 79-81 even with the temperature swings.

SkyPapa -

How far do the 39 watts bulbs hang over the edges of the tank? I am building a full stand and canopy for my frag tank so I can afford overhang.

[SkyPapa]

The 39W assembly is 36 in. long and I built a simple hanging canopy that is 37 in. long 12 in wide and 2-1/4 tall out of 2 in. x 1/4 in. wood.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm161/skypapa/_DSC3748_edited-1.jpg

The lamp color in the photo is very close to actual color.

[ReefEnabler]

Aquactinics T5 reflectors are only 2" wide and they are better than the Tek or Icecap reflectors.

If you do 4 bulbs, space them out so there is light coming from the very front and back, dont cram all 4 lights on center. This will create shadows which will alter growth forms.

In a frag tank you want to be able to put SPS anywhere in the tank without worrying about certain parts of the corals in shade. So the more front-to-back coverage you have, the more coral tissue will be illuminated and the more natural the growth patterns will be.

IMO Its better to overshoot the lighting needs and use screen layers to dim it slightly, than to undershoot and have poor coverage.

I have a 4 x 39w ATI Powermodul over my 36x18x18 frag tank. PAR values are indeed great... but I made the mistake of not considering "coverage" when planning that :( So any SPS near the front of the tank, the branches will be illuminated from "behind", and will have heavy shadows on the front, if that makes sense.

[SkyPapa]

I get full coverage with the 4 icecaps over the 12 in tank, no shadows except for the egg crate..

I don't have a par meter, but I see growth in the less than a month this has been setup.

BTW, the SPS that is growing sideways are Scripts pieces that came off the bottom of a large colony so the undersides got little light.
I mounted them like that to see how long it would take to bend up toward the light and if the parts that don't have polyps will develop

[ReefEnabler]

It might get coverage at the bottom of the tank, but this is what I am talking about:

Side view, viewing pane is the left pane:
http://www.worstkind.com/aquarium/shadowing.jpg

Notice that the coral on the left is only lit from the 'Back', and there will be shadows on the branches facing the viewing pane.

The setup on the right has light coming directly down over the coral. There might be a bit more wasted light outside the tank, but I'd choose that option because it will more evenly illuminate branching corals.

That isn't to say the coral on the left won't also grow, it will grow like mad [b]towards the light[b] and might end up looking very unnatural since a whole side of the branches will be getting dim lighting.

To some this might not be a big deal but for me the goal is to get the fullest most natural SPS growth, equally in all directions.

yes some light will reflect off the glass/acrylic back into the tank, but not enough to create colorful tissue.

[SkyPapa]

I understood your point and not to be argumentative, but did you look at the photo?
I have the reflectors placed 3/4 in. apart.
If I spread them out anymore, I would be lighting the outside of the 12 INCH tank.

Here is a photo from the end.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm161/skypapa/_DSC3751_edited-1.jpg

[ReefEnabler]

actually, I did NOT look at your photo :lol: somehow I didn't even see it earlier, saw every post up to that post...not sure how. my apologies.

what I said doesn't apply to your tank at all. Your tank looks very bright, and considering the bulb combo I'm not surprised, probably getting tons of PAR. :)

sorry was not trying to be argumenative either. I was only speaking from my own experience with the 4 bulb ATI unit on an 18" wide tank. ATI's are pretty narrow given their small reflector size.... I was speaking more on pricipal about when people say "X bulbs gets you enough PAR" without considering where in the tank the light goes.

But you're right, with most setups and reflector sizes 4 bulbs would take up the better part of 12" anyways.

I'm in the middle of switching from MH to T5 retro on my 220 :)

[SkyPapa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14819479#post14819479 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler


I'm in the middle of switching from MH to T5 retro on my 220 :)

I followed your build. Very nice.

What are you going to use for retros?
#of bulbs, OD or normal.

I still have my 120 on 2 250W MH and was going to see how the T5s on the frag tank works before I think about changing out the MH.
Especially since I just bought 2 new Icecap MH electronic ballasts.
Switching from M58 ballasts after 6 years was a nice improvement for now.:D

[ReefEnabler]

The icecap electronics are nice. I'm running one currently with a helios 20k. I'm switching to T5 because with my lumenmax elites theres noticeable dim spots between the 3 MH reflectors. Lumenarcs a bit too big for my canopy. A birdnest colony gets 700 PAR on one side and 180 on the other side :rolleye1:

My retro setup:
(9) 80w T5s
(3) Icecap 660 ballasts overdriving the bulbs, 3 bulbs each

Front
ATI Blue Plus
Fiji Purple
Aquascience Special 15k
GE 6500k
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Pro Color
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blus Plus

Aquactinics Reflectors (2 36" reflectors riveted together for each reflector), Icecap endcaps, and 5 80mm 21cfm fans.

quick mockup. I might mount it tonight
http://www.worstkind.com/aquarium/2009/0409/02.jpg