Any SPS I should avoid with T5 lighting?

[dixiedog]

Are there any SPS's that just can't be kept under T5's? Or where success is much less likely?

I'm talking high quality T5's, and only the upper 1/3 of the tank.

Your advice is appreciated!

[Logzor]

No. You can keep anything.

I have trouble with too much light on the top 1/3 of my tank with sps under t5 bulbs. My fixture sits right on top of my tank, the sps tend to get fried. They have much better color on the bottom 2/3. The growth is faster on the top, though.

[maysorum]

No. You can keep anything.

I have trouble with too much light on the top 1/3 of my tank with sps under t5 bulbs. My fixture sits right on top of my tank, the sps tend to get fried. They have much better color on the bottom 2/3. The growth is faster on the top, though.

^ +1

my fixture is 10-12 inches from the surface and i can keep any sps in the bottom quarter of my tank. i'm considering reducing my photoperiod even. btw, i'm using the ati powermodule 8 x 54w.

[fishypets]

My only problem with T5's and sps is I keep burning them from too much light. Metal halides are a thing of the past on small to medium size tanks.

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FishyP

[PowermanKW]

My only problem with T5's and sps is I keep burning them from too much light. Metal halides are a thing of the past on small to medium size tanks.

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FishyP

How so?

[stooges3tx]

My only problem with T5's and sps is I keep burning them from too much light. Metal halides are a thing of the past on small to medium size tanks.

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Agreed! +1

With the right bulbs you can fry SPS and produce a broader spectrum output than a concentrated MH. Another thing I am doing that is kinda neat is alternating my brights throughout the day to mimic clouds. Not sure if you want to do that with a MH bulb. Also, considering price, color, heat, why would you need a MH bulb on any tank not greater than like 30" deep????

+1 on you can keep anything with T-5s. Peeps still holding on to the MH is everything!
FishyP

[xavier-seahorse]

hello,

I made today some mesure :

6*39W in ATI powermodule, with 4 aquable and 2 blue plus. My ramp is 5 inch on top of water : I have 95 000 lux at the surface, and 45 000 lux at a depth of 12 inch below water ! (the tropical sun is 100 000 lux)

on a 400w HQI, 14 inch below the lamp : I have 40 000 lux.

Yes, T5 with ATI powermdoule give very very intense light ! Like you, i have sometimes difficulties with burning SPS !

bye

xavier

[Goodwood]

I went from 2x400 MH to 8x54 PM about 3 months ago. I bleached every single coral in my tank with the a 4 hour photoperiod @ about a foot above the water

This week I've started to get some color back after raising the fixture to almost 2 feet above the water.

[johnanddawn]

brown ones - don't buy any brown ones thinking you'll get lucky and they'll keep that color, they'll just color up on you

[dixiedog]

brown ones - don't buy any brown ones thinking you'll get lucky and they'll keep that color, they'll just color up on you


LOL! Well I wouldn't want that to happen, then I'd just have to throw the coral away!

Thanks to all for the replies. This is what I pretty much expected to hear.

I'm just puzzled by some of the websites I've visited. Places that SELL coral, and tell you that this or that coral "needs to be kept under metal halide".

I guess I know not to ask those people for any advice!

[ksc]

Your question should read, "Any T5 lighting I should avoid with SPS?"

[A.VOID]

brown ones - don't buy any brown ones thinking you'll get lucky and they'll keep that color, they'll just color up on you

NICE!

I just picked up some browned out acro from the LFS junk pile for $5.
Within 3 days >>> Brown went to white (bleached)
Within 2 weeks >>> I have nice bright yellow/green polyps.

Waiting for the flesh to color up. COME ON YELLOW! COME ON YELLOW!

[mcliffy2]

Your question should read, "Any T5 lighting I should avoid with SPS?"

Ha, so true. Its funny when I see misinformation being spread...not that its the OP's fault at all, but I just laugh when I see questions implying there is some kind of sacrifice you're going to have to make with T5s. Glad you asked though, enjoying keeping whatever you want, top-to-bottom with that PM. :cool:

[mcliffy2]

LOL! Well I wouldn't want that to happen, then I'd just have to throw the coral away!

Thanks to all for the replies. This is what I pretty much expected to hear.

I'm just puzzled by some of the websites I've visited. Places that SELL coral, and tell you that this or that coral "needs to be kept under metal halide".

I guess I know not to ask those people for any advice!

Those websites may not have been updated in a few years. Also, in their defense T5s are a bit more complicated as not any old T5 unit will do. You can't just say keep these under T5s, it has to be T5s with high-quality individual reflectors and active cooling and/or overdriven, which often requires a bit of explanation, whereas even MH in a cheapo spider reflector will do the trick (albeit very inefficiently).

[stooges3tx]

I don't agree with the overdriven reflectors etc. It helps for sure but I used to have the current bulbs with one parabolic and it did fine.

[60Cubed]

I switched to T-5's about 6months ago and will never look back. MH's are old tech and high power bills! With cap and trade about to pass they will be even higher! I have never had the total color spectrum in a SPS tank like I do with T-5's. It looks awesome.......

[danceswithfish]

Do you get the shimmering effect with T-5's that you get from metal halides?

[jhawkor]

Do you get the shimmering effect with T-5's that you get from metal halides?

No, you don't.

[harper]

T-5's do put out a lot of light. But on the down side seem to lose initial intensity fast, 15% +/- in the first month. Then they seem to slow down. I would be really careful when it comes time to replace lamps, maybe replace one a month.

IME T-5's are a lot more intense then one would expect....When all lamps are brand new it is unreal.

[Goodwood]

T-5's do put out a lot of light. But on the down side seem to lose initial intensity fast, 15% +/- in the first month. Then they seem to slow down. I would be really careful when it comes time to replace lamps, maybe replace one a month.

IME T-5's are a lot more intense then one would expect....When all lamps are brand new it is unreal.

These #s might be correct but, I just past 3 months of using a Powermodule and it's still almost too much light. When I change bulbs I will most likely have to start the fixture at the ceiling.