keeping sps in a shallow tank

[didz04]

Hi I have a 80L 13" high tank on the way. The light unit is approx 2" above the tank. I am going to use 3 t5s above it. The rocks are going to be minimum in most areas 6-7" high. Would that be sufficient enough to keep sps or will it burn them?

Thank you for any advice.

[muttley000]

should work as long as you don't go too blue on the bulbs and acclimate properly

[tkeracer619]

I have seen sps thriving inches away from 1000w halides. You will be fine in those regards.

[didz04]

Thanks

What would you suggest in terms of which lighting for a 3 light unit. The unit will be coming with stock lights 2 6500k and 1 blue. I read that 6500k will benefit the sps however I don't want it looking too yellow. So I was thinking of making the blue to a narva blue (unbraded tube) and stick with the 2 6500k's will that cover up the yellow?

..or is there a good 6500k tube with a tint of blue in it?

[didz04]

bump any advice on the above?

[Reef Bass]

I have a 12" deep flat with 4 or 6 bulb t5 fixture. With 4 bulbs the par at the surface is roughly 300 and on the sandbed about 150. I've had a pink milli in there for a long time. It grows very slowly and isn't very pink compared to when it was under my 400w mhs. IMHO, 4 bulbs aren't enough par for acros, even in a 12" deep tank.

6500K bulbs are going to look yellow. I run 2 blue, one purple and one 10000K bulb.

[didz04]

Hmm, There are 2 different views to this lol. When the tank arrives I can try a few different sps frags and see how they do. But I do get your point 'Reef Bass' as its the intensity of the light that will help them to grow. The unit I am getting is 24" across but only 15cm at its widest so I can fit another 3 light unit to make it 6 tubes altogether.

Just wondering though which sps is good for beginners and do well under lower lighting than other sps? Any sort of Monti's or hysterix?
So under a 3 light unit I shouldn't have any problems with lps, right??

Thanks, first time I'm considering sps corals.

[Reef Bass]

A difference of opinion in the reefing community? Say it ain't so! :lmao:

Rephrasing, I am skeptical you will get bomb color and growth from acros with a 3 bulb t5 fixture, even in a shallow tank. In sps corals there is a range of light intensity preferences. As a generality, Montipora sp. corals can get by with less intensity than Acropora sp. corals. I'd try a piece of Montipora digitata or Montipora capricornus. Caps can grow quickly and get large. A birdnest might work. Go slowly with a frag or two and don't just fill the tank up with light loving acros expecting them to grow out the top in the first week with fluorescent color.

Yes, lps should be fine.

[didz04]

Thanks, I was planning to start off with the lps corals and if I do well then I will try 1 or 2 frags of sps and see how they do. I will go with the birdnest and monti's you mentioned first. I'm not going to be filling up with a lot maybe 5-6 same or different sps corals and let them grow out on top. Anymore suggestions welcomed. :)