432 watts of T5 vs. 500 watts of MH

[msuzuki126]

I plan on my new 90 gallon being mostly SPS with some LPS and zoas. How well would the SPS do under the T5, and which lighting do you think would be a better choice?

Thanks alot :)

[reefcrazy93]

if your tank is over 16-18 inches deep go with the metal halides. if not id go for t5s

[zapata41]

go halides, just run some 20k bulbs on a m58 ballast, good color and still get good growth.

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8086242#post8086242 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by reefcrazy93
if your tank is over 16-18 inches deep go with the metal halides. if not id go for t5s

why?

[Bugger]

I suggest halides but only 400W if you want to keep stuff on the bottom of a begger tank. T5 just don't cut it with shallow reef acropora. I'd invest in 5 or six 250 watt halides forget the actinics there not necsarry, this will allow all parts of the corals to get enough light, even the the underside to prevent mortallity. Acopora generally live for 7 years in the wild because of low light avilibilty to the base of the coralas the coral grows . Diease sets in and it die's from the base up. also supplement heavily with 6500k bulbs.

[bnlimit10]

heres the bottom line, MH are tested and true, they keep SPS alive and thriving, T5 are the new kids on the block, some of us have used them with great results, others have tried and failed or are just not getting the colors they are looking for. The bottom line is both can keep SPS corals alive and thriving, but t5 dont have a reputation yet. After all MH have been around for ever and t5 really have been around for a miniscule amount of time when compared to MH.

My tank is 28 inches deep and I have SPS growing and thriving on the bottom. Another thing to keep in mind is that lighting is just part of the equation, your flow and parameters are just as important. So as long as you can keep the other two in check you can use t5 just fine, however if either of the other two are lacking for any reason, I would say go with MH until you can get the others in check.

[gcarroll]

......here it comes, that pic that sufaces on all T5 lighting threads.....

[rutz81]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8089395#post8089395 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
......here it comes, that pic that sufaces on all T5 lighting threads.....

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/totm/images/7Feb05026rcdanano(1)sm.jpg

Here you go.....

[Mike O'Brien]

" I'd invest in 5 or six 250 watt halides "

On a 90 ?

[msuzuki126]

Well this won't be for a few months. My turnover will be more than 50x once i get another seio. And I think I'm leaning towards the T5s.

[Covey]

How many YEARS does it take before T-5s are not the new kid on the block anymore.
I had one of the Icecap driven T-5 system on my old 75G it was a lower kelvin but that tank was as bright as my current 150G with 3x400 20K XMs. The spectrum is nicer with the 20K xms but as far as PAR goes T-5HO can hold it own.

As for the original question 432W of T-5HO would be MUCH brighter that the 500W of halides.

If you do go t-5 take a look at the Tek series lights, there still the best complete t-5 fixture out there.

Most people that dismiss T-5 never used them but if you've had a chance to run both their a real eye opener.

[msuzuki126]

Thanks for the info.

[Stoney Mahony]

I say 500watts of MH in two Lumenarc III reflectors but personally I would use 400w bulbs to make 800w not 250's. What are the dimensions of your 90?

[RichConley]

400s on a 90? Why? Theres absolutely no advantage to that. Theres nothing you can't get to color up anywhere in that tank with 250s.

[Stoney Mahony]

The advantage is the greater PAR levels with 20k 400w bulbs. 250w 20ks grow slow.

[55semireef]

Halides don't penetrate any deeper than any other light. The reason they typically provide more intensity at the sandbed is they start out much more intense. A 4x54 watt Ice Cap T5 setup will put more light to the sand than most 250 watt halides.
In general, the only reason halides penetrate deeper is because you can just get 400 (or 1000!)watts into a smaller area...where it takes a T5 setup a full 1.5'x4' area to do that much. Other than that though the T5s should penetrate deeper from a PAR/penetration/watt standpoint. If it was me I would go with the T-5. The bulbs last longer and put out less heat. With good reflectors you can do pretty much anything you want with them as well. If you plan on 10K lamps good DE 250's will work for most critters. If you want an SPS tank or want to run 20K lamps then 400's are better.

[Underwaterparadise]

As said before if it is a deep tank say 20" or more then MH if not I would go with t5's.

My frag tank is only 6" tall and I run 4x54w T'5s 3 20k bulbs and 1 10k and I can say that to my eye the t5 is extremly brighter then a 250w 10k MH bulb or the 14k's I run on my display. and you get a better light spread IMO if you use indivdual reflectors.

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8093641#post8093641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by maddness
As said before if it is a deep tank say 20" or more then MH if not I would go with t5's.

My frag tank is only 6" tall and I run 4x54w T'5s 3 20k bulbs and 1 10k and I can say that to my eye the t5 is extremly brighter then a 250w 10k MH bulb or the 14k's I run on my display. and you get a better light spread IMO if you use indivdual reflectors.

True.

[msuzuki126]

Well once i get to the point where i can afford it, (i'm only in high school and playing soccer every night for my team) it's either 2x250 watt MH retros, or a T5 fixture. I want mostly SPS and my tank is 24 inches tall.

[55semireef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8099191#post8099191 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msuzuki126
Well once i get to the point where i can afford it, (i'm only in high school and playing soccer every night for my team) it's either 2x250 watt MH retros, or a T5 fixture. I want mostly SPS and my tank is 24 inches tall.

Haha...I am a senior in highschool and swim everyday and do waterpolo but I still make it work out.

[quangtam7]

Keep checking this THREAD (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=924491&highlight=icecap)

[Stoney Mahony]

24"=halides :)

[msuzuki126]

I'm still contemplating this lol, but thanks for the input everyone!

[McCrary]

Why not just go with 2x250 halides and 2x54 watt T-5 actinics? You can use 10K halides and even them out with the actinics.

[msuzuki126]

well money is the issue lol, so it's one or the other.

[gcarroll]

then get the metal halides and later when you can afford it, add T5 as a supplement.

[55semireef]

T5s man.

[my2girls]

I have a Tek 6 bulb fixture (fixtures are not overdriven) on a 75 g tank. Acros low in the tank are not as colored as they could. My advice would be to go either with 4 overdriven T5s and 2 normally driven T5s (retrofit) or go with 2 250w 14K halides.

[jay24k]

Hate to say it but I'd pass on doing a SPS tank if I was in highschool. Do a fish only and save your money. Save up as much as you can now. When you go to college, but a cheap house you can rent out the other bedrooms to your friends. Build the equity now so when you graduate college, you can have the house you want and then the fish tank you've always dreamed of. If money is an issue and parents wont be paying it, go easy and just hold off.

This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet. I'd go with a custom T5 or VHO retro kit and hold off on the SPS. You can build yourself a nice kit for about 200 bucks with everything.

[my2girls]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109015#post8109015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jay24k


This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet.

Truer words have never been spoken.

[cowcio]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109015#post8109015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jay24k
Hate to say it but I'd pass on doing a SPS tank if I was in highschool. Do a fish only and save your money. Save up as much as you can now. When you go to college, but a cheap house you can rent out the other bedrooms to your friends. Build the equity now so when you graduate college, you can have the house you want and then the fish tank you've always dreamed of. If money is an issue and parents wont be paying it, go easy and just hold off.

This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet. I'd go with a custom T5 or VHO retro kit and hold off on the SPS. You can build yourself a nice kit for about 200 bucks with everything.



Awesome idea, but when the bug hits you... you don't want to wait!

[msuzuki126]

I agree cowcio. I don't want to wait like 6+ years! haha.

[55semireef]

I think sps looks real amazing and all but I would get tired of them after a while. I personally like soft corals, lps and best of all anemones. Your choice though.

[jay24k]

That's how I used to be. After about a year and seeing amazing sps tanks in person, my mind was changed. I still enjoy anemones but nothing beats the coloration varieties of sps.