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Hi guys,

What are your opinions on using low wattage hige out put lights (T5's) compared to halides.

Im asking because I have to improve my lighting and can't really afford halides but have been told the T5's are just as good if not better than halide lights.

Question 2: How much light should I have on a 4x2x2 tank

Trace

Hi Trace

What are your opinions on using low wattage hige out put lights (T5's) compared to halides.

Im asking because I have to improve my lighting and can't really afford halides but have been told the T5's are just as good if not better than halide lights.

On my 4' reef tank, I use a combination of both metal halides and T5s.

There are an increasingly large number of aquarists using only T5s on SPS/reef tanks. IMO it's better to use a combination than either alone, especially for deeper tanks with animals requiring strong light.

I have my tank on a cycle so the T5s come on first, and then the MH, and then MH off, T5s off, etc. That way it seems like sunrise/sunset to some extent. Also, the tank isn't completely blinded by the lights.

Question 2: How much light should I have on a 4x2x2 tank?

This totally depends on what you want to keep.

Depending on the animals you want...I would suggest different combinations of lighting.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

but have been told the T5's are just as good if not better than halide lights.

Not true at all.....not even close to being true. There is a reason why all the Germans that ditched their MH and went to T-5's are back to using MH now

With that being said, it all depends on what you are keeping and what you are planning to keep in the future.

Thanks for the replys

I have some mushroom corals, a flowerpot coral, a large bubble coral, and an anenome in there at the moment under 4 10,000k lights and 2 6,500 actinics, which I know is not good enough for them to suvive properly.

So what do you suggest I get to make these corals happy.

Trace

Most anemones need TONS of light to survive. I'd suggest metal halides for them. Everything else you have would be just fine under T5's. I've seen tanks with both, seperate. I'd say that I like the look of MHs more(shimmer effect and color), and the growth is generally better with them. But being a college student with money issues, and an LPS fan(sometimes halides wash out color in lower light corals), I'd get the T5s because those seem to be just a small step down from MHs. Most corals get good color and growth under T5s(even sps in the top 8-10 inches of water).

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Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

iv had both MH's and T5's i prefferd the colour of the T5's but i preffer the light intesity of MH's. just realy depnds on what u want keep trace.

HTH Darryle

i like t5's better and they dont need a stronger fan so the whole fixture will be quiter


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pnh

Thanks guys now I need to deceide if I can afford metal halides or go with the T5's for now and then get the MH's later.

Im still not sure just how much lighting I need to keep the tank right.

How many T5's do I need and how bigger MH will I need later

Trace

Firstly, I hope you are talking HO T5s. As there is a difference. They require their own ballast and will not work with the same ballast as NO T5s.

As for your lighting, what wattage do you have on your current lighting setup? If you have the proper wattages needed, I am thinking you may be OK for now with what you have. Unless you are planning on getting other corals. With increased lighting, your corals will grow larger and faster, but they be fine with what you have now.

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There is always a bigger fish...

I have 4 10,000k whites and 2 6,000k actinics on the tank now.

Those are the Kelvin levels, not the watts. Are they standard NO fluoresent bulbs? Or PCs? What length are they? If you can't see the watts and you know if they are NO flours or PCs, we can figure the watts then from the length of the bulbs.

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There is always a bigger fish...

Sorry they are 4 foot standard silvania fluros 36watt/174 T8 globes

Trace

Yes, your lighting is on the low side for the corals you have. They should survive, but not thrive in that lighting. My suggestion is to also look into PC light bars. For that size tank, you should be able to get one that will sport 260 watts or more. Not that cheap, in the area of $200-$400. You do not need a MH for those that you have at present. Although they would do well under them. To get the best spread of lighting to/for all areas of the tank, you would need at least two of them as well. 3 being optimal. In the end, long term, your costs would be cheaper to go with the MH. As the PAR is much greater for the lower wattages, so the cost to run them would be sufficiently cheaper. With the MH you have DIY if you are that kind of person. There are many ways of doing this. Here is a way a friend of mine did just a couple weeks ago, and so far he is very pleased with the DIY set up;
http://www.gcas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5066

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There is always a bigger fish...