[jimw369]

Ive seen this and wanted to post it for quite some time. I ran across it again so here ya go.

This is for all the people that think MH is the only way to go.

Reef Central Online Community - Coral Maternity in Portugal

[sgarron]

That looks great. I never doubted the output of T5's but, Where's the shimmer?

[dinor2]

Wow, that's all I can say! That is SO cool! Where does he go for frag swaps?! As for the lack of shimmer, imho, the shimmer doesn't look as natural or colorful as the t5's! I understand the sun is very bright and mh's are very bright but, it looks to me like some of the color is washed out in all the brightness, I like the t5's!

Okay, now for a newbie question, wouldn't all those corals sting and kill eachother being that close together?! I'm really starting to see a lot of beautiful tanks with all different kinds of corals crammed together and they all look so nice! I only have so much room in my 55gal (tall, not the typical long one) for corals, can you place them closer together than suggested on sites?

[aquasalt]

That's incredible!

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Here is another good pic of what t-5 can do,its a test where a guy took two sets of par (photosyntheticly availabe radiation)The red set of numbers is the par for t-5's 8x54 watt bulbs or 432 watts with the glass top in place.The black numbers are 2 150 watt hqi bulbs with 2 x96 watts of power compats or 492 watts.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

Here is another good pic of what t-5 can do,its a test where a guy took two sets of par (photosyntheticly availabe radiation)The red set of numbers is the par for t-5's 8x54 watt bulbs or 432 watts with the glass top in place.The black numbers are 2 150 watt hqi bulbs with 2 x96 watts of power compats or 492 watts.

Native: My par levels average 100 higher just about all around my tank with 8 lamps on. What I dont understand and cant figure out is with the fixture and lamps I have Id scortch the he$$ outta all the LPS in that tank. I can run six and still bleach certain SPS and most LPS. MY carpet spends most of his time in the cave until I go to 4 lamps. Then he comes out. Soon as I ramp up the light hes back in there. When I run the 8 lamps algae shows up. Lamps are 4" off water and looks like they have to be moved up. Only things that seem to handle all the light well is the clams.

As for the "shimmer" people with halides claim T5 doesnt have, well, I will address that down the road. Seems to me they like that shimmer so much they dont mind buying chillers, more lamps and electricity. I think I get pretty good shimmer. Hahaha

[NATIVEVAMAN]

You could almost blame something like that on light acclimation but you have had those lights for a while now.Maybe you need to move some stuff around?

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by NATIVEVAMAN

You could almost blame something like that on light acclimation but you have had those lights for a while now.Maybe you need to move some stuff around?

Ive had those lights for 7 mos. I have every bulb for T5 except the 20K some one told me ATI now makes. I have a quantum meter for measuring par. Ive measured probably 10 other tanks besides my own. I have many SPS many LPS several softies,clams and carpet. Ive been moving stuff around for 6 mos now as well as giving stuff away that bleaches in a matter of a couple weeks. Ive tried every combo concievable with the lamps.If I had strictly an SPS,clam tank I could do 6 lamps and get very good growth and place lps and some softies in the shadows but they dont grow at all. Soon as I go 4 lamps everything does well and looks good but the growth on the sps slows. The LPS and softies will soon all be gone except for a few choice pieces and Ill be putting some more sps and clams and trying to raise the fixture. The lighting has been by far the biggest part of the puzzle trying to get where I want it. As for the shimmer I got that too. A couple higher K lamps combined with the actinics and a good ripple from the power heads and yeah we get the "shimmer". I think with the raising of the fixture I might find the optimum performance for that Tek light.

Sorry folks with MH. Ive had enough experience with the T5s now that Im saying good for anything at 24" deep.

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I saw somewhere the other day that someone is making a bulb they call a "super actinic "that is actually 22000k.

[Arnold40]

Aquascience has a new 22000K bulb. Here it is at aquarium specialty. Aquarium Specialty

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Arnold40

Aquascience has a new 22000K bulb. Here it is at aquarium specialty. Aquarium Specialty

sigh...another friggin bulb

[Arnold40]

Jim....do you use the 20000K bulbs and if so do you like them?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

Since 20000k bulbs create the worst growth rate in corals I would think sales would be slow for a 22k bulb.

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by Arnold40

Jim....do you use the 20000K bulbs and if so do you like them?

Do not have the 20K lamp as of yet. I have tested the 18K lamp by hagen and the par level is the same as a 11k aquablue+ by Giesemann. Cant even tell a color change between those 2 lamps. There is a 17k out there I havent had yet either and now a 22K? Im getting behind. Ill get on the stick and get them ordered from Champion tonight!!! At least if they have any of these.

[Taras1]

Egad!!! 15K, 17K, 18K, 20K, 22K...What next, guys? I guess I may have to talk with my corals and ask them what they'd like for Christmas this year. Other than targeting the "natural light" spectrum (which we really can't do), are we just trying to look pretty.

Our tanks are microcosms. As stewards of these creatures, we try to give them as natural home
as possible. I like this site, because most attempt to be good stewards. We also have to remember that these creatures adapt to their environment, light and all. So do we really need to go crazy with so many lightbulbs?

[NATIVEVAMAN]

I agree with your sentiments Tristan.Just about anything above 15k makes the tank look great and the coral growth is horrible.Some say they get great coral growth with 20k bulbs but when you ask them,c "compared to what"?There is no answer.

[Arnold40]

well now there is an answer to that question.....compared to the 22K bulb....LOL

[Taras1]

The one thing I did find when I set up my T-5's was that when I went to the higher temperature bulbs, several of my LPS's bleached. My Closed Maze Coral blanched to a pale chartreuse from its " deep sea green" and never really recovered. It's growing and feeding, but even in the shade the colors faded. On the other hand, a pale yellow table acro became deep peach and a brown merulina is now deep lemon yellow. My orange cap monti is now blood orange-red. All have doubled in size over the past 9 months. I just sit back and let "Mother Nature" do her handiwork.

[ksreefbuilder]

This is a great post, and I just wanted to put it out to press again. I was trying to decide between MH or 8 lamp T5 and this makes up my mind. The 8 lamp T5 is hard to beat after looking into everyhting.

[bnhaus]

Post some pictures when you get the new T-5's

Interested in seeing the change.

[Jason L]

LOve my t5 here

[pogodzib]

One thing that I think should be pointed out with the par meter readings from above when comparing T5HO bulbs to MH bulbs. In the pic posted above, it is comparing a weaker 150w MH bulb w/ low light penetrating PC bulbs to T5 HO bulbs. Most people would agree that on a watt vs watt basis, T5HO bulbs will beat that combination for par because of the PC bulbs. Many people with MH are running only MH bulbs or in combination w/ VHOs or T5HO bulbs. Below is a pic posted by Melev for the MHs over his 280 gal reef. As you can see, a 250w, 10k bulb can create par levels exceeding the previous levels posted levels for T5HO, in his tall tank.



Overall, yes T5HO is great lighting, but if you are trying to compare T5HO and MH against each other, seeing them side by side without the PCs would be a better comparison.

[ksreefbuilder]

Originally Posted by bnhaus

Post some pictures when you get the new T-5's

Interested in seeing the change.

Sure will, I plan on putting several pics from start to finish once everythign gets up and going good.