[jpkarnes]

I have an established 75 AGA aquarium with a six bulb T5 lighting setup. All of my existing corals (leather, xoanthid, mushroom, frogspawn) are doing great. Can I add acropora with a total wattage of 324 W with three super actinic and three daylight bulbs?

John K.
75 G AGA
25 Gal sump

[dinor2]

I just got my first sps, a monticap (i think) or, a frag of one from my lfs, I can let you know how it does. I have the same watts in my tank with t5s, does your fixture have individual reflectors? I think that would make each watt more efficient.

[pogodzib]

6 T5HO bulbs should be plenty of light for most SPS corals, but different fixtures are more efficient than others. If you have a good unit like Aquatinics or Tek that have good ballasts and individual reflectors, you'll be fine with almost any coral. Cheap units with poor ballasts or a single reflector can make it much tougher to keep some of the more light demanding SPS corals. What light fixture do you have?

[jpkarnes]

I have a Solar Lighting hood with a "one piece" reflector, however the reflector is shaped to curve around each bulb to some extent. There are 3 "Advance 2S54" ballasts which control two bulbs each.

[Jason L]

no problem I am doing it with t 5 8 54 watt all sps

[ianizaguirre]

not to steal this thread but can you keep acropora with the 36 inch nova extreme pro ( 234 watts) ?????

[Mr_X]

yes. the nova pro will work for you.

[jimw369]

I find that all SPS are NOT created equal. Some are much easier to keep than others. When you say,"can I keep SPS under T5 lighting", there needs to be further discussion.

[Jason L]

here is minwe with t5

[Jason L]

[ianizaguirre]

SUPER SUPER NICE WOW GREAT JOB!!!! i have a question what fixture are you useing?? i am going to start sps in my 40 gallon but i am unsure i have a nova extreme pro T5 fixture that has around 235 watts i think. so with my fixture do you think i can have like a birds nest coral ?? and more ??

[Jason L]

thanks try it out start everything off low and work it up closer to the lights

[ianizaguirre]

really.. low ?? i thought if anything i was supposed to put spps high and then later on see if it does good over time and move it lower

[demonsquirt]

SPS prefer good flow over expensive lights. I would just place them a little higher but growth and health no problem.

[ianizaguirre]

oo thats great then cause i have a VorTech Pump so i should be fine then and i already have one hard coral that i put into my tank about 5 days ago its a yellow scroll coral but i really dont no how to tell if its doing bad or good cause the poyps are hard to see

[Fish Art]

I am running a Current Nova Extreme 48" 4 bulb T-5 fixture on a 45 gal tank. Most of the SPS in my tank are 6 to 8 inches from the surface. All are growing very well. But as others have said, you need to have moderate to high water movement for acropora to thrive.

[ianizaguirre]

thats nice but i am good cause i got the corallife 150 watt clip on light combined with the 6 bulb 36inch nova extreme pro so i am good i cant wait till the metal halide comes in i ordered it yesterday