Possible to keep RBTA under PC's?

[Smoothtriqueter]

Just wondering if it is at all possible to maintain a RBTA for any length of time under PC's? Assuming close to the top, good other H2O parameters, and a good amount of feeding.

[zygote2k]

I had a GBTA for years under 4) 96w pc's and it did great. I'm sure if you have one of Flowersellers' RBTA's, it'll do just fine.

[gastone]

Yes. Not only possible, but they can thrive under pc lighting.

 

G.

[dbartco]

I have them under vho's fine. Can't see there would be a difference.

[saltaquaman]

I have a friend who's RBTA has split about 8 times under PCs

[WDLV]

I have seen them kept under N.O. bulbs....

 

Usually it has more to do with the depth of your system, clarity of your water and the distance from the bulb than the type of bulb you use.

 

I say try it. If the nem doesn't thrive, you can either sell the nem or upgrade your lighting rig.

[Smoothtriqueter]

Thanks for all the encouraging info. I have a current USA dual satellite fixture, bulbs are weeks old. And the RBTA is apparently within the lineage from flowereseller! I cant wait, oh and an upgrade on lighting is going to happen, just waiting till I can afford!

[walter]

Not to thread jack but would soft coral do good too? 65x4 (2-10k, 2-actinic)

[lanman]

Not to thread jack but would soft coral do good too? 65x4 (2-10k, 2-actinic)

I'd estimate it would... I have two small (18w?) NO fixtures, holding up a 2x96W fixture over my 45-gallon rock-cooking tank. One rock has a cluster of plain brown polyps - and a ricordia fiji on it - and while they aren't thriving, they are doing fine for about 6 months now. I'd be plain afraid to check the water parameters on that tank, too - no water changes since putting used tank water in there 6 months ago - just a heater, a pump, and a cheap skimmer (YES - Cyclone skimmers DO work - you just have to tune them up every few days). I throw a bucket of topoff in there every few days.

 

bob

[WDLV]

Not to thread jack but would soft coral do good too? 65x4 (2-10k, 2-actinic)

 

I have to preface my answer by asking....

What size tank?

 

There are as many ways to run a tank right are there are successful reefers.

That said, here's my rule of thumb on bulb types....

 

It doesn't really matter what you use as long as you match the wattage from bulb type to bulb type and replace them as indicated.

I do not know about T-5 bulbs personally because I have not owned them. I have however noticed that many of the people I have known who have switched to them were very excited about the switch and were very happy initially. Unfortunately the common trend was that they have either gone to something else or have left the hobby entirely. I don't know if there's any correlation between these two factors.

 

What I do know from personal use of N.O. bulbs, PC bulbs, VHO bulbs and halides is that regardless of the type of flourescent you use, they need to be changed about every six months. Halides last 10 months to a year and have a lot more wattage per bulb.

 

For me, halides have been the way to go because to run flourescents, I needed to buy twice as many bulbs and replace them twice as often to maintain the same wattage over my tank.

 

I used to have a 65 gallon Oceanic RR tank with three 96W PC bulbs. I was very happy with the performance of the bulbs but if I had it to do again, I would simply use one 250W MH bulb.