Whats the deal with T5 lighting???

[jamesbuf]

Does anyone know the truth about T5 lighting?? I've read people arguing about the strength of the bulbs. I know there are 2 ratings for the T5 bulbs, regular and HO, and obviously the HOs are whats used in our hobby.

I've been told that the HOs put out light equivalent of bulbs twice their wattage. is this true???

If anyone knows someone who had success with these lights, please let me know. Thanks again everyone.

[rioreef]

90g Oceanic RR with 6x54w T5's. Four are overdriven with an IceCap 660 ballast. Two on for dawn/dusk, then off they go with the 4 overdriven ones for a few more hours. Midday I have all six on for 4 hours and then back down through the sequence again. Not much heat from them, I have two fans come on when the four main lights come on.

 

This tank went operational in early April and I have been slowly adding to it. I started out with about 90lbs base rock (www.Hirocks.com) and 45lbs of live rock to seed (DrMacs/MarineScene). This ran until mid-May when I slowly moved specimens from my 55g over. About 3 per week over a 3 week period. I also have acquired other corals during this time from WAMAS members. I only have three sps and two clams that are the real high light loving corals. The rest are softies or lower light corals that get positioned at the bottom or in covered areas. While adding, I kept 5 layers of fiberglass screen on the glass top. Then every three days I removed a layer to acclimate the corals to the high lighting. This process is repeated every time a new coral comes in the system. I have yet to put any fish in this tank, at least until October. Rushing this is not my plan and by doing so I have not had any algae outbreaks, aptasia, or other pests (well except for the unwanted small crab that I believe came from a Zoo colony rock from a recent donation). I helped my large green brittle which it made a nice late night snack for him .

 

I read alot on the T5s before deciding. I did not want to go with the heat, hood size, and chillin with Halides. I did have PCs over the 55 and did not want to go that route again. VHO or T5s? I put the bucks down for the T5s and have been quite pleased. Intensity on these... well the tank is in a room with 13 ft foot ceilings and is 17x20. They not only lit it up, but half the back yard too (sorry Dulles Airport) B). Tanks depth is 24'' and I have one of the clams on the bottom and well it is happy as a ... I have growth on everything and have not lost any neither.

 

On ReefCentral you can find all kinds of comments. It is easy to hype or grip in this hobby. But, every tank is its own ecosystem and what one might point out is the fault of unfamiliar lighting could be caused by something else. I would recommend them, but do your research for how much you need. The whole watts/gal guideline you can't use with these. Only time will tell. Heck, I kept a Maxima Clam under 4x55watt PCs for four years.

[jamesbuf]

I'm about to buy a 6 bulb retro system. My tank is 6feet long but I'm thinking of buying the 4feet bulbs since I know they are so bright. And being that the bulbs are going to be around a foot above the tank(screwed into the canopy) I figure the light will spread out and cover the whole tank. I'm hoping to get macro growth in my main tank, as well as my fuge, to help get my nitrates down, plus its food for the tangs. Then I can just throw out the pruned macros from my fuge. Thanks alot for your comments. I had pretty much made up my mind I was going to get them, I really just wanted some input from others. thanks again.

[dhoch]

I've had T5 in my tank since January... Tank is thriving... it's 180 gallons and I have 8 5' T5 bulbs over my tank (6').

 

SPS are showing excellent growth.

 

My softies took a little getting used to the light (in particular I have mushrooms in a very "dark" corner of the tank.

 

I'm off on vacation right now, but if interested you can stop by and see my tank anytime.

 

BTW the intensity of light I have is as much if not more than most 250W MH systems.

 

Dave

[Folta]

Hey dave,

 

I would like to take you up on that offer to see your tank. Also, I don't know if you still have the par meter but I know last I spoke with you, you wanted to take readings on your own tank and its difficult to hold the meter and get a reading solo, so I can help you out with that (if you still need to of course).

 

send me a pm and let me know.

 

I've had T5 in my tank since January... Tank is thriving... it's 180 gallons and I have 8 5' T5 bulbs over my tank (6').

 

SPS are showing excellent growth.

 

My softies took a little getting used to the light (in particular I have mushrooms in a very "dark" corner of the tank.

 

I'm off on vacation right now, but if interested you can stop by and see my tank anytime.

 

BTW the intensity of light I have is as much if not more than most 250W MH systems.

 

Dave

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