PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I have a 6 bulb T5ho 36 inch long fixture over my 40 breeder, 3 actinics and 3 daylights. My soft corals seem to do fine, I've noticed growth out of my gsp, hammer corals, frogspawn etc. now for my blasto, zoas (which strikes me as odd) and my birdsnest seem to maintain just fine but no growth. I've moved my zoas three times now. But they are now in a permanent spot on a rock, blasto has always been in the same spot, as also the birdsnest. Is a T5 just now going to be enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Re_Run Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 IME t-5 are great for softies, but never had any luck using them with lps, sps for growth maintaining worked great. why not sure.. put them under my leds and or my MH and they take off. Had Travis at upscales recommend useing ATI bulbs according to him they have a higher output than the normal ones haven't really have a chance to look into them yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 IME t-5 are great for softies' date=' but never had any luck using them with lps, sps for growth maintaining worked great. why not sure.. put them under my leds and or my MH and they take off. Had Travis at upscales recommend useing ATI bulbs according to him they have a higher output than the normal ones haven't really have a chance to look into them yet[/quote'] Ya that seems to be my problem too lol, I don't want to have to go to a MH but I'd like some growth. All my softies blew up after I went from the 24 inch 4 bulb to the 36 inch 6 bulb, but everything else just kinda sits there seeming happy and healthy but maybe I have midget corals haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Try a different bulb combo no expierence here but id put a 6500k in middle to help growth and a fiji purple for extra color try those in middle maybe that might help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriz2fer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 This highly depends on what fixture you have. T5 are not created equal. The t5 fixture I have in my tank is probably one of the most proven fixtures in the world for growing Sps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 The bulbs are staggard right now in a 50/50 one blue, one daylight, one blue, one daylight etc. if color temp will make that much of a difference I'll go for it but I'd rather not spend 100 dollars on bulbs on a hope so basis. I really like to color of the tank right now, could be a little more blue but it looks nice. If anyone has experience with what Garrett is saying please chime in before I smoke a 100 dollar bill haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 This highly depends on what fixture you have. T5 are not created equal. The t5 fixture I have in my tank is probably one of the most proven fixtures in the world for growing Sps. It's a "no name" fixture looks exactly like a TEK light but with a digital timer built in, reflectors look just like the ones that were on the TEK light I almost bought, I ditched the bulbs it came with before I even plugged it in, went with the uv h2ology bulbs maybe the ballast is where this fixture lacks :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffreyg Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sometimes it just take awhile to get it going I have used both now I have just one 250 watt pendent over the 40b 14k bulb . I decided I was moving stuff to much . An old reefer once told me be slow let it grow . But then there is my favorite from the old school show tool time . More power ! Lol ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriz2fer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The reflectors, ballast and active cooling fans separate ATI fixtures from all the others. They drive the bulbs in a completly different way then any other fixture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Sometimes it just take awhile to get it going I have used both now I have just one 250 watt pendent over the 40b 14k bulb . I decided I was moving stuff to much . An old reefer once told me be slow let it grow . But then there is my favorite from the old school show tool time . More power ! Lol ! Yea I think the issue with my zoas is I was never happy with where they were lol, I agree with the more power! I just don't care for the "hanging from the ceiling" look but I may have to just build a pendant and go back to a MH. As far as the ATI they are amazing fixtures but in no way would my wife allow me to spend 500 dollars on a light. Especially with most of my equipment being free after flipping tanks on craigslist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriz2fer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 500 is cheap for an ati fixture. The powermodule run almost double that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 500 is cheap for an ati fixture. The powermodule run almost double that price. Yea that's nearly pointless to me, not trashing the fixtures at all, but for a 3rd of the price I could get a nice MH and grow better with that I'm sure. Hell I don't have 1000 in my entire setup lol. They are incredible fixtures, but no light to me is worth 1000 bucks. That's almost another banshee for us haha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriz2fer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Completly understand man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Completly understand man. Do you have a build thread? From your sig the tank sounds incredible! I'd like to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoralCrazy Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I run T5's on my main tank and on my frag tanks. If I keep my hands out of the tank I get nice growth on all my zoanthids and my acans. I run a combo of 454's, purples, and 10k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriz2fer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 The point in trying to make is in order to have success with Sps, it's best to stick with proven lighting systems. With metal halides, you need a solid reflector with good proven bulbs like radiums. If buy cheap Bulbs and your Sps are brown then it wasn't the metal halides it was your bulbs/reflector combo. If you buy the cheap LEDs and your corals are lacking color then maybe it's not the LEDs but your fixture. If you buy a cheesy t5 fixture and the growth/color is not great. Maybe you should have gotten a proven t5 fixture. Pick one of the three and make sure it's proven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 8, 2012 Author Share Posted October 8, 2012 Makes perfect sense, I grew softies under a t8 so I know they are in no way used to compare growth, I used nice bulbs, and the reflectors are pretty nice on this one, so my guess is cheesy ballast in the fixture. I'll upgrade sooner or later but for now ill maintain the corals and see what turns up from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffreyg Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 It's so hard not to be touching stuff all the time I agree ! Oils in your skin . I have a Chinese made cheapie 14k in right now on a magnetic ballast . I have a hqi I just got but need to change the plugs and figure ill wait a little bit . I have two new radiums one wasn't reliable it fired just not every day every third day it wouldn't come on . The second radium I have is also new but pink ! I'm assuming there shipping there bulbs to china now as well because if you look closely at the two the one that is pink is of less quality . Now I'm on the search for a good brand 20k that isn't going to be pink in a month or two . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toby Flenderson Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 T5's are proven to be amazing at growing SPS, the colors the produce are incredible. Just look at how many totm's are t5. But........I gots to have my shimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackhand Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 yeah ive done quite a bit of research into the t5 and its all about the fixtures reflectors and ballast and of course the bulbs i too used a cheaper fixture and did not get the results i wanted and you wont get the results of an ATI fixture with a cheaper one so imo with that fixture either stick with lps and softies or change the color combo i completly agree with you having too many daylight bulbs through in a purple and a different blue that will help a lot but maybe look into a retro t5 you can buy the tek light reflectors and such on brs and have a nice t5 set up for cheaper than buying a nice ATI fixture just a thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 yeah ive done quite a bit of research into the t5 and its all about the fixtures reflectors and ballast and of course the bulbs i too used a cheaper fixture and did not get the results i wanted and you wont get the results of an ATI fixture with a cheaper one so imo with that fixture either stick with lps and softies or change the color combo i completly agree with you having too many daylight bulbs through in a purple and a different blue that will help a lot but maybe look into a retro t5 you can buy the tek light reflectors and such on brs and have a nice t5 set up for cheaper than buying a nice ATI fixture just a thought So color wise what would be the best option? I'll replace the actinics and one or 2 of the daylights. Should my guess from reading online would be 3 actinics A purple A blue or 2 purples..?? And one single daylight? I dig the "blue" look so I just need advice on which bulbs to run and location of each. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoralCrazy Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 In my 12 bulb fixture I run 4 454 bulbs, 4 purple, 4 10k. I have had nice growth with this combo. On my frag I run 1 65k, 2 blue plus, and 1 purple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsoz Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I used to have great LPS growth with T-5 TEK light. I had a 6x54w over a 75g tank. My frogspawn loved it. There was a point where half of my tank was frogspawn, close to 300 heads all put together... If I didn't become allergic to the stings I probably would have a tank full of it by now. Zoas also grew fine, and I had monti caps and monti digi growing like weeds. I couldn't seem to get Acros to grow or keep their color however. Maybe I needed to do more water changes more often... dsoz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mohaynow Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 If you are going to be changing bulbs soon, I would go with ati or giesman bulbs. I have an ati sunpower fixture and the bulb combo I use goes as follows 1. Blue Plus 2. Aquablue Special 3. Purple Plus 4. Blue Plus 5. Aquablue Special 6. Blue Plus Thats front to back. I have great success with just about everything I put in my tank, and if I don't. It's probably because of my maintenance. You might also be able to swap out the reflectors in the fixture you have. A good reflector makes the world of difference. I definately noticed when I switched from a tek light to an ati. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islandoftiki Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Well, I seem to be doing quite well at growing SPS in my 10 gallon under T5's. My arrangement is four 24" T5 HO bulbs on an inexpensive Odyssea fixture (It's not bad, really. The reflectors are decent and the daylight, actinics and moonlighting are on separate circuits). From back to front, the bulbs are: ATI Blue +, ATI Blue +, Geissmann midday, ATI Purple +. So, that's a total of 96 watts of T5 HO on a 10 gallon 24"x10"x10" tank. I'm surprised at the growth rate--almost as good as most bigger tanks with fancier lighting. Also, the colors really pop with this configuration. I think the Purple + adds a lot, and I suspect the midday bulb is largely responsible for the better growth. I should mention that this is enough light to bleach out a lot of corals. I have to hide chalices in the shadows, and some softies just bleach out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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