So I am now in the process of finding the best lighting for my particular set up (listed in my signature)
I have found this product, "Coralife S/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-36") which is perfect as the length of the tank is the same. Is this a good product and is the lighting that comes with it sufficient for corals, hard and soft?
The Coralife, if it's the same one I looked at (only I need 48"), is not HO, so you'll be very underpowered for a reef tank. FOWLR, I think it is fine.
I've also heard that these lights need to be sealed from underneath or the endcaps tend to rust out.
I believe he means High Output. Not that i`m very experienced but if you`r going reef you will be better off with MH=Metal Halaide lighting even if its in combination with t-5 actinics. I was told without Mh lighting i`d be limited on corals and definetly no clams. I`d ask around, like I said i`m not real experienced but it`s what I have been told on several different occasions. Hope I helped
I believe he means High Output. Not that i`m very experienced but if you`r going reef you will be better off with MH=Metal Halaide lighting even if its in combination with t-5 actinics. I was told without Mh lighting i`d be limited on corals and definetly no clams. I`d ask around, like I said i`m not real experienced but it`s what I have been told on several different occasions. Hope I helped
Right, jesterns2. HO=High output. HO T5s are adequate for many corals, and there are some that choose T5s over MHs. I'd consider, if you are keeping corals, a 4-bulb HO T5 to be the minimum... especially if it's a tank that is deeper than average. MH would be your choice to get light penetration down near the bottom of the tank.
I'm by no means a lighting expert, but I've recently been researching the same thing as my single bulb flourescent has got to go, and I want to plan ahead for some corals down the road.
T5 Lighting Question So I am now in the process of finding the best lighting for my particular set up (listed in my signature) I have found this product, "Coralife S/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light-36") which is perfect as the length of the tank is the same. Is this a good product and is the lighting that comes with it sufficient for corals, hard and soft?
I personally am considering using t-5 lights. I currently use 2 175w MH bulbs with actinic supplementation. I'm getting good growth, but not the coloration that i should be getting. They have many options and if you get a fixture that is a HO then it'll keep basically anything under it with less heat then my MH bulbs. I use passive cooling (fans) to keep my tank from getting too hot and it's a bit annoying, especially here in TX when the temp swings 30+ degrees in a day easily.
There are several places to purchase. I've used Marinedepot.com drsfosterandsmith.com and reefgeek.com. There are several others but you can do some shopping and price comparison by checking them all out.
power compacts pros:
-cheap fixture from the start
-run cool cons:
-short bulb life
-very limited to coral selection
T5s pros:
-"medium" priced fixture from the start
-medium electricity
-well rounded selection of what you can keep
-great options for the color output in the tank cons:
-run "medium" priced fixture from the start
-run "medium" heat
-bulbs need replacement every 8-12 months at $20-25 per bulb, so if you have an 8 bulb fixture...
metal halides: pros:
-no limits to which corals you can keep
-creates a "shimmer effect" cons:
-run very hot, can lead to the need of a chiller
-1 bulb means meeting colors is difficult, very often people have to supplement with actinic PCs or T5s
-"medium-high" fixture price from the start
-uses the most electricity
LEDS pros:
-runs the coolest
-most energy efficient cons:
-extremely high cost of fixture
-i have heard of people having there LEDs fail, which the company seemed to replace no issue but i have also heard that they are going out of business, again this is only what ive heard.
i personally use T5s which i built using icecap ballasts and endcaps. it really all comes down to what you wish to keep, what fits your needs to work for you and your system. you should also keep in mind any future upgrades to avoid having to purchase lighting twice. i strongly feel that lighting and protein skimming are the 2 most important peices of equipment for a reef tank.
metal halides are your best bet when it comes to clams, esp when keeping them in the sand.
my answer is yes, you can have a clam granted it is high up on the rock work with T5s, no i dont suggest it. if your going to do it with T5s make sure you have good wattage too, a one or two strip t5 setup just wont cut it.
i had a clam which lived for alittle longer then a week in my tank. im just about positive that it wasnt due to the lighting as this would have taken longer to kill it, i strongly believe that a certain piece of its foot was ripped off due to the person i got it off poorly handling it. anyways, metal halides are your best bet for clams.
MH are best bet, but it's very possible to keep the clam in the tank so don't lose heart. Also, naturally clams live on rocks in the wild and not in the sand, as most hobbiest will keep them, so put them into a rock with a crater in it and it'll burrow itself into it.
Should be more then enough for most things. just do some shopping and get a good deal.
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