lighting 70 gallon

[Starry]

having a hard time deciding on 2x250w mh or the 6 bulb tek light. or go with both mh and a glo t5. i want lps, zoas,rics,shrooms,and sps in this tank, and a clam or 2 at some point. im hoping to go without a canopy. tank is oceanic 36x18x24 will have 2" sandbed. thoughts?

[mseepman]

I like the look of MH with T5HO...one option would be to go with a Maristar fixture...has both. I modded my Coralife fixture to have both but it's not as nice as a pre-fab combo fixture.

If you go with a canopy, you can build in your own T5HO and MH (probably cheaper in the long run) and control light bleed into whatever room the tank is sitting in.

[Starry]

the maristar is outta my price range.

[JDigital]

I am running a 75G (48x18x20) with 2x250 14K DE MH.. I'm getting good growth from my SPS.. I don't have many softies/lps though. I will be adding 2x54W HOT5 soon just for Actinics though.

[phillybean]

I dunno if I want to help because I'm so jealous of the deal you got on that tank...

But I will anyway :)

Im running two 250 watt 14k with two Sunlight Supply T5's with stock bulbs and Im getting great color and growth. I plan on replacing the 14k with XM 10k for more growth and changing the T5 bulbs to a Pure Actinic/Actinic + combo. The key is getting good par and great color.

I think either set up will treat you right, depending on reflectors and bulb choice. A fail in either area will cost you par.

Check out:
http://www.manhattanreefs.com/lighting (MH Bulb/Ballast testing)
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1440723 (Great thread with the first couple pages on T5 lighting)
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14642916#post14642916 (Grim Reefer from RC is possibly the best T5 guru out there)

[RuGlu6]

having a hard time deciding on 2x250w mh or the 6 bulb tek light. or go with both mh and a glo t5. i want lps, zoas,rics,shrooms,and sps in this tank, and a clam or 2 at some point. im hoping to go without a canopy. tank is oceanic 36x18x24 will have 2" sandbed. thoughts?

i have 36x18x24 tank ,
use Tek T5 HO with 6 bulbs, have SPS, LPS tank, mushrooms and polips do not like it because too much light they only hang arround dark spots, SPS loves T5! i got very good color (Green, pink,blue and red) and good growth.

[mark]

2X250w and T5's, that's all I got on my 145g (with lot's of SPS growth) and I'm having problems finding enough moderate and low light areas for the SPS and shrooms.

[midgetwaiter]

Based on recent experience I'd say a 6 bulb Tek with 4 white and 2 blue would give you the same punch as the MH without the heat issues. If you went heavier on the blue maybe not so much. The T5 bulbs that have come out recently are getting really good.

[BC564]

There was or is a T5 aquintics constellation 7 bulb fixture on here for sale...3 switches and power cords.....its the same light I have on my 72 gal bow front.....and I know what I paid for mine new ....this one is about 1/2 price.....and it comes with bulbs.... can have whatever corals you want.

[TheMikey]

I'm running a 4 bulb T5 over the nano and have 2 x 22K (as blue as actnic but with PAR rating) 1 x 12K and 1 x Actinic. Nice blue colour, the colour really pops, but sand still looks white.

[Starry]

have a link to that 7 bulb unit? would fit perfect.

[mseepman]

There's always the www.fishneedit.com option of getting two HQI pendants and then putting the T5HO on the side. There was also a guy in K-town that got an aquaticlife fixture that he seems pretty happy with too...can't remember the name of the store in Ontario though. That was really recent too.

[BC564]

check out the forums for hardware forsale.....it appears that one may be sold...its pending payment.....

[Starry]

is it possible 2 fit 2 250w as well as 4 t5 in 18"? i was hoping 2 go with 2 250w 10.000k for growth 1 blue plus 1 fiji purple and 2 actinic t5 for color. wish they made a tek 8 bulb for 36" tanks.

[urbanhellfire]

Iam running 2 400w MH 15000k XM bulbs w/ 4 14w antic t5 tubes

It gives a nice deep crisp blue/purple hue in the tank. :mrgreen:

good luck

[Myka]

is it possible 2 fit 2 250w as well as 4 t5 in 18"? i was hoping 2 go with 2 250w 10.000k for growth 1 blue plus 1 fiji purple and 2 actinic t5 for color. wish they made a tek 8 bulb for 36" tanks.

Holy moly, that's a lot of light! :eek:

You should need that much supplemental T5. You should be able to get what you're looking for just by using a Fiji Purple and then either an Actinic or a Blue or Blue Plus.

I used to be a huge T5 advocate, but I'm recently starting to change my tune. I think for the average reef keeper that it is easier to have more colorful and better growing corals using metal halides (with or without supplemental T5s). There are A LOT of factors that contribute to color and growth, and lighting is only one ingredient as I'm sure you know.