24" depth, who runs t5, who runs MH?

Snappy · #1 04-23-2009, 02:57 AM

My tank is 27" deep and I run a mixture of M/H & T5 and really like the combo. 5x 250w 14k, 2x 150w 20k & 12x 54w T5 bulb mix. It's the best of both worlds. Lot's of colour, growth and still get the MH shimmer.

Another point about the MH is: are they HQI or single end moguls because between the two of them there is little comparison IMO. HQI all the way!

StirCrazy · #2 04-23-2009, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snappy

Another point about the MH is: are they HQI or single end moguls because between the two of them there is little comparison IMO. HQI all the way!

ahh, here is another one I can dispell,

it isn't the DE bulb that is better than the SE, b ut rather the HQI ballast that is better. A SE bulb on a HQI Ballast has both more par and coverage than a DE bulb on the same bulb.

Steve

Canadian · #3 04-23-2009, 04:14 AM

T5 is only adequate for tanks 12" or less in depth. Anything greater than that depth and growth rate for SPS will be less than 1mm per month when using T5s.

Additionally, PAR values measured by meters such as the Apogee Quantum meter measure false high PAR values for actinic fluorescent lamps so the measured T5 PAR values are misreported (over inflated).

Doug · #4 04-23-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian

T5 is only adequate for tanks 12" or less in depth. Anything greater than that depth and growth rate for SPS will be less than 1mm per month when using T5s.

Additionally, PAR values measured by meters such as the Apogee Quantum meter measure false high PAR values for actinic fluorescent lamps so the measured T5 PAR values are misreported (over inflated).

So your saying all those in the thread I linked are wrong??

fishytime · #5 04-23-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

So your saying all those in the thread I linked are wrong??

*ding ding ding* and in this corner

Doug · #6 04-23-2009, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishytime

*ding ding ding* and in this corner

Just a question for Andrew. Not meant in any other way.

gobytron · #7 04-23-2009, 01:50 PM

great stuff everyone.
That thread on rc was great, some beautiful tanks there that are obviously quite deep and t5 based.

I'm really glad to see the different opinions, I left this thread yesterday afternoon thinking that I must have been daft to consider switching to t5 but now I think I just need to try it for myself and see what the results are.

Canadian · #8 04-23-2009, 02:03 PM

Whoops. My mistake. I thought this thread was the one where we make blanket bull$hit erroneous statements about lighting and then other members demonstrate poor critical thinking and regurgitate them while they make absolutely asinine comparisons between different lighting modalities.

Come on guys! Look at my signature and see what kind of lighting I have and what kind of system I run. Use your heads! Look at this thread and see what I have said about T5 lighting in the very recent past: http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthr...t=51194&page=2

Then go read this thread where some serious BS was spewed and several members gobbled it up and regurgitated it without putting on their "thinking caps" http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthr...t=51164&page=3

Time and again this stupid comparison is made and people puff up their chests about the superiority of MH lighting all the while completely ignoring the multitude of successful large T5 lit SPS tanks. Many of these large T5 lit SPS tanks are at least 24" deep - so there's your evidence. This BB is, unfortunately, sliding down a slippery slope of pouring out some really bad information of late. I also read posts where members denigrate other sites like RC for various reasons. People need to ensure they get a wider range of views on a topic from other sources before they develop such staunch opinions. There are thousands of SPS dedicated tanks running T5s quite successfully, and several of those are at or around 24" - go look it up somewhere else before your impressionable fledgling hobbyist minds are filled full of BS on this BB.

midgetwaiter · #9 04-23-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian

T5 is only adequate for tanks 12" or less in depth. Anything greater than that depth and growth rate for SPS will be less than 1mm per month when using T5s.

Trying to make a blanket recommendation for the light requirements of all SPS corals is pretty silly. Would a milli and a pavona really react the same to a given light level?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canadian

Additionally, PAR values measured by meters such as the Apogee Quantum meter measure false high PAR values for actinic fluorescent lamps so the measured T5 PAR values are misreported (over inflated).

T5 lamps have heavy blue output for a reason, some or maybe most the photopigments in corals respond to light in these wavelengths. Using a PAR meter designed for horticulture may not be the best tool to measure this but it's the best tool we have. However referring to this artifact of PAR measurements as "misreported" completely overlooks the basic requirements of these animals.