T5 lighting question.

[prow]

hi guys and girls,


i am working on my light set up. i will be getting T5's. the space in my canopy is 74x15. Ican go either 2-39watt/ or 1-54watt and 1-24watt/ or 3-24watt lights. i also have seen 60" and 72" 80watt bulbs but have yet to see any in the lfs. any advice on the confiquration that would be best. also any advice on the k and type bulbs atinic, aqua blue, sun ect...

[charlie]

hi guys and girls,


i am working on my light set up. i will be getting T5's. the space in my canopy is 74x15. Ican go either 2-39watt/ or 1-54watt and 1-24watt/ or 3-24watt lights. i also have seen 60" and 72" 80watt bulbs but have yet to see any in the lfs. any advice on the confiquration that would be best. also any advice on the k and type bulbs atinic, aqua blue, sun ect...

have you got the room for 2 of the 72", 1 actinic and 1 daylite?

[prow]

have you got the room for 2 of the 72", 1 actinic and 1 daylite?

yeah. i can get whatever will fit in 74"x18" with a little adjustment. just dont know how many bulbs of what watt with single reflector i can fit under my canopy. i live in southern california and have not seen the 80 watt bulbs in the lfs.

[charlie]

Refresh my memory, what are you gonna have in there?
You can probably get the bulbs online somewhere. Try one of our sponsors here at Reefland.

[prow]

Refresh my memory, what are you gonna have in there?
You can probably get the bulbs online somewhere. Try one of our sponsors here at Reefland.

have not really finished the coral list but mostly lps, 1or2 sps, couple softies. the tank is 72"x18"x20"H.

[charlie]

2-10k
2- actinic
you should be good to go.
Do your research as to what your particular corals are gonna need, and you should be alright.

[prow]

2-10k
2- actinic
you should be good to go.
Do your research as to what your particular corals are gonna need, and you should be alright.

thanks if i can fit 6 80 watt should i do that or stick with 4. kinda on this subject. the guys at a couple different lfs say that the 80watt bulbs are no good. what do you think have you heard anything like that. thanks a gain for your help.

[charlie]

thanks if i can fit 6 80 watt should i do that or stick with 4. kinda on this subject. the guys at a couple different lfs say that the 80watt bulbs are no good. what do you think have you heard anything like that. thanks a gain for your help.

I would start with 4 and see what happens. You always have the option to add 2 more.
Having absolutly no experience with T5 lighting, I don't know if I should say anything. I do know that if you don't really trust your LFS, I would maybe do a search on T5's and see what you can come up with. Maybe someone else on here has had some experience with them and can chime in. HTH

[prow]

I would start with 4 and see what happens. You always have the option to add 2 more.
HTH

very ture. i will take that advice. have done a lot of research on them but never used them either. thanks

[charlie]

Sorry I couldn't help more, but you know how us MH guys are!!

[prow]

Sorry I couldn't help more, but you know how us MH guys are!!

yup dam MH groupies. j/k.no worries you did help though. i will be getting 4 and go from there. thanks for the help.

[Horace]

hi guys and girls,


i am working on my light set up. i will be getting T5's. the space in my canopy is 74x15. Ican go either 2-39watt/ or 1-54watt and 1-24watt/ or 3-24watt lights. i also have seen 60" and 72" 80watt bulbs but have yet to see any in the lfs. any advice on the confiquration that would be best. also any advice on the k and type bulbs atinic, aqua blue, sun ect...

I have some minimal experience with t5, I do have 2x48" T5s over my tank but they are only used for supplemental to my halides. However, from the research I did, I found that 4 bulbs is probably not going to cut it pending on what you plan on having. If you want any sps/clams you may not get the best growth/coloration with only 4. 6-8 is usually what is recommended for higher light needy corals etc. However for softies you could probably get by with 4