Depth vs light out put

[Poseidon]

Would 6- 54w t5's be good enough to penetrate 30" depth in my tank?

 

[unibob]

Here's an idea. 24" tank, 10 x 54w bulb ATI.

Photo and more info found here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1641235

 

[Poseidon]

Is that a yes?

 

[reeffreak]

Pretty deep should be fine up higher with sps and lower may have some trouble with color but overall maybe 8 or 10 would be better lol

 

[teebone110]

Is that a yes?

Yes! I use a 6 bulb x 54w and can keep sps at the bottom of my 24"

It all depends on what you want to keep, some sps just demand more lighting.

 

[unibob]

Is that a yes?

Couldn't tell ya, my tank has never been 30" and I've never had a t5 fixture.

 

[Krazykarl]

Kinda high jacking the thread but here's a question. I'm having a hard time gauging my lighting with it being led. I have a gigantic blue monti cap that appeared much diff under my halides opposed to my LEDs now. My question is, I'm seeing some darkening up, almost purple around the edges of each cap. The very edges are whiter than usual. Is this growth? Or is it lackin light? Or not enough? Anyone have a par meter? I'm not sure how to tell how much light I should have on this thing. I know montis like moderate flow with high light but I don't wanna bleach it out. I have my whites at 50% and he's mid level in a 24" deep tank. Right below a kessil.

I apologize for the blue. It's nowhere near this blue. My lights went out. They went out just as I snapped a pic. Ill try for a new one tomorrow under white only.

 

[Poseidon]

[quote author=Brandon link=topic=3479.msg29581#msg29581 date=1352244169]
Is that a yes?

Yes! I use a 6 bulb x 54w and can keep sps at the bottom of my 24"

It all depends on what you want to keep, some sps just demand more lighting.
[/quote]

How high above the tank do you have your lighting? I have 19" to work with

 

[Poseidon]

Just a note: as of now I have a 48" 400w fixture. Ill be running that until I can find buy a t5 fixture.

 

[teebone110]

[quote author=teebone110 link=topic=3479.msg29585#msg29585 date=1352248254]
[quote author=Brandon link=topic=3479.msg29581#msg29581 date=1352244169]
Is that a yes?

Yes! I use a 6 bulb x 54w and can keep sps at the bottom of my 24"

It all depends on what you want to keep, some sps just demand more lighting.
[/quote]

How high above the tank do you have your lighting? I have 19" to work with
[/quote]

I think 8-10inches or so.

 

[spyd]

How wide is your new tank again Brandon? Are you going to run a deep sand bed or shallow out of curiosity? I would go with an 8 lamp fixture in your case. 19" of space above your tank is lots. My T5 fixture sits roughly 6" off the water and is only 2" thick.

 

[Poseidon]

The tank dimensions are 30" high by 24" wide by 48" long
I have a really nice canopy and stand that came with but I'm doing some alterations as it was designed for a 10ft ceiling and my space is only 7.3'

 

[spyd]

With a 24" tank, I would go with an 8 lamp unit.

 

[Poseidon]

With a 24\" tank, I would go with an 8 lamp unit.

ok i shall look for one,
54w is ok though?

 

[reeffreak]

54w is your only option for t5 unless your tank is 36" or 72"

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

Or keep what yu have and get some reefbrites for supplment. 

 

[Poseidon]

Ok
I really don't want 800w of metal halide lighting above my tank

 

[Duke]

if it was me I would sell everything u can and get some money together and go LED, 3 AI Sols above that tank would be awesome, you could probably get away with only 2 even if that's all u have for a budget, u get performance, price, hydro savings, lightning, clouds, sunrise-sunset, and at 300 per unit u will save 1000's in the long run compared to T5's. No one can argue about ai sols, they are only white and blue and theres 100's of full blown SPS tanks that have been running them since they came out with great results and its all very well documented online.

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

The color vega is out now

 

[Duke]

The color vega is out now

right, im just thinking about being on a budget and still getting it done. Radions would be sweet to.. theres 2 new versions coming of those too.. but they are all really expensive. u could do 3 AI Sols and the controller new for less than 1000$ before taxes.