lighting help for a 6 foot long tank

[codydemmel4]

hello everyone.

right now I have a 55 gallon tank that is under led. Well looking under the SPS section of this site, I noticed all the really really tanks have one thing in common. They are all under t5s.

I am going to be moving where I have a lot more room and I am going to be buying a 6 foot tank, not sure exactly on the gallon size.

However, I want to go t5s for my tank. How do you guys suggest getting this set up without spending a ton of money. I am looking to kind of just use t5s. Would it be better to have 2 36 inch builds? I am thinking I need 8 bulb setups but I really know nothing when it comes to this and I am really in need of some help and opinions.

[camaroguy]

I am currently going to move from LED to T5 (most likely) on my 6ft standard 125 gallon. It is only 18" wide, so I probably only need 6 bulbs, will go with 8 in case I upgrade the tank in the future.

I am planning on running a 60" (80W bulbs) fixture which would leave 6" on either side uncovered. This should work well enough from my research, though there may be some shadowing at the sides. 2x36" fixtures will double the cost of bulb maint, but would cover the entire tank and possibly give a little better overall performance (the individual fixtures might not run quite as hot as the 80W fixtures).

[codydemmel4]

Originally Posted by camaroguy

I am currently going to move from LED to T5 (most likely) on my 6ft standard 125 gallon. It is only 18" wide, so I probably only need 6 bulbs, will go with 8 in case I upgrade the tank in the future.

I am planning on running a 60" (80W bulbs) fixture which would leave 6" on either side uncovered. This should work well enough from my research, though there may be some shadowing at the sides. 2x36" fixtures will double the cost of bulb maint, but would cover the entire tank and possibly give a little better overall performance (the individual fixtures might not run quite as hot as the 80W fixtures).

I appreciate your insight and research. I guess as long as youre not having SPS on the very end of your tank you would be fine with a 60" fixture. I definitely am going to go with 8 bulb, just to make sure I have enough light front to back. I do think though if you have only 6 inches on each end of the tank you would be fine. I actually think 8 60" bulbs may be the way to go with a 72 inch tank.

As far as cost wise, I wonder which would be more expensive creating it like the intial up front cost. I am assuming the 2 36" setups would be more expensive up front. I am also wondering which one would be more expensive monthly.



Another important question I have regarding T5's about how expensive will it be to replace the bulbs, like how often will you have to replace them if all you're running are T5's for around 8-10 hours a day.

[camaroguy]

People say you replace them every 8-12 months...I suppose you could figure out what the manufacture says they are good for in hours and do that math to be sure. My guess is you replace the actinics more often because you tend to run them longer for dusk/dawn effect.

It will be more expensive up front and ongoing with two fixtures for sure. The difference in cost of bulbs isn't much between lengths, so you do a little less then double the ongoing cost. Upfront, it would also likely be a little less then double based on prices I have seen.

[codydemmel4]

Originally Posted by camaroguy

People say you replace them every 8-12 months...I suppose you could figure out what the manufacture says they are good for in hours and do that math to be sure. My guess is you replace the actinics more often because you tend to run them longer for dusk/dawn effect.

It will be more expensive up front and ongoing with two fixtures for sure. The difference in cost of bulbs isn't much between lengths, so you do a little less then double the ongoing cost. Upfront, it would also likely be a little less then double based on prices I have seen.

Yeah I just did some research in between march madness games and work real quickly. definitely looks like the 60 inch 8 bulb setup is what I will be looking to do.

[codydemmel4]

so the one tank I am looking to buy comes with a canopy that already have 2 400w MH built in with fans. Will this be enough to grow SPS all over the tank? I am not sure of the MH or anything, I also do not know much about MH at all.

I would greatly appreciate any insight in this.

[kevin_e]

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

so the one tank I am looking to buy comes with a canopy that already have 2 400w MH built in with fans. Will this be enough to grow SPS all over the tank? I am not sure of the MH or anything, I also do not know much about MH at all.

I would greatly appreciate any insight in this.

It's the best lighting option for SPS. However, it is hot, bulbs are expensive and it uses a lot of electricity. If you are okay with that, then you will be happy as a clam. You will get growth and color that is second to none.

Having said that, what is the brand and what are the dimensions on the pendants and what ballasts are they running?

[codydemmel4]

Originally Posted by kevin_e

It's the best lighting option for SPS. However, it is hot, bulbs are expensive and it uses a lot of electricity. If you are okay with that, then you will be happy as a clam. You will get growth and color that is second to none.

Having said that, what is the brand and what are the dimensions on the pendants and what ballasts are they running?

Even better then T5's???

He is not sure of the brand or the dimensions or what ballasts but he is checking tonight. Do MH have a blue look to them at all? I love the blue look of lights.

[kevin_e]

Yes, metal halide is the bees knees of lighting. A lot of people use both T5 and halide together though. They can look blue, it just depends what bulbs you decide to buy.

[toothybugs]

I run a Hamilton M80 dual ballast which is pushing 330W in to 250W Radiums (for MH, it's gonna be hard to beat that). The tank has a nice blue look to it while still obviously being a very bright white. I run BML LEDs parallel to them for viewing and daily ramping.

I thought about doing T5 along the side but my reflectors are too large to accommodate all 3 lighting types.

[codydemmel4]

I appreciate all the help guys.

So I have two options, both are 180 gallon tanks with dual corner overflows. Both are the exact same price.

The one comes with a tank, stand, canopy with two built in 400w MH's
The other comes with a tank, stand and the light is what I was orginially looking for which is a 8 bulb 60 inch sunpower ATI t5 light.


I am having a hard decision on which one to pick as they are pretty much the exact same besides the light and I thought the T5's were better but now it sounds like I may be wrong, I guess thats because I never knew anything about T5's.

[Flippers4pups]

I use to run MH back in the nineties. This is back when there was no T5's available. The heat from them made me run a chiller. The growth from them was good, but the heat and electric bill was out of this world! I dumped them and switched to T8's back then.

Fast forward to now. Been running t5's for years now. They are a proven coral grower with all the lamps available. Down side, as with MH, is replacing the bulbs every year.

As for the here and now, led's are proving they are the future and will eventually do away with T5's, as T5's did with T8's.

MH
pro's: tried and true coral grower.

Con's: Heat, replacement cost, higher energy cost, less available, harder to find. Units typically need separate timer for on and off. No sunrise - sunset.



T5's
Pro's: tried and true coral grower. Much lower heat and lower energy cost. Easier to find. Timed fixtures - sunrise and sunset.

Con's: replacement cost.

[codydemmel4]

Originally Posted by Flippers4pups

I use to run MH back in the nineties. This is back when there was no T5's available. The heat from them made me run a chiller. The growth from them was good, but the heat and electric bill was out of this world! I dumped them and switched to T8's back then.

Fast forward to now. Been running t5's for years now. They are a proven coral grower with all the lamps available. Down side, as with MH, is replacing the bulbs every year.

As for the here and now, led's are proving they are the future and will eventually do away with T5's, as T5's did with T8's.

MH
pro's: tried and true coral grower.

Con's: Heat, replacement cost, higher energy cost, less available, harder to find. Units typically need separate timer for on and off. No sunrise - sunset.



T5's
Pro's: tried and true coral grower. Much lower heat and lower energy cost. Easier to find. Timed fixtures - sunrise and sunset.

Con's: replacement cost.

This helped a lot and I greatly appreciate it. I know I will not be going with LED's as one thing I know in common with all the very good SPS tanks I have seen have been with T5's and MH's but I did not know anything about MH's

[Flippers4pups]

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

This helped a lot and I greatly appreciate it. I know I will not be going with LED's as one thing I know in common with all the very good SPS tanks I have seen have been with T5's and MH's but I did not know anything about MH's

Your welcome.

[EndlessAnimalOA]

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psdvcoiu6i.jpg

[codydemmel4]

Originally Posted by EndlessAnimalOA

http://i1044.photobucket.com/albums/...psdvcoiu6i.jpg

I would go LED's but one thing I saw in common with all the very good SPS tanks were they were running T5's or MH.

[kevin_e]

Go with the Sunpower option.

[codydemmel4]

this is the MH that he is selling built into the canopy.

https://www.reefspecialty.com/400-wa...b-ballast.html

you guys know anything about it?

[kevin_e]

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

this is the MH that he is selling built into the canopy.

https://www.reefspecialty.com/400-wa...b-ballast.html

you guys know anything about it?

Yeah, pretty good quality and all 3 are still.in production.

I have luxcore ballasts and reefbrite minis. I would still go with the ATI fixture though.