question on lighting

garyw68 · 12/10/2006, 08:13 PM

One of my weakest areas in this hobby is lighting. Right now for my 90 gal (48 x 18 x 24), I have a coralife light with two 65w actinic and 2 65w 10000k daylights. I want to upgrade my lights to either t5â€™s or MH. I donâ€™t have any anemones or clams but would like to in the future. What is the advantage of having t5 lighting and the advantage of MH lighting? If I did upgrade, what is a good ideal wattage for my 90 gal?

IPowderBlueTang · 12/10/2006, 09:08 PM

You should be good with 2 250 watt MH or 6 - 8 48" T5 HO. T5 cheaper light bill and MH get the shimmer effect but cost a bit more in electricity.

troybob333 · 12/10/2006, 09:15 PM

T5 vers MH is debated a lot. T5 HO (high output) is still a bit new in this hobby though the technology for it has been around a long time. MH has been used a lot longer and always gets good results. I actually like T5 better as if used with good reflectors gives off comparable light and sometimes more. It uses less energy than MH and gives off a lot less heat. Uri now makes bulbs with the same wavelenght as their VHO too. Only thing with T5 that a lot people don't like verses MH is you don't get the shimmer effect that you do with a single focal point of light.

For your tank if you want anemones and clams down the road I would get sunlights T5 tek 6 bulb 4 foot fixture with URI bulbs if you do decide on T5. Premiumaquatics has the fixtures and bulbs.

troybob333 · 12/10/2006, 09:19 PM

Just remembered URI is now UV

CarmieJo · 12/10/2006, 09:20 PM

TalkingReef just did a 6 part series of podcasts on lighting. You can get them at talkingreef.com or on iTunes. Here is a direct link to the first in the series: http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/po...sode-75-a.html If you don't have an iPod or MP# player you can still download the shows and listen on your computer.

Rockhead21564 · 12/10/2006, 09:29 PM

T5 is still being tested for clams, not an absolute. All personal preference as far as I see it. If you bought T5's you'll probably not admit to yourself they might have been a mistake,lol. I have MH on all my tanks, I can keep anything I want, period. T5 have a funky color, IMO.

12/10/2006, 08:13 PM	#1
garyw68 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 648	question on lighting One of my weakest areas in this hobby is lighting. Right now for my 90 gal (48 x 18 x 24), I have a coralife light with two 65w actinic and 2 65w 10000k daylights. I want to upgrade my lights to either t5â€™s or MH. I donâ€™t have any anemones or clams but would like to in the future. What is the advantage of having t5 lighting and the advantage of MH lighting? If I did upgrade, what is a good ideal wattage for my 90 gal? __________________ My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn’t need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle. Current Tank Info: 180 gal AGA reef - 55 gal sump/refuge - 235 lbs of LR - 3x250 14k MH w/ 4x96 blue actinic PC's - SRO 5000ext skimmer - 2 Vortech MP40w/es

12/10/2006, 09:20 PM	#5
CarmieJo Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NC Posts: 390	TalkingReef just did a 6 part series of podcasts on lighting. You can get them at talkingreef.com or on iTunes. Here is a direct link to the first in the series: http://www.talkingreef.com/forums/po...sode-75-a.html If you don't have an iPod or MP# player you can still download the shows and listen on your computer. __________________ Carmie Only disasters happen fast! Current Tank Info: 54 gal AGA corner tank with a Solaris LED fixture; NanoCube 24

12/10/2006, 09:29 PM	#6
Rockhead21564 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Up North Vanderbilt, Michigan Posts: 525	T5 is still being tested for clams, not an absolute. All personal preference as far as I see it. If you bought T5's you'll probably not admit to yourself they might have been a mistake,lol. I have MH on all my tanks, I can keep anything I want, period. T5 have a funky color, IMO. __________________ Sometimes I just don't get IT ! I want IT, but she won't let me buy anything else. Well, that she knows about anyway, Bah hahahaha Current Tank Info: 280g reef w/90g refug/reef & 90g sump;210g FOWLR W/20"Pnthr Grper,10"niger,36"zebra & 24" Tiger eels. 55g clam tank w/ 9,"8",6",5"& 4" Corceas, 9" Blue &12"orange squamosas

12/10/2006, 09:08 PM	#2
IPowderBlueTang Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Kalamazoo, Canada Posts: 769	You should be good with 2 250 watt MH or 6 - 8 48" T5 HO. T5 cheaper light bill and MH get the shimmer effect but cost a bit more in electricity.

12/10/2006, 09:15 PM	#3
troybob333 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 50	T5 vers MH is debated a lot. T5 HO (high output) is still a bit new in this hobby though the technology for it has been around a long time. MH has been used a lot longer and always gets good results. I actually like T5 better as if used with good reflectors gives off comparable light and sometimes more. It uses less energy than MH and gives off a lot less heat. Uri now makes bulbs with the same wavelenght as their VHO too. Only thing with T5 that a lot people don't like verses MH is you don't get the shimmer effect that you do with a single focal point of light. For your tank if you want anemones and clams down the road I would get sunlights T5 tek 6 bulb 4 foot fixture with URI bulbs if you do decide on T5. Premiumaquatics has the fixtures and bulbs.

12/10/2006, 09:19 PM	#4
troybob333 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 50	Just remembered URI is now UV