How do you light a 30" tank

tprize · 04/22/2009, 11:58 AM

I was looking at getting a column but it's either 20" or 30" So to light the 30" with T-5's what do you do? Do you stagger 24" lights? Let me know

uncleof6 · 04/22/2009, 12:19 PM

Just center the 24" T5s. There will be a dimmer light at the ends, but some like this. I am using 54 watters ~46.5" on a 60" tank. Low light critters like the ends. No pics. Staggering them would be fine also.

Talk to the GrimReefer over in this thread:

T5 lighting Q & A

Regards,

Jim

aaron1987 · 04/22/2009, 12:22 PM

With 30" depth and T5's, don't expect to keep any SPS lower than about 15 inches. I have a 30" deep 47g column with a 24" 250wMH/4 T5 fixture, I just center it and it's fine, not a ton of light spill.

04/22/2009, 11:58 AM	#1
tprize Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 1,077	How do you light a 30" tank I was looking at getting a column but it's either 20" or 30" So to light the 30" with T-5's what do you do? Do you stagger 24" lights? Let me know

04/22/2009, 12:19 PM	#2
uncleof6 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: AWOL Posts: 12,013	Just center the 24" T5s. There will be a dimmer light at the ends, but some like this. I am using 54 watters ~46.5" on a 60" tank. Low light critters like the ends. No pics. Staggering them would be fine also. Talk to the GrimReefer over in this thread: T5 lighting Q & A Regards, Jim __________________ "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (oft attributed to Einstein; most likely paraphrasing by Roger Sessions; compactly articulates the principle of Occam's Razor) Current Tank Info: 325 6' wide Reef

04/22/2009, 12:22 PM	#3
aaron1987 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 283	With 30" depth and T5's, don't expect to keep any SPS lower than about 15 inches. I have a 30" deep 47g column with a 24" 250wMH/4 T5 fixture, I just center it and it's fine, not a ton of light spill.