SPS's and clams under T5's?

bgraves · 05/08/2009, 03:27 AM

What type of SPS's or pretty clams can I have under the following T5's? If any. Thought about ditching 2 of the bulbs and getting a 150w MH or going with 2 36" VHO's.

1 18000k power glo
2 6700k life glo (replace 1 with 18000k ?)
1actinic 420nm

MikeFisher1972 · 05/08/2009, 03:48 AM

what is the distance to the corals you are going to be keeping in the tank to the lights.
from what i have seen it has to be close to the t5.

PRDubois · 05/08/2009, 03:52 AM

anything you want.

josbur63 · 05/08/2009, 04:40 AM

I have two maxima clams on the sandbed in my 75 gallon with an 8 bulb t-5 setup.The blue maxima is over 3 years old,and my new gold maxima is 3 months old,and already significantly grown.T-5 bulbs will allow you to keep any and all corals.I also have a few sps that are closer to the top of the aquarium,also growing very well.

redfishsc · 05/08/2009, 04:41 AM

I don't know about the PAR output of those bulbs, but your color spectrum is pretty good.

So long as your tank isn't super deep. You should be able to keep clams and SPS down to at least 12" if not 18".

Clams will tell you if they aren't happy--- they will open and expand more than normal---- if they look like they are "gagging" or look like Homer Simpson going "donuts....aaaaaagh", they are light-deprived--- move them up some.

Ohiomom · 05/08/2009, 07:10 AM

I have two croceas under a 4 bulb, 216 watt fixture..I know the W per gallon rule isn't important but just to give an idea. of what I have..in a 75 gallon. They are on the bottom and perfectly happy for a year now.

Best advice I ever got on clams in general was to spend the few bucks extra and buy a "bigger" one. (over 3 inches) as they have a much better survival rate.

As far as corals I keep acans, softies, zoas, palys, favias and a milli with no issues so far..hth

ginger7286 · 05/08/2009, 09:43 AM

I have a T5 12 bulb set up. I recently bought a squamos clam, love those, anyway I have seen it grow in the 3 months I have had it. I also have blue voodoo SPS under the lights. Both seem very happy.

RobbyVonAwesome · 05/08/2009, 11:25 AM

I keep any SPS I want under my Solar Flare fixture. I can grow acros on my sandbed (24" deep) if I want to.

Just make sure you get a fixture that's powerful enough to do what you want it to do. A Tek 8-bulb or Solar Flare will be powerful enough to grow SPS deep in the tank but one of the less expensive 4-bulb units will not.

nikon187 · 05/08/2009, 11:28 AM

who makes T5 power glow and life glow? Aren't these bulbs T8 bulbs and not T5?

Hephalump · 05/08/2009, 11:31 AM

I have a maxima that I have kept for over a year under a 24" four bulb fixture and it has put on a lot of growth. I keep it up as high as possible.

bgraves · 05/08/2009, 07:20 PM

my tank is 21" deep and the bulbs are only 39w each. The bulb itself says 39 watts. I would put 2 more however I don''t have the room unless I can by double reflectors. Right now I have 4 diff reflectors that take up lots of room in my canopy.
The bulbs you can order from drs f&s and they are T5 HO's.

daudelus · 05/09/2009, 04:44 AM

Pristine water quality is extremely important at all times, but even mor so with less intensity of light for clams ad SPS. I've seen clams do well with T5 lighting, but the variables in different tank setups make it impossible to generalize.

caribngg · 05/09/2009, 12:30 PM

you can keep anything once you have the right placement. the most important think is to do your research on what ever you want to keep.

05/08/2009, 03:27 AM	#1
bgraves Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 366	SPS's and clams under T5's? What type of SPS's or pretty clams can I have under the following T5's? If any. Thought about ditching 2 of the bulbs and getting a 150w MH or going with 2 36" VHO's. 1 18000k power glo 2 6700k life glo (replace 1 with 18000k ?) 1actinic 420nm

05/08/2009, 03:48 AM	#2
MikeFisher1972 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Jacksonville NC Posts: 151	T5 what is the distance to the corals you are going to be keeping in the tank to the lights. from what i have seen it has to be close to the t5. __________________ President of Jacksonville Reef Keepers. Current Tank Info: 300gStarfire and a 8 foot monster

05/08/2009, 03:52 AM	#3
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	anything you want. __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank

05/08/2009, 04:41 AM	#5
redfishsc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Wake Forest, NC Posts: 3,696	I don't know about the PAR output of those bulbs, but your color spectrum is pretty good. So long as your tank isn't super deep. You should be able to keep clams and SPS down to at least 12" if not 18". Clams will tell you if they aren't happy--- they will open and expand more than normal---- if they look like they are "gagging" or look like Homer Simpson going "donuts....aaaaaagh", they are light-deprived--- move them up some. __________________ "The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation." Corrie Ten Boom “The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins” -- Søren Kierkegaard Current Tank Info: ghetto grad school reef.....11g rimless tank, 36X9X9, lit by Cree and Rebels scobbled together. Stocked mostly with free stuff I got from panhandling my fellow reefers.

05/08/2009, 07:10 AM	#6
Ohiomom Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,586	I have two croceas under a 4 bulb, 216 watt fixture..I know the W per gallon rule isn't important but just to give an idea. of what I have..in a 75 gallon. They are on the bottom and perfectly happy for a year now. Best advice I ever got on clams in general was to spend the few bucks extra and buy a "bigger" one. (over 3 inches) as they have a much better survival rate. As far as corals I keep acans, softies, zoas, palys, favias and a milli with no issues so far..hth __________________ .....Sandra “Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” Current Tank Info: 75 galllon reef, T5HO love em!

05/08/2009, 04:40 AM	#4
josbur63 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Posts: 135	I have two maxima clams on the sandbed in my 75 gallon with an 8 bulb t-5 setup.The blue maxima is over 3 years old,and my new gold maxima is 3 months old,and already significantly grown.T-5 bulbs will allow you to keep any and all corals.I also have a few sps that are closer to the top of the aquarium,also growing very well.

05/08/2009, 09:43 AM	#7
ginger7286 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lake Worth, Florida Posts: 728	I have a T5 12 bulb set up. I recently bought a squamos clam, love those, anyway I have seen it grow in the 3 months I have had it. I also have blue voodoo SPS under the lights. Both seem very happy. __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways totally worn out shouting "Holy crap...what a ride!" Current Tank Info: 125 Reef Tank, Precision Marine equipment with a live rock/sand filtration. 30G. Nano with 2 percs and a beautiful little Flaming Prawn Goby.

05/08/2009, 11:25 AM	#8
RobbyVonAwesome Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 394	I keep any SPS I want under my Solar Flare fixture. I can grow acros on my sandbed (24" deep) if I want to. Just make sure you get a fixture that's powerful enough to do what you want it to do. A Tek 8-bulb or Solar Flare will be powerful enough to grow SPS deep in the tank but one of the less expensive 4-bulb units will not.

05/08/2009, 11:28 AM	#9
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	who makes T5 power glow and life glow? Aren't these bulbs T8 bulbs and not T5? __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

05/08/2009, 11:31 AM	#10
Hephalump Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 244	I have a maxima that I have kept for over a year under a 24" four bulb fixture and it has put on a lot of growth. I keep it up as high as possible. __________________ You can change your socks, but if you don't wash your feet they will still stink. Current Tank Info: 65 gal bowfront mixed reef, Maxspect Razor 160w, Reef Octopus NW150, Aquamaxx Nano calcium reactor, vortech mp40, pair of ocellaris clowns, starry blenny.

05/08/2009, 07:20 PM	#11
bgraves Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 366	my tank is 21" deep and the bulbs are only 39w each. The bulb itself says 39 watts. I would put 2 more however I don''t have the room unless I can by double reflectors. Right now I have 4 diff reflectors that take up lots of room in my canopy. The bulbs you can order from drs f&s and they are T5 HO's.

05/09/2009, 04:44 AM	#12
daudelus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Elizabethtown, PA Posts: 177	Pristine water quality is extremely important at all times, but even mor so with less intensity of light for clams ad SPS. I've seen clams do well with T5 lighting, but the variables in different tank setups make it impossible to generalize. __________________ ------------------------- 55g long mixed reef. 60lbs LR, 2 x 150 HQI 15k MH, BH 1000 Octopus HOB Skimmer, Sumpless, 2x Hydor Koralia 3s + 1x Hydor Koralia 1, HOB filter for Carbon.

05/09/2009, 12:30 PM	#13
caribngg Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: St Thomas Virgin Islands Posts: 101	t5 lights you can keep anything once you have the right placement. the most important think is to do your research on what ever you want to keep. __________________ geoffrey Current Tank Info: 75 gallon, 6-t5 w reflectors, 30 gal sump,AQua C ev 180 skimmer, Korallin Calcium reactor