~!~!~ How high do you all have your T5's from the water? ~!~!~

ClownsRCoo · 08/04/2014, 01:07 PM

Hello All,

I recently got a 6 bulb ATI Sunpower for my 90 and not sure what a good height is to have it at relative to my water level? When i first put it up i hung it about 13" from the water because I was switching from LED to T5's and didnt know how it would take the change.

Everything has looked like its been adjusting very well. It has been up for about 3 weeks now and last week I dropped the fixture down to about 11.5" above the water.

What is a good height to have as my end goal?

redwhiteandblue · 08/04/2014, 01:59 PM

a good height would be whatever works for you. during research of other systems, you will see a variance. most run 4"-12" awl.

Sugar Magnolia · 08/04/2014, 02:21 PM

Mine is about 6" above the water. 6x39w fixture.

kegogut · 08/04/2014, 03:00 PM

I have mine sitting about 2" off the water,right on top of the support braces. Its a 225 thats 30" deep

solitude127 · 08/04/2014, 03:08 PM

on my 20" tall tank, I have mine about 9" above the water line.

ClownsRCoo · 08/04/2014, 06:47 PM

Thanks all. Please other ppl give me your light height of your tanks too.

spsfreak1977 · 08/04/2014, 07:47 PM

About 4-5 inches off the water

AugustWest · 08/04/2014, 08:04 PM

18" tall tank. 8x24W 8" off the water

powder_blue · 08/04/2014, 08:14 PM

If it's a standard 90 I had the same fixture and the sweet spot for me was 7 in. Although I primarily kept sps in it. You could go a little higher if your not keeping sps. Just move it down slowly over a few weeks

fishresponse · 08/04/2014, 09:18 PM

After reading this I think I need to lower my lights. I have my T5 light around 6-7 inches from the water.

cody6766 · 08/05/2014, 01:34 AM

Mine was 8-10" off the water. I saw no difference from 6" and I could get in the tank easier.

fishresponse · 08/05/2014, 04:03 PM

Cody - you ever measure the PAR values with the couple inch difference?

jdraider75 · 08/05/2014, 06:45 PM

I run 8 bulb Ati sunpower 12 inches above water on 48x24x24. About 250-280 par on sand bed. I run 5 blue plus 2 coral plus 1 aqua blue special.

ClownsRCoo · 08/05/2014, 06:47 PM

Thanks everyone for all of your comments so far. Keep posting more please so I can get a good average. I can't be the only one with this question so we all will appreciate your answers

IPT · 08/05/2014, 09:28 PM

50 breeder is what 18 tall? I have 5 T5's and it's sitting on the rim of the tank.

cody6766 · 08/06/2014, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Cody - you ever measure the PAR values with the couple inch difference?

No, but I'm sure there were differences, but I never saw a change in coral appearance at different heights. I let it go for about a few weeks at the lower height and then raised it. My mixed reef looked exactly the same, but it was a 40br and not a deep tank that may require the added light at the very bottom.

08/04/2014, 01:07 PM	#1
ClownsRCoo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 813	~!~!~ How high do you all have your T5's from the water? ~!~!~ Hello All, I recently got a 6 bulb ATI Sunpower for my 90 and not sure what a good height is to have it at relative to my water level? When i first put it up i hung it about 13" from the water because I was switching from LED to T5's and didnt know how it would take the change. Everything has looked like its been adjusting very well. It has been up for about 3 weeks now and last week I dropped the fixture down to about 11.5" above the water. What is a good height to have as my end goal? __________________ PlanetAquariums 171g (60x30x22) - RoyalExclusiv Dreambox - Bubble King Double Cone 200 Total system volume - 225g

08/04/2014, 01:59 PM	#2
redwhiteandblue Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 259	a good height would be whatever works for you. during research of other systems, you will see a variance. most run 4"-12" awl. __________________ 180 mixed reef since 2011....work in progress 55 in wall Fowlr

08/04/2014, 02:21 PM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	Mine is about 6" above the water. 6x39w fixture. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

08/04/2014, 03:00 PM	#4
kegogut Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St.Louis Posts: 5,052	I have mine sitting about 2" off the water,right on top of the support braces. Its a 225 thats 30" deep __________________ Dave. "I have learned all kinds of things from my many mistakes. The one thing I never learn is to stop making them." --Nicomo Cosca. Current Tank Info: 225 mixed w/ 225 sump 550 lbs live rock,3x MarinePure ceramic blocks,Skimz SM201,Geo 618 CR,Vectra L1,DOS automatic water changes,3x 250w MH w/ 4x actinic T5,All ran by Apex thru Fusion.--57 community tank w/ OR T-247,120 nem tank.

08/04/2014, 03:08 PM	#5
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	on my 20" tall tank, I have mine about 9" above the water line. __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1

08/04/2014, 06:47 PM	#6
ClownsRCoo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 813	Thanks all. Please other ppl give me your light height of your tanks too. __________________ PlanetAquariums 171g (60x30x22) - RoyalExclusiv Dreambox - Bubble King Double Cone 200 Total system volume - 225g

08/04/2014, 07:47 PM	#7
spsfreak1977 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 345	About 4-5 inches off the water

08/04/2014, 08:04 PM	#8
AugustWest Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 765 Blog Entries: 1	18" tall tank. 8x24W 8" off the water

08/04/2014, 08:14 PM	#9
powder_blue Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Vero Beach, FL Posts: 159	If it's a standard 90 I had the same fixture and the sweet spot for me was 7 in. Although I primarily kept sps in it. You could go a little higher if your not keeping sps. Just move it down slowly over a few weeks __________________ Reef Savvy 60x24x18 rimless (Full Zeovit), ATI Sunpower 8x54w, Bubble King DC180 w/RD3, RODC 3500 Return, Neptune Apex, Vortech MP40 QD (2), GHL Doser

08/04/2014, 09:18 PM	#10
fishresponse Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 644	After reading this I think I need to lower my lights. I have my T5 light around 6-7 inches from the water.

08/05/2014, 01:34 AM	#11
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	Mine was 8-10" off the water. I saw no difference from 6" and I could get in the tank easier. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

08/05/2014, 04:03 PM	#12
fishresponse Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 644	Cody - you ever measure the PAR values with the couple inch difference?

08/05/2014, 06:45 PM	#13
jdraider75 Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Davenport, Iowa Posts: 546	I run 8 bulb Ati sunpower 12 inches above water on 48x24x24. About 250-280 par on sand bed. I run 5 blue plus 2 coral plus 1 aqua blue special.

08/05/2014, 06:47 PM	#14
ClownsRCoo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 813	Thanks everyone for all of your comments so far. Keep posting more please so I can get a good average. I can't be the only one with this question so we all will appreciate your answers __________________ PlanetAquariums 171g (60x30x22) - RoyalExclusiv Dreambox - Bubble King Double Cone 200 Total system volume - 225g

08/05/2014, 09:28 PM	#15
IPT Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 3,197	50 breeder is what 18 tall? I have 5 T5's and it's sitting on the rim of the tank.