watts per gallon for sps

EvilE · 06/17/2007, 01:33 AM

I currently have around 3 watts per gallon in my tank--good enough for sps??

Goodwood · 06/17/2007, 01:52 AM

WPG is not the best way to judge.

What kind of lighting, how many watts, and how deep is the tank is better

EvilE · 06/17/2007, 02:04 AM

I have a 55 gallon setup, about 75 pounds of LR, and a canopy with the bult in lighting. I use two 48" T5 strips (two 10k, and 2 actinic) and a 48" HO T6 12k bulb. About 166 watts total output. the lights are about 16 or so inches from the LR/corals

RichConley · 06/17/2007, 08:13 AM

are the T5s HO, or NO? Do they have individual reflectors?

plyle02 · 06/17/2007, 08:23 AM

IMO, as stated above WPG, really is not the best approach to answering your question. IME, although ligthing plays a major role in the success or your reef, I would start with water quality 1st. What are your params, (CA, DKH, NO, PO4, MG,)? How visibly clear is your water? Can you tape a sheet of white paper on one vertical side of your tank, and then look through the opposite, and still clearly see the same sheet of paper showing the same color? Now, the reason why is that light can penetrate the water better, the clearer it is. So, with pefect water, I would say that your setup would perhaps work. I use 6x54watt t5 HO, on my 75, and have fairly nice water, and had to move the fixture over 6" off water. Are the bulbs on individual reflectors? This of course has been shown to improve your total light output. Some things to think about relevant to your question. Good luck, and watch out for the sps addiction....lol...

Justin/TiV · 06/17/2007, 08:36 AM

I'm not much of an expert on T5's, but I think they need to be alot closer to the surface of water

Horace · 06/17/2007, 09:51 AM

T5 should be very close to the water, like 4-6". Like mentioned above, if you dont have individual reflectors, you need them. If you have individual reflectors on all the bulbs, and have them sitting about 4-6" off the water, I think you would do just fine.

EvilE · 06/17/2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
are the T5s HO, or NO? Do they have individual reflectors?

I think they are NO but have good reflectors--they are 28 watts each. The T6 12k is HO.......

EvilE · 06/17/2007, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Horace
T5 should be very close to the water, like 4-6". Like mentioned above, if you dont have individual reflectors, you need them. If you have individual reflectors on all the bulbs, and have them sitting about 4-6" off the water, I think you would do just fine.

they are about 6 inches from the water surface

Maeda · 06/18/2007, 06:17 PM

No you don't.

EvilE · 06/18/2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Maeda
No you don't.

???? No I don't what?

undertai · 06/18/2007, 08:18 PM

You should invest in the ho lights instead of the no. The ho's put out more light than the no's and they should be around 6 inches from the water surface. I have a 55 gallon tank and run 2 175mh'sand 2 65w pc's. Mh are around 6 inches from surface and pc's around 8 inches. I have around 8 watts per gallon. I want to invest in the vho's to replace the pc's to get around 10w per gallon.

The canopy you use have any reflective materail in in or just bare wood? If bare wood consider painting it write to get more light in the tank.

You get get good growth from the t5's and t6's just move closer to water surface and upgrade to ho bulbs.

Picture of my tank with mh and pc's.
http://www.myreeftank.info

EvilE · 06/18/2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by undertai
You should invest in the ho lights instead of the no. The ho's put out more light than the no's and they should be around 6 inches from the water surface. I have a 55 gallon tank and run 2 175mh'sand 2 65w pc's. Mh are around 6 inches from surface and pc's around 8 inches. I have around 8 watts per gallon. I want to invest in the vho's to replace the pc's to get around 10w per gallon.

The canopy you use have any reflective materail in in or just bare wood? If bare wood consider painting it write to get more light in the tank.

You get get good growth from the t5's and t6's just move closer to water surface and upgrade to ho bulbs.

Picture of my tank with mh and pc's.
http://www.myreeftank.info

What If put aluminum foil in there??? Wouldn't that be better then white paint??

reefkoi · 06/18/2007, 09:12 PM

It sounds like you are underlit. You may keep a few sps alive but I don't think the color or growth will be there. I think for a 55 you'd want atleast 8 t-5 HO with 3-4 different spectrums and individual reflectors for each then you'd have a really nice looking setup for sure. I'd stuff as many t-5's in the hood as you can then you'll have enough light.

EvilE · 06/18/2007, 11:10 PM

Thanks everyone

undertai · 06/18/2007, 11:43 PM

aluminum foil could work but; I would go with mylar paper. It looks like aluminum foil but made thicker and more effective at reflecting light. Its the same things plant nurseries use in their stores and sell to customers. Its reflects light better than aluminum foil and with stands heat better to. I wouldn't use it with mh lights I have some in my canopy with a 3 inch space between the paper and mh bulbs. Still the bulbs burned a hole in the paper

, it was only $3 for 4 square feet of the stuff on ebay.

White paint acts the same as the mylar paper just cheaper and bulbs want burn through it.

RichConley · 06/19/2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefkoi
It sounds like you are underlit. You may keep a few sps alive but I don't think the color or growth will be there. I think for a 55 you'd want atleast 8 t-5 HO with 3-4 different spectrums and individual reflectors for each then you'd have a really nice looking setup for sure. I'd stuff as many t-5's in the hood as you can then you'll have enough light.

Can people who dont understand lighting please not make comments on it.

1. You can't fit 8 T5HOs over a 55.

2. If you could, you would kill EVERYTHING. You could put tables on the sand, and they'd still bleach out and die.

3. People need to get it through their heads that T5s are NOT LOW LIGHT.

RichConley · 06/19/2007, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by undertai
aluminum foil could work but; I would go with mylar paper. It looks like aluminum foil but made thicker and more effective at reflecting light. Its the same things plant nurseries use in their stores and sell to customers. Its reflects light better than aluminum foil and with stands heat better to. I wouldn't use it with mh lights I have some in my canopy with a 3 inch space between the paper and mh bulbs. Still the bulbs burned a hole in the paper , it was only $3 for 4 square feet of the stuff on ebay.

White paint acts the same as the mylar paper just cheaper and bulbs want burn through it.

White paint is nowhere near as reflective as aluminum foil, let alone mylar.

You need to buy the high heat mylar. The regular cheap stuff will just burn off.

plyle02 · 06/19/2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RichConley
Can people who dont understand lighting please not make comments on it.

1. You can't fit 8 T5HOs over a 55.

2. If you could, you would kill EVERYTHING. You could put tables on the sand, and they'd still bleach out and die.

3. People need to get it through their heads that T5s are NOT LOW LIGHT.

Rich,
I was thinking the same thing. As stated in one of my previous posts, I have a 6x54 tek unit and had to raise it more than 6" off the water, due to too much light/ heat. BTW, I have a sps dominated reef that has tons of growth. 8x54 watts on ind. reflectors for a 55 gallon, I was very much confused by this responders data. My unit covers my 75 completely, so even if you did have 8 bulbs over a 55, only 5-6 would of the bulbs would be effective anyway. Too many people out there still don't realize how powerful T5's are.....

cmc0814 · 06/19/2007, 09:38 AM

Yeah, I'd go out and get a 4 bulb Tek retro kit with those Tek II reflectors (or 2-2 bulb kits) and call in a night. I'd probably go out and buy a couple cheap computer fans too. Just what I would do....

JB NY · 06/19/2007, 09:42 AM

You should be able to get a 260 PAR reading from the bottom of your tank to keep acroporids.

That's about as much as I can give you. After that it depends on the light source you choose.

Freed · 06/19/2007, 09:50 AM

You could have an 8 ft tall tank with 80 WPG but if you have your corals on the bottom of the tank they will die cause the light won't penetrate that far down to the bottom especially if you have VHO, PC or T5 lighting. 1000 watt halides might work for something like that but again, WPG is not a good measure of lighting for a tank.

RichConley · 06/19/2007, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
You could have an 8 ft tall tank with 80 WPG but if you have your corals on the bottom of the tank they will die cause the light won't penetrate that far down to the bottom especially if you have VHO, PC or T5 lighting. 1000 watt halides might work for something like that but again, WPG is not a good measure of lighting for a tank.

Do we need to keep going over how T5s penetrate better than MHs?

I agree that WPG is stupid though.

cmc0814,
The Tek2s are testing pretty poorly at this point. Worse than the original Teks, actually.

cmc0814 · 06/19/2007, 11:58 AM

Really? That's sad. I was really excited about them....

RichConley · 06/19/2007, 12:30 PM

They reflect well, its just a wider spread, so you get more light that ends up being outside the critical angle, and bounces off the water surface.

IE, the Icecaps were more focused than the Teks. The Teks are more focused than the Tek2s.

06/17/2007, 01:33 AM	#1
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	watts per gallon for sps I currently have around 3 watts per gallon in my tank--good enough for sps??

06/17/2007, 02:04 AM	#3
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	I have a 55 gallon setup, about 75 pounds of LR, and a canopy with the bult in lighting. I use two 48" T5 strips (two 10k, and 2 actinic) and a 48" HO T6 12k bulb. About 166 watts total output. the lights are about 16 or so inches from the LR/corals __________________ Targzissians Are Obviously Reptilian Current Tank Info: 55 gallon african cichlid FW, 55 Gallon mixed reef SW

06/17/2007, 08:13 AM	#4
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	are the T5s HO, or NO? Do they have individual reflectors? __________________ NO TANKS!!!

06/17/2007, 08:23 AM	#5
plyle02 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Lake Helen, FL Posts: 5,526	IMO, as stated above WPG, really is not the best approach to answering your question. IME, although ligthing plays a major role in the success or your reef, I would start with water quality 1st. What are your params, (CA, DKH, NO, PO4, MG,)? How visibly clear is your water? Can you tape a sheet of white paper on one vertical side of your tank, and then look through the opposite, and still clearly see the same sheet of paper showing the same color? Now, the reason why is that light can penetrate the water better, the clearer it is. So, with pefect water, I would say that your setup would perhaps work. I use 6x54watt t5 HO, on my 75, and have fairly nice water, and had to move the fixture over 6" off water. Are the bulbs on individual reflectors? This of course has been shown to improve your total light output. Some things to think about relevant to your question. Good luck, and watch out for the sps addiction....lol... __________________ Perry "Anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die" ~Buddha~ Current Tank Info: 50 Gallon AIO Cube, Aquamaxx WS-1 Skimmer, LED/ Hybrid 4x24 watt t5

06/17/2007, 09:51 AM	#7
Horace Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 5,009	T5 should be very close to the water, like 4-6". Like mentioned above, if you dont have individual reflectors, you need them. If you have individual reflectors on all the bulbs, and have them sitting about 4-6" off the water, I think you would do just fine. __________________ -Horace Pinker Current Tank Info: New 180g Mixed SPS Build in progress

06/17/2007, 01:52 AM	#2
Goodwood Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Destin, Florida Posts: 700	WPG is not the best way to judge. What kind of lighting, how many watts, and how deep is the tank is better

06/17/2007, 08:36 AM	#6
Justin/TiV Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: kansas city Posts: 698	I'm not much of an expert on T5's, but I think they need to be alot closer to the surface of water

06/18/2007, 06:17 PM	#10
Maeda Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 251	No you don't.

06/18/2007, 08:18 PM	#12
undertai Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 1,110	You should invest in the ho lights instead of the no. The ho's put out more light than the no's and they should be around 6 inches from the water surface. I have a 55 gallon tank and run 2 175mh'sand 2 65w pc's. Mh are around 6 inches from surface and pc's around 8 inches. I have around 8 watts per gallon. I want to invest in the vho's to replace the pc's to get around 10w per gallon. The canopy you use have any reflective materail in in or just bare wood? If bare wood consider painting it write to get more light in the tank. You get get good growth from the t5's and t6's just move closer to water surface and upgrade to ho bulbs. Picture of my tank with mh and pc's. http://www.myreeftank.info

06/18/2007, 09:12 PM	#14
reefkoi Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,983	It sounds like you are underlit. You may keep a few sps alive but I don't think the color or growth will be there. I think for a 55 you'd want atleast 8 t-5 HO with 3-4 different spectrums and individual reflectors for each then you'd have a really nice looking setup for sure. I'd stuff as many t-5's in the hood as you can then you'll have enough light. __________________ 1Kw bulb club Current Tank Info: A 600gal. on Zeovit & a 240gal.

06/18/2007, 11:10 PM	#15
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	Thanks everyone __________________ Targzissians Are Obviously Reptilian Current Tank Info: 55 gallon african cichlid FW, 55 Gallon mixed reef SW

06/18/2007, 11:43 PM	#16
undertai Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Turlock, CA Posts: 1,110	aluminum foil could work but; I would go with mylar paper. It looks like aluminum foil but made thicker and more effective at reflecting light. Its the same things plant nurseries use in their stores and sell to customers. Its reflects light better than aluminum foil and with stands heat better to. I wouldn't use it with mh lights I have some in my canopy with a 3 inch space between the paper and mh bulbs. Still the bulbs burned a hole in the paper , it was only $3 for 4 square feet of the stuff on ebay. White paint acts the same as the mylar paper just cheaper and bulbs want burn through it.

06/19/2007, 09:38 AM	#20
cmc0814 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Moore, OK Posts: 1,102	Yeah, I'd go out and get a 4 bulb Tek retro kit with those Tek II reflectors (or 2-2 bulb kits) and call in a night. I'd probably go out and buy a couple cheap computer fans too. Just what I would do.... __________________ "The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness." Educational Officer - C.O.M.A.S. 2007 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef tank w/ T5lights, Aqua C EV-120 skimmer, 2 Maxijet mods and a Tunze 6025, Mag 9.5 return pump. And a 12 gallon Aquapod.

06/19/2007, 09:42 AM	#21
JB NY Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 9,207	You should be able to get a 260 PAR reading from the bottom of your tank to keep acroporids. That's about as much as I can give you. After that it depends on the light source you choose. __________________ -Joe TOTM Sept 2002 \| Reefland April 2004 \| CORAL Magazine Nov 2007 Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 \| Reef Spotlight 2018 Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre

06/19/2007, 09:50 AM	#22
Freed It's what it's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W Posts: 7,579	You could have an 8 ft tall tank with 80 WPG but if you have your corals on the bottom of the tank they will die cause the light won't penetrate that far down to the bottom especially if you have VHO, PC or T5 lighting. 1000 watt halides might work for something like that but again, WPG is not a good measure of lighting for a tank. __________________ Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT

06/19/2007, 11:58 AM	#24
cmc0814 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Moore, OK Posts: 1,102	Really? That's sad. I was really excited about them.... __________________ "The whole purpose of religion is to facilitate love and compassion, patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness." Educational Officer - C.O.M.A.S. 2007 Current Tank Info: 120 gallon reef tank w/ T5lights, Aqua C EV-120 skimmer, 2 Maxijet mods and a Tunze 6025, Mag 9.5 return pump. And a 12 gallon Aquapod.

06/19/2007, 12:30 PM	#25
RichConley Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bostonian in Chicago going to DC Posts: 9,908	They reflect well, its just a wider spread, so you get more light that ends up being outside the critical angle, and bounces off the water surface. IE, the Icecaps were more focused than the Teks. The Teks are more focused than the Tek2s. __________________ NO TANKS!!!