T5 enough for a 23 inch deep tank?

REFFERMAN · 01/07/2008, 09:01 AM

Im wondering if I should go 150 watts with a metal halide pendant, or 200 watts with a Nova t5 4 bulb fixture? My 72 gallon bow is 23 inched deep. Which would work best? I plan on keeping mostly alll mushrooms, zoos, and maybe an anemone or 2. Thanks.

simion3 · 01/07/2008, 09:26 AM

I would go with 250W MH if your going to be keeping an anemone. I dont think it's much more $ going from 150W to 250W. You probably wouldn't ever have to upgrade the light in the future if you decide to keep more light demanding things if you went with the 250W. Otherwise the T5's would be the way to go if your just keeping zoa's and mushrooms I would think.

REFFERMAN · 01/07/2008, 09:55 AM

Thanks. I was reading that theanemone would move towards the light if its not enouhg. I wanted to go the T5 route because of energy costs and heat. I wasnt sure if the 4 bulb fixture was enough..Thanks.

yeldarbj · 01/07/2008, 10:46 AM

I've got T5's on a 24" high tank and have SPS growing near the bottom of the tank. If energy and heat is a concern, I'd go T5, but I don't think I would go with the Nova from what I've read (no personal experience). Read through the T5 Q&A thread for more info. I've got 3 T5's on an IceCap ballast and 2 T5's on a Tek ballast.

unmc2001 · 01/07/2008, 11:08 AM

I have kept a RBTA in my 58 gallon for 3.5 years under 2X96W PC. It has split 2 times. The anemone is in the middle 1/3 of the tank. I do feed it a 2-3 times a week a little mysis, clams or squid. I recently upgraded lighting to 6X39W T5. I got the Nova extreme fixture. Tank is a lot brighter and anemone is still in the same spot doing well.

REFFERMAN · 01/07/2008, 02:10 PM

Thanks for the info. I think im gonna just get the T5 nova 48 inch 4 bulb fixture. If anything I can always add the halide on laterif its not cutting it. Thanks guys.

01/07/2008, 09:01 AM	#1
REFFERMAN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 15	T5 enough for a 23 inch deep tank? Im wondering if I should go 150 watts with a metal halide pendant, or 200 watts with a Nova t5 4 bulb fixture? My 72 gallon bow is 23 inched deep. Which would work best? I plan on keeping mostly alll mushrooms, zoos, and maybe an anemone or 2. Thanks.

01/07/2008, 09:26 AM	#2
simion3 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 238	I would go with 250W MH if your going to be keeping an anemone. I dont think it's much more $ going from 150W to 250W. You probably wouldn't ever have to upgrade the light in the future if you decide to keep more light demanding things if you went with the 250W. Otherwise the T5's would be the way to go if your just keeping zoa's and mushrooms I would think.

01/07/2008, 09:55 AM	#3
REFFERMAN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 15	Thanks. I was reading that theanemone would move towards the light if its not enouhg. I wanted to go the T5 route because of energy costs and heat. I wasnt sure if the 4 bulb fixture was enough..Thanks.

01/07/2008, 10:46 AM	#4
yeldarbj Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,295	I've got T5's on a 24" high tank and have SPS growing near the bottom of the tank. If energy and heat is a concern, I'd go T5, but I don't think I would go with the Nova from what I've read (no personal experience). Read through the T5 Q&A thread for more info. I've got 3 T5's on an IceCap ballast and 2 T5's on a Tek ballast.

01/07/2008, 11:08 AM	#5
unmc2001 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 301	I have kept a RBTA in my 58 gallon for 3.5 years under 2X96W PC. It has split 2 times. The anemone is in the middle 1/3 of the tank. I do feed it a 2-3 times a week a little mysis, clams or squid. I recently upgraded lighting to 6X39W T5. I got the Nova extreme fixture. Tank is a lot brighter and anemone is still in the same spot doing well.

01/07/2008, 02:10 PM	#6
REFFERMAN Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 15	Thanks for the info. I think im gonna just get the T5 nova 48 inch 4 bulb fixture. If anything I can always add the halide on laterif its not cutting it. Thanks guys.