T5'S or MH

zhewitt04 · 05/08/2010, 05:47 PM

I have a 48" 4x54W t5 (individual reflector) on my 72" long tank obviously it is not long enough. Should I get another smaller t5 fixture to cover the remaining space or should I upgrade to MH? and what wattage should I go with on the MH? I want to keep some anenomes and so other cool stuff basically LPS's. I was thinking 250W x 2 on the MH. Would this be enough? I thought of also going with one 250 Watt MH on one side and the T5 on the other but that might be stupid. What would you do and I don't want to spend alot obviously. I would like this to be as cheap as possible if i am going to upgrade at all. So if i could possibly use the T5 without it looking stupid I will. I was told that you would be able to tell in the tank and it would look dumb wanted to know if anyone out there has tried it.
Thanks for your input.

I am in the prossecc of buliding a canopy so i don't care how bad it looks. under the canopy.

brycerb · 05/08/2010, 06:09 PM

The height of this 72" tank is critical to giving you the best information.

zhewitt04 · 05/08/2010, 06:12 PM

its 28" or 24 i can't remeber and i am not at home to measure right now.

Palting · 05/08/2010, 06:20 PM

Though a noob, I just had this on one post. Here's the link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1844907

As I understand it, if you want it all, need MH for depthhs over 24". Less than that, or if you want to stick with low to moderate light requiring corals, T5's OK. Or, as I am planing to do, use T5's and build up platdforms/rockwork to bring the corals higher.

zhewitt04 · 05/08/2010, 06:49 PM

Palty that bigal post was awesome. I get it he should publish that....haha

zhewitt04 · 05/08/2010, 06:51 PM

I think i am going to keep the t5's i got and have a 250 w metal halide on the other side.
The only question i have is will this raise my temp of the tank to high? Do i need a chiller? Will this look ok with one side of the tank being 250Watts and the other 4 T5's? Also do i need to put atinics on the side with the metal halide?

Palting · 05/08/2010, 07:59 PM

Yup, bigal really drove it home, didn't he?

Dunno about your plan, man. 48" T5, then 24" MH to total 72"? From what I have learned so far, MH + canopy equals cooling fans.

Where's Kokomo? Maybe you can sell me your T5's and then you can get a proper 72" MH + T5 setup.

zhewitt04 · 05/08/2010, 08:09 PM

Kokomo Indiana, It is 50 miles straight north of Indy. I am going to check on somethings. See if i can do both so i only have to buy one fixture and ballest. Money is tight so.

dcombs44 · 05/08/2010, 08:50 PM

MH in canopies doesn't always mean cooling fans. It just depends on the setup, reflectors, distance of bulbs from water, and the room that the tank is in.

Some of the newer high fangled reflectors require the bulbs to be higher off the water, so it helps eliminate some of the heat issues.

But, many cases will require the use of fans or a chiller. A note, fans will equal more evaporation.

05/08/2010, 05:47 PM	#1
zhewitt04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 764	T5'S or MH I have a 48" 4x54W t5 (individual reflector) on my 72" long tank obviously it is not long enough. Should I get another smaller t5 fixture to cover the remaining space or should I upgrade to MH? and what wattage should I go with on the MH? I want to keep some anenomes and so other cool stuff basically LPS's. I was thinking 250W x 2 on the MH. Would this be enough? I thought of also going with one 250 Watt MH on one side and the T5 on the other but that might be stupid. What would you do and I don't want to spend alot obviously. I would like this to be as cheap as possible if i am going to upgrade at all. So if i could possibly use the T5 without it looking stupid I will. I was told that you would be able to tell in the tank and it would look dumb wanted to know if anyone out there has tried it. Thanks for your input. I am in the prossecc of buliding a canopy so i don't care how bad it looks. under the canopy. Last edited by zhewitt04; 05/08/2010 at 05:49 PM. Reason: Spelling

05/08/2010, 06:09 PM	#2
brycerb Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Isle of wight, VA Posts: 541	The height of this 72" tank is critical to giving you the best information. __________________ -Luckily, my wife is reef safe so I can use my normal income for this hobby. -My cichlids love RO waste! Current Tank Info: 7.5 gallon box with water in it.

05/08/2010, 06:20 PM	#4
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Though a noob, I just had this on one post. Here's the link: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1844907 As I understand it, if you want it all, need MH for depthhs over 24". Less than that, or if you want to stick with low to moderate light requiring corals, T5's OK. Or, as I am planing to do, use T5's and build up platdforms/rockwork to bring the corals higher. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

05/08/2010, 07:59 PM	#7
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	Yup, bigal really drove it home, didn't he? Dunno about your plan, man. 48" T5, then 24" MH to total 72"? From what I have learned so far, MH + canopy equals cooling fans. Where's Kokomo? Maybe you can sell me your T5's and then you can get a proper 72" MH + T5 setup. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

05/08/2010, 08:50 PM	#9
dcombs44 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 2,913	MH in canopies doesn't always mean cooling fans. It just depends on the setup, reflectors, distance of bulbs from water, and the room that the tank is in. Some of the newer high fangled reflectors require the bulbs to be higher off the water, so it helps eliminate some of the heat issues. But, many cases will require the use of fans or a chiller. A note, fans will equal more evaporation. __________________ Current Setup: 10 Gallon Skimmerless Zoanthid Tank Lighting: Single 175 Watt Metal Halide (14,000 K Hamilton Lamp) Filtration: 10 gallon sump/refugium and Phosban Reactor Return: Mag Drive 700 Controller: ReefKeeper Lite (Basic Version) Circulation: TBD Age of System: Build is in Progress

05/08/2010, 06:12 PM	#3
zhewitt04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 764	its 28" or 24 i can't remeber and i am not at home to measure right now.

05/08/2010, 06:49 PM	#5
zhewitt04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 764	Palty that bigal post was awesome. I get it he should publish that....haha

05/08/2010, 06:51 PM	#6
zhewitt04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 764	I think i am going to keep the t5's i got and have a 250 w metal halide on the other side. The only question i have is will this raise my temp of the tank to high? Do i need a chiller? Will this look ok with one side of the tank being 250Watts and the other 4 T5's? Also do i need to put atinics on the side with the metal halide?

05/08/2010, 08:09 PM	#8
zhewitt04 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Kokomo, IN Posts: 764	Kokomo Indiana, It is 50 miles straight north of Indy. I am going to check on somethings. See if i can do both so i only have to buy one fixture and ballest. Money is tight so.

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