SPS frags with t5's

[bjohanson1234]

My LFS has small frags of various SPS on sale for 16 dollars. I want to try one under my t5's. I have 96watts on a 30 gallon tank. I want to know some of your opinions on getting one or two of these? Anyone have any experience. The lights don't have individual reflectors

Brian

[yote]

I think they would do great.Granted I got 432 watts of T-5 on my 75gal.But my SPS grows and looks great.

[Altohombre]

I think the rule of thumb may be to have at least 4-5 wpg for sps and clams. You have about 3.2 wpg with no individual reflectors. I would wait until Yote, Reeffreak or Fatman responds about this. Biff will most likely ignore this post because it has to do with lights. She is a vampire you see...

[Altohombre]

Yote got to this before I finished, he's that good.

[reeffreak]

You can try but I still don't think it's enough.If you do....put them close to the top.Maybe try a monti cap instead which is a type of SPS.

[SSalty]

Lighting is not the only variable when it comes to succesful SPS keeping. Water parameters are just as important. You need a balance of Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium, and RO/RODI. There are some people who claim to keep SPS succesfully under PC's with perfect water conditions.

[Bifferwine]

I would say go ahead and try it. Put it close to the top.

[Bifferwine]

Originally Posted by Altohombre

I would wait until Yote, Reeffreak or Fatman responds about this. Biff will most likely ignore this post because it has to do with lights. She is a vampire you see...

Hey, I can do lighting as it relates to coral keeping. It's the technical posts that I tend to ignore, as equipment and lighting is not my stong area...

[JBReef]

Correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't it true that the watage rule goes out the window when you run T5's or is it only T5HO's?

[fatman]

The wattage rule is only a rule as in the turn over rate for circulation or amount of live rock is a rule. It is just a broad generalization (guide line) that has stuck. If you would go to the GARF site http://www.garf.org you would find they have several tanks set up with just NO fluorescent with SPS growing in them. They use a two part calcium supplement and regular water changes. They set the tanks up to specifically show that Reefing doesn't necessitate one spend a fortune on your tank set up. It is probably a great recommendation to place your SPS in the top half of your tank with your limited lighting, but if you keep your water parameters stable and do regular water changes SPS should do fine with your lights. There are some SPS that actually do better under moderate lighting. Acroporas: Divericata and Granulosa (both from depths of over 40 meters), which require 1/4 to 1/3 the light of most SPS, and Monipora Tuberculosa which requires 1/2 the lighting of other montis, and 1/3 the light of the light loving SPS. I am not suggesting these are the only SPS you can keep, just trying to maybe dispel a little of the Mith that all SPS corals require strong lighting.