Lighting

[Piggy]

http://www.marineandreef.com/Articles.asp?ID=121

Forgot to include this one.

[lightcs4]

Originally Posted by Fastlight

Can anyone link me to a good informative lighting website? all the books i borrowed from the library are just to old.

When it comes to lighting, you can spend weeks or months researching them. There are pros and cons to each, many opinions thrown in with facts, and it adds up to a tough topic.

The T5s will definitely give you enough light to keep corals.

[Fastlight]

I think you guys have me leaning towards the nova pro 6 bulber. I mean if its true about the individual reflectors and all. It would be nice to find a 4 bulb individual reflector t-5 set. Any one see any of those? Most my searches lead to a single reflector of to the nova pro. I still like the way metal halide with actinic bulbs look in an aquarium with the shimmering and all. but if i can grow just about any kind of coral under these t-5 i think i can save a couple hundered bucks and just have a nice t-5. Damn this expensive hobby!!!!

So anyone got any links to t-5 with individual reflectors at a good price other than the nova pro? maybe a 4 bulb system?

[Bifferwine]

Definitely go with T5s over MH. The shimmering effect is overrated anyways. Buying T5s will save you money up front, not to mention MH bulbs need to be changed every 6 months and cost 3 times as much as T5 bulbs, which need to be changed every 12 to 18 months. T5s don't follow the wpg rule, 5 wpg of T5s s much much much better than 5 wpg of PCs.

[yote]

If I remember right,1 watt of T-5 is equal to nearly 3 watts with the other types of lights.
I thank.

[Brat]

so a person could have all T-5 lighting and not need MH for their reef tank?

[lightcs4]

There is no need at all for MH lights if the tank isn't too deep (I've heard up to about 22"). I would definitely look at the Nova Extreme Pros if you go with T5s. Also, while the individual bulbs are cheaper, you generally want to change all of them at once.

As a side note, if your tank has more depth and you need MH, look at the double ended HQI fixtures. They are cheaper to run and last longer than single ended mogul fixtures.

[Brat]

ah, ummm I think my tank will be deeper than 22in. so I will need a combination.

[Bifferwine]

Halides are not necessary at all. I used to run my 55 gallon tank on all T5s. I actually got a lot faster coral growth than I do under halides now. I'd have stuck with all T5s if my tank wasn't so big. My tank is nearly 3 feet deep, and T5s just don't penetrate that well after 18 inches or so. If I had my choice though, I would not have gone with halides.

[reeffreak]

The 265w. Power Compacts you mention earlier is good enough for LPS and soft corals.Stay clear of anemones,SPS corals and clams for the most part.LPS corals will do better the top half and softies bottom half or anywhere.I like an all 50/50 bulbs-2 10k/460nm and 2 10k/420nm.

Of course,in a more ideal setup would be T5-HO fixtures with 6-54 watters with individual reflectors.