tylert
Well-known member
I'm not sure the exact gallons of my tank (I'm sure someone can tell me) but it's 48Lx18Wx24D. Being 24inches deep can I still run t5's? If so, how many? I want to be able to have clams in the tank.
t5 for 90-100 gal?
- Thread starter tylert
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kevinpo
Expert
Hello,
Your tank is a 90 gallon. T-5HO's are acceptable. I would recommend a minimum 6 bulb fixture like a TEK5 or similar. High light clams and corals should be placed in the top third of the water column for best color.
HTH,
Kevin
Your tank is a 90 gallon. T-5HO's are acceptable. I would recommend a minimum 6 bulb fixture like a TEK5 or similar. High light clams and corals should be placed in the top third of the water column for best color.
HTH,
Kevin
tylert
Well-known member
If I have 8 lights will I be able to have the clams on the sand or furthur down? I was told that t5s' lummens really decrease in the water. Also what bulb configuration would you suggest, 2 atinic to 6 daylights or same 3 and 3?
kevinpo
Expert
Hello,
More bulbs gives you greater area coverage not more light penetration
. Tridacna crocea and T. maxima would do best in the top third of the tank especially specimens under 3.5".
On a 6 bulbs fixture 4 white and 2 blue looks best to me. I haven't played around with the 8 bulb fixture yet but as a general rule 2:1 white to blue ratio looks pretty good IMHO.
HTH,
Kevin
More bulbs gives you greater area coverage not more light penetration
. Tridacna crocea and T. maxima would do best in the top third of the tank especially specimens under 3.5".On a 6 bulbs fixture 4 white and 2 blue looks best to me. I haven't played around with the 8 bulb fixture yet but as a general rule 2:1 white to blue ratio looks pretty good IMHO.
HTH,
Kevin
Saltyfish
Banned
I am upgrading to a 90 gallon this next week, was to be this week but the stand did not come in so I have to wait until next week. I ordered a 6 bulb 3 10K and 3 blue but I ordered extra 10K just incase I want to change it around a bit. I know returnofsid has the same tank and he has the 6 bulb with clams so that is why I went with the 6 bulb
I am going to try a clam but I want to find one that is over 3"
I am going to try a clam but I want to find one that is over 3"
Depending on the fixture brand, an 8 bulb fixture over a 90 gallon would be too wide. 2 of the bulbs would basically be spilling light outside the tank. The 6 bulb Tek 5 would be perfect!!! That's what I have over my 75 and am keeping high light demanding SPS, including several Acropora. I also have T. croceas about half way down. Everyone's getting plenty of light.
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tylert
Well-known member
do you think I should go with a halide in the middle then? 250 maybe 175? I don't want to deal with the heat issue but i want to be able to have my clams in the sand, where they're meant to be
T. derasa and T. crocea are meant to be in the sand. T. maxima and T. squamosa are naturally rock dwelling clams. This works out great because T. derasa aren't as light demanding as the rest.
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kevinpo
Expert
The problem with a single halide in the middle is that on standard 90 gallon tanks there is a center brace that can fail over time with a halide shining on it every day. Also it will cast a shadow down the center of your tank. I would run 250W DE HQI bulbs rather than 175W.
Regards,
Kevin
gotfish
Well-known member
Tyler, you can go with either a Tek fixture or a Current Nova Extreme Pro. The Tek fixture doesn't come with any fans and if you don't mind a fan hanging on the side of your tank, then go with it cause with the added air blowing on it, it is a better fixture. If you don't want the fan, go with the Nova Extreme Pro, but make sure you get rid of the stock bulbs. If you want suggestions on the bulbs and configurations, head over to Reefcentral.com and look in the lighting forum for a thread called t5 Q&A. Post what your tank is, your color temp. range you're looking for and Grim will be able to suggest the bulbs and config that will work best.
tylert
Well-known member
there are no-name fixtures on ebay for about 200 with 6 lights LEDs and fans, wha's the deal with those? Isn't it the same? Does the individual reflectors and the ballasts make that much of a difference to what I can put in my tank?
Saltyfish
Banned
well things to watch out for on ebay
does not include the bulbs all the time.
does not have the right bulbs that you need
the quality of the bulb is sub-standard.
Just be careful, if you have a question ask it
and individual reflectors are great and help promote the light in the right direction. Just remember you get what you pay for. I used to use Compacts all the time and I was about to give up this hobby but after talking to Kevin and Sid I bought a small t-5 unit and my tank has never looked so good!
might want to post the link here so we know what you are talking about.
tylert
Well-known member
Those are odyssea, which have crap bulb's and one big reflector. For a tank 24" deep and wanting clam's you MUST have good individual reflectors like tek, IC, Aquacintics or ATI's. I run 600w of t5 with IR's on my 125g and can keep anything anywhere. I also run 4 blue+ and 2 aquablue and my tank is a crisp 14k blue color. Generally two blue's to one 10k give you a blueish look. A 1 to 1 ratio is kinda yellow imo.
dailydriven911
sps addict
I'm also looking to go t-5's for a 40b. What do you think of this fixture? 4x39w & 1wx15 led okay on a 40b? I'm a newbie when it comes to t-5's...:lol:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/Finnex-T5.html
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/Finnex-T5.html
tylert
Well-known member
T5's are just the shape of the bulb right? Is there such a thing as t5 VHO's? Or is that a whole different set up? Sorry if this a dumb question.
I'm just looking for a way to get more watts in my tank from a 6 bulb fixture. right now i'm looking at 324 watts to 90gallons which is just over 3.5wpg if I did VHO's it would be 440 watts and almost 5wpg. Would that be better and allow more options on coral and placement?
I'm just looking for a way to get more watts in my tank from a 6 bulb fixture. right now i'm looking at 324 watts to 90gallons which is just over 3.5wpg if I did VHO's it would be 440 watts and almost 5wpg. Would that be better and allow more options on coral and placement?
Not fantastic but for a 40g you should be ok. The individual reflectors reflect alot more light and really up the par. This is a must for the taller tanks. The 40g is a short tank so you will be ok imo. I'd still suggest one of the lower end fixture's with individual reflectors though. Like the tek or current nova pro. They will be a much better fixture. It all depends on what you want to keep.
Watts per g doesn't mean jack imo. The par value of the 324w would be quite a bit more than the 440w of vho's. The individual reflectors use more light than one large reflector so much more light is directed at the corals instead of being lost out the sides. One thing many people do including myself is use a retrofit and overdrive the bulb's. So a 54w 48" t5 bulb will push 85w instead of 54w. On 60" bulb's like I use they go to 100w instead of 80w. The higher wattage will penetrate the water better especially with IR's. The ballast you use to overdrive the bulb's is an icecap ballast. A IC660 will run up to 16' of bulb's so 4x48" or 4x36" or 3x60". I wouldn't recomend them for 24" bulb's as they tend to overdrive and pop them so i've seen.
T5 is not about the shape. T5 is about the diameter. All fluorescent bulbs have a number, this number is an 8th of an inch. T5s are 5/8" in diameter. T5HO are 5/8" of an inch, High Output bulbs. Because of their small diameter, more can be fit into a given area. Given individual reflectors, they are VERY intense and give out high PAR readings. As Luke said, they can be overdriven by an Icecap ballast, which will produce even more PAR, but shorten the life of the bulb slightly. Cooling the bulbs, by blowing a fan across the "labeled" ends will also produce more PAR. Another huge advantage of T5HO lighting is the color assortment that's available. You can make slight adjustments to color by mixing different bulbs, to get the color you like.
gotfish
Well-known member
Jayson, go with something like this if you really are planning on getting another tank. http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquariuim-light-fixtures/514048/36-inch-6-x-39-watt-1080-.html The bulbs in it would be good enough for a 40b as well. Once they get old though, definitely go with better bulbs. You could always hold off though for a while and once I upgrade my 75g into the 125g, I'd give ya a smokin deal on it.
Tyler, if you can afford the higher end fixtures like the ATI or aquatinics, they are the best. ATI powermodule being the best of those. If you can't afford more then say 500.00, either the Tek or Nova extreme pro are pretty close to each other. The Nova's are a bit cheaper even with buying new bulbs. Here's a good website that gives quite a bit of info as well as pics of the different bulbs. http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/
