Fluorescent lighting question and coral placement

[nuwave59]

Hi!

Just ordered this :

Hagen GLO T5 Electronic Flourescent Lighting System (2-24W/2-39W)

I have actually a 30g FOWLR setup and will convert to reef. I plan to add 2 x 24'' 24 watts T5 lights to the 2 20w T8 I already have. I will use metalic tape inside the canopy as a reflector.

I plan to keep easy soft corals like cabbage, mushroom, toadstools, polyps, leather and finger coral.

Does-it sound good to you? Sound like a good moderate lighting tank to me!

 

[nuwave59]

Oh yeah! And when they say "moderate lighting" requirement for a coral, with a
moderate lighting tank, where do I place it? I know fluorescents dont reach the bottom of the tank like metal halides.

 

[Mrc8858]

T8s are pretty much useless imo for saltwater and the compact your showing doesn't seem like it would be suitable either...you may be able to use them given your wanting low light and low care corals but you are always better off getting the best you can in your price range for lighting

 

[nuwave59]

Ok, but it's a T5 HO lighting retrofit kit. I read it would ok for soft corals. I already have the T8s, so I'll just leave them on...

 

[Mrc8858]

I just can't imagine those end caps will give you the coverage or par reading that you would need...I've never used one or even seen one at that but honestly I think you'd be better off finding a 2 or 4 bulb t5 HO with the actual tubes not the caps..like I said though if you stick to low lighting only then it probably would work but you won't get the growth or color that you could have

 

[AquaRick]

Retrofits are nice, but now the whole package. The real benefit of T5s are the individual reflectors that increases the light output into your aquarium. I would definitely purchase some individual T5 reflectors and add that to your canopy\mounting surface.

 

[nuwave59]

Mrc8858 : Sorry but I have to say that I don't agree at all. I think T5 lighting is T5 lighting. I don't understand what is wrong with the end caps? You put a bulb between the two of them, and you have the same thing any other T5 light will provide. Maybe you're right, but I hope you're wrong. Not that i'm stubborn but because it's already ordered . I'll give it a try and let you know for sure. Not so long ago, people had good results and only T12 were availaible. (Those guys were pros though ).

Aquarick : Actually, my canopy is really narrow and I already have reflectors in there. They're white, but I'll boost them with metallic tape. If it's not enough, Hagen has reflectors designed especially for those for 20$/each.

 

[Mrc8858]

Ok I think I was mistaken I was thinking that it was some kind of a spotlighting system...in that case that should work fine but you definately want individual reflectors

 

[Mrc8858]

Just aim for 4-5 watts per gallon and you won't have any issues

 

[nuwave59]

Mrc8858 : You scared me a bit! I was sure I couldn't be that much mistaken! Yes, little spotlights like that would suck!

For the reflectors, I'll give it a try with metallic tape, or buy the ones they sell for this retrofit if it doesn't work.

What if I would use the T8s for actinic light, and the T5 for withe light? I could turn on the blue lights early in the morning, then turn on the white lights, then leave the blue ones in the evening, and just my moonlight at night. Would be awesome!

 

[Mrc8858]

That would be the best setup since the white will give you the most growth and the acticnic could be used for just the color enhancement of your corals since T8s aren't very powerful compared to t5s...and sorry bout the scare lol

 

[AquaRick]

T8's don't work well as actinic lights if that's what you're going for. Can you fit more of the retrofits in your canopy? The metallic tape doesn't seem to work to well from what I've heard. I'd just buy the reflectors if oyu can afford it.

 

[Mrc8858]

T8's don't work well as actinic lights if that's what you're going for. Can you fit more of the retrofits in your canopy? The metallic tape doesn't seem to work to well from what I've heard. I'd just buy the reflectors if oyu can afford it.

+1 if you can just ditch the T8 and do a 4 bulb retro fit with one white one purple one blue and the fourth which ever color you want depending on how blue you want your tank then lighting would for sure no longer be an issue and gives you the opportunity to get higher requirement corals...no sps of course but some nice lps could be done

 

[nuwave59]

I'll start with this setup. Looked on the Interwebs and saw tank profiles with soft coral using exactly this kind of lighting, but LPS would be really cool too. If I can fit 1 more retrofit in there, plus the one I ordered, plus my T8s, it'll be the vegas strip in my living room. There's no hurry at all in my project. I could always upgrade later. Anyway, here in Quebec, we're in the north, so shipping + heating + less people so smaller market, makes the hobby lots more expensive for us Canadians than you Americans. I'll start with a Colt, Mushroom or Toadstool Coral (50$-60$ each at my LFS, compared to 20$-30$ in the US if I'm right) see how it goes, then upgrade my lights one more time if I feel like it.

 

[Mrc8858]

Sounds good but if you have a lot of light bleeding out into your room then id say build a canopy and install a pc fan or 2...that's the nice thing about the retrofits..more options

 

[Mrc8858]

And if you think that would be bright I've got 6 36" t5s and 2 moonlights on my 46 gallon which is 21" tall and I am getting growth from sps all the way to the bottom 1/3 so if you had 4 and your t8 id imagine you could keep some sps in the top of the tank and lps no problem at all

 

[nuwave59]

Yeah though about that too. Found on the Interwebs small laptop fans 2''x2''. I could fit 2 of those behind my canopy. I have room for that! On that pushes air in, the other that pushes air out.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Computer-PC-...064?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0d586f18

 

[nuwave59]

Hi guys! Just received my retrofit. I'll install it and start with a colt or mushrooms. I know it's not enough light for you, but my tank isn't deep and isn't big. There's place to fit another retrofit in there, but i'll have to remove the T8s if I do that. I'll buy it later. I have a blue T8 and a White T8. What T5 would you use? I was thinking of a purple in the back with the blue T8, and a white in the front with the white T8. Or both blue in the back?

 

[Mrc8858]

White would be best used on your t5 since it is your best grower