t-5 lighting

[katz]

thinking about going with t-5 lighting. would 6x54w be good for a 90g? i know everyone is gung-ho on mh but there are more and more people having great success with keeping reefs using t-5 lights.

thanks
katz

 

[alrmc4]

i think the answer to that depends on what you want to keep and how deep your tank is

 

[katz]

sorry for the lack of info. it is 48"l x 24"h x 18"w (around 90 gallons). i plan to keep shrooms, lps and some hardier sps.

 

[thepirate]

my lfs has had great success with both hard and soft corals using T5 lighting system. its the way i intend to go.

from what i have read mh produces a lot of heat and it is only recommended that you have them on for 4-6 hours a day. if this is the case you would need T5s as well!

hopefully someone more experieneced willbe able to shed some more light on this subject( excuse the pun!!)

 

[alrmc4]

i think 5 ts would work for you i have 6 ts on my 75 gal and have mostly softies i have 1 sps and it is on the bottom doing fine have a cash crop of pulsing pom poms and micro algae that has run amock toadstools frogspawn gps green buttons and shrooms and zoos all doing good as a matter of fact i am out of real estate the orange ric's and froggy are going to have a problem soon if i don't figure something out

 

[katz]

thanks for the input. alrmc4, sounds like you have the perfect excuse to get a bigger tank

 

[mojoreef]

T5's should work fine for what you want to keep.The problem they have is with intencity, as in they dont drive the light very deep into the tank. If your goig to keep some easy sps like montiporas and such just try to keep them a little higher in the water column.


Mike

 

[alrmc4]

thanks for the input. alrmc4, sounds like you have the perfect excuse to get a bigger tank

thats too funny the owner of the lfs told me he had a 125 that would take care of my problem when i was there trying to pawn some stuff off on him

 

[Fenix]

T-5's are good for smaller tanks, (smaller being upto 100g). T5's hardly produce any heat, and use less electricity than MH.

You may also look into an 8 bulb configuration, if your tank is wide enough for them.