T5 Questions

[Asher]

Hey All!

I have confusion about lighting. Here's what I have...

I have a 29 Gallon saltwater set-up and for lighting I have two (2) sets of T5 lights. Each 30" light strip conatins:

1- 18 watt 10,000K Daylight T5 Flourescent Lamp
1- 18watt True Actinic 03 Blue T5 Flourescent Lamp

So I have double the lighting of what is listed above. (Sorry if that is confusing at all...haha). I was wondering what kind of anemonies and corals I could host (if any). My brother has a rose anemone that is about to spilt (again) and wants to give me the split...can I support that? Any help would be great! Thank you!

,Asher

 

[roka64]

So, currently, you have about 1.24 WPG. If you double that, you will have 2.48 WPG. I think that might still be too low. I think (and please correct me if I'm wrong) you need at least 4 maybe even 6 WPG for an anenmoe.

 

[melosu58]

Closer to the 6. You wont have enough lighting for the split. MH`s are suggested for anenomes. You could maybe have some low to medium light corals. Try starting off with some mushroom corals.

 

[roka64]

Closer to the 6.

Thanks for the clarification!....updating database....error, can not compute, too much data...system crashing! LOL!

 

[Asher]

I thought I was told that the wattage of T5 lighting works differently than regular compacts...besides, I have had an atlantic anemone and another type for months with only one set of the above lights and they have done great so far. Now I have two and the other things in the tank are loving it...

 

[melosu58]

When people get anenomes and they dont have enough light the anenome will look ok for a couple months but then it will start to deterioate and get smaller because it does not have the proper algeas in it`s tissues anymore. People will get an anenome and it will last a while and then all of a sudden it`s falling apart and bleaching and getting smaller and they dont think it was the lighting because it was OK for a few months. JMO and JME

 

[EJS4]

Asher your correct the watts per gallon was developed for t-12 bulbs and does not work for other lighting systems. T-8 bulbs were developed to produce the same amount of light as t-12 but with less electricity same for t-5. There are a number of factors that will affect the exact amount of light your t-5 are producing (t-5 or t-5HO, overdriven or not, quality of the reflectors) but its much higher than the 2.48 watts estimated by the wpg rule.

 

[Devilishturtles]

You have double the iniital lighting, right? So, actually you have 72 watts T5 over the tank. So that is roughly 2.4 watts per gallon already. T5 penetrates deeper than regular PC lighting and has a higher intensity, aren't really comparable watt for watt, or so I've been told. This lighting stuff still trips me up every time. Are your bulbs HO T5?

I would say you may be able to get away with the rose in that lighting, but I'd feel more comfortable adding atleast another T5 strip over it.

 

[EJS4]

Why do we still confuse the issue by talking wpg?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Because both roka and melosu mentioned watts per gallon and I was mentioning that T5 lighting isn't really comparable watt for watt, or with the watt per gallon rule. There was a slight adding mistake by the inital replyer.

Sorry Scott.

 

[roka64]

LOL! No problem, I was never that great at math! Thanks for the correction.

 

[Asher]

Well I have noticed that since I put the extra strip of T5s on things in my tank have started to liven up alot. I had a few polyps on a piece of live rock that I bought open up after not being open for a month or so, my mushroom carpet (I think that's what it is) went from 4" in diameter to opening up to 6"...they like it alot and it makes me happy!!

 

[EJS4]

And that's what really counts

 

[melosu58]

WPG is not a perfect guide but it is used as a general guideline for people that really cant grasp the intensity and par and other things that make this subject so hard to understand. That`s why I use the wpg guide.

 

[roka64]

WPG is not a perfect guide but it is used as a general guideline for people that really cant grasp the intensity and par and other things that make this subject so hard to understand. That`s why I use the wpg guide.

Me too, it just makes it simple and is a general guide.

 

[rayjay]

High lighting requirements for anemones is misleading as they can do just fine under lower lighting.
Dr. Shimek stated that lower lighting can be supplimented with extra feeding and not just for the short term. As long as they get enough total nutrient, and as long as water conditions are suitable, they will survive and grow.
ALL of my tanks are under NO lighting for 13 yrs now and I have no problem keeping sebae's and bubble's, and, I don't feed them directly, either.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Someone always comes through with a story about how they provide the minimum possible and their anemones, corals, etc. live fine.

But then people wonder why one day their anemone or coral just shrivels up and dies too.

Things can be alive, but they wont be as vibrant, grow as large, or live as long unless given proper care.

Is you sebae bleached out yet?

 

[mnestroy]

I think a lot of people have no experienced the power of T5... many people say if they had to redo their lighting situation they would go T5 over MH.

T5 puts off an incredible amount of light, if you have a 29Gallon tank I don't think u'll have any issues. You got plenty of light

 

[Devilishturtles]

I am putting off my MH installation and getting T5. I think they are awesome. Run cooler, save energy, puts more light over a broader area. Can't beat that.

 

[melosu58]

Things can be alive, but they wont be as vibrant, grow as large, or live as long unless given proper care.

This says it all. I think its a very good acessment.

I think you have a valid point mnestroy.