Can i keep SPS coral with just T5's?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

bjj_junkie

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Nov 14, 2012
Messages
174
Location
Miami Beach, FL
I have a buddy that told me I won't be able to keep SPS alive very long with just T5's. my system isn't running yet but I bought a 48" tek light 8x54. My tank is only 16" tall if that makes any difference.
 
You should be okay if the corals are kept fairly high in the tank. But with it being 16" deep, depending on the number and wattage of your bulbs you are probably good to go for anything but the most light hungry of corals.
 
I have a 4 bulb t5 fixture and im doing an sps test. I bought one frag an put it high in the tank. Nice bright purple frag. It started growing right away but a few weeks in turned from purple to brown. Then it started to bleach a bit so i figured it was a goner. Nope! Like 5 months later it starts to purple up and grow again! So i'm guessing its getting enough light.
 
I think he would be good... It's 432 watts. 16" isn't incredibly deep at all either. A 55 gallon is 21" tall..
 
It is pretty common for a SPS coral to change out algae when moved. Better than bleaching, then regrowing the algae in my opinion.
 
Thanks guys, I was kinda bummed when he said that but it's nice to know I might be able to. What distance should the lights be from the water? The tank is rimless so I have to suspend them from the ceiling
 
Closer is better as long as you get proper coverage, there is no splashing on the tubes and can get in and out of the tank.
 
If you look at Tek website they say that light is good for coral farming lol..a good, but not in concrete rule, is 3-4 watts per gallon for coral. Your running at over 7 if it's a 60 gallon, I think you'll be good. I wouldn't go out and spend $1000 on SPS, but try it out, I'm pretty confident from what I've read...
 
Back
Top Bottom