Lighting question

[jamos5790]

Man I know yall get tired of these questions but I just wanted yalls opinion.
I have a 75gal, I thought it was an 85 but just measured the footprint. It has very bad lights on it, so Im finally gonna get some new ones. Im on a budget and all I really want to keeps is softies, zoas, shrooms, things that are easy but colorful, maybe a few LPS corals also. Im not doing the MH thing yet, I have a choice between PCs and T-5s.

PCs are 260w which = 3.5 watts per gal

T-5 are 216w which = 2.9 watts per gal

I always hear that higher watts/gal is better but then I hear that T-5s are better so which would be the best overall for what I want to do?

 

[weaglereefer]

Watts/gallon is the oldschool way to do it. With new technology, it's not about "more power" but "more efficient".

I also have a 75 and have a T5 Nova Extreme 4 bulb fixture with ATI and UVL bulbs. The whole setup ran around $350 with bulbs and shipping and everything, and I have a maxima clam 3" from the sand bed on a rock, and he's "happy as a clam" with a great growth line.

Bottom line, T5's are better than PC, and get the best you can afford.

 

[jamos5790]

What is ATI and UVL bulbs, and also whats the difference between the Ks in the bulbs, like 10k 12k and so on?

 

[tgray3]

Bottom line, T5's are better than PC, and get the best you can afford.[/QUOTE]

I wholeheartedly agree. But i do have a 55 with all softies (several shrooms, colt, xenia, white and pink carnation) and a pagoda sps. I have a $130 48" coralife PC that i run 50/50 lights in and the softies drow like mad. The pagoda has grown but not as much as i think he should. About 1/4" in dia over 8 months. So if your going the PC way IMO stay away from anything except softies.

 

[jamos5790]

Well there is only a $10 difference in the PC and T5 so price isnt that bad of a problem. I was just wanting to know what was the best for growth.

 

[weaglereefer]

T5 then.

ATI and UVL are brands of bulbs. The stock bulbs will not be the best. The K numbers refer to the color. Lower like 6500 is yellowish, while 10-12k is white, 14-15k is hinting into blue, and 20k is getting into purple.

 

[acroholic]

au01st;306884 wrote: Bottom line, T5's are better than PC, and get the best you can afford.

+1. And you'll find a much better choice of bulb brands and Kelvin ratings in T5s vs PC I think.
Dave

 

[stacy22]

+1 for T5. They rock.

 

[jamos5790]

Ok so has anyone ever used any odyssea brand products? JW cause they are on e of the chocies that has been opted to me.

 

[weaglereefer]

I believe someone recently had one of those catch fire, or almost catch fire, can't remember.

 

[elfloyd]

If you have a canopy you might check out these:

 

[seedless reefer]

They used to catch fire not sure if they had corrected that "minor" problem.

 

[oldschool52]

I've used the 36" unit for over 2 months. Works great and no fires. Also to answer your lighting questions:
K = Kelvin or color temperature
for a simple explanation if you take something black 0 K
and heat it up to 5500K to 6500K it will turn white(almost):

If you have a good electronics or physics background it is pretty understandable otherwise it gets harry, read read read if you are really interested.
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Avant Garde"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: Verdana"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: #000000">lower the “K”, the more yellow, then red the light appears, such as a 4500 K
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Avant Garde"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: Verdana"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: #000000">higher the “K”, the bluer the light appears, such as a 20, 000 K
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Avant Garde"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: Verdana"><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: #000000">Typical summer light about 6500K(noon in the tropics)
There are many other factors: PAR, Lumens, Watts, LUX, Spectrum, CRI . Also the type of bulbs used have an effect on these factors. If you want some more detailed explanation PM me. It can get really lenghty in a post and more info then most want to hear.
</span></span></span></span></span>

 

[shromy]

T5's for me, though i have grown alot under pc's. just make sure you are getting at least t5ho's. some manufacturers make plan t5's.

 

[crew]

TEK lights are what I use, T5's are amazing.. but TEK's are a bit on the expensive side

If I were you I would do a retro T5 set up... that would be a good way to go, and you could start with just 1 bulb or 2 and slowly add them as you save the money

 

[jamos5790]

Ok well I found me some T5 lights, 2 actinics and 2 10k. It has 4reflectors... I heard that was better.

 

[weaglereefer]

Yes, individual or individually contoured reflectors are better.