Blueheaven's 4ft Tank

[Eniram]

Hey Blue Heaven can put pic of your full tank view?? really wanna see your awesome tank

[blueheaven]

Hi guys, I will need to change my MH bulbs soon in April and I need your suggestions on whether I should change to T5s.

Basically, I want to change to T5s due to the heat and intensity issues. I am still trying to persuade my parents to get me a 8 tube fixture but currently its min 4 tubes.

And for the LS I want to keep, it'll be a mixed reef with SPS on the top and mushies and LPS at the bottom. Pls share your views

[DeepBlue]

stick to MH.....go with what's been working for you

[Dispar_Anthias]

Any pic of the clam

[blueheaven]

stick to MH.....go with what's been working for you

Yeah save the hustle but I kind of feel that 150w does not really give me the punch that I need. And my MH fixture does not have parabolic reflectors and a lot of light gets reflected out

But 1 thing I like about MH though is the glitter lines it produces

Anyway, cute supergirl

[blueheaven]

Just got comments from DE that T5s cannot penetrate my 2.5ft height

Arrrghhh now in a dilemma

[Jimng]

250W / 400W MH?--

[scarab]

Just got comments from DE that T5s cannot penetrate my 2.5ft height

Arrrghhh now in a dilemma

54W T5 can penetrate 2.5 feet. No problem. Lower wattage T5 might have problem.

[veliferium]

Full Tank Shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blueheaven]

Ok I will take pics tomorrow cause my dad took the DC on his business trip

So which will give me more intensity, 2x150w MH or 8x54w T5?

[DeepBlue]

for sps....go with 250W.... dun go a big rd....

IMO....for SPS....unless ATI 54W tubes....it will be challenging to hold the colours for that depth.

and the change-out for the T5s is faster than MH---> thus long term running cost is much higher than MH

[veliferium]

yup i agree wif DeepBlue............

u need a shallow tank for T5,moreover the tubes have to be ATI.Other than these,u have to place the SPS at the top of the tank where they will receive most light.........

MHs are the way to go for SPS.

[blueheaven]

Hmmm.... thanks for the insight DB and veliferum

I will consider modding my current fixture to 250w and external ballast

[scarab]

Not true. MH is not the only way to go for SPS. Danano is the proof of this.

Ok, MH has better penetration so for light loving SPS (like certain Acroporas located at shallower waters), they do better under MH. However what MH lacks is spread. Placing corals at the sides and corners, in a only MH lit tank, will not do as well as a T5 lit tank. Hence the better intensity is still in the centre of the tank. Whereas T5, you can place corals anywhere in the tank, you can be sure that the light intensity is the same throughout. Then again, T5 intensity will not be as good as MH. So where MH lose in spread, it wins in intensity and punch while T5 is vice versa.

Another thing is SPS under T5 tend to have lighter colour and more pastel in appearance as compared to MH where the colours are darker and more intense. So here is another choice up to the reefer's preference.

My suggestion is for your tank (4 footer, I presume) go for at least 2x250W MH and supplement with 54w T5s even up to 6 nos (use mainly blue to balance your yellow tint of the MH). My 3.5 footer I'm using 3x250W 10000k BLV bulbs and 8 nos 54W T5 (6 blue and 2 actinics). Then again I'm overdoing the lights a bit.

[DeepBlue]

Scarab is right in pointing out the benefits of T5s. If anyone has seen Dan's tank....you'll be sold its good. Too bad...most reefers here tend to use other tubes that IMO...cannot match the output of ATIs. (ATI tubes take so long to be shipped in????)

But seriously considering Blueheaven, still studying, I would still recommend MH instead of The tubes. check out the price of an ATI 54W tubes...multiply it ...do the maths, factor in the shorter change-out time.... you 'll know its an easy decision...haha

[blueheaven]

What is the changeout time for T5s? I had always thought that T5s can run for a year before the spectrum changes

[blueheaven]

Ok found out why I do not make the most out of my lights

The height from the water surface is 16"!!!

Will try to make a custom stand soon....

[blueheaven]

Have been eyeing on this angle for some time.....

Nice abstract

[blueheaven]

Actually wanted to take a pic to show the bubble density in my skimmer but caught sight of this bugger

[blueheaven]

There's 2 of 'em

[blueheaven]

Ok take a break from reef

Here's Davies doing his "business"

[blueheaven]

Are you taking me out?

[Dispar_Anthias]

No full tank shot ah??

[giantbicycle]

Are you taking me out?

Yes.....

[blueheaven]

No full tank shot ah??

Ok lah this time I really promise to post a full tank pic once I get my new DC