55 Gallon Reef lighting

I have a 55 gallon reef been up and running for eight months now. I am currently using pc lighting and looking to upgrade. I am looking for a for a HO T5 unit with four bulbs. I like to stay away from those fixtures with built in timers as I am told the timers go bad and the whole unit is worthless. I would like one ac plug if possible, and moonlighting. There are a lot of good and bad fixtures out there, I like to here what people are using. Any input would be appreciated. Oh and I am looking for a unit with the bulbs included.

 

Do you have a canopy?

 

Do you have a canopy?

no open top

 

What kind of corals do you like and want to taker care? In general so meaning like softies, SPS, LPS.

 

What kind of corals do you like and want to taker care? In general so meaning like softies, SPS, LPS.

I have a bubble coral, frogspawn, torch, some shrooms, zoas, lethers, I like to get a maxima clam and a few sps.

 

I have a bubble coral, frogspawn, torch, some shrooms, zoas, lethers, I like to get a maxima clam and a few sps.

You could get away with T-5's with some SPS, but they will grow better under metal halides. Can I ask you how much you're willing to sped?

ATP,

 

You could get away with T-5's with some SPS, but they will grow better under metal halides. Can I ask you how much you're willing to sped?

ATP,

around $300

 

So I have done some research and I have decided that I am going to go with A Wave Point HO four T5 lamps fixture. Check out the link. Let me know what you think. And if you have one or had one or know someone who does Id like some input.

 

link doesn't work.

Do your math in terms of light quantity (light intensity: wattage as fair guideline, lumens better) and quality (light spectrum: Kelvin as fair guideline, spectrum peaks better).

A unit with four F54T5HO, say two actinic and two at 10,000K. Would that suffice? Well, it depends on the corals you want to keep and the specifics of your tank (e.g. dimensions, aquascaping, coral location).

I have some open top tanks, including my 20gal custom built Nano Reef. Since it is 24" H, with a deep sand bed of 6", I considered a depth of 18" for my lighting needs. I ended up building a DIY lamp assembly housing six 20W T8 and four 24W T5HO. All I got available locally were actinic T5HO. I used two more actinics in the T8 and mixed and matched with two 18,000K and two 10,000K.

Too much or too little light can be a major problem. So take your time.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

 

link doesn't work.

Do your math in terms of light quantity (light intensity: wattage as fair guideline, lumens better) and quality (light spectrum: Kelvin as fair guideline, spectrum peaks better).

A unit with four F54T5HO, say two actinic and two at 10,000K. Would that suffice? Well, it depends on the corals you want to keep and the specifics of your tank (e.g. dimensions, aquascaping, coral location).

I have some open top tanks, including my 20gal custom built Nano Reef. Since it is 24" H, with a deep sand bed of 6", I considered a depth of 18" for my lighting needs. I ended up building a DIY lamp assembly housing six 20W T8 and four 24W T5HO. All I got available locally were actinic T5HO. I used two more actinics in the T8 and mixed and matched with two 18,000K and two 10,000K.

Too much or too little light can be a major problem. So take your time.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo

Thanks pepe, I think they come with 12000k. btw are you relly in DR, CUZ I AM IN PR?

 

I use a Current Nova Extreme Pro 6x 39W T5 fixture over my 50 gallon reef. I really like the fixture, but you aren't going to find it for $300 new for sure. Unfortunately, I don't think a 4 bulb fixture is going to provide enough light for clams and most sps corals. Even with 6 bulbs, I've lost several acro frags and wouldn't think of trying a clam. Maybe if I built up the rockwork higher it would work, but IMO would be a bare minimum for most sps. Although my tank is only 3' long, it is shorter than your 55, which works to my benefit for lighting.

Just a thought.

 

I hav a 55 gallon aquarium and I am decided that I want to try corals. As far as lighting goes would 4 48" t5 bulbs be sufficient? If it is sufficient for most corals then can I have a list of corals that won't work with that lighting so that I know what to avoid? I just need to know pretty much if I need more lighting than this to house a fairly wide range of corals.

Thanks

 

It really depends on the type of fixture you have and the type of bulbs you have. In general terms, you should be able to keep just about everything, even SPS and clams. The corals with higher lighting needs might need to be placed higher up in the tank to take advantage of the lighting.

I just got back from a local guy here to pick up some corals. He had plenty of SPS under T5's and they were doing well.

 

Depends on wattage for each bulb. I am not a fan at all with T-5 If you want to do that type lighting go with VHO T-5 then you will be able to have all soft and some hard type corals. If you are looking at Hard corals then you will need to reconsider the lighting.

 

Ok well from what I understand we have been using HO t5 not VHO t5. My tank is 20" deep. What will 4 HO t5 bulbs on my tank give me choice of?

Ok so just did the math I would have 4 watts per gallon. What is this enough for?

 

Ok well from what I understand we have been using HO t5 not VHO t5. My tank is 20" deep. What will 4 HO t5 bulbs on my tank give me choice of?

Ok so just did the math I would have 4 watts per gallon. What is this enough for?

Mostly soft corals.

 

Ya that's what I thought and that's mostly what I wanted anyways. Would I be able to keep some polyps such as start polyps? Also there is only 1 LPS coral that I was looking at and that is the hammer coral could that do ok under my lighting? That's pretty much all I was looking at along with mushrooms.

 

I have actually no idea XD

 

Ya that's what I thought and that's mostly what I wanted anyways. Would I be able to keep some polyps such as start polyps? Also there is only 1 LPS coral that I was looking at and that is the hammer coral could that do ok under my lighting? That's pretty much all I was looking at along with mushrooms.

Yes to all your questions , However for the hammer may or may not do so well???

 

Alrighty so I just won't do the hammer coral.

Thanks!

 

It really depends on the type of fixture you have and the type of bulbs you have. In general terms, you should be able to keep just about everything, even SPS and clams. The corals with higher lighting needs might need to be placed higher up in the tank to take advantage of the lighting.

I just got back from a local guy here to pick up some corals. He had plenty of SPS under T5's and they were doing well.

+1

 

I have a four boulb t5 fixture made by waypoint it cost me around $280. I have clams sps lps corals, I owned this unit for 2years and I like it. You might have to place your sps near the top. I have a chalice that I have gotten away with it in the midd depth. Check them out google wavepoint t5 fixtuers, the bulbs are not bad ether.

 

That sounds really good I think I will look into that! Thanks!

 

I have 4x39 watt guisemann tubes in an arcadia 0T2 fitment plus 2 aquabeam 600 ultra leds I have a hammerhead coral placed around midway in a 24 in deep tank and it is doing really well has more than doubled its size tank is 3ftx2ftx2ft

 

My frogspawn has more then doubled in size in about 6 weeks under T5 and it's on the sand bed at 21" or so. I've also got some acans and a war coral that are doing well.

If you find that your coral isn't doing well towards the bottom of the tank then you always have the option to raise it up in the tank so that it gets better lighting.

 

Ok so that's what I do, I now have 2 two bulb fixtures and I will just move the corals higher if they need more light! thanks!