[reefmansteve]

What kind of corals could I keep in a 150 tall with 6 or 8 bulb t5 really just looking at softies and some lps

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[iyachtuxivm]

Depends on the fixture, dimensions of the tank and bulb brand (yes it matters). With a good 8 bulb fixture like an ati or a good tek fixture or icecap retros you can keep just about anything and some things wont do good up high because of to much light.

 

[katymunoz]

You should be able to keep just about anything! Most Sps will have to be at the top, but all Lps and softies can be pretty much placed as you see fit, and if they start losing color, then you know you need to move them up or down accordingly. I do agree buying better name brand bulbs will make a difference, but I bought the cheapest eBay t-5 fixtures saved hundreds of dollars and have never had a problem. I kept the stock bulbs on them for 5-6 months and then replaced them with ati brand bulbs. I keep everything in my tank with no problems.

 

[reefmansteve]

No problems with eBay fixtures? nearly half price of some others was wondering about those as well

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[dputt88]

I have a 4bulb fixture on my 90and i cant have sps. They all just die. I guess i cant really say its the lights causing it. But the params have been pretty stable for quite some time now.

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[weimers75]

The lights wouldn't kill them. Not enough light will turn them brown (browning out), too much light can make them transluscent. Parameter swings will quickly kill sps (sometimes in a matter of hours). I had 4 on my 90 and had no problems, I gradually increased to 6 bulbs to get more color. I've actually bleached several corals with 6, so they are now doing great on the sand bed.

As far as fixtures, the amount of output varies greatly from different fixtures. Search for reviews online for what you plan to get. Lighting is one of the most critical pieces of equipment for a reef - if you skimp on price you'll likely pay for it and may have to buy another fixture down the road - meaning you wasted the money on the cheap fixture. Do it right the first time

 

[katymunoz]

No problems with eBay fixtures? nearly half price of some others was wondering about those as well

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Not one problem!!! I paid $ 215 for 2 4-bulb fixtures, not each, I mean both were $215 and that included shipping! I kept the stock bulbs for about 5 months and then upgraded to ATI bulbs. Even if I have all four
Ballasts blow (2 for each fixture) it is still cheaper to buy 4 more than it would have been to buy name brand units. Lights are an important aspect of reefing, but c'mon now, if you can buy your own end caps and basically wire up your own t-5 system, there is no way that a fixture can be any worse...... And different than the "do it yourself" systems, I have cooling fans, splash gaurd, led lunar lights, and an external timer on my fixture with a backup battery in case of a power failure my settings will still run...... All for about the same cost.

So for the people (above) who will say it will cost you in the long run, they really don't know what they are talking about, at least not when it comes to this.

 

[soverjas]

Not one problem!!! I paid $ 215 for 2 4-bulb fixtures, not each, I mean both were $215 and that included shipping! I kept the stock bulbs for about 5 months and then upgraded to ATI bulbs. Even if I have all four
Ballasts blow (2 for each fixture) it is still cheaper to buy 4 more than it would have been to buy name brand units. Lights are an important aspect of reefing, but c'mon now, if you can buy your own end caps and basically wire up your own t-5 system, there is no way that a fixture can be any worse...... And different than the "do it yourself" systems, I have cooling fans, splash gaurd, led lunar lights, and an external timer on my fixture with a backup battery in case of a power failure my settings will still run...... All for about the same cost.

So for the people (above) who will say it will cost you in the long run, they really don't know what they are talking about, at least not when it comes to this.

PAR meters might disagree.

 

[katymunoz]

PAR meters might disagree.

I'm able to grow everything anywhere in my tank, so I can pretty much be my own par meter..... And it says "everything's great"

 

[spartyblaze]

Lights are an important aspect of reefing, but c'mon now, if you can buy your own end caps and basically wire up your own t-5 system, there is no way that a fixture can be any worse......

I disagree. Most DIY kits end up shaping up fine IME as long as their is thought and plan put into it.

 

[iyachtuxivm]

The lights wouldn't kill them. Not enough light will turn them brown (browning out), too much light can make them transluscent. Parameter swings will quickly kill sps (sometimes in a matter of hours). I had 4 on my 90 and had no problems, I gradually increased to 6 bulbs to get more color. I've actually bleached several corals with 6, so they are now doing great on the sand bed.

As far as fixtures, the amount of output varies greatly from different fixtures. Search for reviews online for what you plan to get. Lighting is one of the most critical pieces of equipment for a reef - if you skimp on price you'll likely pay for it and may have to buy another fixture down the road - meaning you wasted the money on the cheap fixture. Do it right the first time

Right on! The amount of light out put can be substantially reduced by cheap ballasts and (one of the most important elements of T5) reflectors. With a cheap fixture you could be wasting up to 50% of the light. Which could be the difference between keeping corals anywhere you want and really getting all the color and happiness possibile. Look into retros if you have a canopy and some basic DIY skills more bang for the buck.