I bought a T5 light from the LFS. Just wondering which lights does everyone have come on first? How long after first set of lights come on does the second set need to come on? How long do they each need to stay on ?
I am hoping I got the right kind of light. I dont know much about lighting. Is the T5 good for all corals?
Several factors come in to play regarding if T5 is good for all corals.
Type of T5 light - normal output or high-output. If oyu got it from a LFS then I’m betting it’s a HO T5.
Number of bulbs - 4,6,8, etc. A 4 bulb unit will work, but SPS will need to be placed nearer the top. An 8,10,12 bulb unit would be even better, and SPS can be grown anywhere (just about)
Size of tank - 6 bulb over a 75 would be fine, 6 bulb over a 300 would be too little.
Where in tank corals are placed, sandbed, top of rocks, mid-way, etc.
As far as when lights come on, it’s really only for your benefit as the fish and corals couldn’t care less. generally I think we all turn the actinics (blues)on for an hour or 2, then turn the whites on with them for 6-8 hours, then the blues for the last 2 hours of the day. But feel free to adjust how you’d like to see them come on.
I will also add this about T5s. The color of your tank will adjust depending on the spectrum your eye sees through when viewing. So if you put a blue bulb in the front, you’ll geta slightly bluer look than if you have a white bulb in the front.
It is 4 bulbs 2 blue in the back and 2 white in the front. It is over a 90 gal tank. How do I tell if it is normal or high output? I dont have many corals right now but would like to get some. I have kenya trees and a cynarina both placed towards the top. What are the benefits of MH vs T5?
It should say somewhere in the documentation T5HO. What kind of light is it, we can probably tell you that much.
A 4 bulb unit over a 90 will allow you to keep SPS towards the top of the tank only, softies towards the bottom, and LPS in the middle.
There are a million threads comparing T5 to MH. In short MH will allow you to keep more light demanding corals lower in the tank, provides overall brighter light and better growth.
The downside is bulbs need to be replaced every 6 months and are expensive. They cost a ton to run, and can easily heat up a tank beyond safe levels.
So the T5 are easier to work with then? The only paper I have is the one that says how to set timer. It is a oddysea. What kind of coral is a kenya tree considered?
If it’s oddysea, most likely it’s T5HO. I’ve never heard of an Oddysea T5 that wasn’t HO. How long ago did you get the light?
A four bulb Oddysea will be a little on the weak side for a 90 gal.
you will want to replace the stock bulbs are they are known to be kind of weak on par and replace with ATI, UVL or Giesemann are some of the better known T5HO bulbs.
Your Kenya trees should not have a problem as they are known as easy low to modrate light coral, you should also have no issues with mushrooms, zoas, pallys or any array of corals that thrive in low to modrate lighting.
as far as SPS you would be pushing it and would need to place them in the top 8 or so inches of the tank.
[quote author=jtnova13 link=topic=7197.msg67624#msg67624 date=1365538795]
If it’s oddysea, most likely it’s T5HO. I’ve never heard of an Oddysea T5 that wasn’t HO. How long ago did you get the light?
[/quote
I bought the light a week ago
[quote=“Hudzon, post:8, topic:6387”]
A four bulb Oddysea will be a little on the weak side for a 90 gal.
you will want to replace the stock bulbs are they are known to be kind of weak on par and replace with ATI, UVL or Giesemann are some of the better known T5HO bulbs.
Your Kenya trees should not have a problem as they are known as easy low to modrate light coral, you should also have no issues with mushrooms, zoas, pallys or any array of corals that thrive in low to modrate lighting.
as far as SPS you would be pushing it and would need to place them in the top 8 or so inches of the tank. [/quote]
Mike from the Fish Bowl had me replace one of the daytime bulbs with a purple actinic bulb (which I just got home with so will do that later tonight). I was asking about the Kenya trees because last night they were fine and this morning they were all bent over and whitish in color. I went to the Fish Bowl and had them test the water. Ammonia and Nitrites were 0, nitrates were about 20 but when I test them at home they are between 5 and 10 Ph is 8.2 to 8.4. The phosphates were about .5. Salinity is 1.024 He didnt test anything else. I put the lights on the tank a week ago. We determined I have them too close to the light. I have them up top. Would it have taken a whole week to affect them?
There’s nothing wrong with your Kenya tree. They will do that from time to time. Unless they really turn white and start mushing up in some places then it’s time to worry. But I would put them down lower in that tank, middle to bottom.
I know nothing about T5 otherwise I would give you some suggestions about it. As for the water quality Nitrate at 20 ppm is little high of course but, it won’t kill your animals. PO4 is great at .5, Salinity at 1.024 is little low for me but, thats difference in opinion. It should be kept at 1.025 at ocean water quality. How are you testing for salinity anyways? refractometer or swing arm type ones?
[quote=“reefman66, post:11, topic:6387”]
There’s nothing wrong with your Kenya tree. They will do that from time to time. Unless they really turn white and start mushing up in some places then it’s time to worry. But I would put them down lower in that tank, middle to bottom.
I know nothing about T5 otherwise I would give you some suggestions about it. As for the water quality Nitrate at 20 ppm is little high of course but, it won’t kill your animals. PO4 is great at .5, Salinity at 1.024 is little low for me but, thats difference in opinion. It should be kept at 1.025 at ocean water quality. How are you testing for salinity anyways? refractometer or swing arm type ones? [/quote]
I am using a hydrometer(swing arm type) I tested the nitrates myself at home and only got a 5 to 10 reading.
My suggestions and I’m sure most people on here will agree that a refractometer is a much better device at measuring water salinity compare to the swing arm type hydrometer. Swing arm type are known to somehow accumulate micro bubble that attach to the arm and will miss guide your test. Along with who knows what other reasons that these thing don’t work for you.
If you believe your nitrate is at 5-10 then it will be fine. Test kits sometime are really unreliable. I don’t think anyone here on these boards really know which one is better than other.
[quote=“reefman66, post:13, topic:6387”]
My suggestions and I’m sure most people on here will agree that a refractometer is a much better device at measuring water salinity compare to the swing arm type hydrometer. Swing arm type are known to somehow accumulate micro bubble that attach to the arm and will miss guide your test. Along with who knows what other reasons that these thing don’t work for you.
If you believe your nitrate is at 5-10 then it will be fine. Test kits sometime are really unreliable. I don’t think anyone here on these boards really know which one is better than other.[/quote]
Yeah I am aware of the bubbles. When I measure with it i make sure I tap it a little to get the bubbles off of it before reading. I have noticed it gives a misreading. I will look into a refractometer. BTW, I just realized one of my PH weren’t working so I am sure that played a role in the Kenya trees. I can see them slowly starting to stand back up.
[quote=“reefman66, post:13, topic:6387”]
My suggestions and I’m sure most people on here will agree that a refractometer is a much better device at measuring water salinity compare to the swing arm type hydrometer. Swing arm type are known to somehow accumulate micro bubble that attach to the arm and will miss guide your test. Along with who knows what other reasons that these thing don’t work for you.
If you believe your nitrate is at 5-10 then it will be fine. Test kits sometime are really unreliable. I don’t think anyone here on these boards really know which one is better than other.[/quote]
I agree with A, refractometer all the way. Ebay them for like 10-15 bucks, where i got mine and its great.
You said your PO4 was .5 what test are you using .5 ppm would be very very high you want .08 ppm or less.
He used API test kit. he might of said .05 but he said it was really good.
[quote=“BigCase, post:15, topic:6387”]
[quote=“reefman66, post:13, topic:6387”]
My suggestions and I’m sure most people on here will agree that a refractometer is a much better device at measuring water salinity compare to the swing arm type hydrometer. Swing arm type are known to somehow accumulate micro bubble that attach to the arm and will miss guide your test. Along with who knows what other reasons that these thing don’t work for you.
If you believe your nitrate is at 5-10 then it will be fine. Test kits sometime are really unreliable. I don’t think anyone here on these boards really know which one is better than other.[/quote]
I agree with A, refractometer all the way. Ebay them for like 10-15 bucks, where i got mine and its great.[/quote]
I am going to go on ebay and order one today. Is there anything I should know before buying one or are they all the same?
Depends on your Eyes the cheaper ones are normally not magnified or lighted.
You will also want to get calibration fulid as setting to zero with RODI to far off the scale of what you are measuring to keep it accurate.
Also make sure it’s a salinity model and not for sugar or ethanol.
[quote=“Hudzon, post:16, topic:6387”]
You said your PO4 was .5 what test are you using .5 ppm would be very very high you want .08 ppm or less.[/quote]
I just saw my suggestion about PO4 at .5. I was incorrect as mention by Hudzon. I was not thinking, I meant .05 ppm and that’s why I said great. Does API test kit do low level PO4. I think .5 is the lowest on their scale. There’s other low level test kit such as Hanna that alot of people uses, that are reliable.