Debate with LFS about T-5 is good for corals

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by Laddy
T-5 supporters are like Pepsi fans........when everyone knows Coke tastes better. Just kidding. Has anyone ever measured the lux of T-5's and VHO's at standard tank depths........in essence isn't that what we're talking about? And what about ballasts, shouldn't that be considered........for the record, I like Coke over Pepsi, Ford over Chevy, any homebrew over Bud/Coors, and opening my presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve.

People who choose T lighting over MH chose because it works best for them. Some MH users take it like a personal assault on them

Which is better? Whichever works for them. Lets leave it at that.
Oh yeah, i prefer pepsi over coke

 

[rmahnick]

Hey, I perfer Iced Tea over Soda.

I can't to have MH for my tank because of center brace, I had 37 gal tank, too much trouble to move or where to place to mh.. T-5 is reasonable to setting light for tank with anemones and sps... I have no choice but when I move to house of course building larger tank with MH, I am engineering student who love design and building. :jumping:

 

[acrylic51]

T5's would be better than VHO's, but it depends what type of reflector your running with your T5's as well.....The reflector is the key

 

[rmahnick]

Yes I make sure its with reflectors, its retro with workhorse ballast or advance..

 

[oceana]

that si the first time i have ever seen someone post a picture saying how great t5 is and then post a pic of a poorly colored crocea clam and a bleached anemone. not a great endorsment.
its simple. t5 IS NOT as good as MH. i have not problem putting the money into a test if anyone wants to go head to head. t5 is merely a bit better the vho. thats it. 90% of people are talking about something they have not even tried. I have used every lighting source available today with the exception of LED and nothing gives the growth color and polyp extention that mh provides. T5 is not a new idea its been around over seas for a very long time it just finally became the "in thing" to do in the US.
you CAN keep many things under t5 but I can guarantee better colors and growth under MH. its not about which is better because a hands on test will kill T5 everytime. its about what works for the user. they all have there place.

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by oceana
that si the first time i have ever seen someone post a picture saying how great t5 is and then post a pic of a poorly colored crocea clam and a bleached anemone. not a great endorsment.
its simple. t5 IS NOT as good as MH. i have not problem putting the money into a test if anyone wants to go head to head. t5 is merely a bit better the vho. thats it. 90% of people are talking about something they have not even tried. I have used every lighting source available today with the exception of LED and nothing gives the growth color and polyp extention that mh provides. T5 is not a new idea its been around over seas for a very long time it just finally became the "in thing" to do in the US.
you CAN keep many things under t5 but I can guarantee better colors and growth under MH. its not about which is better because a hands on test will kill T5 everytime. its about what works for the user. they all have there place.
Excuse me, but my clam is beautifully colored and my anenome is not bleached!!! I just have a poor quality camera, but I have great lighting.

 

[rmahnick]

Originally Posted by oceana
that si the first time i have ever seen someone post a picture saying how great t5 is and then post a pic of a poorly colored crocea clam and a bleached anemone. not a great endorsment.
its simple. t5 IS NOT as good as MH. i have not problem putting the money into a test if anyone wants to go head to head. t5 is merely a bit better the vho. thats it. 90% of people are talking about something they have not even tried. I have used every lighting source available today with the exception of LED and nothing gives the growth color and polyp extention that mh provides. T5 is not a new idea its been around over seas for a very long time it just finally became the "in thing" to do in the US.
you CAN keep many things under t5 but I can guarantee better colors and growth under MH. its not about which is better because a hands on test will kill T5 everytime. its about what works for the user. they all have there place.
Oceana, You say that MH is best. fine If your tank has 30 long, if you want put the 150 MH and how you can get a good color and lighting from 150 watt becasue of Center brace will block some light. :notsure: can you give the the solution to prevent damage the center brace.. if you want two MH and you will say short period of light, and leave the dark for many hours, how it figure it out? :thinking:

 

[oceana]

the only way around that is use different lighting if you dont want to mess with the center brace. or plan your reef before making a purchase and buy a tank that is built for your needs.
with that said there are some VERY easy ways to modify your brace. simply cut it off. and replace it with acrylic. works great cost only a few bucks and solves the problem. or IMO just cut it off all together. it is not needed on that tank and it has no tension on it at all. it is there to hold the hood up on most tanks like that and offers no support. if your really worried about it you could euro brace it. but like i said i would use the tank without it all together.
as you said i would put two MH on that tank. no matter if i ran one or two i wuold also run 250's not 150's due to the tanks height.

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by puffer32
Excuse me, but my clam is beautifully colored and my anenome is not bleached!!! I just have a poor quality camera, but I have great lighting.

what do u mean that thing not bleached, that thing is way bleached

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by fanker
what do u mean that thing not bleached, that thing is way bleached
Explanation of bleached anenome is?????? Mine looks exactly like the bubble tip pic here on this site is selling, but mine is alot greener. If mine is bleached from to little lighting, then you have been totally off base in your expertise in T5 lighting my friend, and all the MH advocates are right about keeping anenomes under MH only.

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by puffer32
Explanation of bleached anenome is?????? Mine looks exactly like the bubble tip pic here on this site is selling, but mine is alot greener. If mine is bleached from to little lighting, then you have been totally off base in your expertise in T5 lighting my friend, and all the MH advocates are right about keeping anenomes under MH only.

how much wattage do u have? what light fixture(if u have a nova that explains everything) what size tank? because that thing looks bleached

 

[puffer32]

I got alot more wattage then you do, nuff said............... You know you could have asked if my camera had the flash on when that pic was taken, instead of jumping on the bandwagon that my anenome is bleached, here's a better pic of both clam and BTA, I do need a new camera

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by puffer32
I got alot more wattage then you do, nuff said............... You know you could have asked if my camera had the flash on when that pic was taken, instead of jumping on the bandwagon that my anenome is bleached, here's a better pic of both clam and BTA, I do need a new camera

ur right u do need a camera but still that anenome looks bleached....really how many wats, what fixtura and what size tank?

 

[oceana]

there are no "clear anemones" that looks as it it is almost see through. you should have no signes of white "clean" pigment. you should ahve a rich color that seems to be throughout. shades of brown in the base are common but never whiteish or clear. these are signs of an anemone in trouble. maybe it is just the pic but from pic alone the anemone is lacking something. does not mean its lighting

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by oceana
there are no "clear anemones" that looks as it it is almost see through. maybe it is just the pic
Really, its not clear, its sorta tannish and green. To be honest, it might be bleached alittle, haven't had it but about 10 days, the tank it came out of had tex T5 lighting, but only 4, 54 watts, I have double that, plus 240 watts of PC (read in a book I have that BTA like flourcent lighting) hope this answers your questions to Fanker. I really don'y knmow much about annenomes, had one yrs ago under MH and it did great, but can't remember specifics about it. Been in the hobby over 20 yrs.

 

[fanker]

idk it might have been bleached from the tank u got it from, but it could also be ur lighting that makes it look differant

 

[puffer32]

BTW, my clam is a beauty. dark blue, purple and teal, I really need a camera lol. Putting 3 kids through college and this tank plus my nano killed my bank account :hilarious

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by fanker
idk it might have been bleached from the tank u got it from, but it could also be ur lighting that makes it look differant
Yeah maybe time to switch back to my MH's

 

[acrylic51]

Originally Posted by oceana
the only way around that is use different lighting if you dont want to mess with the center brace. or plan your reef before making a purchase and buy a tank that is built for your needs.
with that said there are some VERY easy ways to modify your brace. simply cut it off. and replace it with acrylic. works great cost only a few bucks and solves the problem. or IMO just cut it off all together. it is not needed on that tank and it has no tension on it at all. it is there to hold the hood up on most tanks like that and offers no support. if your really worried about it you could euro brace it. but like i said i would use the tank without it all together.
as you said i would put two MH on that tank. no matter if i ran one or two i wuold also run 250's not 150's due to the tanks height.
Accident waiting to happen doing this........

 

[fanker]

Originally Posted by puffer32
Yeah maybe time to switch back to my MH's

no i mean the bulb combo might not make the anenome color come out. what bulb combo do u have?