t-5's? WHat can I keep?

zanoshanox

Active Member
A friend recomended that i go with t-5's when I transfer everything over from my 20 long into a 37 cube...The fixture i'm lookign at is a TEK 4x24 watt fixture. Each bulb has it's own individual reflector. My question is, I want to do clams and SPS, as well as the zoos and LPS i have now..What can I keep under this lighting?
 

deelucky

Member
i have t-5's on my 29gal and it only has one reflector but i have shrooms,zoos,brain,colt,xenia,frogspawn,hammeryellow polyps,sebea anenome.a friend of mines does keep acros(pretty nice and healthy,a carpet,bta crocea clam and he also has a single reflector.i hear that individual reflectors are even better.
 

zanoshanox

Active Member
Oj alright, ahah thanks.
Right now im lookin at the tek fixture and another one that is 6x24 w so it has two more bulbs but i believe it has onyl one reflector. Which would be better? All oppinions welcomed.
 

fishieness

Active Member
Originally Posted by zanoshanox
Even though its 50 less watts?
absolutly, if you want to go with higher lighting things, dont even bother looking at fixtures with only one reflector. They do make tek lights with 6 or even 8 bulbs.
 

fishieness

Active Member
Originally Posted by theappe
I thought that SPS, Anemones and Clams required metal halides?
that is still WIDLEY debated. those who have MH believe so, those who have t5, believe differently. I have seen all kept under MH and have heard many many stories, however, they must be relativly close to the surface, and you must have a quality t5 fixture. you will find that you get what you pay for. an 8 bulb Nova fixture will not even be able to compete with an icecap. plus, if you use the ice cap VHO ballasts, you can overdrive your bulbs, it greatly decreases the life, but instead of 24 watts, you will have close to 50 per bulb.
PS: if you want anythign higher light, i would also go with 6-8 bulbs, not 4 from what i have researched.
 

fishieness

Active Member
Originally Posted by theappe
so what are you thoughts on PC's vs T5??
t5s will own PCs anyday of the week. hands down (as long as they are a quality setup)
 

fanker

Active Member
i dont tink tek makes a 6 or 8 24" fixture but u can get retro, and keep 6 or 8, but the most u need is really 4 bulbs. ill check if tek makes a 6 or 8 bulb
 

fanker

Active Member
okay just checked Tek's makers and u can get a 6 bulb fixture but like i said u dont need that many, but if u feel more compertable with the 6 than thats ur choice but it will probably blind the fish and melt any low light corals, and im serious
 

fanker

Active Member
Originally Posted by fishieness
PS: if you want anythign higher light, i would also go with 6-8 bulbs, not 4 from what i have researched.
thats not true i would stay with the 4 bulb its ALOT more light than u think
 

zanoshanox

Active Member
I think ur right Dan. How much more is the fixtrure with 6 bulbs? Do you think i woudl be better off with these t-5's over the corallife hang out mh?
 

fishieness

Active Member
i know t5s are a lot of light, but PAR wise they dont penetrate as much as MH. they are a lot brighter though, but not necessarily PAR wise. I think the 6 bulb version would be a much wiser choice, but that is my opinion.
tek does make an 8 bulb version, but i dont think they do for a 24 inch tank. oh well
as far as the MH over the t5s, in a tank that small, i would go with 6 t5s. a MH would also allow you to keep anything however.
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
fanker said:
okay just checked Tek's makers and u can get a 6 bulb fixture but like i said u dont need that many, but if u feel more compertable with the 6 than thats ur choice but it will probably blind the fish and melt any low light corals, and im serious[/QUOTE
It wont blind the fish, they dont compare to MH, they wont melt low light stuff, they do smoke PC's. I have 8 39w t5ho's.
 

wattsupdoc

Active Member
I dont know about the tek fixtures. i got mine for a steal on the big auction sight. It has a single parabolic reflector. And I love it! Individual are supposed to be better and I agree that they will be if they are constructed properly, parabolic reflector (meaning bowl shaped or curved) are pretty good also. I'm begining to think that there maybe someone here who has an interest of some kind in the TEK lights.
 
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