what is the difference??

debbie

debbie

Active Member
Wanting to learn more about this darn lighting issue. I am going to throw some questions your way and all help is greatly appreciated.....

My current tank of 25 gal has "one" 20 watt power-glo 18,000k bulb
I am looking at the new T5 bulbs, being a bit confused about these I would like to know what if any they would give me more than what I already have except for more wattage?
"Two" 22" 24 watts each = 48 watts total Marine White and Marine Blue Actinic.
I have been told that with these T5 I would be able to keep a clam or anemone in my current tank. Anyone have an opinion on this???
 
sign guy

sign guy

Active Member
I doubt you can keep a claim on 48 watts
you need a good amount of light to keep them alive Ie I have a 46 gallon tank with 192 pc and tha best I can keep is a toadstool. If it were me I would add a cupple more bulbs
 
sign guy

sign guy

Active Member
Originally Posted by Debbie
Wanting to learn more about this darn lighting issue. I am going to throw some questions your way and all help is greatly appreciated.....

My current tank of 25 gal has "one" 20 watt power-glo 18,000k bulb I think that kelven is to high or to yellow
I am looking at the new T5 bulbs, being a bit confused about these I would like to know what if any they would give me more than what I already have except for more wattage?more watts = more health for the coral
"Two" 22" 24 watts each = 48 watts total Marine White and Marine Blue Actinic.
I have been told that with these T5 I would be able to keep a clam or anemone in my current tank. Anyone have an opinion on this???

:happyfish
 
debbie

debbie

Active Member
Thanks Sign Guy, I just don't want to go out and buy these things if they are really not going to give me anything more than what I already have. I want to keep my canopy on this tank and don't want it open or exposed. There would be no room on this existing tank to add more lights without getting rid of the canopy which I do not want to do.
Interesting about the toadstool, I have a toadstool frag I got a few months ago. It is in this tank under the 20 watt and is doing great, it has doubled it size now. But I completely understand about the clam and anemone thing and would not waste my money attempting this without the proper lights.
When you say the 18,000k is to yellow what do you mean?
 
debbie

debbie

Active Member
This is what I have just read about the kelvin ratings.
The lower the kelvin rating the greater the color of light will lean to the red side of the spectrum. The higher the kelvin rating the greater the color will lean toward the blue end of the spectrum and is said to have a higher color temp.
Most corals for the hobby are collected at 15-65ft in depth. This light they are use to is primarily blue in color with a high kelvin reading.
Is this correct anyone??
 
sign guy

sign guy

Active Member
k stands for kelven. that is how you mesure the color of light. a 50/50 bulb has a 10000(white) and a 03(blue) bulb to create a nice and healthy color.
I would strongly recomend that you hunt down franker.he is a light guru and an ace with t5's. He is west coast though so I dont know if he is on yet. he has a reble flag for an avator.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
10k being the middle of the spectrum of lighting for our example and the 10k would be your white....When you go 12k, 14, 15, 20k, you are going blueier with 20k being the blueiest. Then if you go on the opposite of 10k 6500k, 5500k your talking yellow......HTH
 
debbie

debbie

Active Member
So, with what I am finding out here. If I were to keep the lighting I currently have should I use a bulb that is 50/50 as apose to the power-glo 18,000k that I currently have??
 
debbie

debbie

Active Member
No at the moment the current light is a T8 power-glo 18,000k so would you recommend the T8 50/50 over the T8 Power-glo?
Our LFS don't have the new T5 in yet, maybe next month.
 
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