Help me get started reefing.

[SeaJay]

I think on a 72" tank you'll be plenty well served with your existing lights, and the Aquatic life 61".

Thanks. That minimizes the sticker shock of lighting. If I find that the LEDs I have are insufficient I can change those later without overlapping expenses.

Glad to hear that my idea is at least on track. Makes me feel like I’ve actually learned something.

 

[W1ngz]

Thanks. That minimizes the sticker shot of lighting. If I find that the LEDs I have are insufficient I can change those later without overlapping expenses.

Glad to hear that my idea is at least on track. Makes me feel like I’ve actually learned something.

Adding the T5 fixture makes that your primary light source. The LEDs will then become not much more than dawn/dusk and accent lighting. PAR is cumulative, but they won't add much in the way of intensity on top of the 4 T5 bulbs.

 

[SeaJay]

Adding the T5 fixture makes that your primary light source. The LEDs will then become not much more than dawn/dusk and accent lighting. PAR is cumulative, but they won't add much in the way of intensity on top of the 4 T5 bulbs.

Right now I have my lights on a 2 hour sunrise, 8 hours full power, 2 hour sunset schedule. Would it be advisable to keep my sunrise and sunset but have the t5 running during the full power hours? How long do you typically run a hybrid fixture like this each day?

 

[High ICP]

depending on what you have or haven't treated your current tank with, the money spent on a small tank to start a separate system would be better spent on a skimmer, and test kits etc. needed to add corals to your current tank. Probably easier to manage the swings with your current tank..... small change on a 20g could wipe out everything.

I agree with this

For a beginner, larger tanks are easier to keep

I really like the look of the Waterbox Reef series. The sump is well designed for a simple and basic sump. The 24”x24” model would have just barely enough gallons for a beginner.

Don’t get the Plus version. You can put your own light over it.

 

[High ICP]

Adding the T5 fixture makes that your primary light source. The LEDs will then become not much more than dawn/dusk and accent lighting. PAR is cumulative, but they won't add much in the way of intensity on top of the 4 T5 bulbs.

Disagree

Hybrids are not designed just for PAR. They are intended to supply two different types of light.

LEDs(and MH) are point source light. T5 is diffuse light. Both types have benefits and drawbacks. Combining the two increases the benefits and mitigates the drawbacks.

I think what you might be thinking of are tube light that just add some reefbright strips for pop or show. The hybrids really are not intended for this.

 

[High ICP]

So have you decided to just convert your big tank, then?

That ship would look cool with an encrusting coral covering it. Ha.

Maybe that Waterbox would be a good QT system. Before introducing corals to the big system.

 

[W1ngz]

Disagree

Hybrids are not designed just for PAR. They are intended to supply two different types of light.

LEDs(and MH) are point source light. T5 is diffuse light. Both types have benefits and drawbacks. Combining the two increases the benefits and mitigates the drawbacks.

I think what you might be thinking of are tube light that just add some reefbright strips for pop or show. The hybrids really are not intended for this.

I would generally agree with that, if he were starting with reef capable LEDs. In this case he's starting with low output Fluval LED lightbars.

 

[SeaJay]

Moving this discussion to the lighting forum.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/lighting-advice.589778/

 

[SeaJay]

So have you decided to just convert your big tank, then?

That ship would look cool with an encrusting coral covering it. Ha.

Maybe that Waterbox would be a good QT system. Before introducing corals to the big system.

When I convert to reef, more than likely the shipwreck will come out and rockscape will be re-done. I dread doing this, but I didn’t really have a clue what I was doing when I started this.

The fish do love the wreck though.

I’ve got a pretty great qt system in place, I won’t really need to add anything if I convert my display to a reef. Then again, I’m starting something I know nothing about, doc who knows what I’ll change once I get started.