Need your expertise ASAP!!! T5HOs on my 30" tall tank!

[rebel souljah]

I am in the process of buying an Aquaticlife 36" 4x39w fixture tomorrow and I hope to get your opinion/suggestion before i make the purchase.

Well, I am currently setting up a 70 gallon tall reef tank 36x15x30 with a canopy (the wife's idea, only so i don't have here her complain about me spending the money to fix it up lol) but I have been lost/confused/stressed you name it about the lighting I should go with. The 15x30 is killing me! I plan to have SPS on the top tier, LPS middle, and zoas/mushrooms on bottom. I am very concerned for my high end zoas colonies on the bottom (utter chaos, CARs, etc....) Can I get away using a 4 bulb fixture? will the Aquaticlife 36" T5HO 4X39w fixture work? I plan to saw open the top of the canopy since its so high you can really see the top. Please help thank you very much, Joe

 

[swannyson7]

With a tank that tall, you're going to have difficulty keeping much at the bottom of the tank withthat fixture. Although many softies will survive in relatively low light, you might run into problems as the SPS grows and blocks light toward the bottom of the tank. If it's in your budget, I'd look into a 6 bulb fixture or other lighting options.

 

[roblshan2000]

That's a pretty deep tank. I'd go 6 bulb if you are staying with the T5. I would probably look into some other options though. My fist thought would be 2 AI Sol's. But if you wanted to stay with the Aquatic Life products they make a really nice fixture that has MH with T5 supplement. Here's a link. Aquatic Life Good Luck

 

[returnofsid]

The problem is, the 15" front to back kinda keep you from anything over 4 bulbs. A 6 bulb will hang over the front and back, the extra two bulbs being useless.

 

[subielover]

The problem is, the 15" front to back kinda keep you from anything over 4 bulbs. A 6 bulb will hang over the front and back, the extra two bulbs being useless.

Yup, I was thinking the same thing. I think your best bet with these weird dimensions would be led's or halides. Don't get me wrong, I love T5's but I don't think it is the way to go here.

 

[Troylee]

The problem is, the 15" front to back kinda keep you from anything over 4 bulbs. A 6 bulb will hang over the front and back, the extra two bulbs being useless.

Agreed Sid... Joe is a good friend of mine and I have been helping him with the tank and I don't see any other options... 4 or 6 or even 12 bulbs ain't gonna make penetrate better... He has the coverage front to back with 4 bulbs easily over 15".... It's the depth that's the killer... I mean in all actuality a 400w mh is in store here but he don't want the heat... I say use the fixture you have joe and see how it goes.... Hth

 

[returnofsid]

A 4 bulb fixture will still allow you to grow a lot, at least as much as the room in the tank will allow. LPS and softies will do just fine, low in the tank, with SPS higher in the tank. As far as penatration goes, you will have some issues, with the 30" depth, but not all that much. I'm currently growing SPS, on the sand bed, of a 27" deep tank, under T5HO. Yes, I have 10 bulbs, but my tank is also 36" front to back.

I'm not very familiar with the fixture you're looking at. Make sure it has ICR (Individually Contoured Reflectors) and a quality Advanced Electronic Ballast. ATI Aquablue Special and ATI Blue Plus bulbs both offer high PAR ratings.

Unfortunately, the size of your tank is really limiting you though. 400MH will just be so much overkill, but would be appropriate for the 30" depth. What are the chances of changing to a 40 breeder?

 

[swannyson7]

The aquaticlife 6 bulb fixture has individally contoured reflectors and is only 13.8" wide (without the mounting feet) according to the manual available on MD. While it won't help with penetration by having the extra bulbs, it will help with any light blockage as the corals up top grow and it'll also help your PAR/PUR for the SPS up top.