T5 lighting hight

96xjmatt · Oct 23, 2021

Hey guys I am taking a step back from my orphek Atlantic v4 led and going to a ati power module for my new build my tank is 38x32x12 and the ati power module is a 4 bulb 24 inch I am wondering what hight I should set the light at.

BroccoliFarmer · Oct 23, 2021

96xjmatt said:
Hey guys I am taking a step back from my orphek Atlantic v4 led and going to a ati power module for my new build my tank is 38x32x12 and the ati power module is a 4 bulb 24 inch I am wondering what hight I should set the light at.

I think bulk reef supply did a par meter testing. Good video out there. Based upon me watching their work, I hung my T5s 8 inchess off the water.

bobnicaragua · Oct 24, 2021

A 36 inch fixture would be ideal. Any height between 4 inches and 8 inches would be fine.

mdb_talon · Oct 24, 2021

ATI recommends turning the light on in a dark room and slowly lowering it down until the edge of the light is in the tank rather than on the floor. This is the approach i always used for all lights as well. A standard x inches above water does not always work because it is dependent on the relationship between the footprint of the light to the footprint of the tank

In your case with a 38x32 but a 24" light i believe you will need to be higher than normal for t5.

Fakegolfnews · Oct 24, 2021

Your l height will be more dependant on whatever those LED's are.

jda · Oct 24, 2021

This is likely a step forward and not back. I like to lower my fixtures until the spill mostly disappears. Then, check the spread and see if you need to move them forward or backward - if most of your corals and rock are near the back, then move it back a bit since there is no need to just like water and sand in the front.

That 24" looks fine if you just want to light the rock in the center. If you want to grow stuff in the sand on the sides and front, then a 6 bulb 36" might be in your future, but you can worry about that later.

96xjmatt · Oct 24, 2021

jda said:
This is likely a step forward and not back. I like to lower my fixtures until the spill mostly disappears. Then, check the spread and see if you need to move them forward or backward - if most of your corals and rock are near the back, then move it back a bit since there is no need to just like water and sand in the front.

That 24" looks fine if you just want to light the rock in the center. If you want to grow stuff in the sand on the sides and front, then a 6 bulb 36" might be in your future, but you can worry about that later.

I am going to be adding either 2 or bars or 2 reef brights just haven't decided just yet.