125 gal softie/LPS - T5 enough?

[biguebs]

Hi all - so I’m upgrading my system from 29 gal up to a 6 ft 125 gal. I have zoas, a ricordea, acans, favias, a duncan, and a branching hammer that is arriving next week. All are still in the frag plug stage in terms of size.

So on my 29 gal I have the current orbit IC with the powerheads looped in. I like that system functionally and aesthetically but I know its widely considered laughable in terms of par so I am not going to try and expand that system onto this tank.

I am trying to figure out the best option where I dont have to explain to my wife that I just spend $1000 on lights. I was thinking about getting a 4 bulb T5 ballast, maybe the 60 inchers to get most coverage.

Would this grow these type of corals ok and get enough par to the bottom of the tank? I know that I should probably just get 3 AI primes and never worry about it but I was hoping to hook my wife a little harder on the corals before I spent the $$ on those plus brackets etc.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Although T5 should be sufficient with the right spectrum bulbs, I would recommend adding at least one Orphek OR3 light strip which will make your lighting complete

 

[count krunk]

You could run 2x viparspecture 300w lights, down the road you could add a third. They are $260 a piece.

 

[Screwgunner]

I am running 3 phlezons led they are under 100 dollars apiece. And you might get away with some sps

 

[Screwgunner]

Vipraspectors are 140 dollars apiece that is what my lfs uses.

 

[count krunk]

You could run 2x viparspecture 300w lights, down the road you could add a third. They are $260 a piece.

NVM I don't think you could fit 3 300w versions. I think you could do fine with 2.

 

[biguebs]

I forgot to mention the viperspectras... Could I do two of these or two AIs? I have three cross supports on top of the tank that I feel like would create dead spots with two of anything.

I guess my thought was I could get a cost effective t5 ballast for like $125 and the ATI bulbs for like $100 or so total and run that for a bit.

If I go led id probably just as soon spend the extra $100 on two AI over two black box.

 

[mdb_talon]

T5 can definetely grow LPS and softies no problem. However a 4 bulb T5 on a 125 I would not recommend. You would be fine in places of course, but going to have a lot of spots with very low par and most of the bottom of the tank.

If cost is the driving factor in the choice I personally would go cheap led route as others have recommended. Quality T5 bulbs cost a decent amount and their spectrum changes fairly quickly so need to replace the bulbs fairly frequently.

 

[N3mo]

4 x T5s will work well.

I had 4 T5s in my previous nano and grew sps quiet well, everything grew well and was happy..

I now run 6 x T5s and will add led bars later on for colour pop.

 

[Screwgunner]

You will save money with led t5 bulbs have to be changed every 8 months

 

[count krunk]

4x T5s on a nano equates to 6-8x T5s on a 125. Brs did an investigates. You can run t5 longer than 8 months

 

[nereefpat]

A 5' long 4 bulb T5 will grow your LPS and softies just fine in a 125. T5 bulbs can go over a year, easily. I change mine less frequently than that.

 

[DanConnor]

I have an 8 bulb T5 in a 200 and it grows massive sps. You can get a hydroponic T5 fixture off amazon for pretty cheap. I run the bulbs for 1.5 years+.

 

[piranhaman00]

You will save money with led t5 bulbs have to be changed every 8 months

wrong. I run my t5 bulbs for 18-20 months with no issues I run them in a sunpower though which has amazing active cooling.

I would highly recommend t5 fixture over budget LED. A four bulb will work great! But 6 would be better.

 

[biguebs]

Appreciate the insight from everyone so far... does anyone know of a cost effective t5 60” fixture? I am only seeing 2 and 4 footers...

 

[piranhaman00]

Appreciate the insight from everyone so far... does anyone know of a cost effective t5 60” fixture? I am only seeing 2 and 4 footers...

Ati sunpower is pricier than the amazon fixtures but the active cooling extends bulb life significantly and par

 

[count krunk]

60" and 72" units are almost exclusively used for reef tanks. Other applications can use 2' or 4' units

 

[Screwgunner]

Good to know

 

[R-balljunkie]

ur gonna blow your budget on bulbs for a 5-6 footer T-5 fixture. might as well bite the bullet and go led. you could focus the lights on end (two of them) and have an open area in the middle for swimming. buy it, tell your wife you wear the pants in the house and take the beating....she'll forget in a few months.

 

[biguebs]

ur gonna blow your budget on bulbs for a 5-6 footer T-5 fixture. might as well bite the bullet and go led. you could focus the lights on end (two of them) and have an open area in the middle for swimming. buy it, tell your wife you wear the pants in the house and take the beating....she'll forget in a few months.

As I’m looking around for fixtures, it does look like the cost of one 5 ft unit exceeds just going with some AIs. So I may end up going that way...

And at wearing the pants etc. For the record, not my marriage strategy lol