Hello all, new here a few questions

[CoryC]

I've been doing saltwater for a couple months now. I have a 14 gallon nano with a couple clowns and a 45 gallon many leather, Lps and sps corals and a blue crocea clam. A handful of shrimp and other inverts, a neon dotty back, couple small gobies, coral beauty dwarf angel, small yellow tang(temporary home). I am also starting a 72 gallon reef tank, but I'm trying to decide if a couple ecotech radion fixtures or a metal halide combo would be best. I just think the halide would he the room it's in too warm and draws considerably more energy and money in the long term. I'm just concerned with the radions not growing sps acros and montis like I have going in my current tank which is set up on a 6 bulb t5 fixture. The bulbs in that fixture are aquaticlife. Are these ok or should I upgrade to a better bulb set to get more growth out of my high light animals? Also, for the 72 gallon set up I will be running a p1200 sump and separate refugium. Are these good? I'm running a p1000 on my 45 gallon with live rock rubble instead of bio balls and it seems to work fine, I even have a small led light and some cheato in the center section. All my levels are good.

 

[Rob.D]

1. I prefer metal halide, I have one friend that has great growth and color on SPS under AI SOL blue's, I have another friend that can't get anything to grow under the same AI SOL's. The long term cost of MH/T5 combos are greater than LED's but IMO LED technology has not reached the right spectrum to duplicate MH/T5 lighting.

2. Heat can be an issue in a small room. What size room will the 72 be set up in?

3. The best bulbs for T5's are ATI, Giesemann and Korallen-zucht.

4. I have no knowledge of those type of sumps. I would sugest a DIY sump...20 Long, 30 or 40 Breeder tanks turned into sumps.

 

[CoryC]

15x10 room. I was looking into the ati bulbs. Aquarium on papermill sells them, I'm using one with an aftermarket eshopps sump. I'd go homemade but I think I've already paid down on the sump when I bought the tank. I've also heard the acrylic baffles attached to glass sumps can sometimes vibrate loose. I'm not very handy with that kind of stuff. I understand the science and chemistry far more than the mechanical parts. I'll be using an ecotech vortex m40 power head, eighty or so lbs of sand and 80 or so lbs of live rock from a couple stores around town. I wasn't pleased with some mail order stuff I got from one of the larger online retailers.

 

[k2parkstar]

I've tried geismann, ATI, and KZ. I prefer the ATI for looks and growth. I'm a big fan of T5's. I think you can get great growth and color from them. As for the sump I'm not familiar with those. I've got a DIY 20 tall sump. I'd highly recommend starting with dry rock. After battling bubble algae, and aiptasia I'll never buy live rock again.

 

[CoryC]

Which ATI bulbs should I use on my current t5? I was going to go ahead and order better bulbs to replace the stock ones. There's a timer on my light that turns on the blues and whites I have the blues on two hrs before and two hours after the whites. So maybe an 8 bulb t5? I love the halide shimmer, but I can't mount them from the ceiling I would have to get a fixture that spans the tank or the j shaped hangers.

 

[CoryC]

I don't think i listed the name of the brand that makes the sumps, it's aquarium life support systems.

 

[Rob.D]

I think a 6 bulb T5 would be fine an 8 bulb may be too much.

 

[CoryC]

So something like the ati six bulb powermodule? Are halides really going to heat up my room that bad?

 

[Tabasco1]

The pm is awesome. The sun power has 2 versions. Non dimmable and dimmable which has a controller built in. i don't think think they have released the pm w that some feature yet.

Just something to think about if you are buying new. I've seen some good deals on the non dimmable one for resale.

 

[CoryC]

I think w the proper fans and maybe cracking my window I will be ok with a hqi combo fixture. Aquatic life 2x150 watt halide with 4? I think actinic bulbs and moon light LEDs. If I'm in that room playing games for several hours will the lights hurt my eyes? Will that fixture be sufficient for a 36x22x22 tank? I just think its the best bet for a color and growth I want out of my sps corals and clams and maybe anemones.

 

[SLUF681]

Just run 1 250 watt halide on it. I am running a 250 on a 40 breeder. My canopy is totally enclosed and I still have to run a heater.

 

[CoryC]

Will that be enough w a 36" tank? Wouldn't I have dead spots near the ends?

 

[SLUF681]

Raise the halide up higher. I am also running two 250s on a 5' tank with awesome growth. If you want to PM with a #, I can send you some pics of my 40.

 

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[CoryC]

Can someone help me that knows t5s? Will this combo be
The best for color and growth in my 6 bulb fixture? It's all ati stuff. Aquablue
Blue
ATI Purple Plus or Fiji Purple
Blue
Blue
Aquablue

 

[Rob.D]

Will that be enough w a 36" tank? Wouldn't I have dead spots near the ends?

With one of the large LumenMax Reflector for Mogul Bulbs - Sunlight Supply - Bulk Reef Supply style reflectors you will get complete coverage.

 

[CoryC]

It's in a combo fixture though.

 

[k2parkstar]

Can someone help me that knows t5s? Will this combo be
The best for color and growth in my 6 bulb fixture? It's all ati stuff. Aquablue
Blue
ATI Purple Plus or Fiji Purple
Blue
Blue
Aquablue

Don't listen to the halide heads. I'd swap out an aquablue for a coral plus. I took the KZ Fiji purple out because I didn't like it. I have a 4 bulb fixture and do:
Blue+
Aquablue
Blue+
Coral+
And get great growth and color. I also supplement with 2 actinic stunner strips for a little more pop

 

[SLUF681]

What's in a combo fixture? With halides you don't NEED a fixture.

 

[k2parkstar]

What's in a combo fixture? With halides you don't NEED a fixture.

A combo halide t5 fixture. The t5's are usually used to supplement some blue