lighting question regarding t-5 mh and pc

[riche]

Ok I have a question regarding the 120 I'm setting up

Right now I have 2 of the evergrow d2120 full spectrum 120 watt dimmable leds and my corals are doing OK, with the 120 since its 24 inchs wide, I want to supplement the leds, should I go with a 2 bulb 4ft t-5, a 4bulb 3ft t-5 or a 4ft pc combo with 2 150 watt metal halide? Its going to be a mixed reef softies zoas lbs and a few sps. I'm building it as the last tank I ever set up and dont want to do any upgrades for a while. I already own the 4ft and 3ft t-5 fixtures

 

[DFW]

Go with a 6 bulb 4 foot t5 with about 42 3 watt royal blue LEDs - 21 on each of 2 48 inch heatsinks. I offer this suggestion because I cannot figure out how to make anything that you have mentioned work.

 

[OceanRevive]

How are you going to fit two D120 led fixtures and a 2 or 4 bulb t4 over a 120g tank?

The leds provide most of the PAR you will ever need so I think a 2 bulb t5 fixture in front of the led fixtures will add all the other spectrum you could want and you'll have way more PAR than you will need. The t5's will really help reduce the contrast between bright and shadow that leds can cause. It's a good solution. I think a 4 bulb t5 is too much and I just can't see how it all fits over the tank?

 

[riche]

How are you going to fit two D120 led fixtures and a 2 or 4 bulb t4 over a 120g tank?

The leds provide most of the PAR you will ever need so I think a 2 bulb t5 fixture in front of the led fixtures will add all the other spectrum you could want and you'll have way more PAR than you will need. The t5's will really help reduce the contrast between bright and shadow that leds can cause. It's a good solution. I think a 4 bulb t5 is too much and I just can't see how it all fits over the tank?

Well you just made my life a lot easier, as it sounds like you know what you are talking about and I have the 2 bulb fixture already and the 2 leds.

Would it be better to put the t-5 on the back of the led's this way if I put sps I can put them on the rock work towards the back of the tank?

 

[OceanRevive]

With the amount of light (PAR) you will have (way more than enough) you don't need to worry about the corals and their placement in the tank. I'd try the t5 in the back and then in the front and see which one I personally like the look of better and go with that. It also depends some on which t5 bulbs you plan to use (which ones as in which colors) and what color you want the tank to be. If you are doing white t5's, I'd put them up front. If you are doing actinic t5's, I'd put them in the back. But that's just what I think I'd like better as to the over all look.

And I'd do the white t5 bulbs. The one drawback to leds is that they aren't really 'full' spectrum and the t5's will fill in the voids. And some/many of your corals may look a little better (more colorful) due to the t5 light. Personally, I don't find it to be much of a difference and I like the fluorescent colors I get when the tank is more blue than white anyway. But that is the advantage of having fixtures like the OR-IT2080 over my tank. As the day goes by, my tank goes from all blue to very white over about 6-7 hours and then goes back from very white to all blue over the next 6-7 hours. I'm home all day so I get to see the change of colors all day long. It's not that the sunrise/sunset lighting does anything special for the corals, it's just that I enjoy having a tank that changes and to some extent mimics a real reef a bit better. But then I do tidal changes in my tank as well.