Supplemental T5

[BigReefer84]

I am currently running 3x smatfarm 95w led and a 4 60" 80w t5s over my 300gal dd. i am looking at replacing the T5 bulbs and would like to move into more SPS corals.. My question is what bulbs should i go with? currently 2 actinic and 2 true Blues. mostly LPS now and doing fine lower in tank. I do not have a par meter. colors still do not pop to the eye as i would like... current sps that i do have is not bleached out but still dull / lighter then when i first brought them home. there is new growth just not as dark as i would like.

 

[BigReefer84]

i have reached out to LFS about renting a par meter for a few days to test some settings.

 

[jda]

Equal amounts of coral plus and blue plus is a good place to start. This is a "find the fairway" suggestion. Some like more white and others more blue... so this can be hard. I like 6500k bulbs mixed 50/50 with true actinic since they have spectrum in amounts that most bulbs do not have, but some think that they are too white/yellow.

What you have is probably fine. You might just need more. If they tank is around the same size as outside of that fixture, you could need double or triple the lights. What are the tank dimensions.

 

[BigReefer84]

also just found this... this helps https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WHuol0uRn2W7Jk-rxYWmtNgUF-lkY_VlUpAiNsMwME4/pub

 

[BigReefer84]

marineland 300DD
72x36x27

 

[BigReefer84]

Equal amounts of coral plus and blue plus is a good place to start. This is a "find the fairway" suggestion. Some like more white and others more blue... so this can be hard. I like 6500k bulbs mixed 50/50 with true actinic since they have spectrum in amounts that most bulbs do not have, but some think that they are too white/yellow.

What you have is probably fine. You might just need more. If they tank is around the same size as outside of that fixture, you could need double or triple the lights. What are the tank dimensions.

72x36x27 same as outside of frame

 

[Dburr1014]

also just found this... this helps https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WHuol0uRn2W7Jk-rxYWmtNgUF-lkY_VlUpAiNsMwME4/pub

Yes, that is a good place to start.
I was going to post it.
Pick a light setting you like and try them.

 

[jda]

72x36x27 same as outside of frame

This is probably a quantity thing, not spectrum. SPS is a broad range. If you mean acropora, then you could need 10x radion xr30 and 4-8 T5s to light that tank well enough. If you MBP&S, then half of that might be OK.

I have seen a 300dd lit well with 4x of the 32" Photon V2 mounted front to back. I don't know about your lights, but maybe this helps with a comparison.

 

[BigReefer84]

yeah I mite have to go back to Metal Halides... i cant afford 4x 700$-1000$ lights...

 

[jda]

You can save some energy and fixtures by only lighting the rock work. I would personally use 3x 400w MH on that tank, but I am an acropora guy - move it more back and over the rock work than the front of the tank. Even shifting the ones that you have more back over the coral can help, but if you have coral all the way to the front glass then this is not much help.

That is a great size tank, IMO. One of my favorites.

 

[BigReefer84]

I also have 2 AI 32s in the cabinet I might add those to the mix as spots over rockwork .

 

[BigReefer84]

While on the topic, any suggestions on metal halide suppliers?
I live in ND so heat really isn't an issue.