T5 SPS People

[spsick]

T5 SPS keepers- how long are you running your lights? I know a lot of people have specific PAR # they recommend for given acros but wondering what the average is. I’m not getting the growth I did a couple years ago and I can’t remember how long I ran them.

I think @Big E said he runs all bulbs 8 hours?

I run mine:
2x B+ 11 hours
2x C+ 2x Actinic 5 hours

 

[NanoDJS]

I run 2xC+ and 2xKZ FP with LEDs for 8 hours the leds 10 hours .

 

[Bacon505]

You’ll get different opinions on this topic. Every tank is different. Not getting good growth doesn't mean it’s a lighting factor. I think you have to pay attention to what your sps demands are and go from there. However, people on average run between 6-8h.

 

[Big E]

Yes, I run 8 hour all on/off on my display.

Frag tank- 7.5 hours all on/off

I have plenty of ambient light from the morning/evening sun and I'm not a fan of the all blue look.

The other reason I do this that on the reefs the acros reside, the sun is at intensities that blow away any of the par our lights put out in less than a half hour when it's rising.

 

[Potatohead]

I run six blue, one purple, one actinic. 6.5 hours for all bulbs with another 75 minutes of two bulbs on each end for nine hours total.

Dusk dawn more for the fish, I agree corals don't care. My nano tank at work is just on off for 8.5 hours.

 

[spsick]

Yes, I run 8 hour all on/off on my display.

Frag tank- 7.5 hours all on/off

I have plenty of ambient light from the morning/evening sun and I'm not a fan of the all blue look.

The other reason I do this that on the reefs the acros reside, the sun is at intensities that blow away any of the par our lights put out in less than a half hour when it's rising.

thanks for chiming in Ed. You and I are for sure in the minority liking a whiter look but it def brings out the yellows, oranges, red, etc IMO.

I mainly run the blues for a while before and after to extend viewing time. I think I may shift things around a bit and try it as some of my acros are only getting 150 PAR for most of the day.

 

[pancholt1z28]

I had an all T5 sps tank 14 years ago. I ran 2 10k bulbs and 1 6500k bulb for 8 hrs a day. Blue bulbs were on for 12 hrs a day. Acros grew like weeds!

 

[Dlealrious]

8bulbz all on for 10hrs

 

[aquaman30k]

I was running ARI Blue + for about 10 hours but only 6 of those hours were at 100% intensity with a 2hr ramp on either side.

 

[X-37B]

3b+ 3c+ 2 actinic. 9hrs on/off.
Fixture is 4" off the water.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

2 blue plus 1.5 hrs. All six blue plus 7.5 hour. 2 blue plus 1.5 hours.

 

[Greg P]

I re-wired my fixture to control all 4 ballasts separately. But the short answer is I would essentially add 1/2hr to the lights every couple weeks barring the corals suffering. Mostly I just saw exponential growth and 2-part uptake.
When my re-started tank's nutrients are ready for more light, my lights will be the same as my last tank;

10 hrs B+ x 2
7-1/2 hrs C+ x 2
7 hrs AB Special x 2
7 hrs C+ and ABS x 1 each

So for those of you with 2 timers on 8 bulbs, it would essentially be;
10 hrs x 2 and 7 hrs with all 8 on

As for par I have no idea. It's an ATI Powermodule 8 x 54 on a 75g Aqueon and the light is about 11" off the water

 

[Sabellafella]

It's pretty cool to see everyone follow that 5 1/2 to 7 hour peak. I think that's what's most important, and what counts. I peak mine for 6. Blue + for 8 1/2 total.

Best baseline and advice I usually give out to people- the sweet spot usually on a standard tank, is to run the fixture 35 to 40 inches from the sand bed. 20 inches below the fixture usually runs around 350 to 450 par depending wether your centered with the meter. Sand bed runs around 100 to 200. This is only with the ati fixtures. Every other fixture I've had the pleasure of testing, never really amounted up to peak par levels as the ati fixtures do regardless the bulb type

 

[Lapras]

I have mine

PAR around 250 - 400; most under 300 or so

2 x bulbs (Giesemann 6500k, ATI Blue+) from 3:30pm - 11pm
6 x bulbs (1 x Giesemann 6500k, 3 x ATI Blue+, 2 x ATI Coral+) from 3:30pm - 9pm