Worth Replacing?

[UM Aquarium Club]

So I'm working on setting up a coral grow setup and currently the lights being used are a mix of SunBlaze T5HO-44s and IBZ-IBEAM lights. It looks like there is documentation that the SunBlazes have been used with some success for growth despite being quite old. I have never seen anyone use something like the IBZ lights for growing coral. Do these seem like potentially suitable lights for frag tanks and if not what affordable options would there be to change these? Corals grown will be corals such as acros and brain corals.

https://www.sunlightsupply.com/shop/product/sun-blaze-t5-ho-fluorescent-light-fixtures
http://www.lithonia.com/commercial/ibz.html

 

[jda]

I have not tested either of those, but just a generic Hydroponics T5 fixture WITH INDIVIDUAL REFLECTORS put out more than 95% of the PAR that an ATI did. With some bulbs (6500K and Actinic), it was the same. Note: I took the PAR numbers from the ATI from a source online, not at my house, so either could be within a meter's margin for error.

For another point of reference, I have some cheap Chinese reef fixtures that came with a tank that I purchased (not Odyssea, but close) and there were only about 68-70% of these.

I would not replace them with more T5s. They are probably fine. Frag tanks are easy to light anyway since you can determine how shallow/deep the frags are.