T5's how do you feel about them?

[FastUno]

Anyone using T5's solely? Anyone using them with success, or know of someone who is using them? What is the verdict?

I have the Tek T5's w/mixed feelings. Certain corals don't appreciate that much constant light.

1-Red mushrooms don't like the light & tend to shrivel up. Even at the bottom of the tank, have to shade them.

2-Monti cap started to ge a little lighter. When placed slightly lower it turned to a very dark rich color

3-Toadstool- when placed higher started to get lighter, when lowered regained color back.

4-Frogspawn- right now 1/4 of the way up a 90g tank & it's not as rich in color as I want it to be? Don't these love light? Will probably have to drop it to the floor.

5-My biggest heartache, had a GORGEOUS torch. Had it higher for 2-3 days & it BLEACHED on me. I can't believe I did not catch this one sooner!!!!

Other than that everything else is doing great. Is it me or the T5's? Do you guys have the same/similar problems with MH? I have never used MH.

 

[marrone]

I was using T5's 6 bulbs over my tank which was probably to many for soft & lps corals. For some of my corals the light was to strong, my candy canes started to get burn and only now after a week they're start to fully open. Some of my other corals loved the lights. The only thing is that I did have my lights right on top of the tank and probably should have hung them from above.

I think they're really good but you can't run them as much as PC's or vho's lights, atleast as close as I had them.

 

[joseney21]

the tank of the month on reef central is lit by t5's, he appears to have a beautiful tank with little to no problems.

 

[marrone]

T5's from what I've seen, on the web and in my tank, you need to place your softies and lps lower and over time the light starts to burn them. For sps T5's really work great.

 

[FastUno]

Yea, I saw that thread on RC...very impressive.
I feel the same, you have to be very careful with softies & LPS, sometimes it's hard to tell. You hear from posts & general info that a particular coral loves light & as a results you want to place it higher up in the tank to give it the full benefit.

I think the T5 TOTM, must have started out with mostly SPS & you add softies & LPS in between, in the shaded areas. If I had to do it all over again, I would start with a clean tank, let the sps's have their way at first, with no feedings. Then slowly add LPS & softies.

Marrone, how long did you have the T5's for? I also have the 6 bulb combo & am holding back, I only have the 4 on mostly. Use the other 2 for dusk/dawn effect.

 

[marrone]

I've had them for about 3 - 5 months, I don't remember exactly. When I first used them the corals loved the light over time the softies & lps started to pull in some when the 4 inside lights came on.

I would have the 2 outside lights come on in the morning and them around 10 or so the 4 inside lights would come on and they would go off about 4-6pm leaving just the 2 outside lights on. I started to cut down on the inside lights as some of the corals weren't doing that well, about 4 hours a day. So I just the opposite of you. One thing that I would have done differently is hang them above the tank, I think that would have cut down on some of the strength of the lights.