T5 HO Lighting

[ssmtcarlo]

What you huys think about the Nova Extreme T-5 Fixture i got a 30 gal with montipora digita, hydropora excessa, and a fiew lps and some ricordia i have a PC fixture but it seems that T5 is the way to go can i get some input How are T5's For SPS

 

[fritz]

I'm really not a fan of the Nova fixtures, they're a waste of money if you ask me. The Tek fixtures are a better choice as their fixture uses individual parabolic reflectors. It is these individual parabolic reflectors that increase the efficiency of the T5 bulb making it a viable choice for SPS keeping.

Your best bet (color wise) might be to just keep your SPS up near the top and keep your PC lights. Picking up some heavy duty lights may oversaturate your LPS with light and cause them to loose (or at the very least change) their colors.

 

[DRZL]

Ive had LPS 4 inches under 250W MH theyve never lost any color, if anything I felt the growth rate increased, LPS are pretty versatile when it comes to water quality as well as lighting

 

[fritz]

It really depends on the sepcies of LPS. Most come from low light and often dirty water (comparatively), in fact unlike SPS which create pigments to reflect light (in cases where they are over saturated giving them flourecent colors) LPS corals produce pigments to REFRACT light. The refracting pigments attempt to "hold on to the light" as long as possible. This will only be seen in lower light environments. For example in another thread there is discussion of a yellow zoanthid morph that only holds its true yellow color in low light. If it is placed under bright light the coral no longer needs to spend the energy and resources producing pigments to refract light and it's color will change.

Kind of on the same vein, the LPS that I've received that came from MH tanks hasn't changed color much under my MHs but the LPS that have come from low light tanks ot those that have come with me since my VHO days have changed in color drasticly. Some for the better (In my opinion) some for the worse.

It's really a matter of taste. Some people like the way a certain coral looks under 10k bulbs, others under 20k.

 

[steveo32]

Damm Fritz your so well spoken !!!!

 

[deelucky]

i have the nova extreme on my 29gal i havent had a problem thus far.i have a pink hammer which is growing same for my frogspawn.both have nice color pretty much everything else is softies oh i have rics.im trying these out this monti.c has actually gotton darker in color and the lil piece to the left is pavona.so im trying to see how far i get.

 

[spykes]

It really depends on the sepcies of LPS. Most come from low light and often dirty water (comparatively), in fact unlike SPS which create pigments to reflect light (in cases where they are over saturated giving them flourecent colors) LPS corals produce pigments to REFRACT light. The refracting pigments attempt to "hold on to the light" as long as possible. This will only be seen in lower light environments. For example in another thread there is discussion of a yellow zoanthid morph that only holds its true yellow color in low light. If it is placed under bright light the coral no longer needs to spend the energy and resources producing pigments to refract light and it's color will change.

Kind of on the same vein, the LPS that I've received that came from MH tanks hasn't changed color much under my MHs but the LPS that have come from low light tanks ot those that have come with me since my VHO days have changed in color drasticly. Some for the better (In my opinion) some for the worse.

It's really a matter of taste. Some people like the way a certain coral looks under 10k bulbs, others under 20k.

well said.