View Full Version : Acro's
what are the chances of keeping acro's under 6 5ft t5's, will they grow or do they need halides
:thanx:
Originally posted by jerry@Dec 22 2005, 16:29
what are the chances of keeping acro's under 6 5ft t5's, will they grow or do they need halides
:thanx:
Will do it easily if placed high up, but they will go brown ( edit: probably ) and not keep their colours even with zero nutrients in the water :thumbsup:
Originally posted by djb1971+Dec 22 2005, 16:35--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (djb1971 @ Dec 22 2005, 16:35)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-jerry@Dec 22 2005, 16:29
what are the chances of keeping acro's under 6 5ft t5's, will they grow or do they need halides
:thanx:
Will do it easily if placed high up, but they will go brown and not keep their colours even with zero nutrients in the water :thumbsup: [/b][/quote]
why will they go brown?
t5's are no where near as strong as halides. The only successful t5 acro tanks I've seen have more than double the tubes you are putting above your tank. :thumbsup:
This guy uses T5,s not sure how many though.the Photos have been edited but still very nice acros.
http://www.hausriff.ch/4477/index.html
Phil
Sorry :blush:
Originally posted by phil-uk@Dec 22 2005, 16:47
This guy uses T5,s not sure how many though.the Photos have been edited but still very nice acros.
Phil
what guy?
He's also got a good box of colouring pens too :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
He's using 10 tubes
6 80w
4 54w
Nuff said :whistling:
Jerry,
depends on how deep your tank is.
Have a look in member's tank. I think UR member - Juppy - uses only T5 tubes and his acros are not only brown!! Perhaps he has a box of colouring pens too! :rolleyes:
Cheers
Originally posted by aladdin@Dec 22 2005, 17:05
Jerry,
depends on how deep your tank is.
Have a look in member's tank. I think UR member - Juppy - uses only T5 tubes and his acros are not only brown!! Perhaps he has a box of colouring pens too! :rolleyes:
Cheers
Very shallow tank and more wattage per gallon you'll find.
And you think the link above has not been doctored??? You need your eyes testing
The corals aren't that colourful in the sea :P :P :P
Originally posted by aladdin@Dec 22 2005, 17:05
Jerry,
depends on how deep your tank is.
Have a look in member's tank. I think UR member - Juppy - uses only T5 tubes and his acros are not only brown!! Perhaps he has a box of colouring pens too! :rolleyes:
Cheers
Some of juppy's sps are only clourful on the tips. I have read a thread of his where he is after more colour if he uses halides. They are still no where near the colourblind link posted above :whistling:
Originally posted by djb1971@Dec 22 2005, 17:08
And you think the link above has not been doctored??? You need your eyes testing
The corals aren't that colourful in the sea :P :P :P
Didn't even go into the link as I'm NOT interested!!!
And my eyes do not need testing.
Message was for Jerry to look into it and make up his own mind!!! :rolleyes:
Originally posted by aladdin+Dec 22 2005, 17:26--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (aladdin @ Dec 22 2005, 17:26)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-djb1971@Dec 22 2005, 17:08
And you think the link above has not been doctored??? You need your eyes testing
The corals aren't that colourful in the sea :PÂ* :PÂ* :P
Didn't even go into the link as I'm NOT interested!!!
And my eyes do not need testing.
Message was for Jerry to look into it and make up his own mind!!! :rolleyes: [/b][/quote]
Am I Bovvered
Take a look at DANANO 's tank he's using 8 tubes :thumbsup:
simon garratt
22-12-05, 18:56
FWIW. Outright Acro colouration has very little to do with type/colour of lamp/tube used. It has more to do with Watts per sq/m regardless of how you achieve it.. IE anything in excess of 1000+ w/sq/m and your about in the ballpark figure for 'knowing' you have enough light. Then all it takes is some considerable effort in the stability stakes, and a system thats able to handle nutrients at very low levels. It allways amazes me when i see comments about how this or that person 'gets stunning colouration under T5's' when it should actually read.......This guy has a good enough system and has such good husbandry methods that he can get this kind of colour 'even with only using T5's'
Not a rant, just a correction imo :) . its important to understand 'why' corals colour up and why they dont, before anybody goes linking the terms 'stunning colour and 'light' in the same sentance.
Some of juppy's SPS are only colourful on the tips
Questioning the use of the word 'only' here... ;)
Why is this a problem / sign of suppression. If anything this is actually common / normal. Solid coloured colonies are in the minority in the wild, with the majority being various beiges with various coloured tips/outer margins. It might also be the case that the species being kept in juppys tank all fall into the more common catagory rather than the rarer species. In which case lighting will have little if anything to do with the issue.
regards
Si. :)
Originally posted by simon garratt@Dec 22 2005, 18:56
FWIW. Outright Acro colouration has very little to do with type/colour of lamp/tube used. It has more to do with Watts per sq/m regardless of how you achieve it.. IE anything in excess of 1000+ w/sq/m and your about in the ballpark figure for 'knowing' you have enough light. Then all it takes is some considerable effort in the stability stakes, and a system thats able to handle nutrients at very low levels. It allways amazes me when i see comments about how this or that person 'gets stunning colouration under T5's' when it should actually read.......This guy has a good enough system and has such good husbandry methods that he can get this kind of colour 'even with only using T5's'
Not a rant, just a correction imo :) . its important to understand 'why' corals colour up and why they dont, before anybody goes linking the terms 'stunning colour and 'light' in the same sentance.
Some of juppy's SPS are only colourful on the tips
Questioning the use of the word 'only' here... ;)
Why is this a problem / sign of suppression. If anything this is actually common / normal. Solid coloured colonies are in the minority in the wild, with the majority being various beiges with various coloured tips/outer margins. It might also be the case that the species being kept in juppys tank all fall into the more common catagory rather than the rarer species. In which case lighting will have little if anything to do with the issue.
regards
Si. :)
Simon,
In a previous post I have stated ' wattage per gallon ' ;)
and I was not knocking juppy's, merely pointing to the fact that his are more natural than the link with the guy who's gone photoshop crazy :thumbsup:
Si, you will also notice that I state the colours on the photoshop'd link are not seen in the sea, again not attacking juppys. The coloured tank is also impressive, just no need to colour it though :P
You can go back to dancing for your next audition now ;) ( I know it was you I recognised the mullet ) :lol: :lol: :lol:
simon garratt
22-12-05, 19:23
In a previous post I have stated ' wattage per gallon
yep, my comment there wasnt aimed at anyone specific. Just the recent spate of people banging on about SPS colouration and T5's. :)
Appologies for the juppy comment i missunderstood the context of your comment.
Alas i also agree that there is far too much tinkering ;) with the saturation in some peoples photos.
regards
Si. :)
Originally posted by simon garratt@Dec 22 2005, 19:23
In a previous post I have stated ' wattage per gallon
yep, my comment there wasnt aimed at anyone specific. Just the recent spate of people banging on about SPS colouration and T5's. :)
Appologies for the juppy comment i missunderstood the context of your comment.
Alas i also agree that there is far too much tinkering ;) with the saturation in some peoples photos.
regards
Si. :)
Si,
It is hard to convey comments over a screen and using little smiley faces :lol: and not using body language or tone of voice :thumbsup:
Anyway, if you need a partner for your next dance routine I'll gladly apply some body language on screen with you :lol: :lol: :lol: nothing dodgy intended there :blush:
sharemaster
22-12-05, 19:34
This is a quote from Deltec I was about to post asking some questions about T5's!
Our T5’s with A1 phosphor blend gives up to 10% more light per watt (using 40% less electricity) than can be obtained from an HQI (with minimal radiant heat) keeping the tank cool in the summer.
And I have heard very good things about their Aquablue plus again another quote
A special 60:40 combination of 6000K and 22000K (approx) phosphor blend. It is specifically designed for reef aquariums mimicking sea water to a depth of one to twenty meters. It can be used for growing SPS corals up to 80cm in the aquarium. The tubes can be combined with Aqua Flora for freshwater, tropical fish and planted aquaria.
I personally am going for T5 as it is a much cheaper safer way imho. If my corals aren't as brightly coloured as others then at least I'm individual and natural!! :cheers: :thumbsup:
Originally posted by sharemaster@Dec 22 2005, 19:34
This is a quote from Deltec I was about to post asking some questions about T5's!
Our T5’s with A1 phosphor blend gives up to 10% more light per watt (using 40% less electricity) than can be obtained from an HQI (with minimal radiant heat) keeping the tank cool in the summer.
And I have heard very good things about their Aquablue plus again another quote
A special 60:40 combination of 6000K and 22000K (approx) phosphor blend. It is specifically designed for reef aquariums mimicking sea water to a depth of one to twenty meters. It can be used for growing SPS corals up to 80cm in the aquarium. The tubes can be combined with Aqua Flora for freshwater, tropical fish and planted aquaria.
I personally am going for T5 as it is a much cheaper safer way imho. If my corals aren't as brightly coloured as others then at least I'm individual and natural!! :cheers: :thumbsup:
T5's are great for acros if you maintain water quality. Again as I already stated in my first post. You can easily keep sps under t5's because your water quality should be perfect ( or close ). Good luck with them and show us some piccies ( but not colour edited ;) )
There was a big hype about t5's when new and I too jumped on the bandwagon but never again, they are not for me. That doesn't mean they are not for you ;)
As Si and myself have already said sps need alot more light than people give them, or excellent husbandy skills.
Don't believe the hype manufacturers give you. One of the tanks that they used as a t5 advert has more wattage in t5's alone than all of the bulbs in my entire house put together. There is more to reefkeeping than light and photoshop :lol: :lol: :lol:
Sean the Prawn
23-12-05, 00:25
Just to share my experience on this topic, I recently switched from 400 watts of metal halide over my 75 gallon reef to 160 watts of T5 (inc 2 aquablue plus tubes) as the evaporation was causing me all kinds of trouble on the ceilings upstairs.
I sold quite a few of my sps corals as I feared they would lose their colour, but I kept a few that I just couldn't part with.
I was a little disappointed with the growth I was getting with the metal halide but now under T5s I am noticing a big increase in the growth rates of my sps corals, particularly plating montiporas but also in the acros. Only one acro has lost some colour, a purple staghorn, but it is in no way brown, just less purple.
I have been puzzled as to why the sps seem happier and are growing faster under the T5s as no water parameters such as Calcium, kh, or ph have changed.
A highly esteemed reef aquarist up here in the north west today pointed out to me that the only thing that has changed apart from the lighting is that now that I don't have 400w of metal halide over my small tank I have a much more stable temperature throughout the day. The corals are no longer stressed and can devote more energy to growth.
As Si G says, its not all about the light :thumbsup:
Sean
PS incidentally I actually prefer the effect of the T5s, it is not so harsh a light as Mh and I can pick out the detail of the corals better. The colour of the fish is brought out better as well I think but this is just my opinion. Only downside is the loss of the ripple effect in the tank.
Although watts per gallon has it's uses as a rough rule of thumb it can be very misleading.
If you place a single daylight T5 4" above the surface of the water then you will get around 250 micro-einsteins/m2/sec directly under the tube about 4" bellow the surface of the water.
This is more than enough to grow Acroporas. The maximum rate of photosynthesis is around 300 micro einsteins..
Under a 250w 10K DE halide bulb mounted 10" above the surface of the water you will get roughly the same level of 250 ME/m2/s 10" bellow the surface of the water in an area roughly 10" in diameter directly bellow the bulb. However, move out of that area to the left or right or down and the level of light will drop drasticly.
My point is that positioning in relation to your source of light is crucial, some areas of a tank lit by T5s will be getting far more light than some areas of a tank lit by halides.
Under low light levels corals will produce more zooxanthellae to provide the necessary food it needs. This will, in some cases cover over the attractive colours that the coral may possess below. Also under high nutrient conditions zooxanthellae may flourish hence again covering brighter colors below.
To sumerise it is perfectly possible to maintain brightly coloured acroporas under T5's.
As a side point many corals may suffer from photoinhibition, this is where the coral is exposed to too much light and causes restrictions in growth. Plating montiporas may suffer from this in certain positions under halides.
hth
i am thinking of putting them a couple of inches under the surface, the lights are hanging about 2-3 inches above, so i may get away with it then
:thanx:
Originally posted by jerry@Dec 23 2005, 17:28
i am thinking of putting them a couple of inches under the surface, the lights are hanging about 2-3 inches above, so i may get away with it then
:thanx:
I'd just stick them in and see how you go ;)
As long as water quality is correct they will grow. Then you can stick some piccies on and show us all :thumbsup:
Good luck
will do, just gotta find some nice ones, dont seem to see colourful ones round here
for the record guys, i have NO brown acros. All of my corals have good colour and no way just at the tips have loads of pics posted on here if you do a search.
If you have no experience of keeping sps under t5's please dont tell people that they will turn the corals brown, this is rubbish.
dont mean to sound like im being funny (im not :thumbsup: ) just fed up with people saying that t5's make sps brown, they dont the water does.
will post some more pics in a while
http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/colour%20(759%20x%20568)%20(600%20x%20449).jpg
poor photo, colours much better in the flesh. the one in the middle is yellow base blue tips, couldnt quite get the colour on the photo though
just taken
regards
Juppy
woops, should have read the complete thread before going off on one (only a little one) thought i was being slated.
Agree guys, water quality is the biggie imo.
Regards
Barry
Originally posted by Juppy@Dec 24 2005, 15:41
for the record guys, i have NO brown acros. All of my corals have good colour and no way just at the tips have loads of pics posted on here if you do a search.
If you have no experience of keeping sps under t5's please dont tell people that they will turn the corals brown, this is rubbish.
dont mean to sound like im being funny (im not :thumbsup: ) just fed up with people saying that t5's make sps brown, they dont the water does.
will post some more pics in a while
Barry,
Thank you for coming on this thread to put your point across. :bow: I knew you keep acros under T5s and your coral are as colourful as any I have seen and certainly aren't just brown. ;) :)
There are just too many ppls :angry: who, just because they use MH lighting, will not accept that it is possible with just T5s.
Cheers
PS
Should have called in on you, to see your little bit of the ocean, last week as I was in Great Yarmouth.
what t5's do you have, and how far above the water level are they
:thumbsup:
simon garratt
24-12-05, 19:04
There are just too many ppls who, just because they use MH lighting, will not accept that it is possible with just T5s.
Aladdin. I think the person that implied this backtracked a short while after posting the brown comment......... ;)
regards
Si. :)
hi Alladin,
you would have been more than welcome mate! thanks for the kind comments :blush:
Jerry, I now have 3 54 w and 1 36w D+D blueplus, yes they are icecapped now but i ran ordinary ballasts for a while before i was lucky enough to come across the holy grail for t5 users 'the icecap'! I would have continued on the ordinary ballasts because had good results with those too but for £90 with 2 harnesses and the heat sink couldnt say no to the icecap. My bulbs are probably 4-5 inches over the water in my hood and i can keep acropora at the bottom of the tank 18inches down. Even during those periods of temporary neglect (you know we all go through it) colours have stayed but the growth slows down.
I have been really pleased with my t5's. I couldnt have halides because the cat sleeps on the hood of my tank and the missus would have killed me if id drowned it! The growth i have had has been pretty good too
.http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploads/blue1111111%20(1704%20x%201278)%20(852%20x%20639)% 20(639%20x%20479).jpg
The blue coral with a weird growth pattern on the right of the last photo i posted was this when i got it in april of this year.It is huge now, and will need to be moved soon.
I will use halides when i up size purely because i want to try something else and chances are the tank will be quite a bit deeper (also the cat beggining to **** me off!). hopefully i will get even better growth and colour too but water quality is the first priority for coral health
thanx for the reply juppy, i have been looking at your previous posts in the photography section very nice corals, well done, i will have a go at acro's after looking at your's.
p.s whats "the icecap"
:thumbsup:
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