Corals Corals Corals

[-Nemo-]

To make a long story short, for the past year i've thought i've had power compact lighting, when in reality I have t5...

Since thinking my lighting system was low, i've only ever looked at soft corals and so now i'm curious as to what more i can add

Its a 2 bulb t5 lighting on a 29G.

I've always loved brain corals, as well as torch/hammer coral, how would those do?
Also, my co-worker was talking about clams, and said he keeps a clam under the same lighting as mine and it does just fine. opinions on that?

Thanks
I feel like someone's just given me a free lighting upgrade!

 

[ben1987]

i dont think i would risk a clam, although some do well in a lot less light than others.
Are these bulbs fitted with reflectors?

 

[-Nemo-]

Yes they are

 

[xxBarneyxx]

What wattage are they and are they both white ones or is it a white and a blue?

I have kept hammers under power compacts and they survived but I wouldnt say they where thriving.

I'm keeping a torch and bubble coral under T5's now but have about 150w of light from them (and they are doing really well).

 

[seffieuk]

I'm keeping both a frogspawn and a hammer under T5 and they are growing really well they are high up on the lr though

seffie x

 

[-Nemo-]

they are 55 watts each, one is actinic

 

[johnnyjtaylor]

Aren't the 55w ones PC's? Are they U shaped? If so I think they are PC's albeit t5 width. Not that I know much about lighting, or the difference.

As for LPS under T5's no problem, I have a brain, candycane and frogspawn under t5's, albeit 4 straight tubes(arcadia luminaire).

 

[Crazy fishes]

Stay well away from Tridacna clams with t5 lighting while they can suffice for SPS corals, clams are a whole different story. You will find that clams will slowly starve under them. The usual story is my clam was doing fine and then just suddenly died but everything else is ok. What has happened is the clam was getting insufficient nutrition for a while compensates still going throught the motions of expanding mantle and then collapses.

If you want a tridacna clam go with a T. deresa and get a halide 150W.

Hope this helps

Regards

 

[SkiFletch]

55watts is a PC model. Remember, power compact lights are basically two T lamps tied together at one end and placed right next to one another. The reason they are not as good as T5's is that their reflectors stink and they waste a lot of light with the tubes so close together. Unfortunately you still only have T5 lighting and I would not try a clam under that. you could branch out to some euphyllia species if you wanted, maybe even some favias or acanthastreas.

 

[-Nemo-]

My dad built my lighting for me, and i had e-mailed the company the kit was bought from and I am able to "convert" the fixture to be able to take the straight t5s by replacing a few parts (such as the end caps).

CF: deresa clams were actually the ones i was looking at.

I think i may wait to upgrade my current lighting until i get my next tank up which should be soon, hope to have a halide/t5 combo with that one.

Thanks for the input.

 

[SkiFletch]

Wait so you modified the ballast wiring to use T5 lamps on a CF ballast? got pics?

 

[-Nemo-]

Not yet, it was a plan, I e-mailed the company last week about it and they said it could be done and what parts were needed to be changed in order for it to work. so now off to bug my dad to modify it alas i have no clue about electrical hardware.
I'd be more than happy to supply pics when it gets done.