Interpet Compact T5's

[thomas10051988]

i have recently bought an interpet lighting fixture which holds two 55w power compact t5's these the two tubes are the daylight tube and a half daylight half actinic tube does anyone have experience with these lights also what corals can i keep with them.

thanx

here is a link for them [URL="http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...ct-lighting.asp"]http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...ct-lighting.asp[/URL]

 

[thomas10051988]

anybody???

 

[Musho3210]

i wouldnt get any sps except maybe brownish ones or monti caps. If you do get true softies, i would keep them high up in the tank near the light.... Other than that, you can keep most basic stuff (most lps, some true softies, and pretty much any corallimorphs and zoas)

If you have the chance, i would return the lights and get some T5 linears with individual reflectors.

 

[SkiFletch]

What are the dimensions of your tank Thomas?

 

[thefirethief]

The older style tubes have a history of overheating and becoming very brittle. The new ones have been redesigned with a 'wedge' shape at the base to allow better air circulation, just make sure its the new bulbs you have. It's also impossible to get a reflector for these bulbs, apparently the shape means reflectors bounce a lot of light back into the bulbs, reducing its lifespan considerably. That said, I use the 36W ASL PC T5 which has a reflector and its just marvelous for the size of my tank.

 

[Matthew5664]

I used the vary same lighting on my first tank and kept soft, LPS, SPS corals and even a clam. I had a 3’ with 15” height. The SPS grew fine (colours where fine, pink Hysterix and green Montipora) the Clam was on the sand bed. All grew fine and had no problems with them. I only upgraded to MH because I got an SPS ‘thrust’.

 

[@ombomb]

been using them for two years with good growth in corals including Zoas, softies, LPS and a Pocillopora.

it's an 18" cube with 4 x 36w bulbs

 

[thomas10051988]

thanks everyone i am using them on a orca 450 as replacment for there lights they were quite poor even for softies

 

[Musho3210]

what softies, i dont agree with people when they say certain softies dont need a lot of light since from what ive scene and kept, true softies love light

 

[thomas10051988]

hi musho
when i say softies i am talking about mainly zoos, leathers and mushrooms am not sure if these are considered as true softies or not

 

[Musho3210]

leathers are, from my experience and sightings and reading, leathers love light (my toadstool, although it is considered a less hardy species of toadstool sits directly under a 150 watt MH light, about 4" from the surface is the light and the coral is another 4" deep in the water).

zoas and mushrooms dont need much light at all... they are very hardy...

It would probably work, but to keep them at the peak of their growth and looks, i would have them as near the light as possible.