T5 with Icecap ballast question...

hefeweizan · #1 09/20/2006, 10:36 AM

Question...On a 120 (4x2x2)

will 8 T5s on icecap ballast be too much to keep a mixture reef of sps corals clams and some soft coral on the bottom (such as a frogspawn, open brain, star polyps, blasto's, ricordeas)???

Or do you think 6 T5s on icecaps ballast is better...

Any Ideas.....???

blackie lawless · #2 09/20/2006, 11:13 AM

I would stick with the 6 bulb setup since you want LPS in there as well.

silverwolf72 · #3 09/20/2006, 11:15 AM

I think using an icecap and haveing softies is gonna fry the softies. Reasoning is seen several threads where they say you can keep softies in bottom with 4 regular driven t5ho

horkn · #4 09/20/2006, 12:38 PM

go with 6. 8 will be a lot of light, probably too much.

IME, LPS have more issues with too much t5ho light than softies do.

Bagz · #5 09/20/2006, 01:06 PM

i have 4 t-5 driving by and 660 icecap ballest in my 60gallon tank and its a LPS and softie tank everything is doing perfect..

hefeweizan · #6 09/20/2006, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bagz
i have 4 t-5 driving by and 660 icecap ballest in my 60gallon tank and its a LPS and softie tank everything is doing perfect..

BAGZ,

you have a 60 gallon with 4 T5s so a 120 sounds ok with 8 T5s to cover the entire tank with an even spread of light????

any suggestions???

blackie lawless · #7 09/20/2006, 03:48 PM

8 is over kill, listen to horkn. I myself have a 4x54w Ice Cap T5 system over a 90g, and it is plenty of light. (Am growing SPS) Even after acclimating my tank to the T5's with the screen method, I still had an open brain sitting on the very bottom bleach and die, and my shrooms have all moved into shaded areas.

T5's, with a good set of reflectos, put out A LOT of light, even as far down as the sand bed.

Bagz · #8 09/20/2006, 04:19 PM

my zoos and mushrooms under my t5s are growing so fast like i get a new polp like every other week it seems like

horkn · #9 09/21/2006, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bagz
i have 4 t-5 driving by and 660 icecap ballest in my 60gallon tank and its a LPS and softie tank everything is doing perfect..

what reflectors?

my reg driven 3x39 retro on aqualux reflectors melts many shrooms at will, and will slowly bleach and kill many lps as well.

also, what bulbs are you running?

after i turned the reflector on my GE 6500k day bulb to the side, the tank is doing much better. and my lps is doing better( the ones i have left)