T5's for pony coral?

[dakar]

David, we've been through a lot of the lighting issues, right now we are barely running any at all and looking for some options since the tank itself is rather deep 24", the little 15w T8's just aren't cutting it. Think a pair of 24w T5's (1-10K and 1 actinic) would be too intense for the ponies? Or would this likely be intense enough to start at algae bloom?

TIA

[perpetual98]

you should probably try one of the new 1000W halides. :)

Actually, you just need something to light up the tank, right? It's more like a FOWLR, or are you trying to grow things in it that are light dependant? The T5 are probably a good bet I imagine.

[JustDavidP]

Rather deep at 24"? Does that include substrate or straight water column? My 26G bow is also 24" tall. Then you subtract the 4-5 inch sand bed :) and there ya go...

I agree.. 2X15 is not going to work. 2X24 would be no problem for them. But, if you are going to want to keep softies (Saw Angels posts :) ) you are going to need more. In my opinion, you really don't want to use MH, but if you have nooks and crannies for them to hide in, brighter light is NOT a problem.

Over my 24" deep tank, I have 2 55W Power Compacts. The double tube 55W jobbers.

http://www.aquatraders.com/ProductImages/replacement%20bulb/Thumb%20PC%20Bulb%20Daylight.gif

110 lights up my tank asthetically, fuels the macro growth and is sustaining two different mushroom colonies, two different zoanthid colonies, Xenia and all of my purple and emerald green coralline algaes.

I had an algae outbreak when I first set them up..so I went with a 3 hour photoperiod, then to 4, 5, 6, etc.

Dave

[dakar]

Reality only about 21" of water column hieght, 4" sandbed. I got the impression the PC's where being troublesome for you at one point. I've got just about everything I need to go either T5 or PC for lighting. Just trying to eliminate the possibility of making algae soup, but I suppose as soon as the 90g sump/refuge is in place that will pretty much resolve most of the nutrient issues.

[JustDavidP]

ANY time you go from an underlit, low flow, and high nutrient system to a WELL lit, low flow, high nutrient system...you're going to have algae :) The good news is that your system is still very young...so hopefully the "nutrient rich" thing doesn't come into play. In any case, you may have another diatom bloom, perhaps a cyano slick here and there....just adjust the photoperiod accordingly and let it settle in.

Dave

[Reef_Angel]

The one thing I've loved about the tank is the lack of algae blooms. The only live coral that I have in there is some Sun Coral (I call it Moon Coral... seems to suit their cycle when they look beautiful hehehe!), a variety of sponges, feather dusters, and that's about it. I was thinking about adding two leathers, but I really wanted your opinion on that. Zoanthids would look nice, but from what I've read they can sting the ponies which I don't want. I thought about adding some palys/button polyps, but would they be like zoanthids? How about a colt or a kenya tree? I really can't think of much else, unless I can find a lollypop tunicate or two. Feelings on that?
Thanks for the help! ....Angel

[JustDavidP]

Angel,

My ponies drag their tails across zoanthids, green star polyps, brown button polyps, and even brown mat-colony polyps (real thick rubbery kind) and have never shown any reaction to them. They also hitch on the Xenia, which sometimes seems to bother the Xenia, but never the ponies.

I personally didn't want to try any leathers because in the past, they've always gotten HUGE in my systems and every time they had a 'growth spurt' they shed waxy crap all over the tank. MAYBE once I cut in Sumpzilla, and have super skimming and more water, I'll try a leather. In any case, most people on Seahorse.org who have leathers in their pony systems report no problems.

Have you seen the compatibility chart on Seahorse.org? It's pretty good and is a compilation of information from all the keepers who wish to provide feedback. I have found it to be 100% accurate.

Dave

[dakar]

Good info thanks David! Going to order a 2x65w PC fixture that I can hang above the tank later this week, I don't feel like tring to manufacture one since the tank is so oddly shapped. After aclimation that should do the tank pretty well.