MH T5 request for recommendations (1 Viewer)

[Mandarin417]

MH T5 request for recommendations

I am putting up a new tank and want to use a MH T5 setup at this time. The tank is 36” wide 30” from front to back and 27” tall. I plan to have a mixed corals tank but really don’t expect it to be dominated by SPS – I do like the color varieties and shelf like montiporas and plan to incorporate them in the system. I am also sort of hooked on the “tropical forest” landscape look of soft coral polyps, zoas and mushrooms.

I picked up a very nice used Hamilton fixture with a single ended halide socket in the middle and with 4 T5 lamps. I have a switchable electronic ballast than can run both 250W and 400W lamps.

With my mixed tank approach, may I ask for your recommendations on what T5 lamps I should be using in this system and recommended wattage and brand on the MH lamp?

I may be muddying the waters on this request but I also have access to a pair of new AI Hydra 52’s and also have been considering them for the system with T5 supplements as an alternative to the MH T5 combo.

I would really appreciate your thoughts,

Bob (manadrin417)

 

[d2mini]

400 watt Radiums are like the holy grail of MH.
Only thing is i'm not sure how they will run on the electronic ballasts.
The 250w versions are meant to run on M80 magnetic ballasts. The electronic ballasts under drive the bulb, creating a more blue spectrum and a shorter bulb life.

400 would work for your tank depth and also allow you to get the fixtures higher off the water.
So although they put out more heat, you may have an easier time managing that heat with the greater distance.

For T5, that will depend on what MH bulb you choose and how you want to tweak the spectrum.
I have 4 T5 and run a couple giesemann actinics and ati blue+.
May even switch to t12 VHO though and just run actinics.