Mh, T5, or LEDs for LPs frag tank?

[Michaelrisucci]

I’m setting up a 28 gallon lowboy frag tank right now and am trying to decide which lights I should use. I’m using viparspectra 165 watts on my DT and seem to be getting decent growth out of them, but am not sure if a mixture of metal halides and t5’s or just the viparspectra will create the best growth for my frags. Anyone have any ideas or opinions?

Also looking at this light as an option

 

[DIYreefer]

What are you planning to grow?

I've never heard of a 28g lowboy, what are the dimensions?

Fwiw, I've recently set up a pair of 50g lowboy frag tanks and the one that will hold my parent colonies will be lit with an 8 bulb T5 fixture. The one that will hold all of the frags is a combo of a 4 bulb T5 fixture and LED. These tanks will be mostly, if not all, SPS.

 

[Michaelrisucci]

What are you planning to grow?

I've never heard of a 28g lowboy, what are the dimensions?

Fwiw, I've recently set up a pair of 50g lowboy frag tanks and the one that will hold my parent colonies will be lit with an 8 bulb T5 fixture. The one that will hold all of the frags is a combo of a 4 bulb T5 fixture and LED. These tanks will be mostly, if not all, SPS.

I’m planning on growing zoas, mushrooms, nems, hammers, acans, and other lps and softies.

The 28 gallon lowboy is 36x18x10”.

Do you think that t5’s and halides will be a bit much for the lps?

 

[DIYreefer]

Do you think that t5’s and halides will be a bit much for the lps?

Yeah, probably so. At a depth of only 10" you really don't need a ton of light, especially for softies and LPS.

If I were to set up the same thing, I would go with inexpensive LED. They pretty much all will grow softies and LPS just fine and being able to crank them up/down is beneficial.

 

[Michaelrisucci]

Yeah, probably so. At a depth of only 10" you really don't need a ton of light, especially for softies and LPS.

If I were to set up the same thing, I would go with inexpensive LED. They pretty much all will grow softies and LPS just fine and being able to crank them up/down is beneficial.

That’s what I was thinking, personally. I didn’t like that I can’t really control the t5’s and mh’s. Thank you for the help. I will probably just go with the viparspectras again.

 

[DIYreefer]

That’s what I was thinking, personally. I didn’t like that I can’t really control the t5’s and mh’s. Thank you for the help. I will probably just go with the viparspectras again.

No problem. Just to clarify, I'm a huge fan of T5 and MH. I simply think that LED would be a better option for your application.

I've used viparspectras in the past. They're solid lights but I think you could do just as well with less. You don't really need all that power.

 

[Reefing102]

Honestly any will work. I’m also a fan of halide. It’s what I currently run on my main tank. With MH you may just need to hand it higher (given the depth of the tank). I used to have a 150w halide over a 5.5 gallon frag tank. But I had it 2 feet from the water. Generally corals take a bit to adapt to different lighting. If they’re used to LED, I’d stick with LED.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Any will work.

 

[The_Paradox]

I’ve used that fixture and it works great with a caveat. You need to hang it or have a chiller on the tank. With the MH on, it absolutely cooks sitting ~4” over the water.

 

[X-37B]

They all work.
I got great growth and color in my 36x24x12 frag system, 3-16ds.
They will grow most anything you want.

If you like what you have, and it fits your budget, then get another.