Good enough for coral???

Is a WavePoint 24" T-5 light fixture 2X24 W, good enough for coral

here's a link
WavePoint 24" T-5 Light Fixture 2 x 24 W - AquaCave

 

Yes that should work with proper placement of coral.

 

in a 30g tank with 48 watt total hmmm I think is kind of low for most coral. You would have to place most stuff on top nearest the lights this may not look very well. Sometime with lower lighting the brown diatoms seem to grow well on rocks and glass until you get the coraline going Iknow money is tight. but i beleave you will be a little more satisfied with a 4 bulb mount I think you will have a fighting chance for the coral to not just live but strive



James



















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If the fixture is a no output fixture, I agree. However, if it is a high output fixture, it will be fine for most corals.

 

Keep in mind "Coral" is a very broad term... If you want to grow GSP, Xenia, Mushrooms and most ZOAs/buttons, you will be just fine. But as you get into things with more structure they typically require more light. That is a good starter set, just get some good bulbs.

I'm growing mushrooms at our dealership with single 24" HO t5s just fine. Also you can add a booster LED later if you get more coral and find that the lighting can't keep up.

 

WavePoint 24" T-5 Light Fixture 4 x 24 W - AquaCave

that would be better so you could have more choices (for corals,bulb combos) down the road.

this fixture below would be about the best you could get on a tight budget though. keep in mind that you'll get better bulbs with this setup.. stick with ATI,UVL,giessman brand bulbs.. most good t5 bulbs will last you 12-16months on average..

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply


this fixture below is mid-range.. but has SLR single light reflectors with ok bulbs..

Aquarium Lighting for Freshwater and Reef Systems: Nova Extreme Compact SLR T-5 Fixtures

 

Should be fine for Zoanthids, and maybe some low light corals. I wouldn't try to keep any LPS or SPS under it. With the prices of LEDs coming down, maybe you should consider one of them. Consumes less power and gives you more light... I got mine at aquariumledsolutions.com and my livestock was very responsive. I hope this helps.

 

You might consider upgrading the bulbs to ATI for more PAR output, but otherwise I think that would be fine...there are many soft corals and plenty of LPS that will do fine in that amount of light...there would be some things you can't keep...and some that might require more careful placement, but overall I think it's doable.

 

It would work but let me suggest Odyssea. They make 24" fixtures and you can get one with 4 bulbs for $64.90 and no shipping.

Here's a link.

People say the quality sucks but I've had one for six months and I couldn't be happier. I think people just refuse to believe they are good because they feel guilty about how much they over-paid for their lights.

Either way, T5's generally will work a lot of coral. The bulbs are really the important part anyway, no fixture is better than any other in terms of where the light goes.

 

The two biggest factors in considering T5HO lighting are the bulbs and the reflectors. Most "stock" bulbs are fairly low in PAR output vs. the "better brand" bulbs. ATI bulbs are generally considered the best in terms of both color and highest PAR output.

Most of the less expensive fixtures use a single reflector with a few bends in it, where as the "better" fixtures use reflectors which are parabolic. The material/polish on the reflectors is also different. If you get the chance to compare a "bargain" fixtures reflector vs. the German highly polished ones you'll easily see the difference.

I'm not knocking any of the less expensive fixtures, just pointing out that there are differences that attribute to the difference in cost beyond just "brand" labels.