nova extreme t5 lights

Marine · 07-31-2009, 12:31 PM

hey everyone i wanted to know if i could keep these corals:kenya tree, devils finger coral, zoas, birds nest ( pink ), mushroom coral, green hammer coral, toadstool coral, green star polyps, and xenia with a CURRENT USA NOVA EXTREME T5 LIGHTS. Please tell me ASAP. thanks

collin · 07-31-2009, 12:33 PM

what size tank and how many watts is the lights

Marine · 07-31-2009, 12:35 PM

160 watts and idk if you mean gallons or measurments so heres both 36in. across 24in. deep and 12in. wide. it is a 40 gallon tank

collin · 07-31-2009, 12:41 PM

that will be 4wpg bc 160/40=4 so that should work but i would run more if i was you if you want sps

Marine · 07-31-2009, 01:10 PM

k i will see what i can do with the sps could i buy reflectors for them or do they have to be built into the lights

collin · 07-31-2009, 01:15 PM

im not sure id get lights that = to at least 6wpg

scoop · 07-31-2009, 01:15 PM

You need the individual reflectore for the T5 lighting to be effective. I'm not sure if you can add them in a fixture after it's made. Nova sells T5 lights w/ the reflectors, have you looked in to those? Also, the standard bulbs on the Nova lights are not that great, you could conside looking at The Sunlight supply Tek fixtures. You can order them from reefgeek.com w/ the bulbs of your choice, which might make the cost a lot closer. Watts per gallon is kind of an outdated measure that really isn't as valuable since we now use other ways to measure the effective lighting in a tank.

Jadinop · 07-31-2009, 11:15 PM

All of the Current T5HO fixtures now have individual formed reflectors. They changed the design a few months back so as long as you don't buy from someone with old stock, you should get a fixture with the individual reflectors. The only Current T5HO fixture that has a bent wave type of reflector is the Nova Extreme Pro. I still don't understand why they don't put the individual reflectors on the Pro as well.

6ftAsian · 08-01-2009, 09:05 AM

I know someone who has the 36" Nova Extreme Pro with 6 bulbs and I guess one contoured reflector to simulate individual reflectors... Guess that's right... But she keeps most of those you listed... She has frogspawn that has grown REAL fast... Beautiful mushrooms... Anemone killed her sps... (sucks cause she had some REALLY nice frags) But I'm sure she has plenty of light to grow pretty much anything... What t5 bulbs are good?? I have a Nova over my 55 gal... I'm thinking of buying new bulbs... I have the stock ones... Getting to 9 or 10 months old...

aquawolf · 08-01-2009, 09:06 PM

I have a Current Nova Extreme 4X39 watt fixture over my 40 gallon, and have no trouble growing everything you have listed. I have not attempted a birdsnest, but do have montipora in there and it grows without any problems. You can check out my thread on the tank to see how the lighting looks.