14000k T8 for softies

Yes, but the OP was asking whether he/she could grow softies under them, not whether there were better choices. I agree that if he/she wants to do SPS then they should upgrade, but for softies you should be fine.

 

well my problem is that there are no 14000k available in t5. t5 available are only 6500k. here there are high output led available that are 12000k and royal blue. there is also actinic 03 (purple) available here. my thank size is 26"x18"x18". gonin for a softies only tank coz i dont like dosing calcium and alkaline. my substrate will be seachem pearl beach 5" thick. salt will be red sea coral pro. i stay in mumbai india, here good lights are not available. i have a softies nano for which i got lights from singapore and got a good 2yr stock so will go back next year. even the supplements i need to make my self. so going for only softies tank. will change 10% every month or week depending on the water parameters. any suggestions?

 

online shipping one of my best friends

 

i know what the OP was asking, i am just trying to help out. out of all the lighting options there are many that are more efficient at growing corals. and like the OP said reef capable led's are available where he is at so i would go with those.

 

Just simply being a T8 bulb does not make it an issue. T5,T8,T12 is not a specific lighting value, it is the K that matter. 95% of the time when people say T8 they are talking the home depot variety of 3500 to 6k plant grow home depot bulbs.

I have not seen a 14k bulb and or t8 ballast before, can you link to the fixture and or bulb your talking about? I have never seen one that high K.

 

Plenty of reef T8 lamps still about, not as common as they used to be
and I imagine there would be a higher percentage of these still available in
countries like China, Taiwan and India for example

the production capacity still exists
those that make T5s can probably still produce T8s
there is a market albeit small, for those that convert freshwater set ups to salt water
and in some economies, there is always going to be a market for a cheaper alternative

Hagen for example, have a range of reef T8s still available in China anyway
and these include 10k, 14k, 20k and even a purple/ red coloured tube marked as 16k
(saw these a couple of weeks ago)

Arcadia are still producing some reef tank T8s

Sylvannia brand ( now produced by Philips I believe) 10k and Actinic reef lamps
still available where I shop

so they are still out there, reef specific T8 lamps
but possibly easier for some of us to find than for others .


Steve

 

i agree with bvb, i know the OP just wanted to know what he could grow but if he has access to led's that would be much better than led's. t8's are not used anymore for a good reason

 

While this is true you have to think outside of the USA box. I can tell you from living abroad that import/export taxes in some countries can be A FORTUNE! Like a $100 ebay light set can costs hundreds just in tariffs. I learned this the hard way in Europe when I went to mail a box and found the S&H would be $300 and the tariffs another $200, and it was like a pair of shoes & some jeans. So now imagine the weight of a light set.

If the T8's are what you have acess to you should be fine. Go with what you got.

 

so finally 14000k t8 or 12000k led?

 

The 14k are absolutely fine for what you want to do. If you already have them as well as have acess to the bulbs for the future there is no need to change. You know the old saying 'if it isnt broke, dont fix it.'