Can SPS be grown in a 34g Red Sea

[Surfnut]

Thinking about picking up something like this as a hold over till I have the larger system setup down the road. It's got 2 x 55w T5, gives 4w per gallon. There's a similar system made by Solana that has a 150w HQI setup giving the tank 4.4w per gallon; Just doesn't seem as quite the quality as the Red Sea. The Skimmer, for one, is significantly smaller.

 

[panmanmatt]

They're not T5s, they're power compact fluorescents. I have talked to Red Sea about them being mislabeled but they didn't seem to care.

Definitely not enough light for SPS.

 

[ninjataco777]

yeah, theyre not t5, theyre pc, t5 refers to the size or something. i just got a sunpopd, and i plan to have an acro if the flow and stuff turns out ok in the end of my perfect water quality destiny thing, i have 5.17 watts of halide, i reccomend that light fixture to anyone.

 

[kimoy]

i would get the one with the halides.

 

[mps9506]

Even though the wattages are similar there is a big difference between a point source light and a fluorescent light. This is why the watts/gallon rule does not apply in reef tanks. the 150 watt MH bulb over the solana should be sufficient for sps assuming it is providing sufficient PAR, which I haven't seen anyone measure the output yet from that particular fixture/bulb combo.
Now in the RSM tank, you don't quite have the intensity for SPS, although one might get away with hydnophora (some consider this an LPS), and Montipora. Both of these I have grown under PC's back in the day and had no problems and got good growth and poor coloration.

AFA as comparing the systems, I wouldn't really consider the skimmer on either setup to be "good." One of the reasons I'm not a big fan of these all in one setups is you sacrifice a lot filtration-wise when you pack everything into a small chamber on the back. the Current unit does have a cool little auto top off feature, although it too is so small I don't think it would hold much more than a day or half a days worth of water.

 

[AQTCJAK]

Karl - there is a trade off between the 2 tanks cost is a big factor T5's can support SPS as long as the T5s cover the tank not just 2 bulbs the Solana is a very well crafted tank with the HQI total saturation of light the skimmer is small as you mentioned however it gets theg job done in a fation that is perfect for the tank. I am specialing them until the 31st for 499.99 plus frieght if any. I personally would go for the solana lot cleaner classy look

 

[Surfnut]

I saw the Solana Jaime has setup. It looks alright. To be honest Jack, for the cost, I think I may as well set up a 60g cube as a temp. The costs would be the same or less than the all-in-ones I figure.