New question that has never been posed- T5 or LED (1 Viewer)

[inigomontoya]

For practical reasons: heat and power and wife scared of them since Reeftopia's fire, I am not going to go with MH. However, I have been considering T5 on my new frag tank. I was going that route until I got sidetracked with a deal on some leds.
I wanted to check and see if anyone has used the sun supply style grow outs. BAO was using and having good results, anyone else?

Also Ben to continue from other thread- how long for that growth on the red planet (1"x1")? Are you using ATI bulbs in that grow light or stock or mixed?

 

[d2mini]

If I was going to do t5 only on a frag tank, it would be a mix of ATI blue+ (or kz superblue) and coral+.
If you need an actinic, the Giesemann Super Actinics are pretty amazing.

 

[dark8nge1]

For practical reasons: heat and power and wife scared of them since Reeftopia's fire, I am not going to go with MH. However, I have been considering T5 on my new frag tank. I was going that route until I got sidetracked with a deal on some leds.
I wanted to check and see if anyone has used the sun supply style grow outs. BAO was using and having good results, anyone else?

Also Ben to continue from other thread- how long for that growth on the red planet (1"x1")? Are you using ATI bulbs in that grow light or stock or mixed?

Dunno, when did you drop those coral off Dennis?

ATI??? I'm using the getto 6K bulbs that the unit came with and threw in a couple old aqaublue specials.

If I was going to do t5 only on a frag tank, it would be a mix of ATI blue+ (or kz superblue) and coral+.
If you need an actinic, the Giesemann Super Actinics are pretty amazing.

I'm starting to wonder about this. Granted the coral in the prop tank doesn't look all that great in the tank cause the spectrum sucks, but then I take it to the display and wow. The bulbs that came with the unit are cheap... I mean dirt cheap... like a refill pack of 8 for under $50. So if your frag tank is really for frags and grow out are all the blues and actinics necessary?

 

[dark8nge1]

Dunno, when did you drop those coral off Dennis?

QUOTE]



Found it, November 19th... so two months.

 

[Unlimited Color Corals]

I can dd into this. I just got some of the sunsupply second hand.

I have the bulbs as d2mini has mentioned but just switched the tank from AI Hydra to this. I am monitoring results and will see if anything like this more than the LED that they have grown so used to. We will be moving in the next couple of months and I will be setting up a true test to get various corals to see which likes what lights with growth and coloration. I want to have a definitive answer to the question that always seems to come up. I will be running the systems off same sump supply to make everything on the same level.

 

[Wbattles]

I was considering both options as well as MH but opted for MH just because my main display is running them. I did a lot of reading into it and most people said the 6k bulbs were the best growers, just made them look visually terrible under that lght. But as you said, if its just for frags, the look shouldn't matter. I would love to know what you did and your results though.

 

[d2mini]

I'm starting to wonder about this. Granted the coral in the prop tank doesn't look all that great in the tank cause the spectrum sucks, but then I take it to the display and wow. The bulbs that came with the unit are cheap... I mean dirt cheap... like a refill pack of 8 for under $50. So if your frag tank is really for frags and grow out are all the blues and actinics necessary?

Probably not. I just like to see my coral in the frag tank look similar to the coral in my display.
I would think that a spectrum that is more daylight is probably the most important for growth. I don't like a real blue spectrum anyway.
But I do keep hearing about how the 410-450 spectrum is pretty important for chlorophyll growth.
So no... i have no freakin clue.

 

[inigomontoya]

ATI??? I'm using the getto 6K bulbs that the unit came with and threw in a couple old aqaublue specials.



I'm starting to wonder about this. Granted the coral in the prop tank doesn't look all that great in the tank cause the spectrum sucks, but then I take it to the display and wow. The bulbs that came with the unit are cheap... I mean dirt cheap... like a refill pack of 8 for under $50. So if your frag tank is really for frags and grow out are all the blues and actinics necessary?

Nice info- yea, if I did this I was thinking about getting the 6 bulb and then adding 2 aquablue + and one coral+ for some blue to both get growth and make it visually more appealing. Then use the other three stock bulbs next time you need to replace them and keep that combo. Glad to hear the good results have included those cheap bulbs.

I can dd into this. I just got some of the sunsupply second hand.

I have the bulbs as d2mini has mentioned but just switched the tank from AI Hydra to this. I am monitoring results and will see if anything like this more than the LED that they have grown so used to. We will be moving in the next couple of months and I will be setting up a true test to get various corals to see which likes what lights with growth and coloration. I want to have a definitive answer to the question that always seems to come up. I will be running the systems off same sump supply to make everything on the same level.

Chris- keep us updated, looks like we're on the same wavelength. I did use to get good results under my T5's. going back to bulb replacement though ... get spoiled with leds.

So no... i have no freakin clue.

We know Dennis, we know...

 

[d2mini]

Hey now... i'm full of advice. But I never said it was good advice!

 

[RR-MAN]

^^^hehehe good one.

Jeff-stick to leds man for frag tank. Have you seen the display tank in Fish Gallery lit with AIs. The acros are encrusted so nicely and everything looks happy. I'm going led next time even on display.

 

[Unlimited Color Corals]

I will start a thread just for that. I was also think about throwing MH in the ring for grow out and do a cost comparison of upkeep vs. results to show what path to take depending on what you are wanting. I have always run LEDS and tried T5 once before and ended up just selling the light because I did not feel it was doing anything better than my LEDS. But, I can run the systems in tandem to keep all params the same and just divide down a colony into 3 and see which performs the best with growth vs. polyp size. Since I am mainly a softie I will not have any stick comparison to show for it but I am going to try various corals to see what happens.

I do know that nems have the BEST color from a MH but I have just never had an inclination to set one up because of the heat. We will see how things turn out and what space I am able to work with in the near future when we find our house or our rental then I will know for sure what I will be able to setup fully in the near future.

 

[Pure Magic]

Recommend running both T5 and LEDs. The LEDs are great for moon lighting and compliment the T5s very well. Of course T5s are mecury burning machines that LEDs cant match the growth.

i run 8 T5s and 6 LED strips on my display and am extremely happy with the results. Best of both worlds.

 

[malira]

Is your T5/led fixture something you put together or did you buy it that way?

 

[Pure Magic]

My T5s are a retro kit in a canopy. I have two kits that were 4 bulbs each. The 6 LED strips are from Current USA and are mounted on the sides of the canopy at an angle.