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Pros and cons (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Crxej1
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reeftopia
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I only run LEDS and constantly have to trim back because the SPS are growing out of the water.
Hmm..
I've done T5 by itself, LED by itself, and LED with T5. I realize that different light combinations are better suited to different types of tanks (coral needs) but I have noticed the most positive effects over my sps is with a led/t5 combo. With that, placement is also very important
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I've done T5 by itself, LED by itself, and LED with T5. I realize that different light combinations are better suited to different types of tanks (coral needs) but I have noticed the most positive effects over my sps is with a led/t5 combo. With that, placement is also very important
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Cody
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T5 and led will give you the best of both worlds. MH are too hot and consume too much power. Leds pack a great punch, but they lack a bit in spread. I'm a firm believer of using t5s to help with the spread and spectrum. Having said that, reeftopia isn't wrong. He grows massive colonies very well using exclusively black box leds. I think if the city of Montgomery could pony up more electricity, he might actually add t5s too.
FarmerTy
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T5/LED... With T5 being the main lighting.
Oh man, such a hot topic. I think you will find everyone has a choice. I will say I have always seen softy tanks do well with LED....never seen too many folks dedicated to those types of coral go back to T5 or MH.
SPS is a whole different bag. So many tanks successful with all blends of the above listed. I personally am a T5 user but trying the LED route now....we shall see how long it last. I have a "backup" here ready just in case lol.
I think anyone who has been in reefing and are SPS serious will tell you that halides and T5 just work....no dialing in so to speak other than maybe coral placement.....LED requires some of each I would say. If heat is not an issue and you want serious growth I would try halides with LED supplements. I only ran my halides maybe 6 hours a day and was quite pleased with progress. T5 were used the rest of the time as supplements. Today if heat was not an issue I would still go Halide/LED.
SPS is a whole different bag. So many tanks successful with all blends of the above listed. I personally am a T5 user but trying the LED route now....we shall see how long it last. I have a "backup" here ready just in case lol.
I think anyone who has been in reefing and are SPS serious will tell you that halides and T5 just work....no dialing in so to speak other than maybe coral placement.....LED requires some of each I would say. If heat is not an issue and you want serious growth I would try halides with LED supplements. I only ran my halides maybe 6 hours a day and was quite pleased with progress. T5 were used the rest of the time as supplements. Today if heat was not an issue I would still go Halide/LED.
Cody
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Y'all running 8 bulbs with actinic led strips shouldnt be calling it a combo. Those LEDs aren't pushed correctly, don't have much power, and just serve to add shimmer and pop for the viewer, not the corals. Y'all are more or less just running t5s.
Cody, i would disagree with that as a generalized statement. I am running SB reef bars alongside my 60" ati fixture. Its appx 135w of power for this strip. Note the LEDs on his bars also have optics to them. So I would say they provide some PAR to the whole equation. I believe he has actually done measurements....its late and i'm not up for looking at this point, but the info is out there .
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FarmerTy
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T5+LED? [emoji23]
I'll take some par measurements of my SBReefbar this week for science-sake.
FarmerTy
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FarmerTy
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1 currently but will be 2 once my tank slush fund gets replenished again.
Largely would depend on the size of tank as well. Are their any budgetary constraints? MH with T5 would be my vote for best SPS success. Its undoubtedly proven however there is heat issues to deal with, also depending on the size and setup MH reflectors can be big and bulky if you are trying to cover a large area with less. Power consumption is high although I haven't personally ever been worried about that. Bulb cost adds up with yearly replacements but deals can be found but that goes with T5 as well. I probably wouldnt recommend LED only, they are expensive, technology changes every year and I am not absolutely sold on the results. Yes people like David and others use them with great results, some have larger tanks which aid in keeping water chemistry perfect. I would say there is a lot to dial in with LEDs overall within a system to have amazing results. If you want a higher set it out of the box results I would say MH or T5 or a combo. T5 and led (supplement) is a great alternative to having a MH look and comparable color and growth profiles.
reeftopia
Supporting Member
I ran 8 bulb ATI s with all the expensive high end bulbs. When I started testing leds did one little section on my 10 ft tank and was blown away after 2 weeks on growth and color.
Never go back to metal halides are t5s. Will say mhalides are the best but not worth the trouble of needing a chiller. Not to mention mhalides burned up my 1500 gal reef tank.
Never go back to metal halides are t5s. Will say mhalides are the best but not worth the trouble of needing a chiller. Not to mention mhalides burned up my 1500 gal reef tank.
tinman
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I like my Spectra MH/T5 fixture but I had to use a chiller for my tank and the cost of electricity was a little high. I am using the Radion G4 pro now and I am happy with the growth and the color and no chiller and lower electricity bill and a happier wife.
