thinking of switching back to t5

[saltwaterB]

I have been fighting this battle from day one...funny how it is all making sense to everyone now (a few years later...lol )


T5 and MH all the way ! ! !

LED's are nice for supplementing and accenting colors....but that's about it...

Unless you are able to drop ridiculous money on overpriced units...(Vertex, Pacific Sun, Giessemann) those LED are good, but boy you have to pay for it....and sometimes in more ways than one, as software and support can be very spotty with all three of these companies based on my personal experience.

 

[JTM4UG]

B what would you recommend as far as bulbs. Not planning on doing any Mh just the 6 t5s

 

[saltwaterB]

I personally like a bit more on the blue side but not heavy blue. So, with 6 bulbs I would use (3) ATI Blue Plus, (2) ATI Coral Plus, and (1) ATI Aquablue Special. and I focus on LPS. So, if I were to focus on SPS I would probably drop out one Blue Plus and add another Coral plus or Aquablue Special, depending on personal taste of blue/white look...

 

[JTM4UG]

Thanks. I'm going to order a coral plus also so I can see if I like it. Possibly replace the actinic with it.

 

[dz6t]

I have been fighting this battle from day one...funny how it is all making sense to everyone now (a few years later...lol )


T5 and MH all the way ! ! !

LED's are nice for supplementing and accenting colors....but that's about it...

Unless you are able to drop ridiculous money on overpriced units...(Vertex, Pacific Sun, Giessemann) those LED are good, but boy you have to pay for it....and sometimes in more ways than one, as software and support can be very spotty with all three of these companies based on my personal experience.

I wont drop my hard earn money on some of the expensive LED. It is posted on RC the test results from a German lab which show some of them are sub-par (literally). If go name brand LED, I will choose AI, Radion PRO and Kessil,

 

[dz6t]

This is posted on ReefCentral

 

[Intheflesh]

I personally like a bit more on the blue side but not heavy blue. So, with 6 bulbs I would use (3) ATI Blue Plus, (2) ATI Coral Plus, and (1) ATI Aquablue Special. and I focus on LPS. So, if I were to focus on SPS I would probably drop out one Blue Plus and add another Coral plus or Aquablue Special, depending on personal taste of blue/white look...

I used 2 each of this combo for my mixed tank and really like the color. It gives a very crisp white with a hint of blue. Having said that, I am not a huge fan of the glow in the dark purple/UV look

 

[saltwaterB]

Dong,

thank you for posting that....I don't get on to Reef Central much these days...

Very interesting...

I have actually been talking to ATI about bringing in a SIRIUS for store use....we have sold two of these already and the customers absolutely love them....

 

[dz6t]

Do you have one on display? I will like to see it in person.

 

[this is me]

I hate to get into LED debate but what that chart shows is efficiency of the LED. Par/W. This does not indicate the quality of light the corals are receiving. And nothing but a marketing slide to persuade the buyer from buying the top of the chart.
MH has the worst efficiency but we all know very well that MH is still the most capable of keeping corals colors and growth.

 

[dz6t]

you are right about spectrum quality. But they were not comparing MH or t-5 to LED, they were comparing LED to LED, also the test was NOT done by ATI nor any the vendors on the list.

 

[this is me]

But the point is, efficiency is not what makes your tank grow and color. You can use LEDs that are high efficient but totally trash in terms of spectrum to grow and color corals.

 

[wdebenedettojr]

I have been fighting this battle from day one...funny how it is all making sense to everyone now (a few years later...lol )


T5 and MH all the way ! ! !

LED's are nice for supplementing and accenting colors....but that's about it...

Unless you are able to drop ridiculous money on overpriced units...(Vertex, Pacific Sun, Giessemann) those LED are good, but boy you have to pay for it....and sometimes in more ways than one, as software and support can be very spotty with all three of these companies based on my personal experience.

B,
Do you agree with the chart dong posted?

 

[wpeterson]

I'd like to note the LED comparison chart is from Sanjay Joshi, which he presented at OSRAS (and likely many other places) earlier this year. I was disappointed he only reviewed certain models and did not review any of the Kessil lights.

 

[ro_nicu]

I don't know much german, understood pretty much just the names of the fixtures and the read the number attached.

All I have to say is that regardless of the source of that graph it does not say much. At least until the methodology of measuring and achieving the results is available.

 

[dz6t]

Please don not over interpret the chart. it is not a halide vs LED which spectra quality is not being considered.
Here are what I get from the chart:
1. Ecotech made a big improvement from gen 1 to Pro which show significant true research had been done.
2. AI is very good to begin with
3. There are significant improvement for new generations of LED such as ATI
4. Some companies such as Vertex and Giesemann are pretty new to the game
5. Some expensive LED just hype.

 

[oceanprncss]

id never go back to MH, to much heat. have 4 bulb t5 on 2 different tanks and when I downsized tanks I went to an led system that was built by him.. I get great growth and good lighting. I like the fact its a lot cheaper to run because it uses less watts then the t5 I had.

if I was to upgrade back to a 75 or larger tank I would be back with t5. I ran 4 bulb fixtures on 90g plus size tanks and had great growth with the, id do a 6 bulb fixture so I could get ati super blues and white and mix up 2 bulbs with purple or red. I went to jays and told him I wanted color and growth and he hooked us up with some great light spectrums.

I think the DIY led or much better then the fixtures that are out there for LEDs. I think they put cheaper drivers and lights into the fixtures. if your handy id take the time to build your own lights for leds rather then buying them. make leds with some t5 in it or just go back to 6bulb t5s

 

[wdebenedettojr]

Please don not over interpret the chart. it is not a halide vs LED which spectra quality is not being considered.
Here are what I get from the chart:
1. Ecotech made a big improvement from gen 1 to Pro which show significant true research had been done.
2. AI is very good to begin with
3. There are significant improvement for new generations of LED such as ATI
4. Some companies such as Vertex and Giesemann are pretty new to the game
5. Some expensive LED just hype.

What does that German chart even show?

 

[saltwaterB]

Again, the chart only shows efficiency...not any other aspect. So, I could only assume that the data presented in the charts is accurate as to the efficiency par/watt...

I still do not like the Radions...for the money...that is for sure...still using old technology and white LED's...AI is right there with them...although I do like using the AI Hydra 52 with T5 Supplementations...but again...very expen$ive

And I am talking with ATI about the SIRIUS..trying to find out more and get a demo unit in the store...

But at the end of the day I am a T5 person...and would chose T5 over a ANY other source of light for SO many reasons.

B,
Do you agree with the chart dong posted?

 

[dz6t]

What does that German chart even show?

It shows $ doesn't correlated to quality