Acro Guys - ATI T5 or G4 Radions? Show me your tanks!

[FarmerTy]

Hey all you acroholics. I'm currently running my ATI 8-bulb fixture over my tank but can get a good deal on some Radion G4s. What do you think? Keep running the T5s? Or go with the Radions?

Show me your tank under either lighting to help me decide! Thanks!

 

[BoomCorals]

Hey all you acroholics. I'm currently running my ATI 8-bulb fixture over my tank but can get a good deal on some Radion G4s. What do you think? Keep running the T5s? Or go with the Radions?

Show me your tank under either lighting to help me decide! Thanks!

I’d do a hybrid of both. Having used both g4 pro and T5, you’d still want some T5 for that top notch growth and color that I know your frags have.

 

[Mal11224]

I added T5 to my tank and run it with my AP700 and the growth I'm getting is way better now. Definitely the best move I made on my tank.

 

[Scott.h]

Your better off running the 8 bulb for the primary, if for no other reason then spread. Then supplementing it with some form of leds.

 

[FarmerTy]

Thanks for the input so far. I'm particularly interested in thoughts on those two specific fixtures, ATI 8 bulb or Radion G4 pros for those that keep SPS tanks. I should mention I'm no stranger to SPS or running hybrid T5/LED setups.

So let me rephrase, if you were running the dream SPS tank, would your lights be the Radion G4s with additional T5s or ATI T5 fixture with reefbrites/sbreef supplements. [emoji4]

 

[BoomCorals]

Dream tank given the options, would be T5 with radion g4 pro supplements.

 

[FarmerTy]

Dream tank given the options, would be T5 with radion g4 pro supplements.

And your corals look fantastic so I appreciate the feedback Matt!

 

[Macdaddynick1]

Why not both?! I think you can’t go wrong with those two.

 

[FarmerTy]

Why not both?! I think you can’t go wrong with those two.

Haha, it'd be hard on a 72" tank to have my 60" ATI fixture and add 3 Radion G4 pros to it. I wouldn't even know how to make that work with both. That's why I was leaning to the G4 Pros as the main light and add T5 supplements.

 

[FarmerTy]

I would ideally love to modify the ATI fixture to add the 3 Radion G4 pros to the middle of it and keep 2-3 bulbs on either side of it.

 

[FarmerTy]

I looked into the Aquatic Life Hybrid fixture but they only go to 48". They don't make a 60" size.

 

[BoomCorals]

I would ideally love to modify the ATI fixture to add the 3 Radion G4 pros to the middle of it and keep 2-3 bulbs on either side of it.

That’s where I’d shoot for. Radions middle, T5 on both sides.

 

[A. grandis]

Too bad I saw this thread...
Go all T5s! Don't waste space with LEDs.
If your tank is higher than 22" - 24" go halides/T5s.
The most amazing tanks in the world have MH/T5s or T5s only over them IMHO.
Sorry, he asked for our opinions. That's mine!
Grandis.

 

[billwill]

I would ideally love to modify the ATI fixture to add the 3 Radion G4 pros to the middle of it and keep 2-3 bulbs on either side of it.

If it were me, and wanted to add led to ati fixture, I’d go (3) kessil A360Ws. I had those with four bulb T5, and color and growth was quite nice. My XR30s by themselves are pretty good, but I’m thinking of trying that aquatic life T5 fixture with them. I really like the simple and clean look of just the radions though.

 

[Daltrey]

I looked into the Aquatic Life Hybrid fixture but they only go to 48". They don't make a 60" size.

They said they were going to release a 60” version by next month. I'm waiting on it now to pair with my gen 3 radion xr30w’s.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a...-been-waiting-for.322301/page-18#post-4188606

 

[FarmerTy]

They said they were going to release a 60” version by next month. I'm waiting on it now to pair with my gen 3 radion xr30w’s.

Oh awesome! That'll keep me from pulling out the chainsaw to my ATI fixture!

 

[Scott.h]

It's kind of a loaded question. I think as far as coral Heath alone, it's easier (and cheaper) to have better success with an 8 bulb t5. But visually I think radions look better in person. They also don't photograph very good. (With a camera phone anyway). It would probably take 3 or 4 radions to achieve the same spread and coverage as that ati 8 bulb. If someone were to offer me 3 radions or an 8 bulb t5, money aside, I think I'd still go t5 supplemented with leds.

 

[FarmerTy]

It's kind of a loaded question. I think as far as coral Heath alone, it's easier (and cheaper) to have better success with an 8 bulb t5. But visually I think radions look better in person. They also don't photograph very good. (With a camera phone anyway). It would probably take 3 or 4 radions to achieve the same spread and coverage as that ati 8 bulb. If someone were to offer me 3 radions or an 8 bulb t5, money aside, I think I'd still go t5 supplemented with leds.

Thanks for the thorough reply. Photographing is a big deal for me and all I have is a camera phone so that's a big con with the Radions. I can get my hands on 3 cheap but buying a 4th is butting against the budget.

 

[Big E]

T5's as the main light source will produce the best colors in acros. You can add whatever LEDs you want for bling for zoas or some highlighting on acros.

Here's my tank t5 only.............I may add some LEDs as supplements, but I want more violets or at least 50/50 violets to blue and no one makes these. In other words I want to produce an LED version that looks similar to what actinic VHO bulbs will do.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/big-e-rimless-80g-sps.206607/

ATI or another manufacturer of T5 setup should wise up and create a fixture with the LEDs flanking the bank of bulbs.....not inside.

 

[Luno]

My opinion combination lighting is the way to go