JCOLE
Grower of the Small Polyps
6x80w ATI T5
Best lighting on the market? Is there one?
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6x80w ATI T5
So you replaced at best 336W w/ 480W of photons..1.42X the light (rough estimate of course).
If you dimmed the whites less than 25% it makes a difference..
AGAIN doesn't consider spectrum or spread.. just energy field so to speak.
Thanks for answering..
,
BlackGoldReefs
Active Member
Do you know if they will bolt up to an aquatic life t5 hybrid? They say it will hold both Radions or AI
BlackGoldReefs
Active Member
Where can I buy them from. I only show EBay
BlackGoldReefs
Active Member
I will definitely look into it. Do you know if the will mount on the aquatic life hybrid
jduong916
Active Member
I
Yeah, it’s pretty much preference. I don’t really care much for the sunrise sunset, ramping and all the other bells and whistles. I just want a color I like. I haven’t found that color yet with the cheaper fixtures.
A. grandis
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The amount of intensity and percentage of the channels (spectrum) used with the different types of black boxes will show corals differently, as we know. Those black boxes are the best type of LEDs available for the price IMO!! I prefer whites and blues, simply. But, like I've said... all LED systems, including any of the different LED boxes I've seen, I find something missing comparing to halide and/or T5s results. That bothers me a lot! The colony formation and the weird umbrella shapes of the zoas are so unnatural to me! I think I'm too spoiled using halides and T5s for so long!!! Another thing that I know is that a sheet of LEDs over the tank is the best solution to cover any system, if LED is the choice. That gives the best results IMO. Again, the additional available wattage (intensity/ PAR) from halides and T5s will allow a well distributed stronger light with a broad spectrum at the same time. They are different because of the different photons they produce too and the way those photons spread and are delivered. The radiation available from a halide system is indeed very unique and at the same time very safe to use!!!
Another thing I have in mind is the focal points, different colors, of diode in fixtures, specially without diffusers. They work like beams of colors and that isn't the way natural light works. When using diffusers, that is greatly minimized, at least to our eyes. It's much easier to just get those T5s instead trying to mimic them. The best T5 reflectors in the market do a tremendous job maximizing their intensity and distribution. I love ATI fixtures.
In my experience T5s are the easiest, safer, more reliable and well distributed lights in existence. They will provide excellent growth and colony formation for relatively shallow water tanks (- ~24"). They grow and color Acros amazingly!!! That's why some of the best LEDs in the world are the ones that try to mimic T5s at their best, like for example, Coral Care and Lani. They are just too expensive. I can have the real deal for much less. That's just my opinion.
Many of us call the halides the king of lights simply because they will provide some mean pigment formation. Those pigments are, at least in my experience, perfectly in the same level of what we see in nature! And that drives me crazy because that is my main goal keeping them!!! Love it!!!
Would be great to see the tanks of all the people participating in this thread! There must be some amazing tanks using LEDs with so many users posting. Let's continue to have fun!
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A. grandis
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OMG!! I love that dog!!!! Don't forget to give him a treat for me, please!!
A couple top down pics of my reef.
And I didn't want to be left out of the dog pics.
Oh man! Best thread ever!!!! So many nice dogs!
Love the table Acro too!
Thanks for sharing!
minus9
5000 Club Member
Thanks! He is truly a best friend and the best dog that I've ever had the pleasure of spending time with. Rescue dogs rock!
neonreef3d
Well-Known Member
im sure they will fit in it with some retro fitting... mounting lights is pretty easy nowadays, so much material available to make it happen. These t50 LEDS unit is 19"L x 4.5" W x 1.5"H;; it is a sleek unit, and has most functions the radions and AI have minus the wifi feature. For the same price as the ATI hybrid kit, you can blanket the entire tank with these LEDS and run them on a lower settings, saving money for the short and long haul..
Im using the t50... they do have the t75 model that is another 8.5" longer.
So on a 48"L x 24D x 20H....... 4 of the t50 will be the best setup for a full on sps tank, for a mixed or soft corals, 2 units is perfect.
Im looking to fill the tank with SPS coral, and so Im not in a rush to shop for LEDS, as Im not going to add corals all at once. I have 1 LED unit in the center, I will get maybe 3 more, or perhaps get something better if its available at the time. If there is something better the time Im ready to get more units, I will take this t50 and Install it over the frag tank.
I have a feeling that Phillips will come out with an LED unit that will rival the radions soon. they have LED units now, but are very expensive. many people like them, but are about double of the radions.
Chinese LED Units work, and grow corals for half the price as radions. The support and engineering design is the difference when choosing a product that is made by AI, Ecotech, reefbreeders, etc... All these LEDS come out of the same country, drivers powersupplies and cords may be a higher quality, but all electronics wear out sooner or later.
Bottom line is,,,, how many lights dyou need? how deep is your tank? what kind of corals are you wanting to grow. There are many lights designed for different depths and spread also... If you have a 3' hight tank, these lights are not going to penetrate like you will need.
DanInMichigan
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Have you compared this DSuny model to the RS90s? I dont know which is better
neonreef3d
Well-Known Member
The rs90 is for a different style tank, and is not the same as far as spread and blending, as it’s a cluster of lights vs a blanket of LEDs spread out further.
Just a different style,, if you are doing sps, you can use anything as long as you have enough many units over the tank. As far as most par per $, it has to be the t50, t75 models.
Once again, there lights are great for shallow reef, if you have anything taller than 24”, go with a cluster that is meant to penetrate through taller tanks. The a500 by kessil is a perfect example to what those cluster lights are designed for.
BlackGoldReefs
Active Member
Thanks for the advice. My tank is just over 60” long and water is about 19-20” deep. I plan too have a mixed reef over time. I hope to stay around 100 par on the sand bed and move up to the 250-350 ranges in the mid to upper portions.
DanInMichigan
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my take is exactly 24" deep. Also my current lights which I am considering upgrading are the CurrentUSA ICPro duals, which are actually parallel strips for a full front/back coverage. I think the T50/T75 Dsuny configuraton would be a single strip along the length of the tank. Do you get sufficient front/back coverage with just one strip?
UnderseaOddities
Well-Known Member
Ecotech radions if u can get a good deal are top of the line imo then kessil and geisman are both high end when buying leds look for par ppfd wich is just as important imo spectrum, footprint and total foot print
Theses light will get you anywhere from 100 to 450 par depending on how many you run and placement most are made for an 18 x 16 x 24 foot print(l.w.h) at 8 inches from water surface now individual leds will vary and you will have to dial it in but this is a good rule of thumb leaving about 60 to 100 par worth of penetrating power on the bottom and 250 to 450 at the top again this is all based on what kind of coral you're keeping and the amount of money an individual can $$$/budget most leds will have enough par and ppfd to keep soft corals and lps growing and sps alive for the most part.if your doing an sps dominated system you may wanna look into another form of lighting like t5s or mh as they require more intense lighting (250 to 600)par with a high ppfd and cri of 89 or greater( some leds refract thought the water less due to small diodes and less wattage(less reflection=shorter wavelengths). Now with t5s Most people run 2 true blues 2 blue plus and 2 actinics(some throw a white in their) or they'll run 2 t5s and mh or 2 or a single t5 and mix leds and get the best of both worlds... honestly don't buy into the brandwhore bandwagon sure it's nice to have an 829$ light that comes with an app but you can be just as sucessful with a 50$ light same goes for equipment I see so many people pay more for less just based on a name... It's sad. Just my 2 cents if you have the money buy the Mercedes of lights(ecotechs) but if money's tight a honda civic is just as fast and gets you were u need to go(t5 or mh) just have an idea in your head what kinda corals you're running where were they pulled in the reef in shallow waters or deep waters and dial your systems lighting in!
Theses light will get you anywhere from 100 to 450 par depending on how many you run and placement most are made for an 18 x 16 x 24 foot print(l.w.h) at 8 inches from water surface now individual leds will vary and you will have to dial it in but this is a good rule of thumb leaving about 60 to 100 par worth of penetrating power on the bottom and 250 to 450 at the top again this is all based on what kind of coral you're keeping and the amount of money an individual can $$$/budget most leds will have enough par and ppfd to keep soft corals and lps growing and sps alive for the most part.if your doing an sps dominated system you may wanna look into another form of lighting like t5s or mh as they require more intense lighting (250 to 600)par with a high ppfd and cri of 89 or greater( some leds refract thought the water less due to small diodes and less wattage(less reflection=shorter wavelengths). Now with t5s Most people run 2 true blues 2 blue plus and 2 actinics(some throw a white in their) or they'll run 2 t5s and mh or 2 or a single t5 and mix leds and get the best of both worlds... honestly don't buy into the brandwhore bandwagon sure it's nice to have an 829$ light that comes with an app but you can be just as sucessful with a 50$ light same goes for equipment I see so many people pay more for less just based on a name... It's sad. Just my 2 cents if you have the money buy the Mercedes of lights(ecotechs) but if money's tight a honda civic is just as fast and gets you were u need to go(t5 or mh) just have an idea in your head what kinda corals you're running where were they pulled in the reef in shallow waters or deep waters and dial your systems lighting in!
UnderseaOddities
Well-Known Member
If it's just a softie dominated system you could probably use the cheapest led on the market viparspectra black box and still have good results at the end of the day 1000$ lights don't keep the coral alive the person does it doesn't matter if you have a 2000lb water box fully stacked and drilled that cost 5k or a cheap aqueon 120g with all hob equipment you as a reefer will determine your own sucess as an individual...loss is taken sometimes for chances of selfgrowth. Some of the most successful people that I seen when I first started broke everything I thought I knew as a reefer no sumps... No wc... No aminos...just kalkwasser in a bucket and oysterfeast.... The occasional monthly iodine. Just find out what works for you you don't have to be a millionaire you can have 2 pennies to rub together and still practice good animal husbandry it all about propper biological,mechanical and then chemical filtration then maintenance and chemistry then lighting then flow then food source
neonreef3d
Well-Known Member
The spread is good enough, I have an entire reef structure floating over the sand bed, so it’s I can’t really say, I’m waiting for something better to come out, and if not, I will get 3 more t50, I want to have 4 units over my tank, and use less power on each unit.
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