Is T5 still one of the best choices in reef lighting.

[loyalsockreefer]

I do think there is something to be said about uvb and uva in the application of t5. It's the same reason most reptiles can't metabolize under leds no matter the spectrum or intensity. And the first thing directly to effect them from lack of uvb/uva is metabolic bone disease which equates to a problem in metabolizing calcium and calcium development in their bones. I see no reason corals couldn't suffer from the same calcium development problems under leds. I'm no expert and have little experience with t5/mh in aquarium application but that's how my mind would think of it.

 

[00W]

I can afford expensive LEDS.
I do not like them.
I don't like the colors, shimmer or controlability.
T5's are pleasing to my eye, are simple and are what make me happy.
I will run them until the world has decided to phase them out like they do many things.
Hopefully I will get to run them a while longer before they phase me out as well.
I think with the advent of everything LED, many great light choices went by the wayside in an unfortunate way.
I think it's cool that some have gone back to T5's, just like some of us are buying and listening to vinyl again.
I also don't have a million dollars in coral as some of you do and don't care about PAR in any way.
Do what you like and like what you do.
My 2 cents.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I can afford expensive LEDS.
I do not like them.
I don't like the colors, shimmer or controlability.
T5's are pleasing to my eye, are simple and are what make me happy.
I will run them until the world has decided to phase them out like they do many things.
Hopefully I will get to run them a while longer before they phase me out as well.
I think with the advent of everything LED, many great light choices went by the wayside in an unfortunate way.
I think it's cool that some have gone back to T5's, just like some of us are buying and listening to vinyl again.
I also don't have a million dollars in coral as some of you do and don't care about PAR in any way.
Do what you like and like what you do.
My 2 cents.

Great 2 cents. +1 on the vinyl. I feel sorry for the younger crowd that have never heard Pink Floyd or zeppelin on a analog DC amp through large floor standing speakers turned way too far up.

 

[djf91]

Polo reef has a MH tank side by side with a led tank. MH grew the corals out faster and color is better, they talked about it extensively. You can see the evidence. And that is ok…it’s okay if an older lighting technology is better at times at growing corals. I am a scientist for living and that is about as controlled of a study as it gets in the hobby. It’s equivalent to an observational study with elements of a controlled environment. You can check out the YouTube video, came out a few weeks ago. Doesn’t mean leds don’t work well. No one is saying that. So there is no reason to come in Here to a thread asking about T5 and getting anxious that you need data to make you feel good about your leds or my reefbreeders.

I’ve grown corals under all lighting options. T5 grew the corals the fastest, I like MH the best, and leds make the corals pop the most. All my experiences and opinions. As much as this is a scientific forum it’s also a forum full of experiences and opinions.

Do you have a link to this Polo reef video?

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

Do you have a link to this Polo reef video?

Yep, right here:



At 3:30 is where Andrew talks about the two tanks, but single system, just different lighting and better growth and color he sees with MH. Not trying to start another argument, this is just Andrew’s experience and words.

And a quote from Andrew at 4:52, “and you can’t match the PAR with the leds or you’ll burn the ….. out of the coral.”

 

[buruskeee]

I feel like you’re arguing about something no one is arguing about. I don’t recall anyone asking WHY a coral may not react the same under 700 PAR of led vs 700 PAR of T5/MH…thanks for sharing your conclusions on spectrum as an explanation for that though.

700 PAR of LED does not equate to 700 PAR of T5/metal halide. We need data still to support that? Is it 2018? Oh dear…maybe the earth is flat.

ok

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

ok

Yea…don’t recall asking why…

…and let’s purposely leave out context from the previous posts that precede my statement…which was… that you cannot simply PAR match your readings going from T5/MH to LED or you’ll fry your corals.

Let’s keep removing context, it’s working it seems.

 

[buruskeee]

Yea…don’t recall asking why…

…and let’s purposely leave out context from the previous posts that precede my statement…which was… that you cannot simply PAR match your readings going from T5/MH to LED or you’ll fry your corals.

Let’s keep removing context, it’s working it seems.

No you won't fry your corals if the PAR is the same going from one tech to another. Bring evidence, not hyperbole based on a guess and random talking points. Again, PAR is PAR.

How did I bleach my corals a decade ago when I ran MH? Oh that's right, because it was too much PAR. How are there people running LEDs at 700PAR at their corals and not bleaching?

 

[Z Burn's Reefing]

No you won't fry your corals if the PAR is the same going from one tech to another. Bring evidence, not hyperbole based on a guess and random talking points. Again, PAR is PAR.

How did I bleach my corals a decade ago when I ran MH? Oh that's right, because it was too much PAR. How are there people running LEDs at 700PAR at their corals and not bleaching?

Ok buddy, you're bringing lots of evidence yourself..."back when you ran MH a decade ago"...just playing with you!

I see your passionate about what your saying and have a lot of conviction. I think at this point, I'm just going to say you're right. I have done more posting today than I have the last 10 years! @buruskeee I appreciate you sharing your expertise. I'm still learning (no sarcasm). I am trying to remain open to others experiences and expertise - I'll keep at it, cheers!

 

[buruskeee]

I have done more posting today than I have the last 10 years! @buruskeee I appreciate you sharing your expertise. I'm still learning (no sarcasm) and my apologies if I got a little intense. I am trying to remain open to others experiences and expertise - I'll keep at it, cheers!

Some topics get us up don't they. Whatever the results show (when they're finally thoroughly tested), it would be awesome to see, one way or another, but we can't deny that they all work.

Happy reefing!

 

[FrugalReefer]

On my previous 120 gallon, coral growth exploded after I switched from LEDs to a T5 with Reef Brite strips setup. So I would say yes they are still a good choice.

 

[Reefering1]

Soooo,
t5's won!!

 

[jackson6745]

No you won't fry your corals if the PAR is the same going from one tech to another. Bring evidence, not hyperbole based on a guess and random talking points. Again, PAR is PAR.

How did I bleach my corals a decade ago when I ran MH? Oh that's right, because it was too much PAR. How are there people running LEDs at 700PAR at their corals and not bleaching?

I did not experience par is par using radion g4 and g6. Running 300-400 par with led gave me the color fading like I would get with 600-700 par of halide. I don't think it is a coincidence that we saw a bunch of sps keepers running much higher nutrient levels when full led tanks because mainstream. The increase in zoox certainly does protect the coral from becoming damaged from too much light. The par from a linear source of light, a wider point source, and a narrow point source of light does not have the same effect on SPS. When quality LED prices offer more value, I will be covering a tanks footprint almost completely with diodes. I really want those ATI stratons but price is crazy.

 

[ingchr1]

I like what Abe from Coral Euphoria does. He takes 2 bulbs out of his 8 bulb ati fixture and replaces it with diy led strips. If there was a light that had infused led and t5 like that, I’d be all over it.

The Reef Brite T5 fixtures have available brackets for attaching a bar on each end. Here's mine with Quanta's.

Replaced them with Quanta Pro Meso Blue bars.

 

[Gill the 3rd]

I usually sit on the sidelines for these lighting threads because they often get pretty heated, but figured Id throw my 2 cents in.

I only seriously started this hobby about 6 years ago, but my first 180 gallon tank I used T5 fixtures because they were cheaper than the high end LEDs. I personally wasn't a huge fan of the flat windex look so I grabbed my freshwater kessils and added them with the T5s. It looked great and I grew the crap out of corals including SPS. Admittedly, it was a lot of montis, digis, etc (easier to keep SPS), but some Acans as well. I got great coverage with the T5s and the LEDs added that pop.

When upgraded to my 300 gallon I got rid of the T5s and used viparspectra LEDs and the same freshwater Kessils. Its only been about 6 months, but my corals are growing quickly with the all LED setup. I don't think the lighting looks quite as good as the T5/LED combo, but that's probably just how I have it setup.

As some others have said, I think they all work great. Maybe one will grow corals faster than the other, maybe not. Maybe one looks better than the other, maybe not. Its all up to the individual. I think its hard to make a definitive statement on lighting when there are so many other factors that affect coral growth in ones tank.

 

[djf91]

Yep, right here:



At 3:30 is where Andrew talks about the two tanks, but single system, just different lighting and better growth and color he sees with MH. Not trying to start another argument, this is just Andrew’s experience and words.

And a quote from Andrew at 4:52, “and you can’t match the PAR with the leds or you’ll burn the ….. out of the coral.”

Regardless of light source, I think this at least explains the PAR/intensity question, right? More PAR/ wider spectrum = better growth and color in SPS. Right there in the video.

 

[vlangel]

I was a die hard T5 gal until I could not source 30" bulbs for my Coralife quad fixture. Basically I was forced to downsize to a T5 fixture with 24" bulbs that would have been a little small for my tank or switch to LEDs. Now LEDs were very intimidating to me as I did not have a clue what to buy or how to manage setting up with the tech. I watched the BRS LED showdown and decided on ReefBreeder's Photon. It was quite a challenge for this grandmother to set up but in the end, I actually ended up loving the ReefBreeder. The color is great, and my coral have never done better so for me, it was a happy accident when I switched.

 

[bobnicaragua]

The logic being brought to claim MH/T5 is better is very close to those that believe the earth is flat. It's based on "to my eyes, because I said so, because they want you to buy things".

If spectrums are EXACTLY the same, yes 700 PAR from LEDs is exactly what 700 PAR from T5/MH is - there is nothing you can bring forward to disprove this - and I dare you to try and factually disprove this.



Yes, and if you actually listen to WHY, then you'll understand what we've been saying in this very thread - PAR is PAR if SPECTRUM is exactly the same, regardless of the light source. As we've said here repeatedly at this point, MH outputs a little bit lower wavelengths in the UV spectrum, which (again as we said) LEDs are still trying to cost effectively manufacture.

But you truther's notion that the technology produces "laser" lights vs "natural" lights is so laughable - it's the exact logic flat earthers use when talking about "water doesn't fall off the surface spinning around a blah blah blah". Again, I'll say it louder so you all understand - IF THE SPECTRUM IS EXACTLY THE SAME, PAR FOR PAR IT'S THE EXACT SAME LIGHT REGARDLESS OF TECHNOLOGY.



I want to add, I wish these tests were done in water after the water filters out some of the spectrum (proven in the ocean UV drops considerably and only the blue/violet wavelengths make it down - hence why LEDs focus on that spectrum rather than waste wattage on other parts of the spectrum). If I had a spectrum meter, I would dust off my old MH fixture (would still need to hunt down a Radium bulb) and so the tests for everyone.

Also to note, we don't really know besides guessing what benefits UV has for corals (also pointed out in the video - they left it as it needs to be researched). Tullio also keeps saying full spectrum, but it's not. The sun has an even wider spectrum (much of which is very harmful).

There is more to lighting than just spectrum. The reflectors on halides and T5 are large and really good at throwing light at every angle. I run T5 LED hybrid and pretty much all of my canopy is covered in lights.

The T5 are great at lighting up shadowed areas, which is beneficial to acropora. I have dimly lit areas that go totally dark when the T5 shutoff and only LEDs remain on.

 

[BZOFIQ]

T5=great lights

Change bulbs every 2 years and it is cheaper than replacing LEDs at every generation change like most people do.

BTW. Stagger your bulb changes and dont change all at once.

 

[buruskeee]

There is more to lighting than just spectrum. The reflectors on halides and T5 are large and really good at throwing light at every angle. I run T5 LED hybrid and pretty much all of my canopy is covered in lights.

What you’re talking about is spread. That’s a different discussion. What I’m referring to is that the photons that come out of each tech is exactly the same. If there was a T5/MH/LED fixture that was designed with the exact spectrum and gave out the exact PAR as each other - it would grow across exactly the same. That’s been my whole point from the beginning. There’s some folks that think 100 PAR from LED is not the same as 100 PAR from arc based bulbs because “LEDs are lasers” - it’s just no where near factual.