Metal Halide and T5 Grow Corals Better Than LED and Cost Less

[Nonya]

So you would be running heaters either way, but the mh will be assisting the heaters if they are in a closed canopy.

Except I will never use MH again.

 

[Nonya]

So led guys are talking about ramp up and down, color adjustment abilities of led vs mh, but then when cost is a factor they use black box lights to compare against the top of the line mh.

Not me. As I said, my plans for my next tank includes DIY LEDs that I've already got on hand. I'll cover an 8-foot tank for less than the cost of ONE MH fixture. Who needs to spend a grand for enough ugly reflectors _i.e., metal tents) to cover the same area?

 

[Nonya]

140% will certainly test them. mine may have had the older lenses and were run at a lot less. But ya burnt holes right though the lenses.

140% of what?

 

[Shooter6]

One thing I don't understand about threads like this:

Why does it really matter what people use to begin with? Why are you turning it into a contest? I really only opened this thread because of the false claims in the title. But at the end of the day, why is this so important to some of you?

I've never looked at someone's lighting and thought anything about it. They all get the job done.

Why the agenda over lighting?

The contest you spoke of, is mostly caused by people who spent a ridiculous amount of money to have the "it " light brand over their display for bragging rights, being challenged by other options that take attention away from them.

Example Joe set up a planet aquarium low iron display with xr30g5, full apex, dosing monitoring ect ect.

Joe mentions all his equipment by brand name every time he discusses his display, to brag that he's into it for 20k+ without livestock.

Pete set up the same size display, low iron,
Mh, a basic or no controller simple doser ect.

Pete is into his for 7k.

When Joe and pete are in a group discussion, and Pete talks about his system Joe feels offended that Pete is pulling everyone else's attention away from Joe's.
This is double true when Pete's corals are larger and he doesn't battle dinos and cyano. Joe feels he's being personally attacked and starts interrupting Pete, screaming and arguing with Pete. He then tries to get Pete kicked out of the group or change the conversation, saying Pete has nothing to offer lol.
Hopefully this is a clear enough example .

 

[X-37B]

140% of what?

Its overdriving certain leds because you run the other colors at less %.

 

[Shooter6]

Not me. As I said, my plans for my next tank includes DIY LEDs that I've already got on hand. I'll cover an 8-foot tank for less than the cost of ONE MH fixture. Who needs to spend a grand for enough ugly reflectors _i.e., metal tents) to cover the same area?

Look forward to seeing your light when you are done. As I said before almost every single person on here uses manufactured aka store bought lights.
The led ones are all way more cost per coverage provided vs mh. 1 400w mh is equal to 2 xr30 in coverage.
1 400w mh =400w
2 xr30 = 430w
Hmm where is the savings in electricity again?

 

[Nonya]

Its overdriving certain leds because you run the other colors at less %.

Ahh. So they're on the same circuit as other colors.

 

[wrassie86]

140% of what?

90's reefer said:
Thanks. The new 16's have different lens from what I understand. I do have replacement lens already in stock by the way.
I run UV/V at 140% and RB/B at 125% so I will be watching them.

 

[rgulrich]

Look forward to seeing your light when you are done. As I said before almost every single person on here uses manufactured aka store bought lights.
The led ones are all way more cost per coverage provided vs mh. 1 400w mh is equal to 2 xr30 in coverage.
1 400w mh =400w
2 xr30 = 430w
Hmm where is the savings in electricity again?

Here's my electricity savings.
First pic is a screen shot from my Apex. I'm now running with the six Kessil A360WE and three A500X running at daytime peak - around 60% and 40% respectively. PAR around 350 at reef crest, 250 at the rubble line in my 300 "island" build. Reef runs diagonally from left rear to right front, and you can walk all the way around the reef. A500X's run down the "middle" the length of the aquarium, the A360WE's down the "front" and "back" of the reef.

Here's one of my six ballasts I used for this reef for my 250W mogul bulbs. The math is pretty easy.

I really liked the MH's. They didn't effectively light my reef the way I needed them to, and unfortunately heated up the living room (reef location) and basement (filter location), made my chiller run way too much, and really cranked up the humidity throughout the house and basement, so the dehumidifiers started to work overtime in the basement throughout the year.
The electricity savings were rather substantial in my case, even if I didn't go with the cheap solution.

Here's a lousy cell phone pic of Spike smiling and waving to the crowd.

Cheers,
Ray

 

[oreo54]

The contest you spoke of, is mostly caused by people who spent a ridiculous amount of money to have the "it " light brand over their display for bragging rights, being challenged by other options that take attention away from them.

Example Joe set up a planet aquarium low iron display with xr30g5, full apex, dosing monitoring ect ect.

Joe mentions all his equipment by brand name every time he discusses his display, to brag that he's into it for 20k+ without livestock.

Pete set up the same size display, low iron,
Mh, a basic or no controller simple doser ect.

Pete is into his for 7k.

When Joe and pete are in a group discussion, and Pete talks about his system Joe feels offended that Pete is pulling everyone else's attention away from Joe's.
This is double true when Pete's corals are larger and he doesn't battle dinos and cyano. Joe feels he's being personally attacked and starts interrupting Pete, screaming and arguing with Pete. He then tries to get Pete kicked out of the group or change the conversation, saying Pete has nothing to offer lol.
Hopefully this is a clear enough example .

Live in the real world much?
Cars, hifi, ect. ect. ect ..
Exists everywhere
Just need to put on your big person pants and deal with it..

Now when someone shouts " blah blah blah best" and leds are jokes and christmas lights and your grandma knows better"..well what exactly are you expecting?

Top it off with no real " documented" evidence and/ or ignoring led " success" stories as propaganda or this:

Halide users have been abused and provoked in this thread and others for so many years!

2 years ago . https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/no-love-for-mh.540931/page-49#post-6285214.

Do you REALLY think it is polite to infer someone wasted $1000's on an opinion?
Even IF it is correct.
Not tonention actively trying to poke holes in everyone led personal experience.



Do you think you (in the broad sense) are the judge and jury to tell other people how to spend there money without even considering their goals?

Even my firm belief in leds in fw aquarium does not stop me from recommending alternate lights IF the situation calls for it.
And it does at times. No question about it

This thread started with a targeted opinion, why do you expect the followup to be better.

Started a bit hot, cooled down and was pretty much left to the faithful. Then it heated up

You want a NON-Controversial thread start it like
For "metal halide lovers only"

Compare that to this and the one posted above
Again , what did you expect?

Yeesh not rocket science.

 

[Shooter6]

There you go

Live in the real world much?
Cars, hifi, ect. ect. ect ..
Exists everywhere
Just need to put on your big person pants and deal with it..

Now when someone shouts " blah blah blah best" and leds are jokes and christmas lights and your grandma knows better"..well what exactly are you expecting?

Top it off with no real " documented" evidence and/ or ignoring led " success" stories as propaganda or this:

2 years ago . https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/no-love-for-mh.540931/page-49#post-6285214.

Do you REALLY think it is polite to infer someone wasted $1000's on an opinion?
Even IF it is correct.
Not tonention actively trying to poke holes in everyone led personal experience.



Do you think you (in the broad sense) are the judge and jury to tell other people how to spend there money without even considering their goals?

Even my firm belief in leds in fw aquarium does not stop me from recommending alternate lights IF the situation calls for it.
And it does at times. No question about it

This thread started with a targeted opinion, why do you expect the followup to be better.

Started a bit hot, cooled down and was pretty much left to the faithful. Then it heated up

You want a NON-Controversial thread start it like
For "metal halide lovers only"

Compare that to this and the one posted above
Again , what did you expect?

Yeesh not rocket science.

Calling leds Christmas lights ect again . I didn't see a single mh advocate call them that.

Big boy pants are on and have been. I was explaing why the led guys are so obnoxious, the motives behind their behaviors lol

 

[oreo54]

There you go

Calling leds Christmas lights ect again . I didn't see a single mh advocate call them that.

Big boy pants are on and have been. I was explaing why the led guys are so obnoxious, the motives behind their behaviors lol

Grandis did..sorry. I don't make stuff up or even "color" it

No love for MH?​

Yes, I can call Radions Christmas lights because they look like Christmas lights to me! So what? LOL!

Recreating a thunderstorm idea....​

...all. Whatever lighting/thunder storm effects LED fixtures could offer aren't to be used. There is absolutely no need for that in a reef tank. Fishes will get stressed. Christmas lights are to be used for decoration. We already have too many Christmas lights pretending to be useful reef...

Debating switching from T5’s to led​

Fancy plastic Christmas lights. And they call pucks the prime line of LEDs. What a joke! I'm glad you have your T5s back,

 

[wrassie86]

Metal Halide and T5 Grow Corals Better Than LED and Cost Less—Why Not Keep It Old School?

That is the name of the article Marine Depot released and what this thread was supposed to be center around. Grandis linked to the article.

 

[oreo54]

Metal Halide and T5 Grow Corals Better Than LED and Cost Less

That is the name of the article Marine Depot released and what this thread was supposed to be center around. Grandis linked to the article.

Soo that makes it LESS provocative?

 

[wrassie86]

Soo that makes it LESS provocative?

I edited my post forgetting this piece —Why Not Keep It Old School?
To answer your question "depends" since throughout this thread —Why Not Keep It Old School? seems to left out.

 

[Bpb]

The contest you spoke of, is mostly caused by people who spent a ridiculous amount of money to have the "it " light brand over their display for bragging rights, being challenged by other options that take attention away from them.

Example Joe set up a planet aquarium low iron display with xr30g5, full apex, dosing monitoring ect ect.

Joe mentions all his equipment by brand name every time he discusses his display, to brag that he's into it for 20k+ without livestock.

Pete set up the same size display, low iron,
Mh, a basic or no controller simple doser ect.

Pete is into his for 7k.

When Joe and pete are in a group discussion, and Pete talks about his system Joe feels offended that Pete is pulling everyone else's attention away from Joe's.
This is double true when Pete's corals are larger and he doesn't battle dinos and cyano. Joe feels he's being personally attacked and starts interrupting Pete, screaming and arguing with Pete. He then tries to get Pete kicked out of the group or change the conversation, saying Pete has nothing to offer lol.
Hopefully this is a clear enough example .

Much of that is scary true. Most hobbyists who took the field since gen4 radions came out seem like they are more interested in what is OUTSIDE the tank rather than inside

 

[oreo54]

I edited my post forgetting this piece —Why Not Keep It Old School?
To answer your question "depends"

Right .."selective editing" for effect...

Back and forth, back and forth...

MH vs T5 vs Led

Adam, would you mind sharing your thoughts on the different lighting options? I know all three can grow coral and color them but if you had to pick one for color what would it be? What would you pick for growth? Is there a noticeable difference?

www.reef2reef.com

This a really tough question. I mean i go back and forth myself all the time. I think it comes down to LED VS T5 mostly because the effects of halide are similar enough to LED that for me theres isn't as much of a comparison performance wise.

Pound for pound I think t5s deliver such an even and well distributed amount of light that sps just thrive under them in away that they don't under point source lighting. Purely anecdotal but I cant deny whats in front of me. However, when i see the kind of coloration the punch from led can pull, it's hard not to bounce back to that side of the fence. Factor in buying bulbs, and it's led for sure. Every time i buy another batch of t5 bulbs, 10-16 or so at a time I say to myself "well that could have been another led fixture" lol

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I edited my post forgetting this piece —Why Not Keep It Old School?
To answer your question "depends" since throughout this thread —Why Not Keep It Old School? seems to left out.

Hmm...I'm not sure I understand the "Why not keep it old school" component (or at least how it makes this different). It seems like an appeal to nostalgia, but in this conversation, it would seem that nostalgia would be outbid by innovation and progress. I mean, if we're keeping it old school, why not go back to VHOs? Now...I think when it comes to people preferring different types of lighting, the best solution is that we should all recognize that different solutions come with different pros and cons, and we will all prioritize different things in different ways. And in the end, all 3 of the big lighting options will grow corals quite well, so I think that fist-pounding the table and saying MH or T5 or LED are better and all other options are bad is just a bunch of people really unwilling to admit that there are all kinds of great ways to successfully keep a reef.

 

[wrassie86]

Look forward to seeing your light when you are done. As I said before almost every single person on here uses manufactured aka store bought lights.
The led ones are all way more cost per coverage provided vs mh. 1 400w mh is equal to 2 xr30 in coverage.
1 400w mh =400w
2 xr30 = 430w
Hmm where is the savings in electricity again?

I ask because I don't know... on a 24inch wide tank growing sps high light corals I know it would need 2 xr30 per 24x24 do the radions really need to be run at full bore or close to it?

 

[Shooter6]

Grandis did..sorry. I don't make stuff up or even "color" it

Different threads. Not here