New sps tank LEDvsT5vsMH

[3l3ments]

I have been in the hobby for about 3 years now currently have a 130g (3x3x2). I have always wanted to have a SPS dominated tank but have waited to get experience and really research how to successfully keep SPS. I currently have a mixed reef with a couple of colonies. I will be switching to a 220g tank at the end of the year and I am going to make it a SPS dominated tank. I know MH's work I currently use it now, but I have heard a couple of rumors that LED tech has come a long way and they cover really broad spectrum. So I was trying to choose my lighting for this new set up and was curious if anyone has had any luck keeping SPS under just LEDs or is MH still the best bet or even T5 what i should go for.

Thank you for your input

 

[Singlefin]

Leds are proven to grow SPS.

 

[m88a2]

There are plenty of people who have use LED's, T5's, MH, or combinations to grow very successfull SPS tanks. But with each type there are some fine points to consider such as MH and heat production, T5& MH bulb replacement costs, LED spot lighting/shadowing, and so on. Its been proven that growth/colors can be had with either type so perhaps a good route is to research the ups and downs of all three and settle on the light source who's downfall bothers you the least. Then you can use appropriate measures to counteract the downfalls. For instance, MH w/ cooling solution or LED with supplemental T5. GL and let us know which route you went. MY upcoming build will be LED w/ 2 T5 's

 

[hybridazn]

All 3 will grow sps, that much has been proven. It really just comes down to personal preference.

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

Or you could go all 3

 

[jasonandsarah]

Or you could go all 3

I've been contimplating adding a couple small 75w halides to my Radions and 2 54w T5's. Like to see what all the hypes about! Lol never had halides

 

[d2mini]

Leds are proven to grow SPS.

You just need a ton of them to overcome shadowing issues.
Plan on 1.5-2x as many units as the manfucaturer recommends to cover a given area.

Or you could go all 3

This is what I would do.
I've been down the LED only path and went back to MH/T5 and I'm waiting on my buildmyled actinic strip to arrive.
Best of all three worlds.

 

[Daytonareefing]

If your using MH now chances are your better off to stay with them as I have heat trouble here in Florida so I have to run leds. I think leds grow sps just fine but from what I have seen MH grow sps faster and if you switch you may not be to happy with leds as your use to the growth rate of MH. Just my opinion.

 

[3l3ments]

Sounds like I should just keep to MH maybe add some LED strips to supplement it, thanks everyone for the advice

 

[Tegridy Reef]

I say all three I have the sols on one tank and halides on the other they are plumbed together so exactly the same water and led color is killer but halides grow the crap out of them

 

[jasonandsarah]

All you guys saying halides are so great at growing Sps make me want to throw 2X250W Halides over my tank with 2 Ati true actinic and 2 blue plus!!!
I just can't seem to fathom them growing things any faster in my tank?

 

[Tegridy Reef]

I documented the growing of them only Ben three months and the growing difference is huge

 

[Tegridy Reef]

I truly thing halides and t5 and less for supplement and that's what all the big names are doing cornbread and ax signature and living reef

 

[rovster]

MH is king. Best color best growth when properly used. T5 is middle of the road good compromise of all factors, LEDs grow them and color them very good though. I do feel water quality is the most important factor though.

FWIW I have G2 Radions and my corals are colorful. I feel some of the corals looked like 5-10% better under halide but I like not dealing with heat and the ramping and custom colors of the LEDs. I did recently add a pair of t5s to the mix. I can't say I notice much of a difference. They were colorful and growing before, they are colorful and growing now,.......

 

[SWSCJ]

While I agree that water quality is the most important, random flow ranks up there AS WELL. I've recently gone back with a new build. A 250W 10,000K MH for growth on one side and a 250W 20,000K Radium MH for color on the other. Accented down the lines with 75% ATI Blue Plus T5s and 25% ATI Purple Plus T5s. This on one of my 4' x 8' x 16" deep troughs with washing machine like flow.

 

[anarchy]

All you guys saying halides are so great at growing Sps make me want to throw 2X250W Halides over my tank with 2 Ati true actinic and 2 blue plus!!!
I just can't seem to fathom them growing things any faster in my tank?

Right now a friend and I are doing a grow out of Sanjays leprechaun beard. I run 250w halides over my tank and he runs hydra 52s. His just started showing signs of encrusting a few days ago. Mine has half the plug encrusted already. Just to show the difference in growth

 

[ws6kid]

I agree with the above. Actual growth comes from stability/consistency. Pick what you like, and stick with it.

 

[jasonandsarah]

Right now a friend and I are doing a grow out of Sanjays leprechaun beard. I run 250w halides over my tank and he runs hydra 52s. His just started showing signs of encrusting a few days ago. Mine has half the plug encrusted already. Just to show the difference in growth

That's a different tank though, I'm going to be plumbing in a frag tank and now I'm contimplating putting halides over it.
Same tank, same nutrients and hopefully the same results.

 

[rovster]

I agree different tank different chemistry. Here is a prime example of that.....

This was taken from a tank with Radiums and bad chemistry....




Here it is under LEDs recovering in good water chemistry..,,



If you saw it today, base is brighter green, more pink in the tips.....

The only thing this proves is water chemistry trumps lighting. All things being equal I believe halides are 10-20% better at growth and color in my opinion. I don't mind giving that up for what the leds bring to the table. Choice is yours. They all work..

 

[Mark426]

Pick your poison and then research on the proper intensity, spectrum and duration.

Mark

p.s. There are expert commercial coral growers using each type. Here is a good example.... http://reefbuilders.com/2015/07/18/living-dream/ I have bought corals from dozens of vendors and Jason's consistently have the most intense colors I have seen.