Jenuvio
Active Member
T5 fixtures!
I inherited a tank setup for a very good deal and have decided to keep it very budget friendly. Spent more money on corals and fish than dry goods. I always get tempted by the shimmer and hype of LED but what keeps me from changing is the fact that everything is doing well. If stability is #1 i feel it’s best to replace my T5’s than to buy an LED.
No ramp up, lights go on at 100% for 8hours per day. Everyone is happy.
I inherited a tank setup for a very good deal and have decided to keep it very budget friendly. Spent more money on corals and fish than dry goods. I always get tempted by the shimmer and hype of LED but what keeps me from changing is the fact that everything is doing well. If stability is #1 i feel it’s best to replace my T5’s than to buy an LED.
No ramp up, lights go on at 100% for 8hours per day. Everyone is happy.
Bpb
2500 Club Member
Incorrect. They’re both easy to find and don’t need to be replaced that frequently
mattzang
2500 Club Member
i'm changing my lights up for a tank upgrade. i suppose i could just keep using my two ai prime hds, but without a canopy i think it'd look less than ideal with different lights and i want more power than they can provide
i like my primes, app works great, tank looks good, but i didn't really consider using their more powerful options in the hydras. i'm sure they're great, but i kind of just wanted to try something else. leaning on going with the reefi duos, but curious what dana riddle whips out with the reefbreeder research. lighting a 4' tank for $700 is preferable to doing it with at least $1300..
i like my primes, app works great, tank looks good, but i didn't really consider using their more powerful options in the hydras. i'm sure they're great, but i kind of just wanted to try something else. leaning on going with the reefi duos, but curious what dana riddle whips out with the reefbreeder research. lighting a 4' tank for $700 is preferable to doing it with at least $1300..
dtimerunner1
New Member
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We changed ours simply because they quit working.
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
Reasons for changing - success with growing corals. If that isn't the problem, then it's keeping up with the Jones. Kinda like traded in your functional smart phone to have the latest and greatest gadget.
mtnrunner
Active Member
A few years back I switched from MH and tubes to LED. I wanted to eliminate the expensive ongoing cost of replacing the MH. Im happy with my LEDs and coral growth and no plans to change. I do tend to “like” the latest tech gear, but it takes a pretty good thing to make me jump.
OP
OP
RRTV-Cody
Community Member
Fair enough
OP
OP
RRTV-Cody
Community Member
Too bad they don't have an upgrade plan like they do with phones lol
Not everyone changes out their lights every few years. My tank has been set up since 2004 (almost 16 years!) and I'm still running the original 3 metal halides and ballasts. I did have to change out my actinic VHO bulbs for Reef Brite blue LEDs a few years ago when the 6 ft bulbs became almost impossible to find.
McPuff
Valuable Member
I have switched so many times and mostly because it allowed me to upgrade in some way. Metal halide, T5, compact fluorescent, Kessil, Arctic T247, sodium (refugium), MarsAqua, AI Sol Blue, RapidLED Onyx, Radion G3 Pro, RapidLED DIY.
Right now, I don't see myself switching for a long time. I have reached the "pinnacle" and have the lights I've wanted for a long time, Orphek Atlantik V4. :0) They are terrific. Super easy to program, terrific spectrum, excellent blending, ramping is smooth. There are other lights, or combinations of lights that can do the same thing but on a larger tank I don't think there is much better.
I just recently replaced 9 fixtures over my 300DD (3 x rapidled Onyx, 6 x AI SOl Blue) with only 3 (!) of the Atlantiks. Now, I have more control, way fewer cords and power supplies (much cleaner look), better coverage, and more usable light (i.e., no wasted white channels).
Right now, I don't see myself switching for a long time. I have reached the "pinnacle" and have the lights I've wanted for a long time, Orphek Atlantik V4. :0) They are terrific. Super easy to program, terrific spectrum, excellent blending, ramping is smooth. There are other lights, or combinations of lights that can do the same thing but on a larger tank I don't think there is much better.
I just recently replaced 9 fixtures over my 300DD (3 x rapidled Onyx, 6 x AI SOl Blue) with only 3 (!) of the Atlantiks. Now, I have more control, way fewer cords and power supplies (much cleaner look), better coverage, and more usable light (i.e., no wasted white channels).
biecacka
Valuable Member
I am on The fence. I had 2 metal halides and came across a great deal local on 2 used orpheks. v2 but upgraded to v4.1. So I hoped on them and ran them a few months then had some channels stop working and a few diodes burn out. Upon research this was seemingly common, and frustrating as the new board wasnt even 2 years old. I took them down and sent them to the US rep and put my halides back up. Now I’m looking at a decent sized investment to fix/update both lights or just keeping my halides(maybe swap Out bulbs in a few months). The issue I have is multi level but the biggest one for me is just the fact that if I don’t fix them then they are almost worthless since they don’t work and need updated to work. So yeah an “upgrade“ here went wrong and I’m not sure I’ll go back. I’ve alsways loved halides.
corey
corey
Fourstars
Valuable Member
Good point. I still own an IPhone 4 and run MH. I always question the wisdom of messing with what works. I also think the worst way to deal with algae outbreaks is to mess with ones lighting or use blackouts. It’s all about balance and stability.
I have switched lights to fix something.
One tank started with MH, then T5 because of heat, then LED for the ramp up/down and cost.
Tiny tank went from CFL bulb to a Par30 bulb. That lasted for many years, until the recent AI Prime. In this tank, whatever light I moved away from just wasn't working for the corals. In the bigger tank, each light was growing corals just fine but I needed to fix something else.
One tank started with MH, then T5 because of heat, then LED for the ramp up/down and cost.
Tiny tank went from CFL bulb to a Par30 bulb. That lasted for many years, until the recent AI Prime. In this tank, whatever light I moved away from just wasn't working for the corals. In the bigger tank, each light was growing corals just fine but I needed to fix something else.
Crustaceon
Valuable Member
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I think it’s a combination of perceived value and the fact that humans are visually-motivated. Imagine you were just starting out and saw two tanks in the LFS, one with a bulky 8-bulb t5 unit over it and that “t5” look in the display. Sitting next to it is a tank with three sleek led fixtures, tons of shimmer and near glow in the dark corals. Add on top of this you have a have a sales rep telling you t5 has been around forever and that’s why they’re cheaper while these fancy “light emitting diodes” are the newest technology and that’s why they cost so much. Which light do you gravitate towards? Fast forward two years and your coral growth is ok. Maybe it could grow faster...Everyone has faster growth... Someone said Sanjay’s system grew out in two months. Everyone MUST have faster growth than me! So a new led light just came out with slightly better blending and a cleaner fixture shape. Do you upgrade to the “better” led or do you suddenly buy an 8-bulb t5 on a whim never having used one before? Most people go in one direction vs. sideways and onto a possibly better path for their system because they assume a better version of what they have right now is better than options they haven’t considered at all.
Xero
Community Member
Is mobius scaring you all away, or drawing you in with the notion of a single system? I'm just trying to understand.
I have had some poor experiences with mobius + versa, especially with android (I only can get it working with iPad half the time) plus various reliability issues. Mobius would have me running for the hills right now, lol.
I have had some poor experiences with mobius + versa, especially with android (I only can get it working with iPad half the time) plus various reliability issues. Mobius would have me running for the hills right now, lol.
Got rid of 4 G5's due to them turning on in the middle of the night or resetting intensity on their own (Still an ongoing issue after updates). It doesn't help that all 4 of mine cracked and made popping noises. Either way, I'm glad there are folks who are happy with their G5's. Hopefully they enable wifi sooner or later.
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