T5s in 2025 (almost 2026)

[Rcfiftyone]

Im currently deep in the rabbithole (and decending) of choosing the best lighting for my SPS dominant reef. Dimensions are 66" long x 34" wide x 30" tall. The tank currently has 4 Kessil A360w. My inital thought was to add 2 T5 80w retrofit kits of 2 bulbs each (4 bulbs total). Total inital investment of about $600. Not too bad...

Next I found an 8 bulb 6' ATI Powermodule (T5/LED hybrid) available locally for a decent price ($800). Lots of bulbs and lots of heat/energy/bulb replacement cost. Could always run only 4-6 of the bulbs at a given time.

Then I started considering simply adding more LEDs and forgo the T5s all together. Possibly 3 Radion G6 pros in between the 4 Kessils. Better yet, some ATI Strattons or even some Orpheks. ATI had the flex the could span the length of my tank.

So, to get back on topic... what is the practicality of T5s in 2025? It seems bulb availability may be an issue at times. ATI no longer offters their actinic. The blue plus is currently out of stock almost everywhere I look for the 60" bulbs.

Can todays best LEDs out perform T5s even in the shading aspect? I hope to have nice size acro colonies where this can be an issue.

Money is always a deciding factor. With that said, I want to buy once and buy the best. The growth/health/coloration of corals is the priority. Will 4 80w T5s and 4 kessils be enough to achieve success in a 30" deep tank? Should I ditch the kessils all together for a wall of Orpheks? Maybe a Powermodule with Kessils on the sides/down the middle? 3 Radions and 4 Kessils? Strattons and Kessils? Should I attempt to harness the power of the sun with mirrors and parabolic lenses? Nuclear reactor type setup? As you can see, Im all over the place. Need some real world, recent experiences to make my decision. Help me cook this tank!

 

[rtparty]

Throw a couple Blades on there to flank the Kessils

 

[reefpanda]

Check out @Troylee build

 

[Linden13]

Check out the quanta helix light bars they are similar to the orphek bars i have both the quanta seems to have a bit better spread and even mix of color. The orpheks blue plus are more blue windex color. The quanta are a little more purple.

 

[Skippy The Meh]

If you can swing a reef breeders meridian, i highly recommend it. I just picked one up a week ago and my sps have exploded. It can output frequencies of light other lights cannot.

 

[Rcfiftyone]

Your refering to the AI blades correct? Sorry, been away from the hobby for a while so Im not up on everything

Throw a couple Blades on there to flank the Kessils

 

[Rcfiftyone]

Check out the quanta helix light bars they are similar to the orphek bars i have both the quanta seems to have a bit better spread and even mix of color. The orpheks blue plus are more blue windex color. The quanta are a little more purple.

Interesting, Ill have to give those a look. I was considering the Orphek bars. Not familiar with the quanta helix

 

[Rcfiftyone]

If you can swing a reef breeders meridian, i highly recommend it. I just picked one up a week ago and my sps have exploded. It can output frequencies of light other lights cannot.

Yes, this was one on my list as well. Had the old photon for a while and had good results. Are you using your meridian as a stand alone or in conjunction with other lights? What did it replace?

 

[Skippy The Meh]

If you can swing a reef breeders meridian, i highly recommend it. I just picked one up a week ago and my sps have exploded. It can output frequencies of light other lights cannot.

Yes, this was one on my list as well. Had the old photon for a while and had good results. Are you using your meridian as a stand alone or in conjunction with other lights? What did it replace?

Right now im using the meridian as a stand alone. I got the meridian bc it was the only light i could find that was modular with their rail system so in the future i plan to add the edge to it and when i increase tank size i can just attach more to the rail. Kessils were on the tank previously.

 

[Jarob]

I'm running an ATI Powermodule 8 bulb t5 with 3x75w LED and two quanta Helix bars on my 180. I personally love T5. If I were to go just LED I'd get the ATI Straton Flex those lights are insane.

 

[D.WhiteShark]

Interesting, Ill have to give those a look. I was considering the Orphek bars. Not familiar with the quanta helix

I'm running Quanta Helix on both my tanks and love them. Haven't been able to find anyone saying anything bad about them yet. Build quality is exceptional and price is more than fair for everything they offer.

https://www.quanta-lights.com/products/quanta-helix?variant=45651473105053

 

[Troylee]

A pair of meridians will rock that thing!

 

[Rcfiftyone]

Right now im using the meridian as a stand alone. I got the meridian bc it was the only light i could find that was modular with their rail system so in the future i plan to add the edge to it and when i increase tank size i can just attach more to the rail. Kessils were on the tank previously.

I feel like one Meridian and the kessils might get the job done. If not I can always a second after I recover financially from the first. Lol

 

[Rcfiftyone]

I'm running an ATI Powermodule 8 bulb t5 with 3x75w LED and two quanta Helix bars on my 180. I personally love T5. If I were to go just LED I'd get the ATI Straton Flex those lights are insane.

How is the heat ouput on that bad boy? Chiller needed? Is it the 4"?

 

[Kodski]

I run T5's and I love them. There's just something about a full spectrum of light. You see all kinds of different colors appear with them. I run a Reefbrite XHO actinic bar for color pop. I desperately want to switch that out for two Quanta Helix bars and a pair of Kessil A360's though. I live in Wisconsin where the founder of Quanta lives and hear/see nothing but amazing things from Quanta. Eventually, I'll probably switch out my T5 for the quanta Atlas which more mimic Metal Halide lights.

I pick up the T5 light, though to be honest I've got a guy around me selling 60" 8 bulbs for $200, $800 seems a bit high unless there are all brand new bulbs. Either way, $800 is going to be the best bang for your buck you can light that tank for SPS. I'd throw that up along with your 4 kessils for a stunning shimmer look and then eventually add a few LED bars from Quanta for some added pop.

 

[Ryan Souza]

Still using 8 bulb 60” sunpower, sps tank, over a cade 1800p. The light fits in the tank as it’s 70ish inches long and 30 wide. I have 0 issues with this setup and my colonies are mediumish size. I haven’t had an issue with bulb supply, but if something ever did happen in the future I would most likely go to the meridians as the only place I buy coral from uses them. But they really are easy, put bulb in and come back in 18 months or so.

 

[spsick]

Powermodule is a great light but they’re high asking for $800 based on how slowly they move.

Offer them $500 cash and you’re in good shape vs upfront cost of new LEDs ubless you’re adding Quantas.

 

[Skippy The Meh]

Right now im using the meridian as a stand alone. I got the meridian bc it was the only light i could find that was modular with their rail system so in the future i plan to add the edge to it and when i increase tank size i can just attach more to the rail. Kessils were on the tank previously.

I feel like one Meridian and the kessils might get the job done. If not I can always a second after I recover financially from the first. Lol

The meridians put out some serious par. Lots of info and studies on them here on R2R

 

[galantra]

I'm running an ATI Powermodule 8 bulb t5 with 3x75w LED and two quanta Helix bars on my 180. I personally love T5. If I were to go just LED I'd get the ATI Straton Flex those lights are insane.

I have the same setup and also would go with the ATI flex setup. Currently debating on doing the switch. No heat light weight and looking at the former gen a better price for a larger tank

 

[bobnicaragua]

The reflectors in T5 and reef brite XHO make all the difference in shading. I pulled down my T5 and replaced them with Orphek bars and my Pink Lemonade and Cliff’s acro deteriorated until I put the T5 back up last week. They started improving in a couple days, but both are in bad shape.

The top colonies below are under the tank brace and next to the overflow, so it’s about the worse spot in the tank for shading.