MH vs Radions

[CoralReeferGal]

Hey all! I'm sure this is a subject that has been beaten to death, but in my research I'm only finding info regarding SPS heavy tanks. We have a good mix, but probably heavier on the LPS. We have a HUGE branching hammer colony, in the process of growing a frogspawn, tons of mushrooms, a few leathers, candycanes and zoas. We have a few acans as well, but dont seem to be having much luck with them. We currently run MH/T5s with moonlights, and have been researching radions. What are the pros and cons of each? Will radions grow the stuff we have as well as the MHs do? Not as worried about the electric bill, the concern for us is strictly benefits to the tank and what's in it. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Sam2832]

MH vs Radions

I made the same move early 2018 with good results.
I had 2x 250w mh and 4x 54w t5 on my 100g tank, and now i have 2 radions g4 pro set on high growth at 65% intensity and i like the results on all corals.
I do have more sps than lps but the few i have (goniopora, favias, acan and leptoseris) do as fine now than with the previous setup.
Better coverage/less shadows with mh/t5.
More fine tuning with the led, plug and play for mh/t5.
If you do the move start them at lower intensity with a good period for the acclimatation (+- 4-6 weeks).
Like 60% intensity starting at 50%, wich mean your led will start at 30% and slowly ramp up to 60% over the time period you choose.
The things i prefer with the led is the fact that they produce WAY LESS HEAT and the slow sunrise/sunset.
I miss the coverage of my earlier setup but i can do without and the corals also.
Mh/t5

Led

Have fun!


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[mcgyvr]

There is no benefit (to the tank) IMO from switching from Mh/T5 to LED..
The only benefits there are the reduction in heat/electricity/bulb replacement costs..
If money/heat,etc.. is not a problem then MH/T5 will be equal to or better than LED as far as potential for coral growth,etc...
LEDs most certainly have the ability to grow corals though....
But in a "strictly to benefit the tank" there is no return on investment benefit in switching

 

[Bpb]

My favorite kind of thread. If your MH aren't doing the trick, I can't see a single reason why a radion suddenly would without changing anything else (including intensity measured with a par meter).


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[CoralReeferGal]

My favorite kind of thread. If your MH aren't doing the trick, I can't see a single reason why a radion suddenly would without changing anything else (including intensity measured with a par meter).


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Oh theres nothing the MHs arent doing... if anything, stuff is growing TOO fast lol! We have an abundance of branching hammer, we cant sell, trade or give frags away quick enough. We just want to make sure the switch wont kill anything, by not having the same coverage or intensity of light, if that makes sense?

 

[mcgyvr]

When heat/recurring costs aren't a concern then I do not know of a single person that made the switch to MH or T5 that wasn't happy.. (well.. there may be a few that had overly blue LED tanks that missed the unnatural acid trip)
There are numerous people that switched from MH/T5 to LED that wish they didn't..

Chances are you are better staying with whats working well than if you were to switch now..

 

[Bpb]

Oh theres nothing the MHs arent doing... if anything, stuff is growing TOO fast lol! We have an abundance of branching hammer, we cant sell, trade or give frags away quick enough. We just want to make sure the switch wont kill anything, by not having the same coverage or intensity of light, if that makes sense?

I see. I misinterpreted your post. I thought you were struggling. If you switch and there's a sudden negative impact, I think it would be a result of too different of intensity. Definitely use a par meter


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[hkgar]

I have gone from mh to led to t5 to mh/t5 and now all t5. I like that the best.

It is nothing more than personal choice about the esthetics.

 

[ycnibrc]

Well I definitely can give u some input because I have been there. My tank was with halide for the first 1.5 years and then I switch to led for the last year. Halide is the best light for growth period nothing can replace it. However if you keeping rainbow tenius or rainbow Sps then only led can show the color. If you want to show off your zoa or rainbow scoly then only led can do that for you. I still have pretty good growth with led since your coral grow fast or slow more base on your water chemistry not base on light.


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[alton]

Well I definitely can give u some input because I have been there. My tank was with halide for the first 1.5 years and then I switch to led for the last year. Halide is the best light for growth period nothing can replace it. However if you keeping rainbow tenius or rainbow Sps then only led can show the color. If you want to show off your zoa or rainbow scoly then only led can do that for you. I still have pretty good growth with led since your coral grow fast or slow more base on your water chemistry not base on light.


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This. If you notice many grow coral under one light, but when taking pictures and selling they use Radion Gen 4 Pro.

 

[kenpau]

I’ve used every kind of light over the years from T8 to MH then T5/LED hybrid and now LED. I think the choice purely comes down to what you want from your tank. They all grow coral (except for T8, which might grow softies), but I find the growth to be far slower with LED than other lighting types. I probably get the same growth in a year using Radions that I would get in 4-5 months using my old Giesemann hybrid. If growth is purely your goal I’d go for either MH or an MH/T5 hybrid. For me though you can’t beat the customisation of LEDs, having the sunrise/sunset/lunar cycles is of no benefit to the corals whatsoever, but it maximises my enjoyment of the tank. As previous posters mentioned you’ll struggle to beat the colouration LEDs provide with the exception of certain T5 globes.
So if you do enjoy the colour customisation and have the patience for you system to grow slower then high quality LEDs are amazing.
Best option in my experience is the T5/LED hybrid that was the best of both worlds and I choose that every time for a new system.
Just for reference to your original question my XR15 G4 pros are growing LPS pretty quickly, one of my torch corals has doubled in size in about 8 months to the point I’m going to have to sell it pretty soon, I have 2 goni’s that are doing very well under the Radions, and all my zoas are growing well too.