Nyyanks154
New member
Can you grow SPS with T5 only or is the general opinion you need MHs?
SPS and T5s only
- Thread starter Nyyanks154
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Horace
New member
T5 ARE definatly good enough for SPS and in some ways better than halide for SPS. MH do work great as well. Both have trade offs though. MH have the advantage of the shimmer lines which is the main reason alot of people dont want to drop thier MH. T5 tend to use less watts, last longer, produce more evenly colored SPS and dont heat up the tank as much.
Nyyanks154
New member
Horace-
I noticed you are using T5s for LPS growth too...what do you have in there and how are they growing? Ive heard some LPS dont do well with T5s
I noticed you are using T5s for LPS growth too...what do you have in there and how are they growing? Ive heard some LPS dont do well with T5s
Nyyanks154
New member
I don think anyone is saying one is better than the other, just that its possible, and both have advantages and disadvantages.
mpcart
New member
Horace said they use less watts, last longer, give off less heat, and give more even color. I don't know if T5's give more even color than MH, but I did choose them over MH because of the first three reasons - I see less watts/less heat as being "better" for me and my 58G tank.
I also get nice growth and color with my T5's.
-Mike
kimoyo
Active member
T5's give off uniform intensity over the length and width of the tank. Whereas halides are strongest directly under them and get weaker as you go away from this center point. The homogenous illumination might lead to more evenly colored sps over the entire tank but the same is possible with halides if you take this into consideration while aquascaping.
Horace
New member
This is not REALLY true...but partially. The main reason T5 give better color is because they are not single point source light like MH is. T5 illuminate the entire tank VERY well and much more of each coral is getting intense light because its not all coming from the top like MH. In T5 tanks more of the coral is illuminated from the sides and to a lesser extent the bottom of the coral, much more so than occurs in MH tanks. If you look at the corals in a MH tank the tops of them are very bright color, but the sides and bottom are often very brown. In a T5 tank this still occurs, but to a much lesser extent.
That is the reason why many SPS growers like T5 better for even coloration.
JB NY
Active member
Re: SPS and T5s only
Yes
You don't need MH. I think that most people prefer them. MH is just a completely different look.
With what available in today's lighting market, meeting the basic light needs of the coral is pretty easy. Most of the lighting after the basic need of the coral have been met are a matter of personal preference.
IMO, I think most people prefer the look of MH.
Yes
You don't need MH. I think that most people prefer them. MH is just a completely different look.
With what available in today's lighting market, meeting the basic light needs of the coral is pretty easy. Most of the lighting after the basic need of the coral have been met are a matter of personal preference.
IMO, I think most people prefer the look of MH.
