T-5 or MH lighting?
- Thread starter Tank2379
- Start date
AHeisinger
New member
I tried both.
You can have good colors and good growing with both.
With T5 you can play with the colors, but it is the same if you go to the supermarket to buy meat. The Meat under the Lights looks very fine, but it look only fine under these Lights there. If you run low nutrients the base color of your corals will be visible and you do not need to make effekts with colored bulbs. You can also keep SPS very low on the Sand with MH. If you have good Reflektors and enough Power.
MH makes a fine Effekt with Shadows and crisp looking.
I think the best lighting is a combination of MH and T5.
Andreas
You can have good colors and good growing with both.
With T5 you can play with the colors, but it is the same if you go to the supermarket to buy meat. The Meat under the Lights looks very fine, but it look only fine under these Lights there. If you run low nutrients the base color of your corals will be visible and you do not need to make effekts with colored bulbs. You can also keep SPS very low on the Sand with MH. If you have good Reflektors and enough Power.
MH makes a fine Effekt with Shadows and crisp looking.
I think the best lighting is a combination of MH and T5.
Andreas
Last edited:
offroadodge
New member
i have run both, on an old 72 bow frnt i had (8) T5s, then when i built my new inwall 120 i put (2) 36" VHO super actinics with (8) T5s and (2) 400Wmh. I like the combo because i can make the lights come on like the sun does-VHOs-(4)T5s-(4)T5s-(2)400Ws then the opposite at night.
dixiedog
New member
I agree.
However, sometimes the choice between T5 and MH can make the difference between needing a chiller or not, and THEN you're into some money - both for the equipment and the power it consumes.
Also, in hot climates like FL, since MH throw more heat, the air conditioner has to work harder, and that definitely costs money.
But I'm straying from the topic of the thread, which was about coloration. I would agree that equally stunning coloration is possible with either type of lighting. I run T5's and my colors are definitely less than stunning, but that's my fault, not the light's.
sobes94
New member
Do you have a current picture of your tank? I am thinking about adding some LEDs to my system.
ganjero
saiperchémibatteilcorazon
That makes a difference, with 8 t5's you dont need to supplement. You are adding 216w of sup. to your MHs.
ReefBum
Active member
I run the combo. I have 6' Sfiligoi light fixture with 3 SE 400W bulbs and 8 39W T5s. Halides (driven by Sunlight Supply Blue Wave 7 HQI ballasts) are 20K Radiums while T5s are Giesemann POWERCHROME Actinic Plus. The MH bulbs give me both great growth and colors and the T5s really help me supplement the colors...they help make things pop.
justinc0708
New member
i was using two 150 watt metal hialdes on my 120 and they grow coral great but the colors suck.they also suck out so much water 5 gallons a week.i just switched to t5s cause you can do more with em.the color is great growth is good.i think t5s are the way to go.
ReefBum
Active member
Thanks. Pyramid Butterfly fish. I have 3 and they are awesome in a reef.
flying53brian
New member
Gorgeous tank ReefBum! Lots of color for sure
Tank2379
Active member
I run the combo. I have 6' Sfiligoi light fixture with 3 SE 400W bulbs and 8 39W T5s. Halides (driven by Sunlight Supply Blue Wave 7 HQI ballasts) are 20K Radiums while T5s are Giesemann POWERCHROME Actinic Plus. The MH bulbs give me both great growth and colors and the T5s really help me supplement the colors...they help make things pop.
ReefBum that tank is SWEET!!!!!!:thumbsup: Your lighting cordination is pretty impressive- T-5 and MH combo seems the way to go to get Vibrant coloration. I'll be setting up a 125G in the near future so deciding on lighting is going to be a big deal when that time come to order...
ZurichOne95
In Memoriam
Ÿøu could do a 6500K or 10K halide and have supplemented VHOS or t5 for great color and amazing growth
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