T5 Only SPS reef?

Cwegescheide-

You're spot on. I have stupid light; I'd be happy to show some high-light frags in my tank, with good color, and good growth rates, but keep in mind my tank is young, so the frags are small...


I run an overdriven (IceCap) 6x54W Tek-Light, and I'm pulling 416w (Kill-a-Watt) to run it. No chiller. 81 degrees, all day long. EDIT: Only my 4 "main" daylight bulbs are over-driven; dusk/dawn are still the standard ballast....

Honestly, the only time I hear people talking negatively about T-5s are people who haven't seen a good T-5 rig, or tank with nice lights. I'll agree, MH's still have some spectrum advantages (Eg: making colors look like you want), but I can tell you they're great lights, and I don't regret it....

Dr. JMadscientist-

You've never run 'em, have ya? I had MHs. I'll agree, the VHO/MH rig I had was better at making colors "pop", and I miss the shimmer. But I don't miss the electricity consumption, and the fear, constantly, over the summer, with the A/C on, of needing a chiller.....

-Andy/Oldimpala
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8126635#post8126635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lordhelmet
i agree that sps grow best under MH but look at the color i'm getting with t-5's

latest089.jpg

Nice stuff! Oh and I agree: Let's go Oakland! dun dun dunna dun!
 
IMO you don't need a watt for watt equal to obtain good coloration out of you sps under T-5's...
Blues and greens
topdown.jpg

topbdown2.jpg


Yellow and orange
yellowacro.jpg
 
funny thing is my 4xT-5 grew some nice looking SPS. After i broke my tank down i gave these corals to my friend to hold for me. His 250 XM10ks bleahced the living crap out of my corals. For a long time all my corals are bleached white.
 
I have no doubt....from what I've noticed frags don't like to go from T-5 to MH or vis versa....I"ve bleached a lot of frags that came from MH tanks by not aclimating them to the lights...
 
When I switched from 2x250/1x400 halides to 6x80 on IC660's on my 150 gallon tank I had to lower some of my SPS.
 
Does anyone use both T5 and MH in there systems?

That is my plan for my 65g. I have a nova t5 fixture but wanted to add a MH to the anopy as well.
 
I use a Sfiligoi lamp with 2 x 400 watt MH and 4 x 54 watt T5's... The combination looks great.
 
sry pcs sizes aren't the same..
here is my green slimer frags back in Jun05 at this time I was running 2x25W T5 and 55w PC
23251green_slimer.jpg

May06 by this time I was running 5x24W t-5 over the tank
23251greenslimer.jpg


Here is a side shot that has that same slimer and a couple other acros..the one that hasn't been frags since this time is the Paletta baby blue that is to the right of the slimer...I think this pic was in Dec05
232511205.jpg


and here is a simmilar side shot from a month ago.
fromtheleft.jpg


Growths aren't out of controll, but still pretty good I think..
 
The big advantage I see for t-5's is over longer tanks... Yes, t-5's halides will use the same electricity, but the good thing about t-5's is you need less of them to cover more space...We all know that t-5's are a long bulb, on bulb can cover the whole tank...again we all know that MH is a point source of light and to cover my 4ft long tank I would need two 400 watters...not that is eating up 800 watts of electricity...as opposed to me buying 8 t-5 bulbs and only using 432 watts...that is big advantage. Also yes halides have much better PAR directly under the bulbs, but when you go to the outer area of the light area, it drops of quite a bit...
Another advantage that is not apparent right now, but will be here very soon...is that MH prices are going to increase quite a bit due to copper prices going through the roof...So t-5's are going to become the norm I think...Just remember that you can acheive results with both types of lighting...and there is so much more to an SPS tank then lighting....
 
The main point...also made in the article...is that everyone says less heat and less energy consumption with no proof.

brentp -

If you actually read what people post...
The point is to equal the output of a MH setup, more T5's are needed. Once they are in place, the heat is greatly increased and the power consumption is equal if not more than just using a MH.
...you would realize no one said MH were the only way to go. You even agreed with what I said:
T5's and MH are almost the same effiency wise, with T5's having a very slight edge. T5's and halides do produce about the same amount of heat watt for watt

????
 
This is incorrect:
The point is to equal the output of a MH setup, more T5's are needed. Once they are in place, the heat is greatly increased and the power consumption is equal if not more than just using a MH.
This is correct:
T5's and MH are almost the same efficiency wise, with T5's having a very slight edge. T5's and halides do produce about the same amount of heat watt for watt

Let me explain again...

It takes slightly less energy for T5's to achieve the same amount of light as an HID source. HID lights are point source lights and may be better for some applications, such as getting more light in a small area for instance (T5 might not be good as a dental lamp or in really deep tanks as an example). Because of the surface area on a T5 bulb/fixture it is easier to get the heat away from them than on an HID bulb/fixture.

So...
1. While multiple T5 bulbs may be required to equal the output from an HID bulb, watt for watt it takes slightly less energy to provide the same amount of light from a T5 fixture.
2. T5 bulbs are slightly more efficient that halides so watt for watt they put out less heat. Additionally, the physical characteristics allow for greater heat dissipation resulting in a cooler fixture if it is properly ventilated.
 
You do realize that your "incorrect" and "correct" is saying the same thing, dont you...just worded different.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8139071#post8139071 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr. JMadscientist
You do realize that your "incorrect" and "correct" is saying the same thing, dont you...just worded different.

I suddenly feel like I'm in Bizarro world. :rollface:
 
I think a big factor to consider is that since T-5s have better heat dispersion, they can be kept a lot closer than a 250W or 400W halide can be to the water. The intensity of light increases greatly proportional to the distance, actually by a square factor. Add the fact that T-5s are a linear light and you have no problem with light dispersion. Even if you could stick a 400W halide a couple of inches from the water, the light spread probably wouldn't be too impressive and you would definitely bleach out any coral right under it. Metal Halides have been proven to work and are a standard for reef aquariums, but T-5s are ushering in a new age in reef aquaria. The new technology works, and can be easily adapted for use in reef aquaria. The prices for T-5s are coming down and that is a sign that the technology is gradually being accepted. Of course there is a solution for everything and T-5s may not work for your tank but the benefits of them are immense! It's not the T5 vs. MH comparison or debate, it's that this is a new technology that works in many situations, and that more often than not, people move on to new technology.


As for LEDs there is a lot to be desired, not just the price. The technology is new and there are a lot of kinks that need to be worked out.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8137733#post8137733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Fatboy
I use a Sfiligoi lamp with 2 x 400 watt MH and 4 x 54 watt T5's... The combination looks great.

what bulbs are you running in each?
 
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