T5 only SPS Tank pictures?

TacoKing

TacoKing

New member
I'm currently thinking of switching some lighting around.. I have an open top tank and am running 4x250w HQI in ROIII's. I've been convinced to build a canopy so it has opened up the options I have for lighting.

I'm really thinking of going T5 only. The tank is 60"x36"x24" with most of the corals being between the 6" - 15" area from the bottom.

The added life of the bulbs, less heat, better spectrum choice and better coverage really has me thinking.....

I've also thought of going with 3x400w radiums in luminarcs...

460w vs 1200w...


Anyways, if anyone here is running a T5 only tank I'd love to see some pictures.

-Rob
 
Re: T5 only SPS Tank pictures?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7421078#post7421078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TacoKing
I'm currently thinking of switching some lighting around.. I have an open top tank and am running 4x250w HQI in ROIII's. I've been convinced to build a canopy so it has opened up the options I have for lighting.

I'm really thinking of going T5 only. The tank is 60"x36"x24" with most of the corals being between the 6" - 15" area from the bottom.

The added life of the bulbs, less heat, better spectrum choice and better coverage really has me thinking.....

I've also thought of going with 3x400w radiums in luminarcs...

460w vs 1200w...


Anyways, if anyone here is running a T5 only tank I'd love to see some pictures.

-Rob
Click to expand...

That is the EXACT SIZE of my tank!!!! :thumbsup:

You dont need anywhere near that much lighting!!
That would be total over kill.

I run 2x250W XM10K's in Lumenarc III's with 3x140W VHO(2xSuper Actinic, 1XActinic White)

Here is a pic of my setup-
DSCN3156.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7423324#post7423324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TacoKing
SunnyX, i mis-spoke there. The tank is actually 72x36x24. Close enough though :)
Click to expand...

I see.:(

Well anyway, 3x250W MH in Lumenarc III's would be perfect.

Although the T5 option is very tempting. I am really thinking about going T5.
 
Is it worth going to T5's? It seems to me that you need a whole lot of bulbs do get the growth rate that you would using 2 or maybe 3 MH's and the depending on your photo period I would think that cost would win in favor of MH's.

Just asking since I just made the switch to XM's and VHO sups.

Thanks,
Bill:)
 
Personally i dont think its worth switching from T5 to MH or from MH to T5. Both are great and have thier stregths and weaknesses. T5 can grow SPS just as good and better in some cases than MH. MH just plain looks better IMO because of the shimmer effect, but it is more expensive to operate. Even though T5 has more bulbs, they are only $20/ea as compared to $60+ for MH bulbs. They also run alot cooler and use a little over half the watts for a similar amount of light (when compared to 250w)
 
I look at it as a cost savings avenue. I can sell my 4x250w HQI setup for probably close to $900. At 1000w, 10 hours a day, that's roughly $15 a month in the winter $30 in the summer. Total cost a year to run would be close to $240.

I can buy a T5 setup (I think it's what I'd want), for around $700.
Assuming 6x60" bulbs would be enough... 480w, 10 hours a day; $110 a year. Less than half the cost.

Bulb replacement too.. I just spent $305 on replacing my bulbs a few weeks ago. With MH this has to be done every year, if not sooner. T5 needs replaced at a little over a year.. 6x30 = $180..

And then there's the costs saved in heating/cooling..

My only concern is performance. I've seen a few tanks, but I haven't been convinced yet.
 
I can keep anything under my T5's that someone can keep under their MH's. The heat/cooling benefit is a definite.

However, something that is often overlooked is the gradual adjustment of lighting effects. What I mean is, in order to adjust the color temp on MH's you have to replace the bulb to another mfg and kelvin rating. Then that's what color your tank will look. If you're not happy with the appearance, then you need to buy another bulb, swap it out, and hope that one 'fits the bill'. With T5's (my TEK light is 6 bulb) all I have to do is change one maybe two bulbs to effectively change the entire appearance of the tank. Basically, I can make minor adjustments to color temp and not so radical as with MH's.

T5's do not offer the added benefit of shimmer lines like MH's, but that is the only sacrifice I can honestly say I have to endure.

My $.02,
swimmer
 
IMO its about the acros you keep . I myself wouldn't use t-5's over my 180 sps unless for supplementation. I have way too many sps that really do need lots and lots of light . If I had more less light demanding sps then I would think about it .
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7424624#post7424624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
IMO its about the acros you keep . I myself wouldn't use t-5's over my 180 sps unless for supplementation. I have way too many sps that really do need lots and lots of light . If I had more less light demanding sps then I would think about it .
Click to expand...

But hasn't it been shown that T5's can put out more PAR then a comparible MH setup?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7424624#post7424624 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
IMO its about the acros you keep . I myself wouldn't use t-5's over my 180 sps unless for supplementation. I have way too many sps that really do need lots and lots of light . If I had more less light demanding sps then I would think about it .
Click to expand...

Another person who doesnt know the power of T5s......T5 WILL do just as good as most MH setups. Unless your running 400w bulbs, T5 is easily just as good if not better. Personally I dont think 400w is even needed unless your running a high kelvin bulb anyway or you have a super deep tank that you want SPS on the bottom. T5s, even normally driven will grow any SPS out there. If you overdrive them then they are even stronger (I personally dont think you even need to in 90% of the cases). My 75g has 6x54w T5s normally driven, and my tank is damn near the brightest tank I have ever seen. Its a hell of alot brighter, atleast 2-3x as bright as a 2x250w 14k tank.
 
Horace post some pics I want to see just how bright your tank is.

I am not sure I am understanding the logical arguments here with T5's verses MH's. Basing this on pure experience I use to argue that I could grow any coral you gave me with my VHO only setup and I did. The growth rate was fair and coloration was awesome. I ran a 6 bulb setup over my 75 gallon tank for a total of 660 watts. The bulbs were 10 inches from the top of the water and I used IceCap 660 ballasts. I tried running both a 2:2:2 ratio (2 - Aquasun, 2 - Actinic, 2 - Super Actinic R) and a 3:3 ratio (3 - Super Actinic R, 3 - Actinic) both did well but I believe the 3:3 ratio was best.

I replaced my bulbs every 18 months at an average cost of $24 per bulb plus shipping. Total cost to replace them was about $155 and I ran them for 10 hours a day.

Now I am running 2 - SE, 250 watt, 10k XM's on ARO eb's. The total setup was just at $400.00 including shipping from Hellolights.com. Bulb replacement cost will be about $20 more and I have gone from 660 watts to a total of 720 watts using VHO supplementation. Because I chose to use an open canopy style hood I need NO CHILLER and I am only running my MH's for 8 hours and my 2 - Super Actinic R's for 10 hours total. Growth rate has been incredible and my power bill has been a whole lot less.

From what I am hearing I should be able to get 2 years out of my XM's running them only at 8 hours a day so I figure the long haul cost will in the end be much cheaper than running VHO's or T5's.

The PAR rating on the 10k XM's is some of the highest for a bulb out there on the market and 1 bulb cost $65.00 brand new from Hellolights.com.

I use to argue emphatically that using MH's was a waste of energy and money, but after making the switch over to MH's I am a BELIEVER! So now that I have made the switch you're going to tell me that T5's are what you should be using. Well I say to you as my father-in-law says, "That pig won't SUCK!":lolspin:

Come on people where is the love!
Bill:lol:
 
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I run 5x250de 14k phx 5inches of the water. I doubt I am going to get the same light/par with t-5 without overdriving them or have tons of them .
 
5 250 DE's, man thats some light.

I have a 6x54w Tek light setup on my tank and have SPS and clams anywhere i want them. Here are some old pics, ill have to get some newer ones.

Left Side

IMG_0321.jpg


Right Side

IMG_0322.jpg


IMG_0404.jpg
 
Horace, I'm 100% on your side here. The folks that argue about T5's not putting out enough light have never used them or have used inferior reflectors and ballasts.

I've been using my T5's for over two years. At first I was so skeptical about keeping any crocea's, maxima's or any SPS. I had my T5's 2" above the rim of the tank. I added a Derasa, up high, and an ORA A. Tortuosa Blue, up high. This was my test to see how they did. Well I think you know the results. They did unbelievable.

I realized after almost two years that the colors were just not as vibrant as they should be. After years of reading threads, research and experience of other T5 users I became convinced that my coral were being fried under the T5's.

At just under the two year mark, I made the decision to raise the lights. At first I only raised them to 6" above the rim (7" off the water). The colors started coming back within one week.

About two weeks later I raised the lights to 10" above the rim (11" above the water). The colors became vibrant. I now have my T-5's 12" above the rim (13" above the water) and I'm as happy as can be.

I keep crocea's and SPS on the sandbed. The colors are outstanding since I raised the lights AWAY from the coral. My sandbed is now 30" below my T5's and I am thinking about raising them another 1" or 2". The jury is still out on that at the moment, but I defy anyone to say that MH's are better than T5's other than for the shimmer lines.

This isn't conjecture or guessing, this is my actual experience. Those who have seen my tank in person don't believe me when I say the lighting is T5's and 12" above the tank no less.

swimmer
 

From what I am hearing I should be able to get 2 years out of my XM's running them only at 8 hours a day so I figure the long haul cost will in the end be much cheaper than running VHO's or T5's.
[/B]
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Hey J4Life where are you hearing that you can get 2 years out of an XM bulb? I have never EVER heard of getting that much life out of an XM. With T5's you can get up to 2 years with them depending on what ballast you run them with. Later Ryan
 
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