T5 vs Led for color and growth?

[logansreef]

hello, I have a 40 breeder tank that for now is my grow out tank. I got a great deal on the coral from a freind getting out, so i just set it up for now as is, was iching to get back inot the hobby after a year. Eventually i will aquascape it once things grow bigger.

For now i have a 24" light on it from one of my old tanks. It is a off brand 4 bulb T5 that the corals are looking good under and gets the job done for now but i would like a 36" size light that fits so i can take the ugly wood off the top holding the light on or just a light so i dont need that ugly wood on their!!!

So on to my question, doing some looking around and i can get a 6 bulb T5-i like how you can play with the color scheme at will and still have great turn outs and im familar with them and seems like plenty of light to house anything i want in their OR for almost the same cost as that i can DIY a 24 bulb LED from RapidLED-never used before, or built and am not even sure if 24 bulb is even enough for a tank this size and not sure on what colors and what color patterns.

What one will give better color and growth of corals? What one will really make all the colors POP better? If i have to change bulbs every year so be it if that the better choice. I have read good and bad about LEDs

Any good LED already made choices that you would go with instead of DIY for around the same cost that would work on my tank? (40 breeder)

With LED's how is it acclimating corals to the light, how long does that take? I dont have a controller so i cant get the dimmable ones,(i dont think i can with out a controller) would like dimmable ones thought!!!
so how high would i have to hang said LED lights from tank? Wife does not want a light hanging from celling but i told her she might have to.

IF you've made it this far thanks for reading and thanks for any advice, it is appricated!
:beer:

 

[logansreef]

O and this is manily LPS. I might get a couple encrusting monties and a couple SPS and maybe a clam or mini maxis in the future but for now just LPS and Softies(shrooms and a few pulsing xenias)
So i want to make sure in a year or two im not stuck with what i have but im pretty sure either would be enough to have anything i wanted. If i had the ends with not as much light thats ok i could put chalices their or a low light demanding LPS/Softie.
Thanks again!!

 

[teamdulski]

24 3w LEDs, 18 blue to 6 white on a 36" heatsink will give you exactly what you are looking for, most likely you will want 80* optics. If you want to substitute some violet in with the blues or other colors in with the whites that is personal preference.

 

[DustyReefer]

Didnt you say that rapidled only sells 5w whites now? Could keep that in mind while deciding on the ratio

 

[teamdulski]

Didnt you say that rapidled only sells 5w whites now? Could keep that in mind while deciding on the ratio

Double checked, that is correct. :beer:


As for dimmable, non- dimmable that is up to you. In terms of cost and simplicity constant current would be the way to go.

 

[logansreef]

24 3w LEDs, 18 blue to 6 white on a 36" heatsink will give you exactly what you are looking for, most likely you will want 80* optics. If you want to substitute some violet in with the blues or other colors in with the whites that is personal preference.

Will the violet make other colors than the blues pop? Or will its just define them more? I had a purple in the mix on my old tank with T5's and noticed a small difference, is it more with LEDs?
What color LED's make what colors pop? Will the reds make red stand out more and the violet make purple stand out more and so on?

And the whites are the only ones that make the corals grow, the rest are just to make colors pop or do they also account for growth also like a blue + bulb does?
Thanks!!

 

[logansreef]

Didnt you say that rapidled only sells 5w whites now? Could keep that in mind while deciding on the ratio

So would i still want 6 whites then or is that over kill? T5's are a lot less thought just buy bulba nd put in it. I like the customization of LEDs though just want to get it right so i dont wanna do it again in the near future!

 

[logansreef]

By using the 18 to 6 ratio as mentioned above with the 5w whites how far above the tank would the lights have to be so i dont burn the corals? If its possible to cut the white back to 4 or 5 since they are 5w would that in turn mean i could lower the light some and still have even growth throughout the tank?
thanks!

 

[logansreef]

O and on rapidled i dont see a 36" heatsink? Is their another place to get them? Or am i just missing them on their site?

 

[logansreef]

i found them but they are 1.4" wide, would i/should i need 2 and attach them together to give me almost 3" width? Is that enough width with the 80 degree optics to get good coverage or should i look around for a 6" width one?
If i buy 2 and put them together the price for heatsink doubles compare to a 6"x20"

 

[logansreef]

Double checked, that is correct. :beer:


As for dimmable, non- dimmable that is up to you. In terms of cost and simplicity constant current would be the way to go.

I would prefer dimmable so i can turn the down as needed so in hopes i can have them as low to the tank as possible with a good spread still but if that means i need a controller than its not an option. Id like to keep it under the $350 mark!

Now as far as growth would i get the same growth as with t5's, better, worse?

Sorry im asking a lot of questions and going fast but i have the money burning a hole in my pocket and i have the itch :spin2:
and i sick of looking at the wood holding up the lights and blocking part/30% of it

 

[briangsxr1000]

I have used radions, sols, etc... I am now back to my ATI T5. Couldn't be happier.

 

[teamdulski]

You could probably drop down to 4 whites. Heatsinkusa sells a 36" heatsink. 22 leds with 80* lenses that spread out would probably be fine without a dimmer. But that's your call. I have better growth under leds than T5 s, but some people don't.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I think, clearly, you CAN be successful with either technology. The decision really should depend on your specific criteria (upfront cost? ongoing cost? efficiency? getting a certain look in the tank? a certain type of fixture or pendant? a certain level of flexibility?) and your own comfort level. DIY'ing a LED rig isn't that hard but it can easily be intimidating. It's hard to compare DIY'd LED rigs to commercial rigs, because by definition going commercial locks you in to far less flexibility.

Speaking of flexibility, you mention that above in reference to T5. With a DIY rig, you can have infinitely more flexibility, if you're willing to invest in carefully designing the fixture. Dimming doesn't require a controller (most drivers have dimming requirements that can be met passively, i.e. with a pot).

And I hate to get on the soapbox, but referring to a specific LED by a wattage rating (i.e. "5w") is a poor naming standard. a given LED can be comfortably run over a very wide range of power levels, and within a group of LEDs rated at a given max power level you might find several hundred percent variation in performance. Honestly, if you're going to DIY, you've got two options IMHO - either just pick someone else's fixture that you like and build an exact copy (or, build what someone dictates to you) or take a deep dive, learn what model names and bin numbers mean, and build the fixture YOU determine will be the best for you.