I currently have PC lighting and was thinking of going with T5s. Some say they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. I like the fact that they run cool (I have a hood), compact and are relatively energy efficient. Whatayousguys think?
T5s - Opinions
- Thread starter pedromatic
- Start date
I am most definitely a t-5 convert. I had pc's and was debating going with halides, but my biggest hurdle was the price of the fixtures. The other issues were the heat output (I already was running the tank at a pretty high temp under pc's...with no chiller), the consumption of electricity, and finally, the replacement cost for the bulbs. I ended up with a nice little t-5 fixture about 6 months ago and I am loving it! The nicest thing is that I don't have to replace the bulbs for about another year and even then, they are relatively inexpensive.
The only things I am missng out on from the halides is the color rendition (I do love how some corals "light up" under halides) and the "shimmering" effect they give.
You need to weigh all of these effects to know what is right for you and your tank. Good luck!
The only things I am missng out on from the halides is the color rendition (I do love how some corals "light up" under halides) and the "shimmering" effect they give.
You need to weigh all of these effects to know what is right for you and your tank. Good luck!
Speckled Grouper
Sticks Suck!
I love the T5's over my prop tanks. Even though I have mostly softies in there, I had all my SPS frags in there when my big tank started to fall apart....and they did wonderful! I still have some Monti caps in there now and they are growing like mad.
scubasteve247
New member
hey pedro, t5's are awesome, they give you really nice color options and great lighting, i would recommend however to go with the sunlight supply system. check out there website, or ill show you the catalog next time i see you, also i can modify your hood if you want, im very very good with wood work. i can cut vent slats or mount in fans on the rear, side or top if youd like,
t5's do run very cool, but like any light if you run a large wattage, such as the 6 or 8 bulb set ups, you might see a temp climb in a degree or two.
t5's do run very cool, but like any light if you run a large wattage, such as the 6 or 8 bulb set ups, you might see a temp climb in a degree or two.
Rogger Castells
New member
I have t5's they are ok, definetely a step up from Pc's, however, they do no run cool like you may think, they are actually pretty hot, specially if you use the as a retrofit, maybe is different when you use the tek fixture on an open canopy but the way I have them they run very hot.
jeffbrig
Premium Member
I like T5s quite a bit, and had great color when I was running T5s exclusively. But, they're not as "cool" as some would lead you to believe. Touch the reflector on my setup and you will snatch your hand back. Maybe not MH burn-you-instantly hot, but they're hot.
The other thing is that T5 actinics fall short of VHO actinics. Darcy (45commando) tried going to T5 true actinics and was severely disapopinted. Supposedly UVL is making a much better T5 actinic these days, but I haven't seen it yet (and they don't make it in the 60" size that I use). The aquablue is a great bulb at around 11k color.
The other drawback is that no T5 can create shimmer lines like a MH. That's why I have some of both.
The other thing is that T5 actinics fall short of VHO actinics. Darcy (45commando) tried going to T5 true actinics and was severely disapopinted. Supposedly UVL is making a much better T5 actinic these days, but I haven't seen it yet (and they don't make it in the 60" size that I use). The aquablue is a great bulb at around 11k color.
The other drawback is that no T5 can create shimmer lines like a MH. That's why I have some of both.
gasman059
The OG mad scientist
t5 vs MH's
t5 vs MH's
Very simple in my mind. I fu ever have had a MH system with sps u will never ever like a t5 fixture period.
For a mixed system they are great, inexpensive and worth every penny. If u plan to run an sps system and want color and true polyps there's no doubt in my mind that mh's are proven technology,period.
BTW I know somebody is going to say well have u seen this tank and that tank, yes I have and over the years there's just nothig that has the same par as well as coloration and just pure lights better than MH's.
Plus in time u will never have scars in your hands or head to show from MH burns LOL.
MH+ACTINIC.
Do it once and do it the right way. This might sound opinionated but its true.
t5 vs MH's
Very simple in my mind. I fu ever have had a MH system with sps u will never ever like a t5 fixture period.
For a mixed system they are great, inexpensive and worth every penny. If u plan to run an sps system and want color and true polyps there's no doubt in my mind that mh's are proven technology,period.
BTW I know somebody is going to say well have u seen this tank and that tank, yes I have and over the years there's just nothig that has the same par as well as coloration and just pure lights better than MH's.
Plus in time u will never have scars in your hands or head to show from MH burns LOL.
MH+ACTINIC.
Do it once and do it the right way. This might sound opinionated but its true.
superedge88
New member
Re: t5 vs MH's
Re: t5 vs MH's
Have you ever seen Iwan's tank pictures? I know you don't want to hear me say that, but he is proof that T5 can do as well or better than MH, he uses ALL t5 bulbs! I sure would like an sps tank like that. His tank goes a long way in showing that it is not really all about the lighting, but also about the methods used in keeping sps.
Re: t5 vs MH's
Have you ever seen Iwan's tank pictures? I know you don't want to hear me say that, but he is proof that T5 can do as well or better than MH, he uses ALL t5 bulbs! I sure would like an sps tank like that. His tank goes a long way in showing that it is not really all about the lighting, but also about the methods used in keeping sps.
Ding2daDong
New member
I love my t5 tek 4 bulb fixture. I have a wide range of corals under it right now from sps, lps, zoanthids, softies. They all are doing great. The t5's do heat up but I heard thats usually with retro fits in a canopy or with the acrylic sheild on. The fixture was cheap in price, great quailty, bulbs last longer and are cheaper to replace, heat put off is lower then MH, and the electricity used is less. Just my .02
-Matthew
-Matthew
jeffbrig
Premium Member
Ok guys, let's not start another T5 vs. MH argument. There's enough of a track record to say that both technologies work.
Because I run both, I've played around with them a bit. I had the chance to test them with a LUX meter (not as good as a ppfd or par meter, but better than nothing) a while back. With the probe just under the bulb/reflector, a 10k Ushio measured a peak of 170, compared to about 60 for a T5 aquablue (for camparison purposes, midday sun was ~110 in January). However, the T5 distributes a constant amount over a larger area, while peak output from the MH was in a small area under the center of the pendant. At the water's surface, it was more like 50 under the MH, and near the T5 lit edges.
Keep in mind, when I was doing this testing, it wasn't meant as a direct comparison of MH vs T5. My aim was simply to understand the light distribution patterns over my tank. I didn't test how light from multiple T5s sandwiched together would add together either, which is what you'll typically find on T5 sps tanks.
While I'm still enthusiastic for T5 in general, my personal taste has started leaning towards MHs. Not because of intensity or coloration, but simply because of the ripple/shimmer from using point source lighting. Reminds me of swimming over a shallow reef.
There's enough of a track record to say that both technologies work.Because I run both, I've played around with them a bit. I had the chance to test them with a LUX meter (not as good as a ppfd or par meter, but better than nothing) a while back. With the probe just under the bulb/reflector, a 10k Ushio measured a peak of 170, compared to about 60 for a T5 aquablue (for camparison purposes, midday sun was ~110 in January). However, the T5 distributes a constant amount over a larger area, while peak output from the MH was in a small area under the center of the pendant. At the water's surface, it was more like 50 under the MH, and near the T5 lit edges.
Keep in mind, when I was doing this testing, it wasn't meant as a direct comparison of MH vs T5. My aim was simply to understand the light distribution patterns over my tank. I didn't test how light from multiple T5s sandwiched together would add together either, which is what you'll typically find on T5 sps tanks.
While I'm still enthusiastic for T5 in general, my personal taste has started leaning towards MHs. Not because of intensity or coloration, but simply because of the ripple/shimmer from using point source lighting. Reminds me of swimming over a shallow reef.
jeffbrig
Premium Member
Yes. A good single lens reflector effectively doubles the output of a T5 lamp. Like DE MHs, the smaller bulb allows for superior reflector designs to harness that light and focus it downwards. The result is higher initial intensity, and in some cases, better penetration at depth by minimizing spread.
And, you can overdrive a T5 on something like an icecap ballast to get even more intensity out of it.
And, you can overdrive a T5 on something like an icecap ballast to get even more intensity out of it.
superedge88
New member
Also keep in mind that there are HO (High Output) t5 bulbs and regular t5 bulbs.
Rogger Castells
New member
Re: Re: t5 vs MH's
Re: Re: t5 vs MH's
I have never seen Iwan's tank, Have you? all I have seen are pictures of someone that claims to have this oversees and probably spends have my salary between prodivio and other expensive aminoacids to keep this tank looking good (at least in Pictures) However, I have seen my tank running t5's not having enough light to sustain sps's and according to my calculations they are not much cheaper if not more expensive to run than MH
Re: Re: t5 vs MH's
I have never seen Iwan's tank, Have you? all I have seen are pictures of someone that claims to have this oversees and probably spends have my salary between prodivio and other expensive aminoacids to keep this tank looking good (at least in Pictures) However, I have seen my tank running t5's not having enough light to sustain sps's and according to my calculations they are not much cheaper if not more expensive to run than MH
Rogger Castells
New member
How do you figured that your electricity is less? you've compare to what?
Rogger Castells
New member
Re: T5 vs VHO
Re: T5 vs VHO
Because of their smaller diameter glass they are able to release a more intense light, this feature in combination with parabolic reflectors make them more effective than their brothers VHo's
Re: T5 vs VHO
t5's are neither brighter or better than vho's in fact they are exactly the same with a smaller diameter bulb, the difference is that t5's are not HO and have no internal reflector.
Because of their smaller diameter glass they are able to release a more intense light, this feature in combination with parabolic reflectors make them more effective than their brothers VHo's
dobly_1999
Member
T5s and MH
T5s and MH
I am currently running 2 T5s and 2 250w MH on my 90 gallon. I am installing two more t5s at 10k each. During the day, I will run my T5s and at 6pm the 10k T5s will turn off and the MH will turn on until 10pm. I am doing this for three reasons: 1. less energy, 2. less heat, 3. 4 T5 is equilvant to 400w MH per information from speciality lighting website. I want the shimmer when I am home. See the following post by Reefahoy.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1083336&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
T5s and MH
I am currently running 2 T5s and 2 250w MH on my 90 gallon. I am installing two more t5s at 10k each. During the day, I will run my T5s and at 6pm the 10k T5s will turn off and the MH will turn on until 10pm. I am doing this for three reasons: 1. less energy, 2. less heat, 3. 4 T5 is equilvant to 400w MH per information from speciality lighting website. I want the shimmer when I am home. See the following post by Reefahoy.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1083336&perpage=25&pagenumber=1
