Whats the most dominant successful Light fixture for SPS? Metal Halide or ATI T5 ????

[trueblackpercula]

I've done them all:
1) 250W DE MH + T5 (Icecap Reef illumination fixture)
2) 8x54w T5 (Tek Fixture)
3) Half LEDs (48x3W Crees) and Half T5s (4x54w)
3) 400W MH only (Radiums in luminax elite fixtures)
4) LED only ( DIY 96x3W Crees)
5) and currently 2x400W MH radiums + 48x3W Cree LEDs over my 60"x30"x18" tank

I love my current set-up, which gives me the good growth of metal halides which I have on for 6 hours a day, and a very lovely sunrise/sunset affect with the LEDs.

I hated the LED only set up. I was getting too many hot spots that made coral placement difficult.

I didn't like my T5 only set-up, since I really missed the shimmer, and my tank looked very 1-dimensional with it. Admittedly, my fixture wasn't the best.

Half LEDs and half T5s looked very dim in my tank. I only used this setup for about a couple of weeks b/c I really didn't like the look, so I didn't really get a chance to see how my corals responded to it.

The MH+T5 setup worked great for the corals. I had really good growth for the 1.5 years I had this light combination. I had heat issues with this though, and only kept the MHs on for 4.5 hours in the summer time to keep the heat under 83.5 degrees. I didn't want to use a chiller and only used fans.

Here's my current setup:

Tank has been up for a little more than a year.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience as I have been thinking about ditching my 400 watt radium with 150 watt of vho for LEDs. But I have finally decided to leave the halides and when the Vho bulbs need replacement this year I will simply just add LEDs in there place. You have help me with a decision I have been toying around with for months,

By the way that clam is freaking insane con grants on such a beautiful specimen well done. So people just don't realize that most of the stuff we collect is truly hard to come by and simply straight out rare.

Thanks again and sorry for the slight high jack could help myself with amazing setup.

 

[Moser]

LOL. I actually have to agree with you I even said in my own thread that I think my tank is past it's zenith, BUT . . . . . . . . personally I feel the differences are due to factors other than taking out 400 watt Radiums. I think the loss of my 2 giant tort colonies plus the loss of 2 huge zoo colonies plus the fact that I haven't taken the time lately to shoot a "professional photo" really are what is making the difference.

More on point to this thread regarding dominant fixtures, I would say that ATI T5 fixtures SHOULD be the dominant answer. They are plug and play, come with dimming for sunset and sunrise simulation, have excellent cooling which helps your tank stay cool, and can grow colorful SPS like no other fixture I've seen. Hopefully in the coming weeks and months I can put together a nice set of before and after photos to show the positive benefits I have seen in my own tank and my daughter's new 38g from using T5s.

:beer:


Joe

I couldn't figure out what it was that was missing, but now you mention it"¦. the tank still looks sweet though!.

What happened to the Tort and Zoas?"¦.

Mo

 

[Moser]

Hope everything works out with your tank,

How does one know the difference from bleaching from to much light or of the sps is bleaching because its not getting enought light?

IME, They tend to brown out with insufficient light. Bleaching is due more to too low nutrients or too much light. If they are doing well with lower settings and you turn them up, that kind of gives you a clue. The bleaching episodes were a while ago, when I was experimenting with them...
Don't forget, most 12" fixtures are around 100W. These were early high power 200W ones. The manufacturer told me it was too much, but I didn't believe him, until I saw for myself. Every time I try and turn them up, the corals sulk. I won't turn them above 50% now.

Here is my other tank thread. I'll get more pics of both tanks when I get my camera back….The smaller one is growing out frags at the mo'..
AEFW have been the real prob for me.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=314319

Mo

 

[Moser]

Here! Here! Well said, and I agree with everything.


What I really want is a 6 bulb T5 from ATI with 3 banks of LEDs on the edges and middle to provide shimmer and penetration during noontime and moonlight with moon phase at night all the above with an onboard controller and quality cooling.

Now that would be my ultimate fixture!




Joe

ATI do have a new T5/ LED combo fixture, but I think the LED's are in the middle only…. quite expensive though!.

Mo

PS. beaten to it… those are the ones I was mentioning.

 

[trueblackpercula]

IME, They tend to brown out with insufficient light. Bleaching is due more to too low nutrients or too much light. If they are doing well with lower settings and you turn them up, that kind of gives you a clue. The bleaching episodes were a while ago, when I was experimenting with them...
Don't forget, most 12" fixtures are around 100W. These were early high power 200W ones. The manufacturer told me it was too much, but I didn't believe him, until I saw for myself. Every time I try and turn them up, the corals sulk. I won't turn them above 50% now.

Here is my other tank thread. I'll get more pics of both tanks when I get my camera back"¦.The smaller one is growing out frags at the mo'..
AEFW have been the real prob for me.

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=314319

Mo

I don't know what to say I got to the 300 page and was blow away by the aquaria you have created simply mind blowing. I have a question for you did you solve the AEFW problem? Also I have never seen so much thought and detail go into such an outstanding project. Also I simply love the one of a kind tang and you should try and reach out to RTC in Hawaii to try and bread it so that there can be others in the world. I will keep in touch with you as my little 120 gallon tank needs a mentor and I truly believe your tank can follow in the foot steps of an amazing giant, :beer:

 

[Moser]

I don't know what to say I got to the 300 page and was blow away by the aquaria you have created simply mind blowing. I have a question for you did you solve the AEFW problem? Also I have never seen so much thought and detail go into such an outstanding project. Also I simply love the one of a kind tang and you should try and reach out to RTC in Hawaii to try and bread it so that there can be others in the world. I will keep in touch with you as my little 120 gallon tank needs a mentor and I truly believe your tank can follow in the foot steps of an amazing giant, :beer:

Hey, thanks for the compliments!.
I added quite a few wrasses, so the population of AEFW is much less.
I still have them in there though. I certainly wish I didn't"¦.

Mo

 

[trueblackpercula]

Hey, thanks for the compliments!.
I added quite a few wrasses, so the population of AEFW is much less.
I still have them in there though. I certainly wish I didn't"¦.

Mo

There has to be a natural preditor if not the there would be no sps in the wild

 

[110galreef]

trueblack....are you running 24 RB and 24 CW cree's? At what milli amp? also XR-E's?
What optics?

 

[tegee]

Well.....I just made the T5 plunge on my SPS tank.

I was able to pick up a factory seconds (very minor cosmetic damaged) ATI PM 10 x 80w fixture last month from Reef Geeks. It may be a bit overkill for my application (would have preferred a 8 x 80w or possibly a 48" ATI PM, but the deal was simply toooooo good to pass up).

This fixture is awesome and is a monster. I am hoping that my sps's really get the T5 pop. I am coming off running three 250w MH (Radiums) with VHO supplementation. The growth was great, but with my nutrient starved system my colors looked way off and pale.

I am pretty excited about this lighting conversation and am a bit nervous too. This is my first lighting change in close to 4-years. Not to mention, I just did a big re-aquascape of my 180-gl tank, so there has been a lot to adjust to overall.

Attached are some pics of the MH setup (it shows LumenBright reflectors, but I had LumenMax Elites of late....just not fresh pics of them) and pics of the newly installed ATI PM setup.


BTW: I apologize for the bad pics, I just snapped some quick ones for this thread......enjoy!

 

[ashish]

I've done them all:
1) 250W DE MH + T5 (Icecap Reef illumination fixture)
2) 8x54w T5 (Tek Fixture)
3) Half LEDs (48x3W Crees) and Half T5s (4x54w)
3) 400W MH only (Radiums in luminax elite fixtures)
4) LED only ( DIY 96x3W Crees)
5) and currently 2x400W MH radiums + 48x3W Cree LEDs over my 60"x30"x18" tank

I love my current set-up, which gives me the good growth of metal halides which I have on for 6 hours a day, and a very lovely sunrise/sunset affect with the LEDs.

I hated the LED only set up. I was getting too many hot spots that made coral placement difficult.

I didn't like my T5 only set-up, since I really missed the shimmer, and my tank looked very 1-dimensional with it. Admittedly, my fixture wasn't the best.

Half LEDs and half T5s looked very dim in my tank. I only used this setup for about a couple of weeks b/c I really didn't like the look, so I didn't really get a chance to see how my corals responded to it.

The MH+T5 setup worked great for the corals. I had really good growth for the 1.5 years I had this light combination. I had heat issues with this though, and only kept the MHs on for 4.5 hours in the summer time to keep the heat under 83.5 degrees. I didn't want to use a chiller and only used fans.

Here's my current setup:

Tank has been up for a little more than a year.

I love the combination of lighting you have. Everyone debates what is better MH or LED. I think you can't go wrong with MH and LED's.. MH are the closest thing (in captivity) that resemble the sun. You can't get anything thats that bright in such a small amount of area. As far as LED's go..You just can't compare to the colors they bring as well as there dawn/dusk effect. The colors created by using LED is just visually stunning that No MH/T5 combo can create.

Do you think your tank would be noticeably different if you switched your LED's back to T5?
Your clam is amazing...How big is it and how long have you had it? I have a 10" deresa clam and Love it..

 

[jjmccloud2011]

I've done them all:
1) 250W DE MH + T5 (Icecap Reef illumination fixture)
2) 8x54w T5 (Tek Fixture)
3) Half LEDs (48x3W Crees) and Half T5s (4x54w)
3) 400W MH only (Radiums in luminax elite fixtures)
4) LED only ( DIY 96x3W Crees)
5) and currently 2x400W MH radiums + 48x3W Cree LEDs over my 60"x30"x18" tank

I love my current set-up, which gives me the good growth of metal halides which I have on for 6 hours a day, and a very lovely sunrise/sunset affect with the LEDs.

I hated the LED only set up. I was getting too many hot spots that made coral placement difficult.

I didn't like my T5 only set-up, since I really missed the shimmer, and my tank looked very 1-dimensional with it. Admittedly, my fixture wasn't the best.

Half LEDs and half T5s looked very dim in my tank. I only used this setup for about a couple of weeks b/c I really didn't like the look, so I didn't really get a chance to see how my corals responded to it.

The MH+T5 setup worked great for the corals. I had really good growth for the 1.5 years I had this light combination. I had heat issues with this though, and only kept the MHs on for 4.5 hours in the summer time to keep the heat under 83.5 degrees. I didn't want to use a chiller and only used fans.

Here's my current setup:

Tank has been up for a little more than a year.

What r u using for heatsink s

 

[Jettareefer]

I had 6 bulb Tek over my 58 for the first few months with ati bulbs it seemed very dim and I didn't like the results I was ravesting. I'm a huge halide/vho fan so I switched back to that combo and have had better colors and growth both with Radiums and XM 10ks same parameters for the most part. In my experience halides have always yielded richer colors although I have seen awesome tanks under leds and t5's.

 

[jason78]

Any My light in my opinion. Around 14 to 16k is my range

 

[dh350twin]

Awesome thread!!!