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Why are you still using T5's ?


Gilly's Reef

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Gilly's Reef

I still see veterans and others in the hobby still using T5's. Just wondering why? Are there benefits LED can't offer? Please educate me

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I'm using LEDs, but:

 

-Less directional light using T5s. This means less shading, more reflections, etc. Some people like the high-contrast look of LEDs, while some want a softer, diffused light throughout the tank. Reflections means that you also get color on the sides of a coral and even underneath, and not just the top.

-Known color wavelength spikes throughout the spectrum, reset every 6-9mo. With LEDs, you either have 'white and blue' or 'many colors', and sometimes the ability to control every different light channel means you may deprive corals/macros of certain pieces of the light spectrum. T5s have been dealing with creating the right spectrum, which is why you have popular bulbs like Coral+ and whatnot. LEDs are catching up to this, though, with preset configs.

-Less up-front cost, especially when LED tech was newer.

 

I'm not a veteran by any means, but that's what I've seen as big points when defending T5s, and I agree that they're all true. Still, though. LEDs... :wub:

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Elizabeth94

I would do a google search and see what you come up with. There are many reasons people switch. I am switching to T5s for my new build, you can't deny the coloring you can get out of sps, and the growth. I do love my LEDs, they run cool, have a nice shimmer and are very strong. However, after a lot of research, I believe T5s are the best if you want to keep good coloring on most corals, and lessen shadowing (mostly a concern for sps tanks).

 

I will be taking pictures of my acro and other sps corals to see what kind of coloring I get from them within the first week of running T5s on my new build. I will also be watching my acans, as I find it hard to keep some acans colored up- most turn orange. Curious on how my corals will react.

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Very little shadows

Crisper appearance of livestock including colours

Faster growth of corals

No guesswork with the spectrum

Roughly half the upfront cost for the equivalent of Led units (Giesmann matrixx II 8x80W Vs 4x Hydra 52) £800 + £160 per year for replacement tubes compared to £2,000 for 4 Hydra 52's)

No (noisy) fans

One single fixture looks better than 4 LED units

Less cable clutter compared to multiple LED units

Simple to use without faffing around with Wi-fi

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Honestly T5 is kind of idiot proof.. Get a high quality fixture like ATI or Giessman, Use high quality bulbs, plug it in, set your photoperiod to something between 6-10 hours, and thats it. No intensity to mess with, or spectrum, its damn near plug and play and you can have success with just about any species of coral. SPS tank? 8 bulb fixture. No shading or shadowing. Mixed reef? 6 bulb fixture, plenty for sps in top half and more than enough for lps and softies on bottom. and you can always do a 4 bulb for a softy tank. Its easy, its trusted and you know it works.

 

I personally went with the led t5 hybrid option, get the best of both worlds

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Hammerstone

Honestly T5 is kind of idiot proof.. Get a high quality fixture like ATI or Giessman, Use high quality bulbs, plug it in, set your photoperiod to something between 6-10 hours, and thats it. No intensity to mess with, or spectrum, its damn near plug and play and you can have success with just about any species of coral. SPS tank? 8 bulb fixture. No shading or shadowing. Mixed reef? 6 bulb fixture, plenty for sps in top half and more than enough for lps and softies on bottom. and you can always do a 4 bulb for a softy tank. Its easy, its trusted and you know it works.

 

I personally went with the led t5 hybrid option, get the best of both worlds

how much was that if you don't mind me asking?
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how much was that if you don't mind me asking?

I actually had all of it done by dave at Nano Box Reef, did a 4 bulb ATI sunpower with 6 of his amazing led pucks, Send him a message and he will give you a quote! But was about the same price of the ATI hybrid or giessman hybrid

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I actually had all of it done by dave at Nano Box Reef, did a 4 bulb ATI sunpower with 6 of his amazing led pucks, Send him a message and he will give you a quote! But was about the same price of the ATI hybrid or giessman hybrid

 

 

I would personally recommend Giesemann over ATI. By a long shot. I have no access to nano box, but they would be my choice if I was on the other side of the pond.

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I still see veterans and others in the hobby still using T5's. Just wondering why? Are there benefits LED can't offer? Please educate me

 

Acropora much easier to grow and color under T5's. It can be done with LED but it requires a lot more work and a lot more units than recommended.

 

In short, more idiot proof was the best answer. :)

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reefernanoman

I still see veterans and others in the hobby still using T5's. Just wondering why? Are there benefits LED can't offer? Please educate me

I use my T5's as a supplement to my LED in my 28G (for 3 hours a day) then use LED the rest of the day. In my other tank (a 10G) I only use LED lighting and I've noticed a notable difference between some of my corals in both tanks. I have the same exact birdsnest (neon green) in both thanks, but the one in the 28G seems much greener and thicker to the point that it looks like a totally different coral. I can't explain it, but some SPS do better under T5 lighting and not just LED (I use Kessil for LED), but I have seen other people mention that an LED/T5 combo is the way to go.

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One good thing about LEDs is that it allowed people to create reef tanks with those 'irregular' tank sizes, like those 18" cube tanks, most of ADA/Mr. Aqua tanks, or pico tanks.

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I went hybrid on the big tank, seems to be the best the market has to offer. My small tanks I went pure LED because they don't make tiny ati bulbs :P

 

Shadowing and spread my reason for adding t5.

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The only reason I have LED is for hydro costs otherwise I prefer t5 ho's.

 

Far better spread than led can provide, the colours if the corals under t5 are much nicer, I had everything growing under my old t5's, and no disco ball effect.

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I always got richer coral colors under T5, and the tank just glowed with light. LEDs are nice too, and I really like the shimmer from them, but they don't fill the tank with light like T5 does.. I think if I were changing lights today I might consider going to either all T5 (6 or 8 bulb), or if I had the money I would do one of those sick retro's from nanobox.. then again I've always wanted to give MH a try too, many old-timers swear by it.

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squamptonbc

Hydro expensive in your part of Canada? I ask out in BC where I am it's dirt cheap, one of the lowest electric rates you could ever hope for, but I don't know where other provinces fall into line.

 

 

I am thinking of switching to T5's if I can find a fixture that will fit the M40 tank I have without needing to be hung from the ceiling since the landlord would flip out if I did that.

 

The only reason I have LED is for hydro costs otherwise I prefer t5 ho's.

Far better spread than led can provide, the colours if the corals under t5 are much nicer, I had everything growing under my old t5's, and no disco ball effect.

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I'm in Ontario - the most expensive for hydro. Its ridiculous the costs.

 

 

If hydro didn't cost so much, I'd go t5's-any day.

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n0rcal2wheeler

I would do a google search and see what you come up with. There are many reasons people switch. I am switching to T5s for my new build, you can't deny the coloring you can get out of sps, and the growth. I do love my LEDs, they run cool, have a nice shimmer and are very strong. However, after a lot of research, I believe T5s are the best if you want to keep good coloring on most corals, and lessen shadowing (mostly a concern for sps tanks).

 

I will be taking pictures of my acro and other sps corals to see what kind of coloring I get from them within the first week of running T5s on my new build. I will also be watching my acans, as I find it hard to keep some acans colored up- most turn orange. Curious on how my corals will react.

 

What is a good t5 12" or 24" brand/fixture i might be changing tanks because i have a little mantis i recently acquired.

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Elizabeth94

 

What is a good t5 12" or 24" brand/fixture i might be changing tanks because i have a little mantis i recently acquired.

ATI and Giesemann are two brands that you can start with if you want top notch quality. You would have to get a 24" as the shortest length.

 

They both have a couple different models to choose from

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What is a good t5 12" or 24" brand/fixture i might be changing tanks because i have a little mantis i recently acquired.

 

 

Having owned ATI, Pacific Sun and Giesemann, without a doubt Giesemann are the best quality. They also don't require noises fans which is another bonus, even on my 640W unit!

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so do you understand why people are still using T5 now?

 

no shadow

better growth

better color for sps than LED

on bigger tank, up front cost is much less than lots of multiple LED fixtures

yearly bulbs replace cost is nothing in this hobby especially when you do alot of sps.

 

I see most newbies go with LED, does not matter they are good or bad, they go for LED. Because of the look, controllability and cost. and they hear "no need to replace bulbs year after year"....

 

I had tried a few LED since 2010 (from Rapidled to AI, to Radion) but have gone back to T5 the last 3 years.

 

I would not mind replacing bulbs to see my sps corals to have good color . If you grow sps, and if they ever go brown, that is like throwing money out of the window .

 

hey good luck on choosing the light.

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