T5HO vs LED lightning what's better?

[Negrala]

Hi, I know the technical specs and differences from one and the other and LEDs are the future for sure, but I've been told that T5HOs are better to grow and propagate corals than a comparable LED fixture.

 

Can someone tell me the why?

[yungKitten]

I don't know if that is necessarily true. What I will say is that LEDs use electricity more efficiently (more lumens per watt and less heat) and the diodes never need to be replaced whereas T5HO bulbs have to be replaced every 9 months or so the bulbs are efficient, but not as much as LEDs.  This is something to factor in when considering which is cheaper in the long run.

I've use both T5HO fixtures and LED fixtures for reefing and I had a pleasant experience with both. Ultimately I like LEDs better.  I think most will agree that LEDs are simply better technology. I think the sentiment that you have was more true 5-10 years ago because LED prices really have come down significantly.

Hope this helps! 

[yungKitten]

Here's an interesting piece on the subject. Somewhat relevant.

http://ecotechmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ecotech_CoralLab_WP1.pdf 

[Clown79]

When I started out t5ho was very new and many said they couldn't do what Metal halides did.

 

I purchased a t5ho regardless because i don't like rhe look of corals under MH and my corals looked great, had a lot of growth. The pain was the heat(the light had fans too) and replacing bulbs which gets expensive.

 

I now have LEDs and love them. I love that i can control my light with my phone, i can control each colour to my corals needs and my personal preference. 

No heat issues with my fixture. No need to change bulbs.

 

I like both and both will work. One is just most cost effective than the other.

[Negrala]

Thanks for your help, I've been told that t5ho penetrate deeper in the water column than leds  providing better lightning to the corals at the bottom of the aquarium.

[Veng]

MH, LEDs, and T5HOs all output light.  There's nothing different in the light it's self once it's left the bulb/LED.  They penetrate the same, there is no difference in that regard.   The difference is harsh vs soft light, maximum output over the area, and spectrum.  LEDs tend to have a narrower spectrum, though high end fixtures mix several different LEDs to achieve good spectrum.  LEDs tend to be much harsher of a light since it is effectively a point source, while T5HOs and MH are large blankets of light rather than points.  See below for an example of the difference between harsh and soft light.  This is a preference thing, one isn't necessarily better than the other.  LEDs tend to have "shimmer", where individual LEDs of different colors don't completely mix and so you have this dancing light.  Some people like it, others don't.  I think MH have some of the best light available, however I don't want to spend the electricity or the money on chillers, etc required to run them.  I'm a big fan of T5HO + LED combos.  They combine the high power output of LEDs with a softer lighting of T5HOs and give a little bit better spectrum coverage than LEDs alone.