sps lighting

[burning2nd]

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read, something other then the post... sry

 

[burning2nd]

ok.... i read this.... and i must say... Im really digging a new t5 set up...


besides my other immediate problems... ive thought about this ironically over the last few days

 

[sandswhitson]

The electrical costs between a 6 bulb T5 fixture and a dual 250W halide setup are about $6 dollars more a MONTH on the halides. I run a couple of fans on my tank to keep it cool and they cost me about another $3 a month. Close to nothing. Also I am only running two 55W PC lights for actinic supplement on my tank and the only reason I am running them is I like to have a little dawn to dusk effect in my tanks. I also just checked a couple of sites and the most expensive MH 250W DE bulb I found was $80 most were around $60-$65 so the replacement costs are the same for bulbs.

 

[TJL]

Sooooo I think this thread has probably ran its course. Tomato-Tomawto, Repub-Dem we all have our opinions and reasons for the lighting we have chosen. Be it we purchased something or designed from scratch THERE IS NO RIGHT OR WRONG just "different strokes for different folks"
For those of you just starting out I hope you forgive and understand us all for our passion in this hobby we're so enraptured in. Choose a lighting system that you feel is right for the reef animals you will care for . Since corals are animals not 'Pet Rocks' and most all of us respect this fact thus we do take our responsability very siriously.

HAPPY REEFING ALL

Todd

 

[returnofsid]

The electrical costs between a 6 bulb T5 fixture and a dual 250W halide setup are about $6 dollars more a MONTH on the halides. I run a couple of fans on my tank to keep it cool and they cost me about another $3 a month. Close to nothing. Also I am only running two 55W PC lights for actinic supplement on my tank and the only reason I am running them is I like to have a little dawn to dusk effect in my tanks. I also just checked a couple of sites and the most expensive MH 250W DE bulb I found was $80 most were around $60-$65 so the replacement costs are the same for bulbs.

Scott brought up another operating cost, that I forgot about mentioning. If you're running T5HO, some fixtures do not have active cooling. Actively cooling the bulbs will allow them to produce more PAR. So, if you're running fans across the bulbs, they'll put out more PAR, but your operating cost will rise slightly.

Glad to hear the DE Halide bulbs are less expensive than I estimated, since I need to replace Angie's soon...lol. That does bring bulb replacement cost to about equal. Also, bulb life is comparatively equal as well.

 

[brandyrb]

I run both a 36" dual 250W HQI SE halide setup with two VHOs (bulbs are XM 20Ks) and a 36" 6 bulb TEK T5 fixture (I forgot my bulb combination) and I honestly like both. The halide fixture does cost a bit more in electricity and a bit more for bulbs. I have sps, zoas and lps (acans/chalices/favias). The zoas look great under both lighting setups. I have some sps that looks better under T5's (encrusting montis) and some sps that look better under halides (garf purple bonsais).

It's all just a matter of preference. When I had an extra T5 fixture, we decided to sell it instead of our halide fixture because we really do like the look of halides. Either will do great IMO. Tank depth should be considered when using T5s though. I wouldn't use T5's on an aquarium with a depth of more than 24", but that's just me.

I will say that the original cost of the Halide fixture was twice as much or more than what I paid for the T5 fixture. I paid 1100-1200 on my PFO fixture with bulbs, ballasts, etc. new at the LFS. I paid approx 500-550 for my T5 fixture with bulbs new from reefgeek.

 

[brandyrb]

Here's a TOTM that uses T5 only lighting.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/totm/index.php

There is another one from a few years ago that was a large aquarium (300 gals?) using exlusively T5s and that tank was awesome. I can't remember the owner's name for the life of me though. I just remember reading about him on RC. This guy was using 8 bulbs I think and his sps corals were NEON and everyone was like "Wow, I'm switching to T5 lighting.".

I know there are a lot more TOTM aquariums on RC that use T5s exclusively, I just can't look for them right now because I'm at work, but they're there.

 

[returnofsid]

because I'm at work,

Like that's ever stopped you!! LOL

 

[brandyrb]

Like that's ever stopped you!! LOL

mmk, I just don't want to look for them right now. How's that, lol.

 

[TJL]

Brandy,

Thank you for the link to that incredible Reef System and I think he explained maybe one of the best features of Florescent lighting that Sid nor I forgot to which is full light coverage w/o shadowing. I also liked how he explained his evolution in lighting from MH to T5 only including exact combination of bulbs to reach optimal benefit to corals and asthetic value.

Todd

 

[reefnjunkie]

great looking pics on both sides of the aisle.
Someone mentioned the light sword or close to it.
I think its safe to say either light works under the right conditions-
I too have had success with both T5 and MH.
I've had the same coral in the T5 set up that was also in my MH set up-different color morphing on some millies which was very cool.

These are always good to read threads-its like the 'ol "what came 1st the chicken or the egg" very "opinionated"-IMO

 

[freetareef]

i know this thread is a little old but check this out.

 

[freetareef]

this is with ati 10x54 t5 fixture 5 inches off the water surface. the bulbs are nine months old.

 

[burning2nd]

Good thing to bring back old threads... Most of the good stuff is barred in the depths of the sight

 

[kevinpo]

Hello,
Good job on documenting the PAR readings. That's great information.

Regards,
Kevin