A Comparison between T5 & blackbox led

[Bacon505]

i thought i throw this out there on the same coral i have in my tank under different lighting. The center frag is under my t5 and the 2 side frag and back is grown under evergrow chinese black box led. All frag are in the same system.

 

[sbash]

Interesting, do you have the LED specs of the black box?

What T5 bulbs are you using?

 

[Bacon505]

Im using ati bulbs 5 blue plus and 3 coral plus. For the led, i dont know the spec, just the full spectrum led

 

[sbash]

just the full spectrum led

This is the problem with the black box models, they are all too different. I have seen led fixtures advertised as 'full spectrum', while they are just 12000k whites, and 460nm blues...

If your black box has too much red, for example, then that will actually inhibit coral growth. Or if it does not have any low 400nm diodes, then the growth might be quite slow. I just encountered an article with evidence of 395nm diodes helping with reef growth, so I am keen to modify one of my black boxes once I get the LED order in

Sometimes they actually put a sticker on the fixture with a list of the diodes used, or if you have an internet link you used when you purchased them? At least four of my black boxes have the sticker.

 

[Bacon505]

This box had 2 red 2 green and i think 4 violet. I've used various black box in the past and i know they grow corals and color but to an extent. I have a radion that i will replace this black box and test out to compare with my t5

 

[bubbaque]

Nice comparison! I like to see post like this.

 

[Keepingitunreal]

Very nice

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Looking forward to seeing your results.
It's always fun to run experiments in our reefs.

 

[Bacon505]

Looking forward to seeing your results.
It's always fun to run experiments in our reefs.

I will removed the chinese led and replace with the radion and will update it as soon as i figure out how to use the radion

 

[BoomCorals]

Those frags are all seemingly fresh cuts or very recent cuts? The ones on the left right and back show a little encrusting growth but the T5 one shows none?

 

[Bacon505]

Those frags are all seemingly fresh cuts or very recent cuts? The ones on the left right and back show a little encrusting growth but the T5 one shows none?

Yeah the center one is fresh cut from the mother colony under t5. The two left and right side has been cut like a month back and sit under he led. The back one was cut about 2 weeks prior to the center one.
Mother colony

 

[BoomCorals]

Yeah the center one is fresh cut from the mother colony under t5. The two left and right side has been cut like a month back and sit under he led. The back one was cut about 2 weeks prior to the center one.
Mother colony

Hard to compare then. What I'd do is a fresh cut two frags from mother colony, same size and shape best you can. Put one under T5, the other under LED. Then compare after a few weeks. Frags often change color after being cut so the fresh cut T5 really doesn't show us much in contrast to cuts made weeks ago.

 

[Scorpius]

BoomCorals just BOOMED this thread into oblivion.

OP you gotta compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

 

[BoomCorals]

BoomCorals just BOOMED this thread into oblivion.

OP you gotta compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges.

Was not my intent to sound harsh or mean! Just wanted to provide information in order to get a good comparison, as experiments like these are great to do.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Was not my intent to sound harsh or mean! Just wanted to provide information in order to get a good comparison, as experiments like these are great to do.

I don't think you were harsh at all.
I think this is a great thread and opens up some good discussion. I believe that what you did was help lay out the second part of the discussion hopefully.

@Bacon505 It's awesome to see the difference in the frags, I hope to see the comparison of other frags cut at the same time, if at all possible. Thanks again for sharing your pictures with us. You have some very attractive pieces.

 

[Bacon505]

I have a frag under t5 at the moment and will update once encrust for comparison.

 

[BoomCorals]

I have a frag under t5 at the moment and will update once encrust for comparison.

You'll want to have one under led at the same time for comparison.

 

[nano_ryan]

i thought i throw this out there on the same coral i have in my tank under different lighting. The center frag is under my t5 and the 2 side frag and back is grown under evergrow chinese black box led. All frag are in the same system.

Hi im new to the hobby and am using a 165w black box currently in my 60 reef. I cant decide if i should buy some T5 bulbs to go along with my leds, or continue with only leds. I really want the best for my corals, so be honest. Thanks!