I have a AI Hydra 26 on my 50g cube and been wanting to add T5’s to my set up simply because I like the look and want to eliminate the visual effects of shadows in my tank. Its all LPS, just two pieces of SPS with Monti Cap and Birds Nest. Growth is fine, just looking to eliminate shadows for visual aesthetic. Seen the aquatic life t5 hybrid but think its overpriced at 220. Also i like the minimalistic look of just having an led. Should I buy a cheap t5 strip to add infront of my Hydra? Or should I invest in the hybrid fixture. Maybe a cheap coral life led strip.
Adding T5 Supplimentation to LED
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Crabs McJones
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For a hybrid fixture that is plug and play and can accommodate your hydras right out of the box, the aquatic life fixture is actually really good and not to badly priced. I have one with me Kessil AP700 and love it. And my coral growth has never been better
Ron Reefman
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I have a Reef Breeders Photon V2 over my tank and I tries adding t5's and was very unhappy with the results.
I added a white t5 up front and a blue actinic t5 in the back. The actinic was about the right intensity at midday and I was OK with it being a bit too bright during sunrise and sunset. But the white t5, and I tried several, were WAY to bright!
I ended up getting two 21ledusa strips. One was all 460nm blue for the back of the tank and the front was half white and half blue (a better choice than all white) and it was 2 channels with dimmers so I could adjust how white I wanted it and how intense I wanted it. Oh, and it really helped eliminate the shadows under ledges and overhangs.
I added a white t5 up front and a blue actinic t5 in the back. The actinic was about the right intensity at midday and I was OK with it being a bit too bright during sunrise and sunset. But the white t5, and I tried several, were WAY to bright!
I ended up getting two 21ledusa strips. One was all 460nm blue for the back of the tank and the front was half white and half blue (a better choice than all white) and it was 2 channels with dimmers so I could adjust how white I wanted it and how intense I wanted it. Oh, and it really helped eliminate the shadows under ledges and overhangs.
If you are having real shadowing issues, they are not going to go away without adding some T5s or LED strips. What looks better and will meet your needs is up to you, but I might suggest that you consider something that will grow corals and not just fill in the spots for your eyes... visual aesthetic turns into shadowing death as things grow.
