Are 8 bulb t5 worth the cost per year?

[Mikeltee]

Absolutely! You are talking $4000 for an equivalent spread in g30s. If you got 4k to burn go led. I prefer hybrid metal halide and t5 though.

 

[kevin_e]

T5 are not need to grow corals. You can have a very nice tank with just LED.
You save money, you save electricity and your tank won’t over heat. If I had to change a t5 bulb I would kill myself. My whole house is LED lights and I haven’t changed a bulb in 5yrs.

T5 bulbs are a huge money maker for the LFS and online store. BRS makes a killing selling t5 bulbs. They keep pushing that light source because it’s $$$ for them.

Little overboard here.

 

[Potatohead]

If you have a 150 gallon tank and do a 15% water change every two weeks you use a bucket of salt every 15 weeks. For average salt that's about $20 per month. Is changing 160 bucks worth of bulbs every 12-18 months a big deal? Especially when you saved like 2k right off the get go?

 

[neltel_7]

I’d stay away from poci if I were you.

why is that?

 

[neltel_7]

If you have a 150 gallon tank and do a 15% water change every two weeks you use a bucket of salt every 15 weeks. For average salt that's about $20 per month. Is changing 160 bucks worth of bulbs every 12-18 months a big deal? Especially when you saved like 2k right off the get go?

very good point

 

[Falcar]

I'm going with at ATI 8 bulb with a couple reef breeder lumenbars to get the best of both worlds on my new tank.

I just couldn't stomach the costs it would take to get nice coverage with LEDs. I got the ATI during the 20% off sale so it was a no brainer.

 

[aslmx]

why is that?

This is a few months old but I’m wondering the same thing.

 

[ScottB]

This is a few months old but I’m wondering the same thing.

@neltel_7

Pocci possess a relatively unique survival capability. If they stress, they will do a polyp bailout and can spread themselves all over the tank. I really don't think it is that common, but I have seen pictures here of pocci covered rocks and people scraping off and putty over to stop them from spreading.

 

[aslmx]

@neltel_7

Pocci possess a relatively unique survival capability. If they stress, they will do a polyp bailout and can spread themselves all over the tank. I really don't think it is that common, but I have seen pictures here of pocci covered rocks and people scraping off and putty over to stop them from spreading.

Really, I need to google that. It sounds pretty cool