Are 8 bulb t5 worth the cost per year?

[Keithb22]

Running gen 5 Radion on my main tank and love the light and the company but I did toss a 10 gallon together with a 2 bulb t5 and wow. Growth is terrific, color etc. I would choose T5 over mars personally but that’s just my opinion, love the T5 and they are exceptional for growing coral.

 

[X-37B]

The old cost issue with T5's again lol.
Just buy 1 bulb a month at $20+. Way less than you spend on frags every month I would guess.
I ran the Mars on my nano with great results and have a full new MH system, 2 250/400 watt DE lumen brite reflectors and ballasts.
Went with a used ATI T5 unit. Go figure lol.
I replace my bulbs at 9 months, so still only $20 a month.
Reason I do this is I run no cover or fans, they are old and loud lol.
Noticable light increase and coral growth. I change 1 a week for 8 weeks.
Many ways to run a reef but you cant go wrong with T5's and those expensibe bulb changes lol.

 

[X-37B]

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.

My tank does not over heat and the fixture is 4" off the surface. I wanted radions as thats what the lfs runs but the cost! Lol. It all works and its nice to have choices.

 

[neltel_7]

The old cost issue with T5's again lol.
Just buy 1 bulb a month at $20+. Way less than you spend on frags every month I would guess.
I ran the Mars on my nano with great results and have a full new MH system, 2 250/400 watt DE lumen brite reflectors and ballasts.
Went with a used ATI T5 unit. Go figure lol.
I replace my bulbs at 9 months, so still only $20 a month.
Reason I do this is I run no cover or fans, they are old and loud lol.
Noticable light increase and coral growth. I change 1 a week for 8 weeks.
Many ways to run a reef but you cant go wrong with T5's and those expensibe bulb changes lol.

do you think adding 2 supplement t5's combined with the led's would increase growth?

 

[X-37B]

do you think adding 2 supplement t5's combined with the led's would increase growth?

Cant hurt and what you get is full spectrum lighting that helps offset the shadowing leds give. If you run heavy led blues then I would run C+. B+ if your into the heavy blue look.
I run 4b+ 4c+ and like the look.
Lfs says many are switching to hybrids systems that run radions which are popular in my area.

 

[ScottB]

Age old debate.

If heat generation is an issue, then consider hybrid. If not, ATI Sunpower makes for happy corals for all the reasons suggested above.

You could go all LED, but I would suggest you buy a bunch of them, filter/diffuse them, hang them high, run them strong. The result will be decent spread and penetration, less shadowing, less hotspots, a lot of light spill, and zero savings.

 

[X-37B]

lfs runs all radions all 24" off the surface and they have many. Heavy blue except for startup.
They work well with little to no shadowing but thats on all frag tanks.
Display tank runs B+ too.

 

[Amado]

You don’t need to buy a lot of leds.
You can run your tank with just two LEDs.
Two 90watt leds can light a 4ft tank.
You can pick whatever manufacture you like.
Two lights over your tank look a lot nicer than hanging a t5 lights over your tank.
Led looks clean and you can program the lights to ramp up and ramp down. Some of the newer lights also let you use a controller.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I guess it depends on what you like the look of really. How does it best fit in your hood or on your light rack? Do you want to change bulbs? Do you want to spend time playing with spectrum and with the LED toys? Totally up to you. They are both a good option.

 

[RCS82]

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.

I find this quite laughable. Many, many people are upgrading their tank's LEDs after 5 years. T5s are not the LFS' moneymakers, Radions, hydras and Kessils etc are.

 

[X-37B]

You don’t need to buy a lot of leds.
You can run your tank with just two LEDs.
Two 90watt leds can light a 4ft tank.
You can pick whatever manufacture you like.
Two lights over your tank look a lot nicer than hanging a t5 lights over your tank.
Led looks clean and you can program the lights to ramp up and ramp down. Some of the newer lights also let you use a controller.

Agreed. My T5 sits on t-slot 4" off the surface.
All light goes into the tank.
I can slide it out of the way. Thats the beauty of choices in this hobby.

 

[neltel_7]

Agreed. My T5 sits on t-slot 4" off the surface.
All light goes into the tank.
I can slide it out of the way. Thats the beauty of choices in this hobby.

How many bulbs is this?

 

[Amado]

I find this quite laughable. Many, many people are upgrading their tank's LEDs after 5 years. T5s are not the LFS' moneymakers, Radions, hydras and Kessils etc are.

No those items are expensive but they don’t make money for the store. They lights cost a lot 1,000 but it’s a MAP price so the store only makes about 10% on those lights.
Now on t5 bulbs the markup is closer to 50%
They pay about $12 for a $25 light.

It’s like when you go to a Resturant they make more money from the drinks than the food. A glass of coke is .30 and they sell it for $5

People are upgrading LED lights. They are selling there old LEDs for about 60%
Of what they originally paid. So they are using that to buy new lights. T5 you can’t sell your old bulbs there is no market for that.

 

[X-37B]

How many bulbs is this?

8. A 6 bulb ati and a 2 bulb unit that sits behind the ati.
I ran 6 bul. For 8 months with good growth before adding 2 more.

 

[RCS82]

Not interested in debating T5s vs LEDs. I love LEDs just as much as the next guy actually.
What it comes down to is what kind of tank and corals the OP wants to keep. Some Softies and LPS and wants to keep a few dollars in their pocket, then go for a couple black boxes. Wall to wall Acro tank, then go with the 8 bulb T5 unit. Want the middle road? I would do a 4 bulb unit with a Reefbrite or similar clipped onto it.

 

[dohc97]

No those items are expensive but they don’t make money for the store. They lights cost a lot 1,000 but it’s a MAP price so the store only makes about 10% on those lights.
Now on t5 bulbs the markup is closer to 50%
They pay about $12 for a $25 light.

It’s like when you go to a Resturant they make more money from the drinks than the food. A glass of coke is .30 and they sell it for $5

Map pricing is not just 10% over cost, I know that many on here have had a look at what those items cost at wholesale level and would agree with me

 

[Amado]

Not interested in debating T5s vs LEDs. I love LEDs just as much as the next guy actually.
What it comes down to is what kind of tank and corals the OP wants to keep. Some Softies and LPS and wants to keep a few dollars in their pocket, then go for a couple black boxes. Wall to wall Acro tank, then go with the 8 bulb T5 unit. Want the middle road? I would do a 4 bulb unit with a Reefbrite or similar clipped onto it.

Led black boxes can grow any coral. No need for t5 .

 

[Aqua Splendor]

I replace mine after 22 month, so yeah they are cost effective.
I prefer the Hybrid solution, you can see all the combo I made on my YouTube channel.

Having the PAR with LED, having the coverage of T5, best world.

 

[Amado]

Map pricing is not just 10% over cost, I know that many on here have had a look at what those items cost at wholesale level and would agree with me

Your missing the point. The money is made on the t5 bulbs every time you change them it’s a reoccurring cost. So it’s 50% + every year. While the led is only one time.

Hybrid method is a win win for them.
They get you for the 1 time cost of led
1 time cost for t5 and the yearly cost of the bulbs. So that’s the best money maker for them.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Completely up to you. I sold my mars aqua and went 8 bulb t5’s a year ago.

Yes your electric bill will increase, yes your tank will run warmer and yes you will have to replace about every 12-14 months.

it worth it to you?