Do you have to have LED lights?
- Thread starter Vinny1217
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Nope, you don't need LED. You do on the other hand need a bunch of light, Halides and T-5 HO will do.
ohio reefer
Valuable Member
Welcome to the wonderful world of salt water keeping!! Your on the right track by coming here and asking advice.
The lights you have 2xT5 will be fine for a fish only tank and even for some lower light needy corals.
Good luck and keep us posted of your adventures
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The lights you have 2xT5 will be fine for a fish only tank and even for some lower light needy corals.
Good luck and keep us posted of your adventures
Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk
You're going to need a lot more than 2 x Zoo Med T5 bulbs over a tank if you're going to have a successful tank. T5's are all about good reflectors, good bulbs (Zoo Med would not qualify), and usually having a good number of bulbs over a tank.
I'd use a 4 lamp T5 unit. All blues and one white.
Zack
Valuable Member
:tongue: just messin........
ound:
REEF RADIANCE
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Leds
Hi Vinny,
My name is Rick and I am founder of Reef Radiance. We are a sponsor here and sell a lot of LEDs. It really chaps my hide when someone makes a blanket statement like the person who told you must have LEDs for a coral tank. I had traditional bulbs and Metal Halide lighting over my 500 gallon system until 2009 and then went to LEDs - not because my coral would not grow - because I did not like the heat and I did not like my monthly electric bill and the expense of replacing the bulbs every 6 months to a year. My coral was fine. I know a lot of aquarists who very successfully grow coral with bulbs and I would never tell them to switch over unless they asked for my advice. One of the great things about this hobby is that it allows us ( within certain perimeters ) to customize our setups the way we want - not the way someone else does. I get asked this question a lot on forums and at shows and on our site and my answer is the same " how is your tank doing? Are your coral healthy? How is the heat and your electric bill? " and if the person is fine with this - I tell them to stay with what they have. If you tank is fine with what you have - leave it alone.
When someone who makes a living selling LEDs tells you that you do not need to buy them - listen.
Take care,
Rick
Hi Vinny,
My name is Rick and I am founder of Reef Radiance. We are a sponsor here and sell a lot of LEDs. It really chaps my hide when someone makes a blanket statement like the person who told you must have LEDs for a coral tank. I had traditional bulbs and Metal Halide lighting over my 500 gallon system until 2009 and then went to LEDs - not because my coral would not grow - because I did not like the heat and I did not like my monthly electric bill and the expense of replacing the bulbs every 6 months to a year. My coral was fine. I know a lot of aquarists who very successfully grow coral with bulbs and I would never tell them to switch over unless they asked for my advice. One of the great things about this hobby is that it allows us ( within certain perimeters ) to customize our setups the way we want - not the way someone else does. I get asked this question a lot on forums and at shows and on our site and my answer is the same " how is your tank doing? Are your coral healthy? How is the heat and your electric bill? " and if the person is fine with this - I tell them to stay with what they have. If you tank is fine with what you have - leave it alone.
When someone who makes a living selling LEDs tells you that you do not need to buy them - listen.
Take care,
Rick
Liquid360
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you don't need LEDs... however it's vital that you keep this fact to yourself. We all are participants in a massive campaign of disinformation. Our hobby is full and not accepting new members and therefore we do what we can to discourage foreign interest.
ohio reefer
Valuable Member
I run a 4 bulb t5 over my 55 and have great growth. My maxima is loving it, my duresa is growing to fast and my sebae anemone is about 16 inches across now. I have no reason to switch. However in my biocube I love the look of the moon lights. That's only 3 LEDs I can't imagine how wonderful a retro fit led kit would look. The only reason I may switch Is bulb cost, and heat. Also I love the colors LEDs provide.
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