LED Lighting on a reef tank as the primary lighting will never work!

[revhtree Verified Admin]

"LED Lighting on a reef tank will never work!"

This is an example of a statement we heard or maybe even you thought or said just a few short years ago. We ran polls about it, talked and argued about it but now how prevalent is it really?

It's time for a NEW poll to compare to the OLD polls! It's 2019 and it sure seems like LED lighting won.

What type of lighting are you using as your primary source of light and what brand and model is it?

 

[Beardo]

I voted T5 as primary souce though it is fairly close.
Run an 8 x 80 watt ATI sunpower with 6 kessil a360we at 95% intensity.

 

[mta_morrow]

LED Maxspect RazorX

 

[Tennyson]

165W LEDs for the displays, T5's for refugia.

Bulk reef supply posted this awesome video 3 months ago comparing LEDs to T5's.

I will say that T5's can offer more consistent results and a blanket of even lighting throughout a tank, vs LEDs which have hot spots. But the appeal of LEDs for me is pricing and ability to tune the intensity. I was considering supplementing the LEDs with T5's.

 

[Jay Z]

Why no hybrid option in poll?

 

[hart24601]

Orphek. Nothing else needed!

 

[Iván Olalla]

Why no hybrid option in poll?

+ 1

I really like the led/t5 aproach

 

[MrWheelock]

Led T5 hybrid is the way I am going as well with the 48" AL fixture and 4 a360's

 

[shred5]

Personally I would like to know what people use and what their tanks look like so we can compare.
I would also like to know how old their tank is.

People like to defend what they own whether it is better or not.

Also I do not know anyone who said they would never work just that there are better options.

 

[Brew12]

"LED Lighting on a reef tank will never work!"

This is an example of a statement we heard or maybe even you thought or said just a few short years ago. We ran polls about it, talked and argued about it but now how prevalent is it really?

It's time for a NEW poll to compare to the OLD polls! It's 2019 and it sure seems like LED lighting won.

What type of lighting are you using as your primary source of light and what brand and model is it?

I said that YOU can't grow corals under LED's. I never said it would be a problem for anyone else!

Mitras LX7206's from GHL

Edit: Tank is just under 2 years old

 

[Retro Reefer]

Agree we need T5 Hybrid in the selection love my t5’s but throw LED’s in the mix and it takes them to a whole new level.

This T5 Hybrid tank is around 15 months old but some of the corals and the Derasa I have had for several years.

 

[dantimdad]

I said that YOU can't grow corals under LED's. I never said it would be a problem for anyone else!

Mitras LX7206's from GHL

Edit: Tank is just under 2 years old

That hippo is going to need to go my 8 foot or 12 foot tank soon.

 

[madweazl]

Kessil A360WE/T5 hybrid for me. Tank was originally Kessil (roughly a year) and then I decided to go SPS dominant. Tank had a center brace and I drilled through the canopy to mount the Kessils so T5s were the only realistic way of getting more PAR from the setup without making it look like Swiss cheese. It ran for another year with the two Kessils and two 54w T5s. We moved houses and I started buying stuff for our 150g, one item was a 48" AquaticLife Hybrid. Curiousity getting the better of me, I decided to throw that over the 75g with the Kessils. It remains in that configurations still (roughly 3 years and 3 months old with a complete tear down and move a year and 3 months ago).

Edit: T5s produce 60% of the PAR

For the record, I'm not impressed with the AquaticLife fixture. PAR increased 21% with the addition of 2 more 54w T5s compared to the LET retrofit I was running before it (hence the reason I went with LET retrofits for the 150g).

Our 150g has six 54w T5s and four Kessil A360WEs but I plan on moving to the A360X and may only use three depending on PAR levels.

Edit 2: I voted other since LED/T5 hybrid wasn't an option.
Edit 3: since the T5s produce 60% of the PAR on my setup, I switched it to T5.

 

[Nasir]

I use T5 and LED. I have the LEDs for look and T5s for the growth.

 

[sfin52]

2bulb t5ho one 10k one antic 2bulb t5 one 10k the other antic I also have a fluval 4th gen led

 

[dantimdad]

I currently have a 4xt5 hybrid running all blue+ with a K7 pro II led running AB+ simulated program.

Dynamite color and growth so far....

 

[Brew12]

That hippo is going to need to go my 8 foot or 12 foot tank soon.

It's going to hurt if that day comes. ;Blackeye

 

[dantimdad]

It's going to hurt if that day comes. ;Blackeye

IF it does, it will be only a short drive away and you can come visit anytime the store is open. Plus, you know I will take good care of him.

 

[Jvesche20]

I use t5 aquatic life and kessil a360we hybrid set up

 

[Midrats]

"LED Lighting on a reef tank will never work!"

This is an example of a statement we heard or maybe even you thought or said just a few short years ago. We ran polls about it, talked and argued about it but now how prevalent is it really?

It's time for a NEW poll to compare to the OLD polls! It's 2019 and it sure seems like LED lighting won.

What type of lighting are you using as your primary source of light and what brand and model is it?

Clearly LED for you sir, well done!!!