LED lighting vs t5

[Murica]

I love hearing how LEDs are so much cheaper. My situation...

I have 180 gallon mixed reef and looking for new light. Needs to be strong enough for SPS.

Option 1
3 radions plus hanging devices going to cost me $2500+.

Option 2
5' ATI Sunpower fixture $663
8 bulbs $200

I would need to change bulbs every 9 months at $200 costs. Meaning I would have to change the bulbs 8 more times or 6-7 years down the road before I broke even. In 3 years your LEDs fixtures will need a new update and the newer technology will be far superior to what it is today, making your LEDs out dated and leaving u to spend more money.

Even if they don't need updating. 7 years until you break even in costs.

brs did a bulb replacement test which showed that bulbs can easily last at least a year and a half ish

 

[Mirkus]

I just switched over to led's after using t5s and reefbrites for the last 6 years or so. I wanted to make a change so I did. The biggest drawback to t5's in my opinion is the flat light. I think it's easy to manage the heat (I live in mild climate).

2 years later.. I wish i had waited on the special order powermodule and not been so impatient.

 

[X-37B]

brs did a bulb replacement test which showed that bulbs can easily last at least a year and a half ish

I have to laugh everytime I hear how costly it is to replace bulbs in a T5 unit. Buy 1 a month @ $20 over an 8 month period. Thats about $5 a week! Just a different way to look at it.

 

[RCS82]

This thread is almost 4 years old and yet the battle rages on lol.
It is simply just not possible to answer this question. Budgets, tank dimensions, tank goals etc etc all have to be taken into account and even then the battle will still rage.
Throwing all that out the window and just picking between LED and T5 I will vote T5. If metal halide was an option in the question and without getting into heat, electricity, bulb changes yada yada, I would pick metal halide above the other 2. I've experimented with all 3 and to me can't say enough about the natural look metal halides produce. To me even my water looks nicer lol.

 

[JPergamo]

Being that this thread was just revived, was wondering if anyone had any insight into currently produced (if any) t5/halide fixtures. I know about the Hamilton cebu sun but also dont know if they are being made either.

Another part to my question for discussion is, are halides going to be phased out in coming years fully? To where it may not be worth investing in a fixture at this point?

I myself have a t5/LED hybrid fixture over my current system now and things are doing well. I have used all 3 lighting systems over the years and am definitely nostalgic about my halides of old. That being said I absolutely feel there are benefits and downsides of all 3, and I, like many others I'm sure, suffer from the "grass is greener" feeling sometimes about lighting. Happy reefing.

 

[Bpb]

Being that this thread was just revived, was wondering if anyone had any insight into currently produced (if any) t5/halide fixtures. I know about the Hamilton cebu sun but also dont know if they are being made either.

Another part to my question for discussion is, are halides going to be phased out in coming years fully? To where it may not be worth investing in a fixture at this point?

I myself have a t5/LED hybrid fixture over my current system now and things are doing well. I have used all 3 lighting systems over the years and am definitely nostalgic about my halides of old. That being said I absolutely feel there are benefits and downsides of all 3, and I, like many others I'm sure, suffer from the "grass is greener" feeling sometimes about lighting. Happy reefing.

The giesemann spectra and giesemann infinity are still being produced, it’s just that no US retailers carry it. You have to contact giesemann sales directly and have one shipped over from Germany.