Leds to suppliment t5s

[dylanst.onge]

Anyone running reefbrite lumilight or current led strip to suppliment t5s? Or any other options switching back to t5s from a black box led and would light to suppliment leds still

 

[iemsparticus]

Anyone running reefbrite lumilight or current led strip to suppliment t5s? Or any other options switching back to t5s from a black box led and would light to suppliment leds still

If you make T5s your main source of light, your LEDs would basically only be for shimmer and other aesthetics, so you really could use whatever you want. Basically all of your PER will be coming from the T5s.

 

[mcarroll]

Anyone running reefbrite lumilight or current led strip to suppliment t5s? Or any other options switching back to t5s from a black box led and would light to suppliment leds still

What are the dimensions of your tank?

Coming from black boxes that I have to assume you don't like and saying you're looking at T5's but want LEDs...

I'd really suggest looking at the Current USA Orbit Marine IC or Marine Pro if you want light that is T5-like/different than the black boxes. Significantly smoother and less shadows, much like T5.

Look at the PDF's on Current's website for their specific recommendations....don't be afraid to add +1 strips if you're looking for a brighter light setup. (Don't think brighter is better tho....not what I'm saying and not true....just make sure you get the setup you want.)

 

[dylanst.onge]

Tank is a 40b 36x18x17 and the black box leds just don't seem to be growing and coloring up my sps like t5s did more looking for just some added color from an led strip

 

[reefwiser]

I have Reefbrite strips on my MH fixture Reefbrite. Nice intense blue light so you can see the colors pop when the MH goes off. Reefbrite makes a nice T5 fixture that you could mount the Reefbrite LED's too also.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Any reason you wouldn't just keep the black boxes you have now for the supplementing?

 

[Chac317]

Look into Biotek B5 led tubes. That's what I plan on doing when I get my fixture hung. I'm switching away from Hydras. The B5s just go into a bulb slot like a normal T5 bulb, no extra hanging or attaching.

 

[mcarroll]

Forgot to mention that for a tank that shallow, you could also look at GHL's Lightbar2's. No lenses for a deep tank, but otherwise very nice.

Tank is a 40b 36x18x17 and the black box leds just don't seem to be growing and coloring up my sps like t5s did more looking for just some added color from an led strip

How long ago did you switch?

What was your old light setup? (watts, etc)

Can you post or PM me your most recent water test results?

What do you do for water flow?

Can you also post a full tank shot that shows lighting and flow pumps?

 

[iemsparticus]

Another question is what spectrum are you running the LEDs at? They aren't plug and play like T5s are.

 

[mcarroll]

Another question is what spectrum are you running the LEDs at? They aren't plug and play like T5s are.

I know folks say that about T5's all the time, but are you aware of how many bulb colors you have to choose from?

T5's are only "plug and play" to any degree because there are a few reasonably standard combinations of bulbs that people use.

If you were around when T5's came on the scene you'd remember all the silly combo's people would use while they were figuring out what worked. I mostly remember lotsa weirdo purple and red tanks!!! LOL This was never interesting to me so I never paid much attention to T5 lights. (Still don't.)

There'll be a few reasonably standard LED color setups for the ones that are "too-tweakable". Most other LED's have some degree of pre-tuned colors to avoid the "tweaking problems" people have had.

Halide and LED are equally plug and play if you buy lights that don't have the excess controls, BTW. Folks act like the ultra-controllable LED's are a necessity for some reason. They are fun, but they are not a necessity.

 

[iemsparticus]

I know folks say that about T5's all the time, but are you aware of how many bulb colors you have to choose from?

T5's are only "plug and play" to any degree because there are a few reasonably standard combinations of bulbs that people use.

If you were around when T5's came on the scene you'd remember all the silly combo's people would use while they were figuring out what worked. I mostly remember lotsa weirdo purple and red tanks!!! LOL This was never interesting to me so I never paid much attention to T5 lights. (Still don't.)

There'll be a few reasonably standard LED color setups for the ones that are "too-tweakable". Most other LED's have some degree of pre-tuned colors to avoid the "tweaking problems" people have had.

Halide and LED are equally plug and play if you buy lights that don't have the excess controls, BTW. Folks act like the ultra-controllable LED's are a necessity for some reason. They are fun, but they are not a necessity.

True enough!

I still think it's safer, for the sake of the discussion, to assume that it's far more likely for the photosynthetically useable radiation to be a potential culperate when discussing why an LED light it not working as well as a T5 when we're talking corals becoming less healthy. If it was a move from LED to T5, I would be more suspicious of straight PAR issues.

I don't disagree with anything you said.

 

[dylanst.onge]

I'm running an ocean revive t247 and it just doesn't seem to be growing anything as fast and as colorful as my old current usa t5 fixture

 

[mcarroll]

True enough!

I still think it's safer, for the sake of the discussion, to assume that it's far more likely for the photosynthetically useable radiation to be a potential culperate when discussing why an LED light it not working as well as a T5 when we're talking corals becoming less healthy. If it was a move from LED to T5, I would be more suspicious of straight PAR issues.

I don't disagree with anything you said.

I obviously can't speak for all tanks and all situations, but from what I've been able to see on my own these upgrade cases have rarely or never been very clear cut. There's almost always a simple increase in lighting levels because 1+1=2.

From case to case, folks may or may not acclimate their corals to the new lights in some way, but I don't see folks balancing the light levels with a light meter – so they're adding more light to the system in almost all cases.

There's an almost magical quality ascribed to T5 light at times. I can't say I'm a believer in T5 magic. More light is more light. More light does go better with some environments than others. Generally you could say that higher light likes higher nutrients...but there are important details.

@Russ265 was in a different context, but was the first person I remember really zeroing in on this.

Try this 2015 thread of his: HELP! MY SPS ARE PALING AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

 

[dylanst.onge]

Yea I think it's more over a spectrum/intensity issue I wish par meters were not so expensive lol

 

[mcarroll]

Yea I think it's more over a spectrum/intensity issue I wish par meters were not so expensive lol

For starters, just try a lux meter app.

I'd really recommend a handheld lux meter for later though. $10-$15, delivered! Like the "LX-1010B" which is the only light meter I've ever used.

A PAR meter is great if you have access to one, but don't go completely without a meter!