Thinking about switching to T5 from led as that is all I have ever used. Always been a full hydra guy but hear the growth is better on t5. Sps dominant tank so I think is should help. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Light change
- Thread starter Weevo
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Alarmguy66
Active Member
I just went the opposite way, with trepidation. Why did I do it? After a few years of buying new bulbs you have spent the cost of an LED fixture, and there is just SO much more adjustability and coloration you can change with an LED Fixture.
What Ive seen so far (Only a few weeks after the changeover). At first the LED shimmer was offensive to my eyes. I got used to it. NO difference in growth or polyp extension, at least, none noticeable so far. Shadows with LED, there certainly is better coverage with T5. Algae loss with LED, I think as T5 bulbs age they may promote some algae growth. That observation might just be coincidental, but it times out with the lighting changeover.
Caveat, my tanks is LPS/Softie mix, not SPS, so mileage may vary.
I believe the T5/LED hybrid is probably where I will end up, just due to the better coverage factor of T5.
What Ive seen so far (Only a few weeks after the changeover). At first the LED shimmer was offensive to my eyes. I got used to it. NO difference in growth or polyp extension, at least, none noticeable so far. Shadows with LED, there certainly is better coverage with T5. Algae loss with LED, I think as T5 bulbs age they may promote some algae growth. That observation might just be coincidental, but it times out with the lighting changeover.
Caveat, my tanks is LPS/Softie mix, not SPS, so mileage may vary.
I believe the T5/LED hybrid is probably where I will end up, just due to the better coverage factor of T5.
Alarmguy66
Active Member
I think the real benefit to T5 instead of LED is the coverage. The wider distrubution area just covers everything in the tank so much better than LED. The main drawback to me is replacing the bulbs every 6-9 months, which becomes a pain and a cost over time. Ive read that multiple LED fixtures with overlapping fields can reduce the shadows, but I havent done it myself.
A. grandis
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Get an ATI non- dimmable Sunpower that will cover the whole surface area of the tank and don't worry about lighting ever again. You will be all set forever!
