T5 or led

MonsterReef · Jun 13, 2016

Thinking about switching from ocean reviven t247 to T5 any body got an opinion

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Stick with the Ocean Revives Matt and add T5 supplements.

It'll grow anything. Here's my tank with just those lights.

themcnertney · Jun 13, 2016

FarmerTy said:
Stick with the Ocean Revives Matt and add T5 supplements.

It'll grow anything. Here's my tank with just those lights.

I agree. Also, @FarmerTy , where did you get those single bulb t5 fixtures?

MonsterReef · Jun 13, 2016

Just trying to figure out why my nems close up when light comes on and have coral that is just not growing

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Dan McNertney said:
I agree. Also, @FarmerTy , where did you get those single bulb t5 fixtures?

They are just retrofit. I bought the parts from BRS and added it to a frame I made for the lights. They are 60" long so I also bought the ATI ballast to power them. I call it the AT-Ty poor man's powermodule. [emoji12]

CoralsAddiction · Jun 13, 2016

T5, you get better growth and colors. I started in the hobby with LEDs. I have owned Kessil, Radions and Razor. Then I switched to T5 and my corals showed improvement in both growth and color.

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Oops, I forgot to mention that I did change all my 10k diodes on my Ocean Revive fixtures to 3.5k diodes. Super easy and cheap to do, I never even soldered in my life before then. Costs less than $8/fixture for diodes as well.

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Here's the tank before I switched the diodes and added T5s. Still looks good to me but I like a warmer and less blue look.

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

matthew crowson said:
Just trying to figure out why my nems close up when light comes on and have coral that is just not growing

Well I can say it isn't the lights but perhaps maybe your settings? What percentages do you have them at? How high off the water? How deep is your tank?

MonsterReef · Jun 13, 2016

FarmerTy said:
Well I can say it isn't the lights but perhaps maybe your settings? What percentages do you have them at? How high off the water? How deep is your tank?

Tank is 19 inches deep lights are 8 inches off water just backed down whites to 10% and blues to 50%

MonsterReef · Jun 13, 2016

FarmerTy said:
Well I can say it isn't the lights but perhaps maybe your settings? What percentages do you have them at? How high off the water? How deep is your tank?

Shep · Jun 13, 2016

I moved from Kessil LEDs last November (I have always used LEDs since my first tank) to an ATI T5 light and I have gotten more growth than ever and better colors. I will probably never be going back to LEDs again, Hybrid is an option

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Shep said:
I moved from Kessil LEDs last November (I have always used LEDs since my first tank) to an ATI T5 light and I have gotten more growth than ever and better colors. I will probably never be going back to LEDs again, Hybrid is an option

I may get flamed for this but I've never been a fan of kessils. I think they are terrible lights, tons of shadowing, too blue, and horrible coverage for a ridiculous price.

T5s are for sure the better set and forget technology but the annual price of replacement bulbs deters me from ever going back to just T5s.

Shep · Jun 13, 2016

FarmerTy said:
I may get flamed for this but I've never been a fan of kessils. I think they are terrible lights, tons of shadowing, too blue, and horrible coverage for a ridiculous price.

T5s are for sure the better set and forget technology but the annual price of replacement bulbs deters me from ever going back to just T5s.

Yea the bulb cost is pretty painful.....speaking of which I have to get new ones soon

I wonder if the LED "T5" bulbs are any good (off topic I know, ignore it)

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

matthew crowson said:
Tank is 19 inches deep lights are 8 inches off water just backed down whites to 10% and blues to 50%

I run 35% blue, 25% white, 20" above my frag tank and everything seems to appreciate it.

For my DT, 90% blue, 60% white, 10" from surface of water in a 29" deep tank.

I'd say perhaps turn down the blues to 25% and ramp up from there as things look happier.

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

Shep said:
Yea the bulb cost is pretty painful.....speaking of which I have to get new ones soon I wonder if the LED "T5" bulbs are any good (off topic I know, ignore it)

I've heard mixed results but don't want to derail thread.

MonsterReef · Jun 13, 2016

What is dt

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

matthew crowson said:
What is dt

Sorry, display tank.

FarmerTy · Jun 13, 2016

matthew crowson said:
What is dt

Matt, any chance you grew up in Slidale and have a cousin named Harold who lives in Austin? You have a resemblance to one of my best friends here in Austin and have the same last name.