Testing out some T5s

[Brandon McHenry]

So I've been running two Hydra52 LEDs with 4 60inch T5 bulbs in a retrofit kit over my 150gallon (72x24x18) SPS tank. Needless to say I haven't been the most pleased with my coloration. I had access to 2 additional retrofit kits, each with 4 24inch bulbs. So I decided why not let's give this a try. I took the LEDs down and put the 2 additional retrofit kits in their place. I now have a total of 512 watts of T5 bulbs over my tank. I know it's not the same as a good ATI Sunpower fixture, but I wanted to see what full T5 would do over my tank. Any thoughts on what I might experience? Before and after pictures going from LED to T5 would be great if you have them.

 

[Diesel]

I don't think pics can prove much as the default of camera settings will play a roll.
What I do can tell you is that when I had for 3.5 years Radions over my tank the color was insane.
Point is that SPS weren't growing as they should have.
Going back to T5 (ATI Hybrid) changed that whole perspective.
Back and forward on different bulbs in all colors (thank you Coralvue for the tons of bulbs) I found my perfect fit that gives me color and growth.
Pretty sure you can find your middle way too when you use the Hydras52 just use them as substitute lights and bring in the T5 as your main light.
What kind of bulbs are you running as we speak.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I don't think pics can prove much as the default of camera settings will play a roll.
What I do can tell you is that when I had for 3.5 years Radions over my tank the color was insane.
Point is that SPS weren't growing as they should have.
Going back to T5 (ATI Hybrid) changed that whole perspective.
Back and forward on different bulbs in all colors (thank you Coralvue for the tons of bulbs) I found my perfect fit that gives me color and growth.
Pretty sure you can find your middle way too when you use the Hydras52 just use them as substitute lights and bring in the T5 as your main light.
What kind of bulbs are you running as we speak.

Well after 3 or so years with the Hydras I never really found my happy place with color, although growth was good. Right now I have 2 60in blue plus, 2 60in coral plus, 2 24in blue plus, 2 24in actinic, 3 24in coral plus and 1 24 in reef spec pink from red sea. This gives me about a 14-17k look in my opinion. Not nearly as bright as my LED's but Im looking for coral color not tank color. At 512 watts thats in the range for my size tank I believe. Im going to be watching my corals carefully to see how they respond. If things go well maybe I can sell my LEDs and put it towards a real ATI Sunpower or something.

 

[luke33]

I have always preferred t5 vs led when it comes to sps. I ran led exclusively for 5yrs and was never really overwhelmed with the colors of my sps. LPS, zoa's they did great. I since moved over to t5 with the new setup and I'm very pleased with the sps colors. I will say that your 24" t5's are not going to penetrate nearly as well as the 60" t5's. I would get ahold of a par meter and see where your at.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I have always preferred t5 vs led when it comes to sps. I ran led exclusively for 5yrs and was never really overwhelmed with the colors of my sps. LPS, zoa's they did great. I since moved over to t5 with the new setup and I'm very pleased with the sps colors. I will say that your 24" t5's are not going to penetrate nearly as well as the 60" t5's. I would get ahold of a par meter and see where your at.

Yeah Ive heard that you just really can't go wrong with T5s. Im just hoping that they will perform at least at the same level as my LEDs (meaning nothing goes brown or anything). Im not expecting a major transformation with these lights but I would like to at least see if they are worth trying to get rid of my LEDs. Unfortunately I do not know anyone with a PAR meter and my LFS don't have them and $300 is a lot for just a test. I know there is a lux conversion but thats just at the surface of the water.

 

[luke33]

I would imagine if you have your sps half way up you'll be just fine. 4-80w t5's have quite a bit of pop. I just took out two blue + bulb's and dropped in two E5 blue led's and now I'm really digging the t5's as I can mainly run t5 but have that blue led pop now in my fixture. Best of both worlds. Just one more thing to look at : )

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I would imagine if you have your sps half way up you'll be just fine. 4-80w t5's have quite a bit of pop. I just took out two blue + bulb's and dropped in two E5 blue led's and now I'm really digging the t5's as I can mainly run t5 but have that blue led pop now in my fixture. Best of both worlds. Just one more thing to look at : )

I have sps from the sand to just a few inches under the water line lol. Even though the situation in running can't be ideal like a high quality fixture, I would hope that it has enough light. I guess I will see. I'm sure after a few days if things aren't doing great I would know by then.

And are those those new LEDs in a T5 configured bulb? How are they?

 

[luke33]

I have sps from the sand to just a few inches under the water line lol. Even though the situation in running can't be ideal like a high quality fixture, I would hope that it has enough light. I guess I will see. I'm sure after a few days if things aren't doing great I would know by then.

And are those those new LEDs in a T5 configured bulb? How are they?

I'm sure you will be just fine, and your sps will let you know if not within a few days! When I moved from led to t5 most of my sps browned out for a bit, then colored back up, and many changed colors quite a bit from the LED days.

Here is a nice thread about the e5 led tubes that work in t5 fixture's

http://reef2reef.com/threads/e5-led-t5-lighting.232094/page-2#post-2712511

 

[Brandon McHenry]

I'm sure you will be just fine, and your sps will let you know if not within a few days! When I moved from led to t5 most of my sps browned out for a bit, then colored back up, and many changed colors quite a bit from the LED days.

Here is a nice thread about the e5 led tubes that work in t5 fixture's

http://reef2reef.com/threads/e5-led-t5-lighting.232094/page-2#post-2712511

Yeah I'm definitely going to keep a close eye on them. I can generally tell if something is up before it even happens (I'm a little bit obsessive lol). So how long before they rebounded for you? I know everything takes time and every tank is different but I just don't want to be waiting for a rebound if it's not going to happen!

And I'll look into them thanks!

 

[Diesel]

I would imagine if you have your sps half way up you'll be just fine. 4-80w t5's have quite a bit of pop. I just took out two blue + bulb's and dropped in two E5 blue led's and now I'm really digging the t5's as I can mainly run t5 but have that blue led pop now in my fixture. Best of both worlds. Just one more thing to look at : )

That's awesome.
Do you have a pic of your tank with the E5's?

 

[luke33]

Yeah I'm definitely going to keep a close eye on them. I can generally tell if something is up before it even happens (I'm a little bit obsessive lol). So how long before they rebounded for you? I know everything takes time and every tank is different but I just don't want to be waiting for a rebound if it's not going to happen!

And I'll look into them thanks!

When I made the move from two 32" evergrow's to an 8x80w ati the sps all lost color within a few days, some more than others and it took a good month or two for the color to really come back. But my tank is pretty young still so not a huge surprise. From what I did notice from the handful of frags I had in there is the colors morphed pretty drastic for some. Mainly the mille's as the colors when from green to blue or blue to multi color...etc All of the sps reacted differently.

 

[luke33]

That's awesome.
Do you have a pic of your tank with the E5's?

Yep, that link I posted above has a before and after shot with all t5's and then the 6 t5's and two blue e5's. I also took par measurements. Ascetically I really love the fact I don't have two led bar's hanging off the ati fixture now. I have been running the tank for 7-8mths so the sps frags are really starting to take off.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

When I made the move from two 32" evergrow's to an 8x80w ati the sps all lost color within a few days, some more than others and it took a good month or two for the color to really come back. But my tank is pretty young still so not a huge surprise. From what I did notice from the handful of frags I had in there is the colors morphed pretty drastic for some. Mainly the mille's as the colors when from green to blue or blue to multi color...etc All of the sps reacted differently.

Well I hope I don't have to brown out my entire tank before I see improvement! That would be a bummer and probably a huge scare! I just hope that I will see some form of improvement from this change in lighting.

 

[Mr_anderson]

I was in the same boat as the OP. 2 hydra 52 over a NEO 105 rimless. Slow growth decent color made me decide to put in 2-ATI blue+ 48" retrofit. I now have my hydras set for 85 on all blues, 50 red/green, and 30 white at peak. Growth and color is much better now. I think it's because the T5 filled in the shadows. I have ordered another set of T5 retro for a 4 bulb T5/Hydra 52 hybrid.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

Just a little update. I have seen a little bit of browning in my acros. Nothing too drastic but I will keep an eye on it. This may be what was described by luke33, browning after the change in lighting. I am just hoping that they will bounce back soon enough. I have also noticed a slight drop in growth, indicated by a rise in my alkalinity without changing any dosing volumes. If anybody would like to comment with more opinions or experiences that relate to my situation they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[luke33]

You'll be fine in a couple weeks and your corals will color back up. Once your sps get use to the lights the alk will get used up like it use to, but your sps are just adjusting right now. Just keep parameters consistent right now and you'll be rewarded soon enough.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

You'll be fine in a couple weeks and your corals will color back up. Once your sps get use to the lights the alk will get used up like it use to, but your sps are just adjusting right now. Just keep parameters consistent right now and you'll be rewarded soon enough.

I sure hope so. I was already unhappy when nothing was brown. I plan out waiting it out and seeing how things progress.

 

[Diesel]

Just a little update. I have seen a little bit of browning in my acros. Nothing too drastic but I will keep an eye on it. This may be what was described by luke33, browning after the change in lighting. I am just hoping that they will bounce back soon enough. I have also noticed a slight drop in growth, indicated by a rise in my alkalinity without changing any dosing volumes. If anybody would like to comment with more opinions or experiences that relate to my situation they would be greatly appreciated.

What are your test results as far as in,
Po4.
No3.
NSW.
PH.
ALK.
CAL.
MAG.

 

[Brandon McHenry]

What are your test results as far as in,
Po4.
No3.
NSW.
PH.
ALK.
CAL.
MAG.

As of this morning
PO4- 0.006ppm (Hanna ULR Phosphorus)
NO3- 2ppm (Salifert)
pH- 7.8-8.0 (Red Sea test kit)
Alk- 9.3dkh (down from 10.0dkh after 22 hours of not dosing)
Calcium- 460ppm (Salifert)
Mag- 1350ppm (Red Sea)

What did you mean by NSW? I can only think of natural sea water

 

[luke33]

Just looking at your parameters I'd say keep your alk down as imo you'll get better colors and growth with alk between 8-9. 10 is pretty high. I've always ran my sps between 7-9, you get burnt tips more often at 10 or higher. Nsw is between 7-8