The Proven Best Lighting Solution for your Aquarium

[TheDragonsReef]

All i can stand by is my own personal experiences with lighting over the years. I dont care what anyone says, i dictate my preferences by personal results. And after using every type of lighting at one point or another, im sticking to leds. I can definitely match the growth of mh/t5 with leds.

 

[A. grandis]

I use both, right now. A Photon V2 over a 75 and 4x250w MH + 8x 52w T-5 over a 240.
I don't need a chiller. My system goes up and down about 2 degrees over a day.
They both work. Use what you like.
My Hamilton lights are discontinued now. So I wont be telling anyone to buy them anyway.

I am not sure I should listen to someone that told me to run my lights 3 hours day and slowly increase them to 5. That seems beyond silly to me.

Don't listen to me then.
You can run them up to 12 hours.

 

[A. grandis]

All i can stand by is my own personal experiences with lighting over the years. I dont care what anyone says, i dictate my preferences by personal results. And after using every type of lighting at one point or another, im sticking to leds. I can definitely match the growth of mh/t5 with leds.

That is great! I have many friends that run LEDs and they are "happy with their results".

 

[A. grandis]

Still waiting... is EcoTech's statement true?
LEDs are BETTER than MH or T5s?
How many agree with that?
@oreo5457 ?????
Or it depends on application?
That is what we should be discussing here, not personally attacking me, guys!
Oreo tried to deviate the essence of the other MH thread because of my answer!!!!!!!
What is this now? You guys trying to justify your purchases like always?
Waiting for you oreo! You made the mess now you get in the mud, man!
I love all of you, really, but the truth needs to be published here!

 

[oreo54]

Still waiting... is EcoTech's statement true?
LEDs are BETTER than MH or T5s?
How many agree with that?
@oreo5457 ?????
Or it depends on application?
That is what we should be discussing here, not personally attacking me, guys!
Oreo tried to deviate the essence of the other MH thread because of my answer!!!!!!!
What is this now? You guys trying to justify your purchases like always?
Waiting for you oreo! You made the mess now you get in the mud, man!
I love all of you, really, but the truth needs to be published here!

You are a funny little man

 

[A. grandis]

You are a funny little man

You are a famous little cookie.

 

[oreo54]

You are a famous little cookie.

Like I said your are free to conduct a like study to prove or disprove it.
Back to the beginning it seems

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Like i said before they both have their pros and cons. I dont think either is the end all be all light and they both have their place. There are just some things you stated in your original post that were absolutely not true, and i touched on them in my first reply.

So im curious what does your tank look like under halides? Id love to see some pics, i looked but didnt find a build thread of yours.

 

[Oldreefer44]

IMO, the issues arise when the term "best" is used. Too many variabilities to call something "best". In the several decades that I have been in the hobby I have used MH'S, MH'S plus t5, T5 only and LED's. Brands include Hamilton, Radion, ATI and Orphek. I currently use Stratons plus Orphek bars left over from my old tank. I get the best combination of growth and color ever but to be able to separate out lighting alone as the reason for it is impossible.
IMO, "best" is a personal opinion/choice, often based on the specific environment the tank is in and is usually whatever one owns at the time. IMO, if there was the same level of passion for water quality that there is around lights, there would be a lot more successful reefers.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

IMO, the issues arise when the term "best" is used. Too many variabilities to call something "best". In the several decades that I have been in the hobby I have used MH'S, MH'S plus t5, T5 only and LED's. Brands include Hamilton, Radion, ATI and Orphek. I currently use Stratons plus Orphek bars left over from my old tank. I get the best combination of growth and color ever but to be able to separate out lighting alone as the reason for it is impossible.
IMO, "best" is a personal opinion/choice, often based on the specific environment the tank is in and is usually whatever one owns at the time. IMO, if there was the same level of passion for water quality that there is around lights, there would be a lot more successful reefers.

I cant agree with this enough.

 

[A. grandis]

Like i said before they both have their pros and cons. I dont think either is the end all be all light and they both have their place. There are just some things you stated in your original post that were absolutely not true, and i touched on them in my first reply.

So im curious what does your tank look like under halides? Id love to see some pics, i looked but didnt find a build thread of yours.

 

[A. grandis]

IMO, the issues arise when the term "best" is used. Too many variabilities to call something "best". In the several decades that I have been in the hobby I have used MH'S, MH'S plus t5, T5 only and LED's. Brands include Hamilton, Radion, ATI and Orphek. I currently use Stratons plus Orphek bars left over from my old tank. I get the best combination of growth and color ever but to be able to separate out lighting alone as the reason for it is impossible.
IMO, "best" is a personal opinion/choice, often based on the specific environment the tank is in and is usually whatever one owns at the time. IMO, if there was the same level of passion for water quality that there is around lights, there would be a lot more successful reefers.

Thank you for your post!!!
IMO halide/T5 have the true full spectrum and that is what I'm looking for. Just my preferences.
My problem is with the propaganda from LED companies trying to substitute halides and T5s as their products would be the "best", teaching the new generation to reject MH and T5s.
In reality there is no substitution because they are different in their nature and will provide different results. Application is what dictates the best for that particular system.
But I agree... the people need to go after the real info about the qualities of light.
Tanks again!

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Im honestly surpised that you have such a strong stance on metal halides when youre only growing zoas and palys. But nonetheless you have a nice collection there

 

[dhnguyen]

I personally don't think there is a "best" lighting. Only best for the application.

I have had success running MH as well as LED over my 125g
Both grew corals (sps included) but I did struggle with the heat from MH especially in the summer time. Yes MH grew SPS faster but LED has shown far better colouring and I really like the controllability as well.

I for one will not be going back to MH.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Led always and forever gang rise up, tons of programming, can’t beat the windex look, and aesthetically pleasing

 

[A. grandis]

Im honestly surpised that you have such a strong stance on metal halides when youre only growing zoas and palys. But nonetheless you have a nice collection there

Thank you very much. I like the way the light reproduces exactly what I see in nature, including growth, pigment and colony formation. It's my main goal. Thanks again.

 

[oreo54]

IMO halide/T5 have the true full spectrum and that is what I'm looking for. Just my preferences.
My problem is with the propaganda from LED companies trying to substitute halides and T5s as their products would be the "best", teaching the new generation to reject MH and T5s.

Most reef tanks are started by adults with minds of their own.

Nobody's rejecting halides.

That is just your paranoia or fear that market demand will crash the incentive to sell MH "stuff".
You have a personal stake in this, unlike me .

That's not happening atm. so relax.

In reality ...... they are different in their nature and will provide different results.

OHHH IF ONLY you left it at that.

 

[A. grandis]

Most reef tanks are started by adults with minds of their own.

Nobody's rejecting halides.

That is just your paranoia or fear that market demand will crash the incentive to sell MH "stuff".

That's not happening atm. so relax.


OHHH IF ONLY you left it at that.

I want you to tell us more about that EcoTech pdf!
They say their pucks are BETTER than halides and T5s.
They use that pamphlet to sell their LEDs to hobbyists.
What is your opinion?

 

[oreo54]

I want you to tell us more about that EcoTech pdf!
They say their pucks are BETTER than halides and T5s.
They use that pamphlet to sell their LEDs to hobbyists.
What is your opinion?

They can do/say what they want. I do my own due diligence. Again, perk of adulthood.

Already stated my opinion ..get what suits YOU.
PLENTY of really good looking tanks w/ any common light source.

You attack it..constantly, so burden if proof that they are in error is on you I think.

Errors of methodology?
Outright fraud?
So what is it?

 

[TheDragonsReef]

Thank you very much. I like the way the light reproduces exactly what I see in nature, including growth, pigment and colony formation. It's my main goal. Thanks again.

Im just used to all the stickheads being the ones to preach the mhs lol The look will always be opinionated. Some like the vibrant colors unders leds and others like the natural day light looks.

The controversy in this thread was just how you were saying how mhs were the best and made it seem like they were the only way to go when either would be equally as good when applied correctly.