To LED or to TeeFive?

[Bryan47]

Okay guys!

So I am in the process of redoing my reef. All new sand and new rock and all that jazz. Well today at my LFS there was a cool 40Gallon Long type tank that isn't a common size. It is 48" long so I decided to buy it. It's going to be a freshwater Glofish Tank.

Well my current Lighting fixture was $107 shipped it has 4 54W T5, and a timer, despite everyone saying it would fail...knock on wood...fail it has not.


SO! The QUAD t5 is going on the Glofish tank

AND a new light source is going on my display reef which is a 72 bow front and also 48" long.

I will also be going to the same place to buy this fixture. It's a Bay store, on the net. I don't like to bid so I usually buy things right then.

Here are my two options. STAY t5 but bump it to 6 bulbs at 54watts for 324 watts! Timer built in. Here it is below and it will run me about $150:

The other option is to go LED, for about the same price as the other fixture $150 I can get two LED fixtures of 165W each. They are dimable and I am told you can control the blues and even wire in a controller to them, I did 2 years of engineering so that would be fun and easy for me. I have seen these used at conferences and swaps and heard great things. I would love to go LED especially for the BLUE! Here is option two:

SO what do we think gang?
Same price and same wattage?
I'm thinking give LED a whirl?! any support???

 

[Vaiodude]

I personally would stick with the T5's for growth and color combined. Check out the aquatic life fixtures. They are affordable and come with digital timers led moonlights and really nice reflectors. Throw some ATI bulbs in there and you have some great lighting. Just my two cents.

 

[Useful_Idiot]

T5 no question.

 

[SteelerMike]

I personally have LED and T5 on my tank. I noticed a big difference when I supplemented the LEDs with T5's. I personally like the combination of both. Maybe the T5 fixture with some LED strips?

 

[thehammer1985]

Supplement is the best imo/Ime led and t5

 

[sgresham]

I use both, but if I had to choose between the two, I'd go with t5 without a doubt.

 

[duncangweller]

I used to have T5 and now have LED, and with the power of hindsight I would have stuck with T5. For the spread of the bulbs, power, colour and growth I prefer the results from T5s.

 

[sassAwrasse]

T5 if you're choosing one. T5 with LED supplement if you can do both.

 

[Reefrookie220]

I'll vouch for growth and color from those led lights. I have the same ones. A couple pointers though:

1. Intensity- these things are wicked strong, each diode has its own 90° lenses. Acclimate corals appropriately. My whites are at 40% on my 90, you'll be lookin at 25% blues are at 75%

2. You can daisy chain them to a controller

3. I've had zero heAt issues and the fans are not as loud as everyone claims.


4. Bang for your buck, it's 2 led fixtures and they have excellent spread. No buying replacement bulbs no flickering.

The supplier on eBay I used was wedrivestore. They were very prompt and courteous.

 

[Wesus]

Supplement is the best imo/Ime led and t5

+1
Cheap chinese fixtures usually have ballasts 40W or less instead 54W and very poor reflector

 

[luke33]

I prefer t5 as I get much better growth than led, but I do have two blue strip led's for supplemental. You can't beat the look of coral and blue led. The t5 fixture you are linking to will work but the fixture does not have active cooling or good reflectors. I compared a aquactinics 5 bulb vs the 6 bulb you listed and the aquactinics was pulling 360 par vs 200 par at the same depth, and the cheaper t5 had one more bulb. I would personally save up and buy a nicer t5 unit if you are going to be in it for the long haul.

 

[thehammer1985]

I can personally vouch for leds as I have seen great color and growth. I also loved my t5s as they made colors pop and weren't so difficult to blend . However when I added them together bang... best of both worlds

 

[Bryan47]

I'm going to integrate both. Seeing as I have a 4 bulbs t5 fixture and now LEDs.

Reef rookie what controller can you use with them? Thank yoh

 

[Chris Adams]

You are making a good choice with the combination. Have led myself and have had great results but will also be adding T5

 

[ScottyMcReefer]

After having both...t5 grows, led shows. T5 are just too great of lights to pass up if given the choice. I'm honestly looking to go back to t5 because I'm not anywhere near the growth I used to be.