Considering T5 Lighting

[jameshughes1989]

Hi, im considering using T5 lighting my new setup over LED's just incase I lean more towards LPS/SPS in the future. What do you guys think? I do like t5's and love the different colour bulb combinations you can use to make the colours really pop.

Tank is 24x18x18 for anyone that doesnt know. Im thinking of an ATI unit but what do you think would be enough?

4x24w
6x24w
or 8x24w?

Cheers

 

[-Nemo-]

If you do indeed go for a ATI, they are high quality. 4 bulbs for would be enough for sps/clams, 6 would provide more growth, i think 8 is way overkill, personally.

 

[sorgan]

I would say more is better if you hope to keep sps but lighting isn't my subject, how about some nice gorgonians?

Edit- as proven by the above post LOL

 

[Morri]

There is no reason you cannot grow SPS under LEDs I have SPS under my aquarays and my tank is a lot deeper

 

[jameshughes1989]

If you do indeed go for a ATI, they are high quality. 4 bulbs for would be enough for sps/clams, 6 would provide more growth, i think 8 is way overkill, personally.

Thanks for the input. I was thinking 8 is too much but didnt know whether 4 would be enough? For the price difference its not a lot between 4 and 6 tubes.

4x24w = £275.00
6x24w = £295.00
8x24w = £355.00

It seems to make sense that if I did go for it I'd probably choose the 6 tube unit.

I would say more is better if you hope to keep sps but lighting isn't my subject, how about some nice gorgonians?

Edit- as proven by the above post LOL

Check you out, everytime I see you your trying to convince someone to the dark side!

Maybe one day Ill do a little dark project, who knows.

There is no reason you cannot grow SPS under LEDs I have SPS under my aquarays and my tank is a lot deeper

How deep is the tank and how many aquarays are you using? I know you can but I have also seen a lot more people have more growth/colour under T5's and IMO the colours seem to look a lot nicer.

Cheers

 

[-Nemo-]

With the small price difference, I agree that you might just be better off with a 6 bulb. As Morri said as well, you CAN grow SPS plenty well under LEDS. I know (here, at least), LED prices are still very high though... Not sure about across the pond.

 

[sorgan]

Sh!t he had cottoned in! Time to make like a tree!

 

[Morri]

I have a lido 120 with 4 aquarays under 2 whites 2 blues and I can honestly say (as I used to have ati over my other tank) the colours are great.

A lot depends on which SPS you want to keep a big battle in a 24 x 12 x 12 will be water quality not light if you want growth as much as I hate to say it Halides will win hands down everytime.

If you stick to montis and hysterix I would say LEDs or T5s will perform the same if you are looking at acros etc. I would look at a clip on halide 150w

 

[jameshughes1989]

With the small price difference, I agree that you might just be better off with a 6 bulb. As Morri said as well, you CAN grow SPS plenty well under LEDS. I know (here, at least), LED prices are still very high though... Not sure about across the pond.

Still very expensive but I have got the unit now. Its a 24inch eco-lamp kr-91 unit. Maybe it will do, for some reason I just keep swaying towards T5's. Mostly for the look and difference colour combinations. Ill have to have a serious think.

Sh!t he had cottoned in! Time to make like a tree!

Haha, Ive been noticing for a while. Your plan is over, your busted!

 

[Morri]

If you already have the KR91 I would be tempted to try it with some plating I think you will be surprised as the tank is so shallow.

 

[jameshughes1989]

I have a lido 120 with 4 aquarays under 2 whites 2 blues and I can honestly say (as I used to have ati over my other tank) the colours are great.

A lot depends on which SPS you want to keep a big battle in a 24 x 12 x 12 will be water quality not light if you want growth as much as I hate to say it Halides will win hands down everytime.

If you stick to montis and hysterix I would say LEDs or T5s will perform the same if you are looking at acros etc. I would look at a clip on halide 150w

If you already have the KR91 I would be tempted to try it with some plating I think you will be surprised as the tank is so shallow.

Cheers, at the moment I have only got a few monti's but I can imagine one day down the line Ill be looking more and more into SPS, probably the more easier ones. Now im really confused.

Maybe Ill give the Kr-91 a chance and as you say it is quite shallow. It should be okay but I have read reports that a lot of people have had trouble growing SPS under the kr-91 but have been fine under the kr-92 units (brighter version). I must say in the time I have had my plating monti I havent had a lot of growth.



Thanks for the input.

 

[Uriel]

Iquatics have released a set of luminaires which are less than half the price of the ATI's. Not sure of the build quality compared to ATI but 2ft 6 t5 is £139.99 and comes with 6 bulbs of your choice.

 

[woody88]

Iquatics have released a set of luminaires which are less than half the price of the ATI's. Not sure of the build quality compared to ATI but 2ft 6 t5 is £139.99 and comes with 6 bulbs of your choice.

iaquactics gets a big from me!

 

[Morri]

Be carefull with cheaper T5s if they dont have indvidual good quaility reflectors they will loose a lot of light, Also cooling is extremeley important to T5 tubes

 

[jameshughes1989]

Thanks for the idea but the reason I was looking at the ATI units was down to the quality. Like Morri has said, cooling systems and good reflecting qualities are very important in T5 quality and effeciency.

Im going to have to have a serious think.


Cheers