Thinking of switching over to T5's!?

jbird0420 · 10/03/2011, 04:19 PM

Currently have 3x 250w MH's HQI's on my 180g reef tank. I have maybe 2 sps colonies, but mainly my tank is LPS and softies. I want to see my fleshy LPS corals open up more during the daytime. So I think the MH's are overkill for them.

THe MH's are mounted approx 18" above the water line and all my LPS, except for my Frogspawns and Dungans are placed on the substrate.

Based on this is it worth continuing with my MH's? Obviously I would be cutting down heat and electrical costs. I tried LED's but did not like the results with LEDS. So, maybe t5's..??

Anthrax15 · 10/03/2011, 05:28 PM

I've flipped flopped from MH, to T5, to MH, and now back to T5's with a LPS/Zoo dominated tank and like the results. Running a Tek T5 4bulb over my 40g BR and the results have been rewards. LPS and Zoo/Palys look better then under MH. Try it out and keep the MH if you can. Don't like the results, switch back to MH and maybe retrofit some T5's

ken6217 · 10/03/2011, 08:42 PM

I went from T5 to LED and back to T5. You can't go wrong. I have an ATI Powermodule. You can grow anything with it.
Ken

khalid · 10/04/2011, 09:31 AM

I just got rid of my 3x 250 MH and 4X80 t5's on my 180 and replaced them with a 8X80W ATI Sunpower and am loving it. My temp doesn't vary more than 1 degree and I like the look a lot better.

GSMguy · 10/04/2011, 10:21 AM

I switched from 2x250w ushio 20k on m-80 ballasts to a 6x39w sunpower and it my corals once acclimated have increased their growth rate and begun to color up considerably.

In doing so I lowered my electrical consumption a great deal, the T5 unit consumes 234w while the halides were drawing 580W. I only run 6 bulbs from noon to 4pm so that saves more electricity.

jbird0420 · 10/21/2011, 07:42 AM

Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm really considering the switch to t5's.
I have 2x VHO's currently. What are the pros/cons between t5's vs VHO?

I have a IC 660 ballast running the VHO's. I was thinking with an extra IC 660 I can retro a new setup.

Lately, my Red and Orange Wellso's and Lobo's have been color fading. I'm suspecting the MH lighting. I run my MH's 6 hours 3x 250w HQI 20k bulbs. I use 2x VHO 454 bulbs to replicate sunup/sundown. They run for 4 hours total daily.

Any suggestions on the color fading on my red/orange LPS?

Calcium-430ppm
KH-8.3
MAg-1400

BHD · 10/21/2011, 08:24 AM

I switch over to 6x54w Sunpower T5 from 2x250W MH on my 75 gallons. There are some good and some bad with it.

The good thing is that the light spread is a lot better. I am able to keep corals everywhere in the tank. Before I was only able to keep corals underneath the MH but the tank is kind of dark in the middle. My MH sets were the best money can buy, not some cheap stuffs but still the light spread isn't that good. My tank doesn't get as hot because all the heat got blow out at one end of the sunpower. Maybe I save a couple bucks a month on electricity but I can't tell for sure.
My red lobo love the t5, it grows alot and become so red, unbelievable red.

The bad thing about T5 is that come corals just doesn't look as good. My green cap turned whitish and lose its color. My green with pink tip doesn't look as good either. The green fade away and the pink tip become white. I sometimes think that the sunpower is way too powerful that it bleach out some corals and the color fade away. right now I hang it about 9" off the water. I think I will raise it up a bit higher to experiment with it.

this is my bulbs combo:
front
ATI Blue +
ATI purple +
ATI Blue +
GE 6500K
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue+
back

I think the ideal set of light would be MH with T5 as a supplement.

jbird0420 · 10/27/2011, 06:29 AM

What are the pros/cons between t5's vs VHO???

I'm really considering dropping my MH's! They don't look good when the VHO's are off and they generate way to much heat. I think it's overkill for the corals I have.

I really like my 2x VHO blue 454 bulbs. It makes the color pop out very nice!!!

Thanks for all the help and input everyone!!!

jbird0420 · 10/27/2011, 02:19 PM

Bump!

With changing out the MH's. Would I be able to continue to keep my Maxima and Crocea clams??

10/03/2011, 04:19 PM	#1
jbird0420 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Parrish, Florida Posts: 1,079	Thinking of switching over to T5's!? Currently have 3x 250w MH's HQI's on my 180g reef tank. I have maybe 2 sps colonies, but mainly my tank is LPS and softies. I want to see my fleshy LPS corals open up more during the daytime. So I think the MH's are overkill for them. THe MH's are mounted approx 18" above the water line and all my LPS, except for my Frogspawns and Dungans are placed on the substrate. Based on this is it worth continuing with my MH's? Obviously I would be cutting down heat and electrical costs. I tried LED's but did not like the results with LEDS. So, maybe t5's..??

10/03/2011, 05:28 PM	#2
Anthrax15 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,837	I've flipped flopped from MH, to T5, to MH, and now back to T5's with a LPS/Zoo dominated tank and like the results. Running a Tek T5 4bulb over my 40g BR and the results have been rewards. LPS and Zoo/Palys look better then under MH. Try it out and keep the MH if you can. Don't like the results, switch back to MH and maybe retrofit some T5's __________________ Everything in moderation. 5D Mk1\|17-40 F4\|50 F1.8\|85 F2.8\|100 F2.8\|70-200 F4 Current Tank Info: 60g Cube

10/04/2011, 10:21 AM	#5
GSMguy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northern New Mexico Posts: 17,420	I switched from 2x250w ushio 20k on m-80 ballasts to a 6x39w sunpower and it my corals once acclimated have increased their growth rate and begun to color up considerably. In doing so I lowered my electrical consumption a great deal, the T5 unit consumes 234w while the halides were drawing 580W. I only run 6 bulbs from noon to 4pm so that saves more electricity. __________________ Nick. Conehead. Shallow Reef club. Current Tank Info: 48"x27"x14" Envision Acrylic rimless, 6x39w ATi Sunpower, Custom ATB Deluxe Skimmer, 4x tunze nano stream,ATB flowstar 1500, ACJR, Tunze osmolator.

10/21/2011, 08:24 AM	#7
BHD Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: OC Posts: 267	I switch over to 6x54w Sunpower T5 from 2x250W MH on my 75 gallons. There are some good and some bad with it. The good thing is that the light spread is a lot better. I am able to keep corals everywhere in the tank. Before I was only able to keep corals underneath the MH but the tank is kind of dark in the middle. My MH sets were the best money can buy, not some cheap stuffs but still the light spread isn't that good. My tank doesn't get as hot because all the heat got blow out at one end of the sunpower. Maybe I save a couple bucks a month on electricity but I can't tell for sure. My red lobo love the t5, it grows alot and become so red, unbelievable red. The bad thing about T5 is that come corals just doesn't look as good. My green cap turned whitish and lose its color. My green with pink tip doesn't look as good either. The green fade away and the pink tip become white. I sometimes think that the sunpower is way too powerful that it bleach out some corals and the color fade away. right now I hang it about 9" off the water. I think I will raise it up a bit higher to experiment with it. this is my bulbs combo: front ATI Blue + ATI purple + ATI Blue + GE 6500K ATI Aquablue Special ATI Blue+ back I think the ideal set of light would be MH with T5 as a supplement. __________________ Just a simple BioCube

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10/03/2011, 08:42 PM	#3
ken6217 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,179	I went from T5 to LED and back to T5. You can't go wrong. I have an ATI Powermodule. You can grow anything with it. Ken

10/04/2011, 09:31 AM	#4
khalid Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Broadlands, Va. Posts: 120	I just got rid of my 3x 250 MH and 4X80 t5's on my 180 and replaced them with a 8X80W ATI Sunpower and am loving it. My temp doesn't vary more than 1 degree and I like the look a lot better.

10/21/2011, 07:42 AM	#6
jbird0420 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Parrish, Florida Posts: 1,079	Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm really considering the switch to t5's. I have 2x VHO's currently. What are the pros/cons between t5's vs VHO? I have a IC 660 ballast running the VHO's. I was thinking with an extra IC 660 I can retro a new setup. Lately, my Red and Orange Wellso's and Lobo's have been color fading. I'm suspecting the MH lighting. I run my MH's 6 hours 3x 250w HQI 20k bulbs. I use 2x VHO 454 bulbs to replicate sunup/sundown. They run for 4 hours total daily. Any suggestions on the color fading on my red/orange LPS? Calcium-430ppm KH-8.3 MAg-1400

10/27/2011, 06:29 AM	#8
jbird0420 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Parrish, Florida Posts: 1,079	What are the pros/cons between t5's vs VHO??? I'm really considering dropping my MH's! They don't look good when the VHO's are off and they generate way to much heat. I think it's overkill for the corals I have. I really like my 2x VHO blue 454 bulbs. It makes the color pop out very nice!!! Thanks for all the help and input everyone!!!

10/27/2011, 02:19 PM	#9
jbird0420 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Parrish, Florida Posts: 1,079	Bump! With changing out the MH's. Would I be able to continue to keep my Maxima and Crocea clams??