In shock about this...

[deansreef]

I visited world wide corals in Orlando yesterday and they had a 500 gallon display tank that was running on just t5 and some blue led lighting. No other lighting and very low wattage. The sps color polyp extension and growth are incredible. I was in awe. Josh the owner said its about water chemistry blance and small water change every week. Running a protein skimmer and no other media. He is running a calcium reactor for c and a. I am going to sell my radion and kessils and try this method. Dean

[drauka99]

lots of tanks are being run on here with only T5 lighting.

[Wazzel]

Why in shock. Lots of people run super simple setups. You really do not need every piece of equipment out there to be successful.

[deansreef]

It's obvious that lighting is not the most important part.

[BlackTip]

I have an LFS that has large open tanks in the center of the shop, so one can walk around them. The light is hanging from the ceiling at least 5' away from the tank. 10k lights he told me. His tanks look great with brilliant colors and growth. He, also, told me that it is about water chemistry and stability. He skims wet and replace the water with fresh water, so he never does water change. He keeps very high alkalinity. He always emphasize on stability.

[toothybugs]

Stability is always what I hear from the SPS guys with experience. There seems to be quite a bit of latitude really in what are acceptable running parameters so long as basic high flow/ good PAR/ low nutrient requirements are met, but the one that trumps them all is stability. Swings in chem, temp, salinity, etc will blow a tank quick.

I'm figuring this all out just recently (opted to try sticks at the end of August) and wow is this a different world than a softie tank.

[drauka99]

Also not much PAR is lost through air. his spread increases but as for PAR it doesn't drop noticeably until it hits water.

Stability is a key though... lots of changing will get you in trouble.

[Tweaked]

The 500 plus gallons should be of note as well.

[d-man]

Right, but keep in mind the cost of changing out the bulbs.
I went leds on my tanks, due to decrease in heat, electrical cost and bulb changes. Knowing it's not all about light is also why I went with a cheaper China fixture with great ratings and customer service Vs. Expensive radions, or AI. Sure, they may be more superior in build, but not worth it in MY experience.
But T5 coral colors are really pretty due to variation in bulb combos

[sahin]

OP, I would love to visit WWC one day. Is there any more info about their setup you can share? Thanks.

[deansreef]

Try there website

[d2mini]

Not sure I understand the surprise?
T5 is a proven light source. I would run an all t5 tank before I ran an all LED tank.

[Webmanny]

My corals are always fully extended and full of color, even when the lights are off. I don't think light even plays a role here. Check it out below, I got them on Amazon. LOL



I'm sorry, I had to go for it... I too went to WWC and many other LFS and I do see that most places (Except Marine Warehouse) have their frag tank and large coral display tanks running on T5 bulbs only.

I did see a few places that combines T5s with LEDs, but I think that is mostly for show. I do have to say that the color on m,y corals has improved greatly since I made my hybrid T5/LED pucks light.

[hkgar]

I am sure that the choice of T5 for WWC and most other LFS's is electric cost and heat in the store versus MH. Notice very few are LED- but probably due to fixture cost. I light with both t5 and MH.

[jason2459]

Most of the LFS's around me have been switching over to LED.

[Syntax1325]

That tank is bare bottom and fed heavily. The LED's are the Reef Brite Strips. The t5's must be almost 2 feet above the water line as well. It's an amazing tank.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Most of the LFS's around me have been switching over to LED.

I'm generalizing but most LFS don't "grow" coral, they "store" coral for (hopefully) a short period of time.

[SkullV]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Most of the LFS's around me have been switching over to LED.

That's because they save on electricity that way. Overhead is no joke when running a small business!

[deansreef]

Originally Posted by d2mini

I'm generalizing but most LFS don't "grow" coral, they "store" coral for (hopefully) a short period of time.

WWC has had this set up growing out for 5 years. All corals from frags are huge colonies now. Wish I had the time period for the lights running schedule.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by d2mini

I'm generalizing but most LFS don't "grow" coral, they "store" coral for (hopefully) a short period of time.

Usually true. A couple I know have also switched their main store not for sale show off displays to LED as well.

Originally Posted by SkullV

That's because they save on electricity that way. Overhead is no joke when running a small business!

Plus, a good way to show and market what they sell.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by deansreef

WWC has had this set up growing out for 5 years. All corals from frags are huge colonies now. Wish I had the time period for the lights running schedule.

Exactly my point. They are not an LFS. They are a coral farm. Their business is growing and selling coral nationwide. So they are going to run a light system that is proven to grow and color up coral. Not like the typical local LFS that just needs their coral to LOOK their best while their customers are in store shopping, or want to show off the lights they are selling. The LFS can benefit from the lower running cost of LED.

You seem to be (or have been) under the false impression that LED is the best lighting for a reef tank because its the "latest and greatest", but that's not the reality.

[Harry_Y]

As I always understood it the water quality is the key factor.

I ran T5s for years with good results, I only recently switched
to Halides because I likes the look of them (the Shimmer).

[Reef Frog]

Originally Posted by drauka99

Also not much PAR is lost through air. his spread increases but as for PAR it doesn't drop noticeably until it hits water

I have a small hobby greenhouse and start seedlings & over winter tropicals under 6500K T8s primarily & a LED in a terrarium. All of my books on the subject state that the closer the light is to the plants the better for sun loving plants as more light energy delivered to the foliage at lower distances. Graphs are shown and the energy decrease as distance increases runs on a predictable mathematic formula (which I can't remember right now!) This has been accepted in the greenhouse world for as long as I can remember.

Much of the reef lighting we use nowadays has power to spare so it probably isn't a practical issue in most reef installations. I contacted Ecotech to find out the minimum recommended mounting height above water (told 8") but also learned 24" inches is the maximum recommended height they recommend.

[oreo57]

Originally Posted by Reef Frog

Graphs are shown and the energy decrease as distance increases runs on a predictable mathematic formula (which I can't remember right now!) This has been accepted in the greenhouse world for as long as I can remember.

Inverse square rule..
applies to point light sources though.. Gets a bit complicated w/ tubes multi-led ect.

2x the distance from the point source 1/4 of the energy (any)

As to entering the tank, refraction and oblique angles of light hitting the sides will actually increase PAR, though there are still losses to the outside..
surface agitation will scatter some but most will enter fairly perp. (enough to not reflect) to the surface.

[hkgar]

My PAR readings (approximate taken with out shutting down all circulation)
< 1' from bulb 2880
AWL +800 (13 inches from bulb)
1" BLW 600
9 ''s BLW 400

250W Radium with Mag 80