LEDs or T5's for sps tank????

[cutterx23]

Like the title says, what's every bodies input on best lighting for sps? Best look, best growth? Growth and looks based on lighting and not supplements. Only lights in consideration.

[DMower]

LED's. This is what most reefers in our club (UT) use including me. From cheap setups (mine), to DIY, to expensive. It is the future of reef keeping for sure. Several reasons. Depending on what you buy you will have full control over color, intensity, time, etc. Not to mention the long term cost advantage and stability.

[Bogg]

Metal halide wasn't an option?


I have tested out some cheap eBay ones (led par 38) and they worked pretty darn good actually for Sps and the color they reflected off the coral made them look awesome better than anything I've seen

But I still havnt been able to ditch my mh t5 combo just because I'm
Nervous of the outcome but maybe some day

[Funkateer_1]

T5's without a doubt. LED's will grow SPS but seem to wash out a ton of color.

[x3thelast]

why not a combination of both?

T5 as the main light source, LEDs to supplement it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jschnepf]

I am leaning the opposite way, led as the main source with t5 supplement.

[cutterx23]

Yes a combination is certainly an option. Could go with one led unit and 2-4 t5 bulbs, or 4-6 t5's with a couple led strips for color pop. I'm avoiding MH simply because of power consumption, trying to keep the electric bill as low as possible with the number of tanks I have.

[jschnepf]

I am running all LEDs on my display tank right now and t5 over the frag tank. Some coral just do better under t5s, like my red planet. I am rebuilding the lights over my display with 3-4 strips of LEDs and probably 2 60" t5s.

[jessegarcia28]

Ai vegas or Radions gen.2
Need I say more

[fresh2120]

Ai Vegas I have them over my tank and there amazing.
I use the blues I see no reason for red or green.
( back to 7th grade science class... The color white technically is every color together in the light spec...)
I think the issue is spread. T5s evenly light the whole tank.
LEDs are more focused.
I could light my 90 with 2 Vegas about a foot or so above the tank but had some shadow spots
Instead, I turned them side ways and put 4 above the tank... Looks amazing.
Now I have then 5 inches above the water.
Also this isn't a problem bc of how close they are to the tank bc!... I can control down to the 1% how intense the lights are...


A Vegas all day every day jessegarcia28

[echoreef]

I went from ATI Powermodule T5 to Radion LED. Both can grow corals and provide great colors. In the end I prefer LED for the versatility and not having to change bulbs every year.

[wrestle1952]

I tried an LED combo with 6 T5 bulbs and went back to metal halide after 7 months. I'm glad I didn't get rid of the halides. LED is limited in the spectrum generated. Companies are now producing SPS LED's with red and green spectrums to enhance color and growth. Since my conversion BACK to mh my color and growth is bouncing back BIG TIME. I thought I lost an Idaho Grape colony that bleached. Under the MH a small portion is now turning purple again and exhibiting the swirling patterns it did not exhibit with my new lighting system. Color and growth is returning in my other colonies. LED is not read for ALL types of SPS. It will in the future, it's not ready now. I will put up with the higher energy costs for the growth and color nature intended.