This is the second time I have crawled back to T5 after trying LED's! First time I tried were with AI Sol Blues and then most recently an Ecotech Radion Xr15w. LED's do grow corals, I could never seem to keep my SPS colored up the way I wanted though. Who else has crawled back to T5 and wasn't happy with LEDs? When do you think the technology will be ready?
Switched back to T5 after using LED's
- Thread starter Codeblue48
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2014
- Messages
- 1,460
- Likes
- 624
- Points
- 43
- Location
- Oak Park/ Westlake Village
- My Tank Build
-
I spent 7 years LED before I finally went T5 for the sake of SPS. I set up a 8 lamp fixture with Geismann bulbs in place of where the LEDs where. MY JAW DROPPED, my SPS instantly popped, days following more polyps were visual. Even the LPS and softies were looking great!!
There's definitely been a trend and comeback for T5s in the recent years. At least for the intermediate and advance hobbyist with SPS addictions.
Its not about LED tech being ready. Its whether you're willing to deal with the results that LED gives you, i.e. slightly different coloration. Its nearly impossible for LED to cover the spectrum of what Florescent gives ya, at least for an affordable price. And no companies will R&D the chips to do so just for this hobby.
T5/LED is definitely my favorite. Best of both world.
There's definitely been a trend and comeback for T5s in the recent years. At least for the intermediate and advance hobbyist with SPS addictions.
Its not about LED tech being ready. Its whether you're willing to deal with the results that LED gives you, i.e. slightly different coloration. Its nearly impossible for LED to cover the spectrum of what Florescent gives ya, at least for an affordable price. And no companies will R&D the chips to do so just for this hobby.
T5/LED is definitely my favorite. Best of both world.
Agreed, most of the successful SPS tanks I've seen were using Radions
I was talking to one of Ecotech's supervisors and he stated for their R&D, they sent a team to Indo with $20K light meter to graph out the spectrum of the reef at certain depth. Back in the lab, they played with chips from over a dozen brands to finally come up with the color combos that is closest to the spectrum of sunlight in the reef.
I was talking to one of Ecotech's supervisors and he stated for their R&D, they sent a team to Indo with $20K light meter to graph out the spectrum of the reef at certain depth. Back in the lab, they played with chips from over a dozen brands to finally come up with the color combos that is closest to the spectrum of sunlight in the reef.
All I can say is this: the tanks I've seen that ran LEDs (i'm leaving the DIY stuff out of this), needed a pretty expensive setup cost to get the coverage and prevent the shadowing. An immediate tank that comes to mind is a 72 x 30 x 30 my friend owns, running 5 radions. Assuming you're looking at a current G3 radion @ $650, thats $6300 out of pocket for a 72" tank. Ouch.....
Ive said that all along, people need to spend a lot of $$$ on quality LEDs to get the spectrum and intensity required to grow SPS. Coral have receptors for light (chlorophylls & accesory pigments) & protective pigments that give them desirable colors we see. At some point a reefer understands this and aims to be more efficient, not just throw everything at them and see what works. LEDs often become an experiment with mixed results.
Going back to T5 does get results, like going back to an old V8 engine, but what about the efficiency? If LEDs are evolving to get it right, like a prius to a tesla, to a electric sports car with long range, its worth it.
IMO T5 is a compromise becase if heat and electricity were not issues, people would be running MH 400w / 1000w.
Going back to T5 does get results, like going back to an old V8 engine, but what about the efficiency? If LEDs are evolving to get it right, like a prius to a tesla, to a electric sports car with long range, its worth it.
IMO T5 is a compromise becase if heat and electricity were not issues, people would be running MH 400w / 1000w.
I think it's just that MH and T5s are proven to work and there are many known recipes and recommendations particularly for T5 color options but LEDs are still behind as far as having known proper combinations of setup. LEDs have come a long way but I think there's still some more room for user friendliness to. Others have mentioned that they've seen LED tanks successfully growing SPS with great coloration and I'm pretty sure it wasn't based off of luck. Those tanks have something set up right and unfortunately there are way too many variables with LED systems (intensity, individual spectrum, uv strength, photo period, etc) to just copy those tanks (although it might be a good starting point). As far as LEDs though, I think Radions have it down and love the UI on them as well.
Ok time for the douchebag to comment on this
I've been running nothing but radions on my 300 gallon 96"L X 24"T X30"W. I've been getting great growth and coloring in my corals. Everything from sps to lps and softies. So this whole nonsense that LEDs don't grow corals makes me laugh. Here's a few pics to prove it.
These pics are from April 19 2015
These are from this month
Here's screen shoots to prove that these are the actual dates
So in about 4 months of growth u can see a big difference
I've been running nothing but radions on my 300 gallon 96"L X 24"T X30"W. I've been getting great growth and coloring in my corals. Everything from sps to lps and softies. So this whole nonsense that LEDs don't grow corals makes me laugh. Here's a few pics to prove it.
These pics are from April 19 2015
These are from this month
Here's screen shoots to prove that these are the actual dates
So in about 4 months of growth u can see a big difference
Led light spectrum affects sps growth rate and color protein production
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/aafeature
Red light negatively affects sps growth
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/red-light-negatively-affects-health-of-stony-coral
How much light to grow coral
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/2/aafeature
Red light negatively affects sps growth
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/red-light-negatively-affects-health-of-stony-coral
How much light to grow coral
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/3/aafeature1
