Today's Poll: Lighting

[BiGGiePauls33]

Explain your preference of lighting your reef tank and why you choose this option.

 

[Chris A.]

MH
It’s always worked for me and I’ve had bad experiences with the rest.

 

[aresangel]

I would like to swtich over to t5/mh combo. I just got a t5 set up I need to install.

 

[Terry Martin]

I entered hobby when leds were already the norm and they worked for me. I've just added T5s to combat shadowing and so far that seems to be working. We'll see.

 

[serwobow]

LEDs.
less wattage and less heat.

 

[FishieBusiness]

Have been using MH for years and happy with the results and less expensive to enter than LEDs. plus the heat they put out helps keep my heating costs down in the winter. LOL
I want to at T5s to give the colors a little more pop

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I got in when it was power compacts and halides, early 2000's

 

[mnavick]

Started with CF, upgraded to T5, then to MH and finally at LED's.
Once LED's start failing will go back to MH.
Just something about them LED's (I think) are missing.

 

[FishieBusiness]

I had power compacts on my very first tank. It was a 55gal. that I had set up as a see thru from my living room to the dinning room. I lived on the cape at the time and actually used sand that I gathered from the beach to start up with.

 

[jah-hoeva]

I’ve only ever used T5.

 

[dz6t]

I use led, t5, metal halide and flash light.
The coral do not seem to mind.


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[Zirky]

Led’s Have cool features.sunrise and set also lunar cycles. T5’s are inexpensive and I’m told foolproof

 

[pugz508]

Started with name brand leds then black box style now I have a ati t5 setup.I like the idea of not having to worry about what percentage intensity of what color spectrums to worry about ECT. Will be adding a blue xho reefbrite so I can have the color pop of led with the convenience of t5 lighting

 

[Kelly's Reef]

Icecaps to icecaps MH now MH and led

 

[ReeferSutherland]

For this tank, I think this is my 5th tank [emoji848], I’m running two MH 400 watts and two 39watt actinic T5s over a 60 cube.

My reason for choosing this lighting method is because it is the most forgiving [emoji23] I have had bad luck with LEDs in the past like when the hydra 26s first came out. Unfortunately I bleached a few corals with running LEDs. I don’t know if it wasn’t blended enough or what but when I got a MH bulb over my old tank the corals did a lot better. It is more expensive IMO but it is what it is. The fixture I have now I got from Aquavim out of The Bronx. Definitely recommend them. Someday I’m gonna get one of their coffee table tanks [emoji39]


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[ReeferSutherland]

Have been using MH for years and happy with the results and less expensive to enter than LEDs. plus the heat they put out helps keep my heating costs down in the winter. LOL
I want to at T5s to give the colors a little more pop

Actinic will help with the fluorescence


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[ReeferSutherland]

I use led, t5, metal halide and flash light.
The coral do not seem to mind.


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Hahaha the flashlight PAR may need some supplementation


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[dz6t]

I use led, t5, metal halide and flash light.
The coral do not seem to mind.


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Hahaha the flashlight PAR may need some supplementation


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I supplement it with cigarettes lighters. Works great, just burning hot.


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[BiGGiePauls33]

Currently running AI Prime LED and am switching over to Radion XR15 g4 Pro. Also, I have a 36" 4 bulb t5 light waiting for tank to be up and running.

 

[FishieBusiness]

thx ReeferS