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06-24-2008, 02:16 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Bristle Worm
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Wales PA Age: 36
Posts: 141
Karma: 4
 |  T5 or Metal Halide
I was told by someone that a t5 with 4 bulbs was more powerful than a dual 150 watt DE HQI fixture. I have never used t5's. I have a sunpod. What are peoples thoughts? Are the Current's t5 fixtures better than their HQI Fixtures?
Adam | 
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06-24-2008, 02:22 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Millepora
Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Manchester UK Age: 24
Posts: 905
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Personal preference my friend! _________ You will never know whats in my tank as i can only type 15 words  | |
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06-24-2008, 02:23 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Fire Worm
Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 149
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it really depends on what you want to keep sps, lps, clams etc, and how deep your tank will be, shallow tank less than 20 inches you can probably get away with t5s, deeper tank go with halides _________ 75 gallon, 2 korallia #3s, Penguin 350, 20h sump, mag 7 return, 82 pounds of Live rock, Outer Orbit Pendant 10000k 150 watt metal halide, Outer Orbit Pendant 14000k 150 watt metal halide, aquac ev 180 driven by mag 9.5, auto waste conatiner 2.5L,tunze osmolator 3155 top off, 10 gallon or 20 gallon fuge in the work.  | |
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06-24-2008, 03:19 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Meriden, Connecticut Age: 43
Posts: 3,941
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I love the halides as I have great success with all my corals and tridacna Clams!!! _________ 125gal.w/Mag9.5 return(dual megaflow)>Mag7 pump Aqua Cev180skimmer.Wave2k Hamilton Reefstar(2)250watthqi(mh)pend.a Yellow, Naso Tang Red Lip Blenny Percula Clown Demoiselles Niger Trigger F. Wrasses Ceriantharia Orn.Shrimp and Stars Hermits Queen Conch asst. snails> Stars Zoos shrooms Montipora Brains Gorgonians Favia Turbinaria(large+small polyp) Acropora Xenia Tridacna (CroceaMaximaSquamosa) Leathers <35+75gal.reef tank as well> 
"IF THE PHONE DOESN'T RING...IT'S ME"  jb  | |
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06-24-2008, 03:34 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Elizabethtown, IN Age: 40
Posts: 3,294
 
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MH's will not limit you to any coral. _________ Scott 265g (Peninsula)
3x400w MH's, 4x95w Actinics, AAT Lunar Lights, OM 4-way CL, PM Bullet 3 Skimmer, DelZone Eclipse 1 O3 Generator, WavySea Plus for return, AAT Kalk Reactor, KNOP Ca Reactor w/PM Second Chamber, TradeWinds Chiller, ACIII Controller, Oceanus ATO, PM PO4 Reactor, 75g Sump, 30g Fuge Born March 5, 2007 My 265 Gal. Tank Thread " REAL TIME TANK STATS "   | |
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06-24-2008, 03:39 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Fire Shrimp
Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Urbana Age: 24
Posts: 331
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T5ho is good. If you are looking at comparing them. I would say in a shallow type tank like a standard 75 300 watts of t5ho would be better then 300 watts mh. Less heat, and better mix of color, temp of bulbs. I run 312 watts t5ho, and would much rather have those then two 150 watt mh, and you would have to add some actinics with t5 anyway. Those fixtures, mh, are just too expensive. Bulbs are too. I have had much luck with coral from mushrooms to sps. Clams seem to do very well also. I run
actinic
10k
actinic
6700k
actinic
18k
It would be hard to get that mix with a halide fixture. Now t5ho with idividual reflectors is a different story. I would not run more then 4 on a 75 with those. the indiv reflectors add a LOT of light. _________ 75 gal, 6x54 watt ho t5, coralife super skimmer, fluval 204, ehiem ecco 45, 2 stealth heaters, 2 kolaria 1, 2 kolaria nanos, 125lbs lr, 100 lbs ls, ZOASSSS!!!!!!
[SIGPIC]  | |
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06-24-2008, 05:07 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: TN Age: 31
Posts: 3,613
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1 watt of T5HO= 32,000 Lumens
1 watt of MH =20,000 Lumens
Watts mean absolutely nothing when looking at light fixtures. A watt is how electricity is MEASURED, not how intense the light is. Lumens/LUX/PAR is how intensity is measured. If you wanna keep moderate to low light corals such as mushrooms and a few other softies, then you 150w MH's are fine. If you want moderate to high light corals, then you need to step it up to T5HO's or at the very least 250w MHs.
Its comparing apples to oranges. _________ Got Questions? Need Answers?
"Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it." Andre Gide  | |
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06-24-2008, 05:11 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Los Angeles, California Age: 20
Posts: 3,450
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Ok...so I am pretty sure that I could type a long article about the lights....let me try to make it short and sweet.
T-5HO
PROS: Cheaper, No heat problem, Can keep any coral (not super deep tank)
CONS: Um...no ripple effect
MH:
PROS: Can keep any coral, nice ripple effect
CONS: $$$, HOT, need to replace more than T-5
If I am missing anything feel free to add. _________ Tank Specs:
55 Gallon Mixed Reef
48" Tek Light: 4-54W T5 HO Fluorescents
Bulbs:
1 x 54w Fiji Purple T5 HO Fluorescent
1 x 54w Super Actinic Blue T5 HO Flourescent
1 x 54w 14000K AquaBlue 75/25 T5 HO Fluorescent
1 x 54w 10000k AquaSun T5 HO Fluorescent
Hard Stuff:
100+ lb. Fiji Live Rock
65+ lb. Live sand
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06-24-2008, 06:16 PM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: TN Age: 31
Posts: 3,613
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce  Ok...so I am pretty sure that I could type a long article about the lights....let me try to make it short and sweet.
T-5HO
PROS: Cheaper, No heat problem, Can keep any coral (not super deep tank)
CONS: Um...no ripple effect
MH:
PROS: Can keep any coral, nice ripple effect
CONS: $$$, HOT, need to replace more than T-5
If I am missing anything feel free to add. | Thats something I forgot to mention, MH halides bulb need replacing every 6-9 months, where with T5HO's need to start the replacement rotation at 12 months, but are good for 18 months. | |
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06-24-2008, 06:36 PM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Montipora Capricornis
Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Tulsa, Ok Age: 28
Posts: 1,027
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my tek lite gives a ripple effect, just as a fyi, if you have a really nice array they can do it
indiviual reflectors help a ton on them though some will argue otherwise _________ 24G JBJ Nano, 20# Live Sand, 40# Live Rock
Rose BTA, Kenya Tree, Frogspawn, Xenia, Shrooms, Green Candy Cane, Duncans
Blue/Green Chromis, 2x Black & White Percs, Dragon Goby, Six Line Wrasse, Mandarin Dragonette
58G Oceanic, 60# LS, 60 LR, Lots of goodies 
Up and coming 90g stay tuned | |
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