AquaticLife T5HO vs. Reefbreeders 24

Thanks everyone for all the help. Now my head is officially spinning. Does anyone have any pictures of a tank with LEDS more than one year with growth? That is the part that is throwing me off about the LEDS. Doing a search I was only able to find 1 tank with LED's past 1 year with growth. If I go T5HO, I at least know they are proven.

 

heres some examples
A Year SPS growth, AI Sol LED's - Reef Central Online Community

LED SPS Growth One Year Later - The Reef Tank

 

Key word is proven. Theres not one coral you can't keep under proper T5 lights where thetes some corals that hate led. I just haven't seen enough to go led for my reef

 

Any specific examples Dennis? There are plenty of examples on this forum of beautiful, LED lit, SPS dominate tanks. With proper LED lighting, I actually do think it has been proven you can keep/grow any corals. The biggest issue I have seen to date is people not acclimating their corals to LEDs and bleaching them. I am still new, but so far I have been able to grow all kinds of LPS, a couple different SPS (Acros and Montis), softies, mushrooms, ricordeas, Zoas, etc. Now I don't have the fully stocked tanks others have, but at least I do have some experience with all different kinds of corals.

 

With lighting I really like to see personally versus info on the forums. Over the past 2 years I haven't seen enough growth with 6 friends tanks and also a giant LFS. The fixtures ranged from chinese knockoffs to radion pro. My friends who continued in the hobby have all switched back to T5 and or halide combo and the difference with the same corals, clams, ect are amazing. Also for a fish store to get rid of 105 radion fixtures says something to me. Thats a lot of money invested to go back to T5. I like the look of some LED lights and I want some on my FOWLER but my reef is staying T5 all the way. Just my opinion as the op was looking for options.

 

No issues at all if your personal preference is T5, or with knowing people or LFS that switched back to T5s. LEDs are not for everyone. Part of their issue is the lack of "good" information out there. Everyday people are asking if .2W diode fixtures will support SPS. This is because everywhere you look everyone is saying to go with LEDs with no specifics.

I was (and still am) wondering what corals you have seen not to do well at all under LEDs. Both of my reef tanks are lit by LEDs (well actually I am switching my 125 from PCs to LEDs this week), and as mentioned, I have not had any troubles with any corals yet.

 

Had my sps, lps and softies under LED's for two years now under a DIY Cree setup. Everything grows like weeds. Would hate to have to buy new bulbs every 6 months and pay that electric bill!

 

Dennis thanks for the info, what is the name of store that is getting rid of their LED's. I want to call over and pick their brain alittle.

 

ivanbosk, do you have any pictures?

 

That is my main reason for using LEDs. Right now I am replacing a 6x96W PC fixture (576 watts of light) with (3) 120W LED fixtures (total of 360W), if I was running them at 100% (which I won't). Quick estimate told me by using 300W less for 10 hours a day, I will save $170/year just on electricity (based on 15.5 cents/KWH in MA), nevermind $100-150 in bulb replacements every 9 months.