MH vs T5

[MikeyZO]

Ok since my other thread seemed to get bogged down about which fixtures were better and if it was worth changing ballasts on certain fixtures...

Has anyone had any negative experience keeping SPS under T5? Specifically, Im considering keeping a 75g under an 8 bulb T5 fixture (432w) as opposed to a 2x150MH comboed with actinic T5s (300w MH + 108w T5)or CFs (300w MH + 192w CF). Anyone have any pros or cons either way?

 

[premilove]

tagging along..i don't mean to hijack your thread but are there any height requirements for metal halides as opposed to t5s? would t5s penetrate a 2 foot deep tank?

 

[MikeyZO]

not at all, and its a good question too since a standard 75g is 20" deep.

 

[D1J8Z]

I have 2 tanks setup, a 180 with a coralife 250 pro and a 120 with a current nova extreme 8 bulb and a 4 bulb fixture

Originally had the 8 bulb on a 75 and I thought it was good

 

[Keith P]

I think it's been proven that with a good reflector, T5 can do equally as well as MH in most applications. You get no shimmer, but you get more bulb selection and less heat.

I'm not an SPS guy, but with 6X39W I have TOO much light on a 24" deep tank.

 

[jackson6745]

I switched to t5's from a 250w 20k halide a little over a month ago and so far I have experienced nothing but positive changes.
-Faster growth
-Brighter tank (overall brighter look than a 250w DE 20k!!)
-ability to change bulbs over certain corals to manipulate colors i.e. fiji purple bulb over a pink birdsnest really makes the color POP.
-no heat spike when lights are on
-The ATI fixture is dead silent

Since I went with the ATI powermodule, the only con would be the price.

For you to decide
250w 20k Helios (notice shimmer)

6 T5 Fixture

 

[Wes]

i'm the opposite of Jackson. Switched from T5 to MH and like the MH alot better. They both work well for SPS tanks. It's just a matter of personal preference.

 

[premilove]

jackson your tank is amazing. if you take a closer look, it looks like the MH penetrated the depth of your tank better than the T5s unless your T5 bulbs are extremely blue unless i am seeing things..

 

[jackson6745]

jackson your tank is amazing. if you take a closer look, it looks like the MH penetrated the depth of your tank better than the T5s unless your T5 bulbs are extremely blue unless i am seeing things..

Hey Thanks. It does look like that in the picture, I must have had the camera settings set differently.

 

[E.intheC]

i'm the opposite of Jackson. Switched from T5 to MH and like the MH alot better. They both work well for SPS tanks. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Exactly. There are pros and cons for both. It was a tough decision for me as well, but I went with a MH/PC actinic combo fixture.

 

[jerl77]

t5 t5 t5 all the way

 

[MikeyZO]

jackson your tank is amazing. if you take a closer look, it looks like the MH penetrated the depth of your tank better than the T5s unless your T5 bulbs are extremely blue unless i am seeing things..

I noticed that too, but it also seemed to me that the coloring of some of the SPS on the T5 tank looked a little bolder and nicer then the MHs. At least to me anyway. Thanks Jackson, Russ pretty much sold me on the T5 idea anyway, but you put the icing on the cake