Lighting Poll

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

T5s for me. They run much cooler, and a more even light throughout the tank. Lighting all the surfaces of the corals, not just the ones facing a single point light source. You can play with different bulb combinations to fine tune your "colour". That shimmer effect with MHs is nice though.

I dont find them any cooler than my 175,s. But I agree with the light spread. Big difference compared with 2 halide bulbs over a 4ft. tank versus 4- 4ft. T-5,s.

Chad, I like the output. I think my 4-4ft. bulbs are as bright, as my two 175,s. I would say the halides are more intense in an area under them. I think the T-5,s drop off quicker though.

I have good individual reflectors. And I have bleached sps that were fine under my 175,s. So the intensity is there.

[skylord]

I have MH 175's with 2 40w Actinic's. Thought that was plenty of light when compared to my neighbors 150s with no actinic's(very yellow looking).

I just bought a New Wave T5 4 light fixture made by Sunlight Supply for my wifes new 15g mangrove tank. It sits right next to the main tank so I could plumb them together.

I bought these because I had heard they put out OK light but not great....just right for a low light tank right? Wrong.....they surprised me as to how bright they are. Driving home last night I asked my wife why we left all the lights on and she informed me it was just the tank light. We have 2 daylight, one grow and one actinic in this fixture. Mushrooms and Ric's seem to like the light....we put a couple of zoa frags in and they went brown so we are waiting to see how they do with a little time. Maybe they will color back up.

I was going to change the 175's to 250's but may just remove the NO actinic's and add T5's.

Scott