how many went from led back to t5

[thmh]

Originally Posted by Doug

$$$$$$$$$$$


Great thread though. Love it, again...

But reefing is an expensive hobby so what's new? Plus led+t5 is not that expensive .... Depending on what your goal is and what your comparing it to.


-Tony

[Doug]

Originally Posted by thmh

But reefing is an expensive hobby so what's new? Plus led+t5 is not that expensive .... Depending on what your goal is and what your comparing it to.


-Tony

I know Tony. I have almost 2g into my Lifereef sump.skimmer.refuge .reactor and have almost the full Apex coming. I look at my account and hide.

But I remember on my 225, I had around $1500 in for 3 400w Radiums, 3 Sunlight Supply pulse start ballasts and vho actinics.

[sphelps]

Maybe it was just me but when I had T5s it was never the cost of regular maintenance bulb changes but the cost of bulb changes is general not to mention the hassle that came with it.

Pretty sure I bought like 15 bulbs to begin with before I found the color combo I liked then a few months down the road I notice one new frag doesn't look as good as it did from the source so a few emails transition to the thought of configuring my bulb combo again. Then when it's all sorted a bulb burns out prematurely which can be an interesting adventure on it's own as any other bulbs on the same ballast won't light up either so which bulb is it? But ok no big deal except nobody has that same bulb right now but here's one that's really similar but different enough to through everything off again but with some work eventually it get's sorted out. Then you read several threads about other bulb combos and it's get you thinking again but not before one of your end caps melts due to humidity because manufactures feel an acrylic shield prevents the need for waterproof endcaps... Then you have a bulb with burnt ends that probably shouldn't be used but you figure best keep it anyway so you put it with you now growing collection of bulbs that now needs it's own separate storage room, in the mix is new unused and old bulbs because you never know if you'll need them plus kinda hard to dispose of as well. Eventually you loose track of what's new and what's kinda used or really used...

This continues for as long as you keep T5s, not to mention how difficult bulb changes can sometimes be or when you need access to the tank the monstrosity above it can a bit of an obstetrical. Now with LEDs its totally different but I digress...

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Maybe it was just me but when I had T5s it was never the cost of regular maintenance bulb changes but the cost of bulb changes is general not to mention the hassle that came with it.

Pretty sure I bought like 15 bulbs to begin with before I found the color combo I liked then a few months down the road I notice one new frag doesn't look as good as it did from the source so a few emails transition to the thought of configuring my bulb combo again. Then when it's all sorted a bulb burns out prematurely which can be an interesting adventure on it's own as any other bulbs on the same ballast won't light up either so which bulb is it? But ok no big deal except nobody has that same bulb right now but here's one that's really similar but different enough to through everything off again but with some work eventually it get's sorted out. Then you read several threads about other bulb combos and it's get you thinking again but not before one of your end caps melts due to humidity because manufactures feel an acrylic shield prevents the need for waterproof endcaps... Then you have a bulb with burnt ends that probably shouldn't be used but you figure best keep it anyway so you put it with you now growing collection of bulbs that now needs it's own separate storage room, in the mix is new unused and old bulbs because you never know if you'll need them plus kinda hard to dispose of as well. Eventually you loose track of what's new and what's kinda used or really used...

This continues for as long as you keep T5s, not to mention how difficult bulb changes can sometimes be or when you need access to the tank the monstrosity above it can a bit of an obstetrical. Now with LEDs its totally different but I digress...

Yeah I agree there's alot of trial and error for bulb plus changing them is
A pita twisting 5ft 1/2" bulb lol

Also their stuck to one size tank most times