Which to choose.... T'5 or HQI?

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Trigger Man

Always a big fan of T5s. So many bulb combos and less heat issues. I have also found that my corals seem to pop out a little more with T5s (back to bulb combination again) then under mh from experience of seeing and buying frags that were under mh first.

If I was absolutely pushed and heat was not a factor, Nothing beats 10k metal halides with vho actinics, you get the grow and the color pop. But you need a lot of actinics to make it viewable, to my eyes at least. You can always go 14k,15k,20k, some use even higher kelvin bulbs than 20k. But the growth from 10k is superb, the vho actinics if done properly tramp any t5 setup i've ever seen. But its not as practical for everyone.

I still say look at diff setups in person, if you think at anytime you may upgrade, keep that in mind as well

[Shadow]

Has anyone used the LED lighting? i have never seen what they are like in a tank, but they have gone down in price right now for a 24" setup. Do they give off better light and colour as an HQI?

[dabandit]

Opinions are like a holes,everyone has one and some are full of crap. I've heard some say led are the revolution some say they are no more than moonlights.

[dabandit]

In short buy what you can afford and like the looks of

[dabandit]

Some halide ballasts and or cooling fans make a pretty loud hum, making them not practical for say a living room,but every t5 I've ever had was perfectlly quiet. But thaT said, I run a dual mh with vho supplement lol......but I have a special fish room. Running 2 250w halides over my 18'' deep tank has never caused a heat issue by the way 8'' above my tank