jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
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Hi everyone,

I have a Solana 34 g, have been running for a year and half under 150 W MH. I recently visited a friend with a much larger tank, he used t5 bulbs for his mixed reef. The color of his tank was simply STUNNING. The purple bulb really brought out the beautiful red and pink colors of the corals.

I have some SPS and a Maxima clam at the upper half of the tank, and mixed zoas, palys, acan, and assorted LPSs on the bottom. Although the currently do well under the 10k MH and all have grown a lot, I can't say the color is that great for my viewing pleasure...after all don't we all want a pretty tank to look at?

With all the technological changes, and trends in lighting. What are your thoughts around the most aesthetic lighting for a Solana 34 gallon? Should I change it to a 24 Inch 4x24W T5 system? Should I wait and go for LED system (is there a LED system with some purple light to balance out the typical white and blue?)...I can really use some advice

Thanks!

:tub:
 

KathyC

Moderator
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Barnum Island
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One thought would be you could always switch up to a 15,000K MH bulb and get more of the 'blue' hue that you are looking for. That would be the most simple way to go.
 

jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
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I thought about just changing the MH bulb to a bluer one, but having seen what the purple bulb can do I'm really tempted with T5, I just don't know if T5 will penetrate deep enough for my Solana 34 g
 

skene

Winter. Time for Flakes..
Location
Queens
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A multibulb t5 fixture will penetrate. You are not talking 10 feet depth for a T5 to not penetrate... so if what you prefer is a t5 fixture go for it. Make sure it has 4 bulbs.
 

strgazr27

Advanced Reefer
Location
Kings Park, NY
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Your cheapest route as Kathy said is to try a 14K MH. I think you might find you like it as much as the T5 if not more. You will have the color your looking for yet still retain most of the punch and shimmer of the MH. A T5 will most certainly light your tank. I don't think you'll see any real savings from an electric use standpoint and it may actually cost slightly more to run a T% due to bulb replacment. If it were me I would change out the MH bulb first.
 

jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
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Thanks for the recommendations guys!

I definitely understand what you guys are getting at. From the cost aspect, MH bulb replacement costs about 50-60 bucks a year, where as the T5 run around 25 bucks per bulb per year, so that's about $100 for light bulb change per year.
Although there are some savings in electricity by running T5 (96 watt vs. 150 watt for the MH), I don't think the direct saving is going to cover the $50 difference. Indirect saving from not heating up the tank water by using the cooler running T5 may have some side benefit, I have some soul searching to do on this dilemma.

In the mean time, anyone have any thoughts on this T5 unit?
http://www.aquatraders.com/Odyssea-48in-4x54W-T5-HO-Light-Fixture-Extendable-p/52303.htm

I would prefer to hang it, but it doesn't look like it can be hung.
 

Magiclamets

Experienced Reefer
Location
New jersey
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I just upgraded my JBJ 28 gallon Nano hood to LED its awesome. It has three different setting day light, dawn/dusk and moon light. I use the dawn/dusk setting to have blue lights to go with the day light. So I would say LED is my preference. Good luck on your choice
 

fishman1069

Advanced Reefer
Location
Sound Beach,LI
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I wouldnt go with the oddysea fixtures. Im pretty sure they are not ul listed which means it has a chance of catching on fire and your not covered thru any insurance. T5s are sweet and I like the color combos that you can get with the different bulbs but the LEDs are def the future of lighting. You save a bunch of money on electric and NO bulb changes. Plus you get NO heat to your tank. I read on another forum, th8is guy is going LED and did a price comparison on the fixtures price, electricity used and bulb placement over a 5 year span and the LEDs turned out to be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper, in the long run. Just something to think about.
 

fishman1069

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Location
Sound Beach,LI
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Have you ever seen corals under royal blue leds only? They look like they are glowing! There is no T5 bulb out there that can give the same effect. Theres a lfs in Deer Park that has these led strips over a couple of his tanks. He also has T5s over the tanks. I had him turn off the leds and it made a huge difference. The corals still looked awesome but didnt have that fluorescence to them, that they had with the leds. I dont have any leds atm but Ive been doing alot of reading and research on them. Which ever route you take is cool with me, Im just trying to give you a little info
 

jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
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I currently have an PAR 38 blue LED as moon light to simulate dusk and dawn. But I guess the PAR 38 is no match when the MH turns on, the blue color totally gets washed out by the powerful 10k MH.
Fishman1069, you are so right about the fluorescence though, some really plain looking corals can really "pop" under LED light, especially my acans, and miami chalice coral.
Speaking of Miami chalice coral, I noticed its lost some of its blue and turned more grey, I wonder it had anything to do with my lighting.

Thanks for all the comments and info you guys have posted!
 

jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
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I wouldnt go with the oddysea fixtures. Im pretty sure they are not ul listed which means it has a chance of catching on fire and your not covered thru any insurance. T5s are sweet and I like the color combos that you can get with the different bulbs but the LEDs are def the future of lighting. You save a bunch of money on electric and NO bulb changes. Plus you get NO heat to your tank. I read on another forum, th8is guy is going LED and did a price comparison on the fixtures price, electricity used and bulb placement over a 5 year span and the LEDs turned out to be a couple of hundred dollars cheaper, in the long run. Just something to think about.


I just found this LED system on line, what do you think of it? It's about $350
http://fishneedit.com/led-fixture.html
 

skene

Winter. Time for Flakes..
Location
Queens
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I wouldnt go with the oddysea fixtures. Im pretty sure they are not ul listed which means it has a chance of catching on fire and your not covered thru any insurance.

Please stop with this endless psychobabble of crying wolf about Odyssea fixtures catching on fire. You are not helping reefers that may not have any other means of getting into the hobby by frightening them of hazards that are long past dead and resolved.
 

masterswimmer

Old School Reefer
Vendor
Location
NY
Rating - 99.6%
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Your least expensive way to go is like Kathy C said, change your MH bulb. Personally, after hearing what you're looking for, I'd HIGHLY recommend the Phoenix 150w DE MH Bulb. In addition to that bulb, you can add a nice 10" LED Blue strip that will certainly add the spectrum you're looking for. After the MH's shut off you can still sit and enjoy your tank under just the Blue LED Strips. These are quite inexpensive and will definitely do the trick. You can just ask Ryan Grieder here on MR what he thinks about them.

If you have any other Q's, I'd be happy to help
Russ
 

jetthril

Experienced Reefer
Location
Bayonne, NJ
Rating - 100%
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Your least expensive way to go is like Kathy C said, change your MH bulb. Personally, after hearing what you're looking for, I'd HIGHLY recommend the Phoenix 150w DE MH Bulb. In addition to that bulb, you can add a nice 10" LED Blue strip that will certainly add the spectrum you're looking for. After the MH's shut off you can still sit and enjoy your tank under just the Blue LED Strips. These are quite inexpensive and will definitely do the trick. You can just ask Ryan Grieder here on MR what he thinks about them.

If you have any other Q's, I'd be happy to help
Russ

If I stick with 150 Watt MH, would you recommend using 20k or 14k. Since my light is closer to 10k right now, to avoid light shock to the animals (SPS, 5 inch maxima clam, chalice), should I start moving the lamp further away from the water surface for now, and when I get the new bulbs keep it closer to the water surface?
 

strgazr27

Advanced Reefer
Location
Kings Park, NY
Rating - 100%
123   0   0
Have you ever seen corals under royal blue leds only? They look like they are glowing! There is no T5 bulb out there that can give the same effect. Theres a lfs in Deer Park that has these led strips over a couple of his tanks. He also has T5s over the tanks. I had him turn off the leds and it made a huge difference. The corals still looked awesome but didnt have that fluorescence to them, that they had with the leds. I dont have any leds atm but Ive been doing alot of reading and research on them. Which ever route you take is cool with me, Im just trying to give you a little info

I was under the impression that Actinic is what makes the corals flourece (sp)? I have been to the store your talking about and yeah they look amazing but still don't glow like they do under a nice Actinic. Did the fixture he showed you have a mix of RB and Actinic LED's?
 

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