T5HO overpowering MH Lights

[360º]

i just put two 150 watt MH (300 watts total) lights with 20000k bulbs on my tank.

turned them on and thought they were kind of dim.

been on for an hour now and they still seem dim. and when i turn on my T5HO lights (170 watts total) it completely overpowers the metal halides to the point where i cant even see the shimmering at all.

what gives?

 

[pokmijn]

try it with 10k bulbs it will be bright, 150watt 20k mh just isn't bright imo, but the intensity is there.

 

[Sarcothelia]

20000k bulbs have a lot more blue, less "white" light, so I suppose they appear dimmer. But the fact is your corals will still benefit tremendously, especially the light loving ones. You could go for a Maxima with that for sure.

I know what you mean, I have some PC bulbs and they overpower my LED lighting, though when the PC bulbs are off the LED lights are visibly bright and make glitter lines.


If you wanted your tank just brighter, go for some 14 or 10k bulbs because there will be a lot more white light in their spectrum.

 

[ryshark]

What brand halides are you running? You can always cut back on your T5HO, maybe use only half of them and save some electricity too.

 

[Gti_Leo]

the on goign debate continues, my 96watt 4 lamp T5 puts out more light then any of the 250watt MH fixtures i've ever installed, and i've installed a lot.

simple fact MH are old school T5s and LEDs are the current lighting to use. plus T5s you can color up things so much nicer then any MH will do


http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1352234

 

[ryshark]

Yes, T5HO and LEDs are newer in the hobby and are proven to work. However, look at majority of the Tank of the months within the link you put above. Most of them still run halides and have some of the best tanks out there. IMO this statement, "plus T5s you can color up things so much nicer then any MH will do;" is not accurate.

 

[Gti_Leo]

how is it un accurate

 

[360º]

how is it un accurate

*inaccurate

plus thanks for all the advice guys

 

[Purevil21]

how is it un accurate

It is inaccurate because it is an opinion. Yes there are more color options with T5 and LEDs, but none give the shimmer of the halides if that is your thing. I happen to like halides much better, I really like the halide/t5 combo strips. You can have your cake and eat it too.

 

[Purevil21]

BTW, the link you posted compared top of the line T5 lights to a 150w halide setup. Halides come in all different intensities, just because this particular test yielded higher PAR for the T5 doesn't mean it is true in all scenarios. Put a 250w 14k halide up there, or a 400w. Just like you could add more T5 bulbs, there isn't a one size fits all solution. It was however interesting to read his particular results. As for the OP, look into some different bulbs for your setup. With the right setup you will get the shimmer your after.

 

[Gti_Leo]

LEDs give a shimmer and are fully controlled. they smply are the best form of reef lighting, but are still very expensive

my LFS has 3 marine aquariums set up, two 90s and a 180. one 90 is using T5HOs one is using two 250watt halides with PC combo an the 180 has three 250watters with PC combo.

the T5HO 90g looks awesome, corals are glowing and the light that is penetrated even to the sand bed is far better then those of the halides.

sure a 400watt can penetrate deeper but they suck down way to much power, cost more to replace and get way to hot for me to change my mind. this is also coming from an electrician that sees the difference when he does T5HO retrofits that replace 400watt MH highbays, even T8s are replaceing them with the same light output. i stand by what i say MH are old school, and being phased out in all aspects of the world by fluorescents and LEDs. i'm sorry if i offend you die hard MH lovers, they are just to old for me and to dated

 

[Sarcothelia]

I have to agree. My LFS display tank is on T5HO and is amazing whereas their sea horse/ pipefish tank under metal halides till looks great and blue, it is noticeably dimmer even though it is shallower.

 

[Purevil21]

I'm not arguing or getting upset, I'm simply stating that this is all opinion. That is why your original statement that T5 and LED lights are better than metal halides was incorrect. In your opinion they are, not for a fact. As I said, I think halides with T5HO or VHO bulbs are the nicest setups. The halides are expensive to run and replace, but the LED setups are expensive upfront. The T5 setups have technologically advanced to the point that they are able to support anything you want to keep, the colors are beautiful, and it is economical. All of them have advantages, but it is all opinion. Each of them can support anything the enthusiast wishes to keep when properly set up. For my money, I like halides. Just an opinion, I see the positives and negatives of all of them.

 

[Gti_Leo]

this is where it gets different what do yout think the advantage is of each and what are the disadvantages?

what makes a good fixture? light output, price, life, efficiancy and look, correct? scoring each catagory would make a system better then another or worse

 

[ryshark]

I'm not arguing or getting upset, I'm simply stating that this is all opinion. That is why your original statement that T5 and LED lights are better than metal halides was incorrect. In your opinion they are, not for a fact. As I said, I think halides with T5HO or VHO bulbs are the nicest setups. The halides are expensive to run and replace, but the LED setups are expensive upfront. The T5 setups have technologically advanced to the point that they are able to support anything you want to keep, the colors are beautiful, and it is economical. All of them have advantages, but it is all opinion. Each of them can support anything the enthusiast wishes to keep when properly set up. For my money, I like halides. Just an opinion, I see the positives and negatives of all of them.

Well said.

 

[Sarcothelia]

In my opinion, upper end LED fixtures are the best hands down. They are the most energy efficient, longest lasting, and if they weren't thousands up front they would be in every aquarium. Halides used to be necessary to keep the highest light demanding corals and clams, but now with the advances in T5HO technology, halides are the energy wasting heat producing alternative.

Halides are certainly fine to keep any corals, but seeing as a T5HO fixture can meet the same lighting requirements, produce less heat and waste less energy, there is no reason (asides from aesthetics, point source illumination of halides producing attractive glitter lines) for someone starting up a new tank to buy a halide fixture over a T5HO one.

 

[Maya]

We chose to not go with halides because of the cost. It isn't just the outrageous cost of bulbs. You have the high electrical usage and then the possibility of needing chillers, etc. I LOVED the look of halides but there was too many other problems. We chose to attempt a DIY LED build and so far the results are fantastic. The shimmer is gorgeous and I love the possible energy savings. If we hadn't gone with the LEDs we would have gone T5HO and I would have had to give up my beautiful shimmery water.

 

[Gti_Leo]

In my opinion, upper end LED fixtures are the best hands down. They are the most energy efficient, longest lasting, and if they weren't thousands up front they would be in every aquarium. Halides used to be necessary to keep the highest light demanding corals and clams, but now with the advances in T5HO technology, halides are the energy wasting heat producing alternative.

Halides are certainly fine to keep any corals, but seeing as a T5HO fixture can meet the same lighting requirements, produce less heat and waste less energy, there is no reason (asides from aesthetics, point source illumination of halides producing attractive glitter lines) for someone starting up a new tank to buy a halide fixture over a T5HO one.

i agree
but take a look at this, theres no way the little bit of shimmer a halide gives will look nearly as good as this Mr.Xs old 150g. the way the corals glow is just so [moderator edit] good looking

 

[360º]

ok easy guys. i've always gotten shimmer from just my T5HOs... about exactly the same as the halides

 

[Sarcothelia]

Well since that's the case...I now see no reason to go out and buy a halide fixture as of now lol. And yea, that tank looks awesome. The oranges especially stick out.