Are T5 Florescent Fixtures a MISTAKE for Beginner Saltwater Aquarium Lighting? - Ep: 27a

[@CoralEuphoria]

If your room temp is that low, a good fan will cool the tank sufficiently if running MH.

[@rolisreefranch]

Always good to hear from the Master of Corals; Abe!

[@Joshthereefer]

Metal halides and T5 are the best options for beginners and frankly, most reef keepers in general. They have a proven spectrum, provide a blanket of light, and are plug and play. No messing around with them like LED. Oh yeah, and they grow and colour corals better than LED...

[@adamorobertson]

I learned I shouldn’t mess with spectrum. The sky is a certain color, it really doesn’t change much and coral is accustomed to our sky. I started with an LED where I could adjust all the sliders. I’ve had the best success with T5’s and also LED’s where you don’t have granular control over the spectrum. Also, when I added a good fuge light to my established system, it worked and chaeto grew like crazy for the next month. Once it consumed excess nutrients, growth slowed. This was my cue to adjust (reduce) the photo period of the fuge light. It did a great job of outcompeting algae in my display tank.

[@wolflare6742]

First time reefer starting out, everything I've read and seen led me to put a t5 over my tank. Seems like the smartest and most cost-effective way to do a tank. I suppose time will tell.

[@RogueAquariums]

metal halides have been a main stay in the aquarium industry for many years and have evolved over time to be more efficient. Although they do put out heat and cost more than LED lighting, you can pretty much grow any coral out there with them. Personally I like T5 lighting as it gives you linear coverage through out your tank. I use an LED/T5 combination on my tanks. Well done video Matthew. great editing. 👍

[@mak0604-i9r]

Perfect video for me as a beginner...thank you Sir

[@marcelrodriguez2067]

Only way ill use t5 is if they have the same mounting option that kessils and radions have where i can put them in the back glass. And for refugium light the amazon grow lights grows chaeto like a mad man and for cheap!

[@hurricaneaquatics]

I LOVE LED and have been using them since the released over a decade ago. However, T5 is obviously the best for everyone. They grow coral like no other, need zero spectrum adjusting and they need no brightness adjustment. LED penetrates much deeper than T5, so PAR on a T5 and PAR on LED are vastly different when setting LED ad you can burn corals. Even now, my ATI Straton was made to be equal to the ATI Blue Plus T5 bulbs. If you don't mind to buy new bulbs once a year and you don't mind a bit more power bill, T5 is hard to beat. The look is the best part of LED actually. Many more pros to LED of course, but T5 is the best for beginners for sure.

[@rastarich8613]

Great series been following, hope all is well. My question is I put to fine of live sand in my tank n want to know the steps to take to change to maybe a Fiji pink tank is 7 weeks old with a 1 snail , 1 hermit , 1 mushroom frag 1 zoa frag and 1 firework clove frag

[@BulkReefSupply]

Since your bioload is low and your tank is young, you should be able to do this more quickly vs a highly stocked established tank. I would suggest siphoning out as much of the current sand as you can. From there, I would suggest buying dry sand and rinsing it thoroughly to reduce the dust when you add it to the tank. The rocks in the tank should be able to handle the biological filtration during the swap. Just be sure to give the tank a few weeks to "catch up" before adding anything else to the tank.

[@rastarich8613]

@@BulkReefSupply so dry sand over the Caribseas Fiji pink live sand? And thank you for the help!

[@MrJoshdouglas]

Where can I get that tshirt!???

[@BulkReefSupply]

We'll have to see if we can get some in stock. Aquaforest was kind enough to send us a few awesome shirts!

[@michaelbaldwin3356]

If you figure up a fixture, ballast and 5 years of bulbs you are still cheaper than a $860 led. And see how D. Riddle and all the lightning guru’s say leds need be changed after 5 yrs.

[@patterdalezipsuzilil]

T5HO 5ft use 90watts each but t5 standard are not bright enough

[@BulkReefSupply]

A single T5 bulb won't be enough, but when used in a fixture with 4, 6, or 8 bulbs (depending on tank size), T5's can be a great stand-alone lighting solution.

[@MatthewWagnerNOECA]

My T5's sit right on top of the tank...

[@billfrater1948]

Mathew great stuff as always. Question... I have a mature 10 gallon tank but i'm setting up a 49 gallon tank. If I used the water, sand, rocks and filter medium, from the20 gallon tank and top it off with new salt water would my new tank be ready for fish, or is that too much fresh salt water? Filter media is sponges and ceramic things.Thanks.