The BEST light testing performance so far? What makes T5' the reef tank light Gold Standard?

Performance + Low Cost + Easy to use + Proof it works...It's the lighting success quad-fecta! Who said lighting your reef tank had to be expensive? Join tens of thousands of reefers who have used plug and play T5 Lighting like the ATI Sunpower to grow amazing tanks! Today we show you how!
#BRStvInvestigates #BRStv
T5 Bulb spectrum and PAR comparison!
➡ • T5 vs LED: T5’s secret...
Master your Light Spread!
➡ • Master Spread - The Se...
This mini-series will help you Master Reef Lighting in your tank!
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The content contained in this video is general information on the topic and should not be relied upon as your sole source of information or safety advice for this project or topic. Each product or situation is different and has its own concerns related to successful completion and safety that must be fully researched by the individual considering the project or product.
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[@BRStv]

How do you feel about our bulb combo choices for 4, 6 and 8 bulb fixtures? Think you'll try it out?

[@Matt-dc8lp]

One thing that you dont make totally clear in these videos is when you are talking about mounting heights and impact on PAR I cant figure out where you are measuring? Is this at the water surface? 6" deep? 12"? Etc

[@adrianr514]

Matt states in the beginning that light mounting height is measured from the water level. The testing depths are measured from the top of the tank.

[@Matt-dc8lp]

@@adrianr514 thanks. Must've missed it.

[@wd11800]

Matt I think the measurments were taken at 6” deep from the water surface , + the mounting height from the surface of the water.

[@ReeferDave]

Will definitely be trying it. Got the 6 bulb combo in my cart ready😁

[@zulu09]

King of all lights. Forever.

[@hynos323]

Thank you so much for making these videos. What you guys do for the reefing community is priceless.

[@theexiled4434]

Thank you for all these t5 videos, I have t5s on a cheap hardware store unit and love them, and I will be upgrading to an ati unit now, you've sold me.

[@raegesreefadventure75gallo82]

This was a great help in my choices for my 48” 8 bulb sunpower color and height adjustment. Across are loving it!

[@datkidx9431]

They would have to discontinue T5's for me to stop using them. Thank BRS!

[@XMRNYC]

Lol, couldn't have said it better.

[@geomerm]

I keep a reef shallow tank SPS fully stocked and few lps and I run 2 ATI Sunpower system lights. One ATI 8X24W and the other ATI 6X24W. So far I am pretty satisfied with an one year results but after that BRS video I will make some corrections to the height mounted from surface and the bulbs combo and their raw from left to right since I have installed many blue plus in a raw. I totally have 9 Blue plus, 3 Coral plus, 1 Aquablue special and 1 Actinic. Your videos are supportive and very helpful to our lovely hobby! Thank you so much!

[@shanereich8944]

i am now on my 2nd 6 bulb ATI SunPower(dimmable) after selling my first one to move to LED and after a gen4 Radion and a Hydra 64, Ill never go LED again, the ONLY thing i miss about LED is moonlight the SunPower doesn't have a moonlight. but, T5 just work, there is no fuss, no issues! and my corals look amazing and grow like crazy!

[@XMRNYC]

Another great vid from BRS. Great job Randy.

[@Matt-dc8lp]

Another great video. Thanks for doing these guys!

[@shadbonen]

Good info as always 👍

[@ccovemaker]

I've always liked the growth and the look of T-5s but in both the case of the Icecap system I had and the newer fixture I got from BRS. In both cases the fixtures died nearly as soon as a set of bulbs died. Fluorescents are soo finicky to compared to LEDS. When my last T-5 fixture died I went with a LED bar from Reef Bright and I have been happy so far.

[@syte_y]

I feel like t5s with the right bulb setup can’t be beat in terms of look and function. I went with some Orpheks, but only because of bulb replacement cost 🥺. Loved the spread on them, and they reminded me of t5s.

[@andeyking]

The best lighting I've ever had over my tanks was 8 tube t5 for the full length of the tank with blue LED strips on the front for that LED pop. Corals seem to be able to tolerate the higher par better with t5 than the higher par of LED. 4 Blue +, 2 Coral +,1 Purple + and 1 actinic

[@tomg5405]

I saw study that compared led,t5 and other lamp and led was the best, they also showed that corals photosynthesis or better with much lower par that we was thinking and to much make them grow less

[@XMRNYC]

A big yes! It will be a long time before switching to anything else.

[@MichellesMermaidRoom]

Yay! I have the 48" 8 bulb dimmable 8 inches above my mixed tank. After watching this and then ordering the exact bulbs and installing them to your specs I have already noticed more growth after guessing for about 2 years. Now I just neeeeed to know how long to run the light at max? Thank you!!!

[@volteface69]

Merci pour ta vidéo !!! 👍👍👍

[@Mr_Tequila_Travels]

The other great thing about the ATI lights is the ease with which you can add reefbright LED strip lights, which lets you turn on and off different bulbs/leds to give you different looks.

[@stadt-mensch6302]

Thanks for the nice test. I‘m using the ATI hybrid 8x80 plus 4x75 LED for some years now. Like everyone else in the hobby considering if T5 is still up to date. On top from all my friends and resellers I‘m the only one not using LED only lights. My opinion….the light is still fantastic. Every SPS grows, even the difficult ones. Only backside is that the energy consumtion is higher than LED plus you will definitely need A/C in summer, even in Germany. The light can easily coop with my 40 inch deep tank!

[@vargagergely152]

Well now if you use high end leds your energy consume will be around the same as whit ATI 8×80 ... but I totally agree whit A/C ..you will need it in summer :/ ( in winter you need less heating 😅)

[@nogascansable]

Randy, as a T5HO user, this was very informative and goes a long way to validating my tanks success. I carry a very similar bulb combo but I have one question on the ATI Sunpower 8 bulb (60") that I never seem to find a good answer for: What is best practice for use with Channel 1 (2 bulbs) as far a bulb selection and run time?

[@telegraham]

Thanks, Randy. A lot of attention was paid to the 75% spread goal during the LED testing, but that data point was omitted during T5 testing. I understand that given the form factor, and how light radiates from FL tubes, controlling spread is generally impractical, but from a light that's touted as offering an even flood of light, it seems very uneven. Are there reasonable ways to remove the center hotspot such that the edges can be brought closer to that 75% spread goal?

[@pdiehm]

Randy - I have a 6x80W over my 120. Grows sps just fine at 9” with 4 blue plus, coral plus and actinic. I think recommending the 6 bulb for mixed is a disservice as it can be very well utilized for both mixed and sps dominant. I had LED, but I am a moron. Give me plug n play, remove me as a variable all day for the win.

[@BRStv]

There's no doubt the 6-bulb can grow a lot of SPS, but for the standards we've created for top to bottom and side to side full of SPS with as 70% or more of the entire tank between 200-350 PAR average, we find the 8-bulb just covers the tank better.

[@andygta]

Over in Europe with can get Powermodules that aren’t hybrids, so just like a Sunpower but a step up in design. They have fully curved reflectors - would be interesting to see if those fully curved reflectors make any difference to the light output against the Sunpower.

[@hoanganhnguyen2746]

how to arrange 6 light bulbs in the ATI sunpower trough in the mix tank

[@lisafoster4468]

I have a question...I know some LED fixtures will turn rainbow corals, especially acans, red over time. Switching them back to T5s seems to turn them back. Do you know why this is? I'd like to find an LED that doesn't...I suspect it's related to spectrum.

[@victorgarcia-bd9rv]

My tank Is 3 feet tall 200 galón and i want te three kind of corals whats do you recomend me

[@lunes-1]

I just put the combination of Ati bulbs you suggested: -Blue plus.-Coral plus.-Actinic.-Blue plus Could you please suggest how to do best lighting schedule?thanks🤗

[@BRStv]

10 hours each day should do it. If you have a dimmable fixture, we normally suggest 30 minutes of ramp up, 9 hours steady intensity, then 30 minutes ramp down.

[@lunes-1]

@@BRStv thanks🤗

[@1cubsfan4life]

Would love a 36" t5 light but with the fixture and bulbs for a 36" tank was over $700. I still have it in my cart but cant afford it so I went with 2 black boxes for just over $200

[@jestronixhanderson9898]

That’s why I went with octopus T5 led twin bars. Cost me way less. U can use two bars and some led in the middle. Diy led in the middle and cheap T5 , whilst not as sleek it gets the job done. I run a 3ft cube tank, 20” high. I run 8 bulb T5 and two 80w diy led modules. I get 450par at the surface and 250 mid and pretty much all round the tank. It cost me the same as one G5 radion ! I’ll be pissed off if they ever get rid of T5

[@modotd3885]

Hi. What about using T5 LEDS. I could cover a 72"x24" tank. But will the Par and coverage be OK? If so, which T5 LEDS to use?

[@fadetoblack.-]

Use what brs use and I use.4 t5s with 4 to 6 kessil. Knock out combo

[@wd11800]

Hi Randy , would 2x4 bulb fixtures mounted 3-4 inches from each other be the same as an 8 bulb fixture ? Or be at least pretty close to the output of the 8 bulb fixture ?

[@BRStv]

Par wise, I'd expect it to be similar. Maybe a little better spread overall with the bulbs ever so slightly more spaced out.

[@wd11800]

Bulk Reef Supply thank you

[@glennrudolph]

Y’all definitely kind of lost me a little bit with this t5 lighting series. But hey, still following along and thankful for the covid content. Any new news on the reef brite actinic add on kits for the radions/hydras? Lastly! If y’all decide to do a master apex series, PLEASE make it for dummies. When the nerds start talking down to the newbies about coding and why the noobs are idiots, it makes me want to scream.

[@Ruffles206]

One ATI what is good size for Red Sea Reefer 170? 24” how many bulbs we’ll be the best special for sps

[@BRStv]

A 6 bulb fixture should be perfect for an SPS tank

[@juanramos-em7ig]

When are guys going to talk about the ati power module?

[@malnogar2015]

Sunpower is uglier than PM but performs better

[@seanjenner8560]

I think the US only has the PM hybrid, pretty sure they phased out the standard PM a few years back. Hence the sun power always being used for testing. I could be wrong. Also not sure the Sunpower performs better? The PM has more fans for better cooling and better reflectors from memory?.

[@justanotherfaceinthecrowd]

Here’s one for you; if my tank is 6ft long by 3ft front to back, but rock and therefore coral is set back from front and back of tank by 6-7” can I get away with 8x80w bulbs (or will I see a dark area at front and back?) or should I use 12 bulbs (2 of 6 bulb units)? Thank you for the videos, my favourite reefing channel ✌🏻

[@adrianr514]

Just another face in the crowd I’m sure you answered your own question. Tour tank is 36” however coral placement is set within the central 22”-24” inches. All measurements were done in this video to fill a 24” cube. So depending on what you want your par numbers to be go from there.

[@diacanthusreef3609]

Have you considered an angled fixture approach? Would direct more light towards the structure while still projecting some light to the front. Another bonus is corals will grow towards the light source & you may get a more top-down view from the front panel. I can't speak to the magnitude of this phenomena while using t5s as I don't use them myself. I do use metal halides in a Lumenbrite L3 reflector in this way though and its definitely significant & immediately noticeable.

[@XMRNYC]

You'll be perfectly fine with 8 bulbs, easily.

[@justanotherfaceinthecrowd]

Adrian Ramirez par will wanting to be 350..my concern is although the coral area will be covered, Will the 8 bulb fixture fill the whole tank

[@justanotherfaceinthecrowd]

DiacanthusReef hmm, yes that is something to consider...good idea

[@nc474]

What light would you guys recommend for a 29G cube with the less light spill into the room?? Looking to keep zoas and a nem

[@brekkand]

Ai prime 16hd

[@fadetoblack.-]

Kessil 160we! One or two of them.red seas new leds.

[@BRStv]

A single Prime or Kessil A160 would both be fantastic options for a 29 gallon cube 😀

[@Nick-Magi]

Why no purple plus?

[@Manniejr310]

Man I've always liked t5, should I go back ? 🤔 Yesssssss lol

[@fadetoblack.-]

If you have all sps yes

[@clintparsons3989]

Where did you get that lighting stand for your tests?

[@BRStv]

That was pieced together using some old photography lighting mounting equipment.

[@clintparsons3989]

@@BRStv That is the coolest lighting stand and I've been looking for something just like that for a situation where I can't attach mounting gear to the back or side of the stand, top rims, wall or ceiling. I have been looking for something free-standing just like this. My DIY stand made of PVC is a flimsy ghetto joke lol Thanks!

[@hishamebrahim524]

I think I m going to buy 8 bulbs my tank 4fx2fx2f or if I want run it with my 3 hydra 32 then what is your advice ? Thanks in advance

[@BRStv]

If you want to run a hybrid setup with your Hydras, we would suggest the 4 bulb AquaticLife hybrid fixture. www.bulkreefsupply.com/48-hybrid-t5ho-4x54w-fixture-aquatic-life.html

[@hishamebrahim524]

@@BRStv thanks & yes I decided to go with Hybrid already 😀

[@vargagergely152]

Hi guys please help me .. i use your recommended 8×80 watt ati setup for sps dominated tank , but i bought now 2 x150 cm orphek blue plus, what bulb should i change to be not so blueish and still good for the sps in the tank ? Tryed Google it but I dont really find anything..ty ( btw i love your chanell )

[@BRStv]

Try using an ATI aquablue special bulb. Despite the name, it has a more white appearance.

[@vargagergely152]

@@BRStv Just did it and yes its much more nice ... i switched Both actinic to that ( I might change 1 back )

[@pp4009]

do you think the radion xr30 g 5 or the T5?

[@BRStv]

When used properly, both can get the job done. I would suggest taking a look at your wants and needs, then determine which fixture best fits those wants/needs. Of course, you could consider a hybrid fixture and use both!

[@SpiegNet]

Can't you just remove a bulb or two from the middle of the fixture to reduce the center PAR without raising the fixture?

[@raisethereef]

Only if the bulb are on the same circuit and it isn't the safest thing to do

[@Mrmansaw]

I'm curious/ confused.... how are there hot spots in the middle on a t5 fixture? Is it the reflectors?

[@NathanielPorter1]

T5's put out more even light compared to other light types, but they still have a hot spot in the center of the bulb, because of how the electricity excites the phosphors inside, and the reaction occurs at the center point between the ends. You usually can't tell with your eyes but a PAR meter or lux meter will show it. Hope this helps :-D

[@BRStv]

The center has the benefit of light from above and the sides.

[@Mrmansaw]

Thanks for the knowledge

[@marcelrodriguez2067]

What if you dont want to hang anything from the ceilinf or walls? I wonder why companies havent come up with ways of hanging T5s from just the tank like LEDS.

[@adrianr514]

Marcel Rodriguez aquatic life and others have universal hanging mounts that are mounted/drilled to your stand.

[@raisethereef]

They are too heavy to mount on the rear panel of glass. You need legs that support each corner of the fixture and spread the weight out

[@XMRNYC]

It's the weight. A 60" powermodule is pretty hefty.

[@pdiehm]

I made a bracket that sits on my tank using 3/4” aluminum and hung my T5 from that. If you want pics, shoot me an email. [e-mail]

[@jharlowrose1]

How bad is it going to be if i only have a 48" 6 bulb fixture over a 6' 150 gallon tank

[@BRStv]

The par on the ends of the tank will be lower than you probably desire and you'll also notice some shadowing on the ends of the tank. That said, if this is your only option, my suggestion would be to structure your rock work and place your corals accordingly.

[@jharlowrose1]

Bulk Reef Supply thank you so much for replying! I never expected anyone to say anything back. I will keep your guidance in mind while I do my aquascape

[@romansreef6192]

How about a tank with depths of 30 inches

[@BRStv]

Unfortunately with limited time and resources, we couldn't test every tank size, depth, and configuration. Hopefully you still saw some value even if we didn't test your particular tank dimensions 😀

[@PazLeBon]

but what bulb wattage?? and how deep water?/

[@BRStv]

24" bulbs are 24w each. Towards the end of the video, you'll see three par charts on the left side of the screen at 6", 12", and 18" below the water surface.

[@PazLeBon]

@@BRStv wow thank fo answering my swipe on a older vid guys. much respect to you in general. Just got an ati t5 for a low frag tank, they sound ideal

[@kevinjames1587]

My ati calls for 48” 6 x80watt. Can I use lower wattage bulbs? Does that affect the ballast in ways? Pros/cons to lower/higher wattage? Thank you!

[@edwardwells5864]

Is T-5HO's really a option for SPS tanks on a standard 55? I mean realistically I dont see how you can cram more than about 4 bulbs over a tank like that... Would going old school and going 2 x 250 watt 12-15k halides be better? Ill admit a 55 aint a optimal tank to start with, but this is what a lot of Newbies getting into the hobby cut their teeth on thanks to the Dollar a gallon sale at "Deathco" if they dont start with a Nano. I know that how I got in this hobby and was my first tank...but back then Halides were the bomb and made it pretty manageable despite the crappy foot print. It would be nice to see one video on lighting a tank like that up.

[@edwardwells5864]

These days I turn these tanks which are dirt cheap or even free used into Sumps and Frag Tanks.

[@raisethereef]

A 4*54w Sunpower is plenty for a 55g tank

[@raisethereef]

Couple things here...did you guys make sure the bulbs were all properly put into fixture with the cold spot under the vent hole? The 8 bulb picture has every bulb in the incorrect orientation. Label end ALWAYS goes under the vent hole. Properly cooling the cold spot controls the internal pressure of a T5 bulb. Your PAR numbers will be low(er) with the bulbs not properly positioned. Trying to remember off the top of my head but I want to say 10-15% lower... Second, what fan settings did you use when testing these? Cooling of T5s is extremely important if you want maximum PAR and life. It boggles my mind we still don't have a properly cooled hybrid solution. No, the ATI Powermodule hybrid is not what I'm talking about. It's basically a T5 fixture with some afterthought LEDs thrown in. I tested one for ATI back in 2011-2012 and while it was nice, it was a swing and a miss. Too many T5s and not enough LEDs to be a true hybrid system in my eyes. We really need ATI to put Aquatic Life and Giesemann to shame and make a legit hybrid fixture. Better reflectors and better cooling would be a massive upgrade. Finally, depending on fan settings used, was the temperature of the cold spot ever taken?

[@XMRNYC]

Great point. That and bulbs have to be burned in for 48 straight hours

[@raisethereef]

@@XMRNYC 100 hours of on time is recommended but not required. Only the ATI Actinic has shown serious changes after those 100 hours and it doubles in PAR

[@XMRNYC]

@@raisethereef thought ATI said 48 hours straight in one of the forum conversations. I even asked why there wasn't anything labeled on the box to that effect. I built a burning station to do continuous burn-in, 2 bulbs at a time. I'll try to find that thread and post here.

[@raisethereef]

@@XMRNYC Unless something has changed, my info is directly from Oliver, the CEO of ATI. It is a few years old but T5 tech hasn't changed as far as I know.

[@XMRNYC]

@@raisethereef Ryan, I'm not saying you're wrong. Here is what was posted online by ATI, not sure who. I quote: A lot of people do have questions about the 50 hours of burn in. It is not required to be all at once, and can be spread out over 4-5 days no problem. If you have an active dimmable fixture and you are concerned about keeping the life of the bulb perfect, we recommend the option of a “bulb burn in station”. Just buy a ballast and some end caps and mount them in the garage. Burn a pair of lamps in at a time for 50 hours before use.

[@irishlad7458]

Ati do a dimmable is this dimmable

[@EricJohnson-dc2ej]

No savings after replacing the bulbs a few times and extra electricity cost.

[@XMRNYC]

That depends, there are hobbyists that have spent 10 fold on trying, replacing and upgrading to the next greatest in LED technology every year. LED fixtures are like smartphones, people always want the latest. With ATI fixtures it will be a long while before you have that itch to go anywhere. Stick to LED and I'll keep my T5s.

[@raisethereef]

This totally depends on what you're comparing. To even sniff T5 coverage on a 120g tank you'll need 3 XR30s (which have the best spread currently available.) You will run them from 70-80%. That means 450-480w worth of lighting. An 8*54w T5 is 432w. So electricity cost is a total wash. 3 Radions is close to $2500. An 8*54w Sunpower is $687 plus $160 in bulbs so $850ish. I can replace the bulbs 10 times (180-240 months) before I catch up to the Radions. Let me tell you how many people will run the same lights for 15-20 years: zero. We can even be a little more fair and go with 3 XR15s at the total of $1260. Coverage won't match but let's forget about that. You would be able to replace the bulbs 2 more times after the initial purchase before reaching that $1260 ($850+160+160.) So we're looking at 4.5 years. Very few people will ever truly realize any savings from LEDs. Some will see massive savings. Every situation is different

[@EricJohnson-dc2ej]

@@raisethereef 4x xr15 in 5 years. ATI bulbs are $23.95 on BRS. And if you're calculating the electricity use, you have to take into account that usually only the blue channels are set at a higher intensity. 4x XR15 would be at least $115 cheaper per year for me at 8 hours a day.

[@EricJohnson-dc2ej]

@@XMRNYC I have a hybrid of both

[@binarysun_]

I am finally going back to T5 after trying out multiple LED lamps over the last 6 years or so. I have had all possible light combinations and also all possible problems with led. From reduced to non existent growing to heavy algae to loosing corals. The problems started as soon as I put LEDs over my tank. Spend thousands here bu never had as good looking corals than with T5 or hqi + t5. Could have changed bulbs a couple of times for that amount of money

[@wolfmanjack3451]

This has nothing to do with lighting,I purchased a number of Siphoraria Limpets fom WWC..these little guys are pretty industrious they went straight to work.

[@irishlad7458]

Watch out ecotech and ai hydra don't put a hit out on you 😭😭😭😭😭

[@Robbla4550]

why are these videos so bi-polar one is good next one is good next one is bad or worse

[@tippin.turtle]

LEDS suck....lol!