Our Lighting comparison ATI t5 sunPower/Hydra 26 HD's

[john.m.cole3]

We are breaking out the LUX meters today for reading at the water line.
I had my Orbits at 100%blue and 50% white. Running the Hydra's I have so much more color with out having to run all the blue to pop the color of the corals

make sure you have a 9 volt battery, this meter did not come w/ one...

2PM and no clouds in the sky gives me a reading of 120,000 LUX. The tank lights just kicked on, but ramp up for 1.5 hours. Will post reading at 3:30. No work for 36 hours or so. Time for tank maintenance!!!!!!

 

[john.m.cole3]

OK, let's start by sayin that the LUX phone apps are so far off. The phone app read 211,000 lux in direct sun light and 11.000 lux under by 6 bulb T5 light. The ACTUAL lux meter read 120,000 in direct sun light and 46,000 under my tank light.

$15.99 on Amazon for the one I bought

 

[john.m.cole3]

This is a nice thread since I actually just made a switch away from 100% LEDs.

Here is the tank right before I took the AI Primes off of it.



Here is my graph:

Broadfield AI Prime Settings

Broadfield AI Prime Peak %

Here is my dropbox file if anyone wants to try it out... it's roughly a 14k-15k spectrum:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/14tqn9s6ibw793x/Broadfied AI Prime 14.5k - 11 Hour?dl=0
So, I just replaced the Primes with a Giesemann Aurora T5/LED hybrid fixture. I was actually REALLY pleased with the Primes. Those little guys did really well on a mixed reef that is 60" x 22" x 20". However, I have never owned T5's and wanted to try them out. But I didn't want to give up the positives of LEDs... so I figured why not have them both. I'm still getting the Giesemann dialed in. For you LED guys, you'll probably back me up when I say it seemed like I was always messing with Prime colors and %'s to get just the right spectrum. Well, now add in 4 T5 bulbs to the mix, that are 100% dimmable and all of the bulb choice combos that you can do. You can see why I'm still dialing it in lol. I think I have it where I'm pretty darn happy though. I have yet to take a new video with the Giesemann on there, but very soon. I'll be sure to post it in here once I do. In the meantime, here are some macro shots I took under the Giesemann. Keep in mind, this was my first time using a macro lens, ever... so I have no idea what I'm doing in these shots

DUDE!, that Hybrid Geismann paired with the Red Sea 450 is actually my next upgrade I'm planning for when we buy a house. Awesome tank dimensions and lighting choice. You deff got it going on!!!

 

[jsker]

Sunday fun-day Light up date with new toys
LUX reading (the was right on top of the water, if I were and closer to the water the sensor thing would have been in the water)

Ca 420
Mg 1360
Alk 10.5 higher tank last week, I did change out 12 gallons of water
Po4 .02ppm
No3 2ppm came down a bit from last week with vacuuming the sand bed. Still have hair algae

Here is the premiere of my new video with music(using and fumbling with Adobe Premiere for the first time) Saving the vid next time and 1080 HD, should be clearer.

 

[hotnickz07]

Here is my tank with leds and with t5. Ran 2 hydras for over 2 yrs , before making the switch to t5. IMO night and day. Now im not saying leds dont work, im just saying my tank has responded wayyy better to T5s.

2 Hydras


ATI 6bulb T5
[URL=http://s37.photobucket.com/user/hotnickz07/media/20160415_171554-01.jpeg.html][/URL]

 

[jsker]

Here is my tank with leds and with t5. Ran 2 hydras for over 2 yrs , before making the switch to t5. IMO night and day. Now im not saying leds dont work, im just saying my tank has responded wayyy better to T5s.

2 Hydras


ATI 6bulb T5

Thank you for your input, I think I need to add a poll in the thread what do you thing @john.m.cole3 ?
You tank look really nice

 

[edosan]

Hi, did you check ecotech corallab paper ? They show you the optimal config to emulate t5 with leds.
Basically all at 100% but whites, green and reds, those at 24% and 24 inched high (yup, very high). Google it, very interesting. Result with that config on sps side by side (leds vs t5) the winner is.... Check the Paper...

 

[john.m.cole3]

Thank you for your input, I think I need to add a poll in the thread what do you thing @john.m.cole3 ?
You tank look really nice

A poll is fine with me.

A few points on that... A poll draws a line in the sand and may stem argumentative statements. a poll can also brings like minded thinkers together and can show a trend (that can be good). A poll might persuade people to change their lighting choice.

Pros and Cons...

I say Let's Do It!!! We have nothing to lose and only opinions to gain. As long as people vote FOR their choice and don't bash the opposition, it should work. Good idea @jsker

 

[jsker]

Hi, did you check ecotech corallab paper ? They show you the optimal config to emulate t5 with leds.
Basically all at 100% but whites, green and reds, those at 24% and 24 inched high (yup, very high). Google it, very interesting. Result with that config on sps side by side (leds vs t5) the winner is.... Check the Paper...

I will check it out, thank you

 

[jsker]

A poll is fine with me.

A few points on that... A poll draws a line in the sand and may stem argumentative statements. a poll can also brings like minded thinkers together and can show a trend (that can be good). A poll might persuade people to change their lighting choice.

Pros and Cons...

I say Let's Do It!!! We have nothing to lose and only opinions to gain. As long as people vote FOR their choice and don't bash the opposition, it should work. Good idea @jsker

Look at it and I can not edit a poll in

 

[john.m.cole3]

Look at it and I can not edit a poll in

bummer... However, this thread is gaining popularity. I just want to remind people to post about the good they see in their lighting choice, and to NOT put other choices down. The main reason I harp on this is because lights aren't cheap and most people spend lots of time researching what they WANT to do to best please their animals. Don'knock em for it... Praise them for the GOOD they are bringing. [HASHTAG]#Grattitude[/HASHTAG]

 

[jsker]

LOL, did you figure out that TV show yet? For video editing, I use iMovies on my Mac. Youtube actually has a decent editor in their advanced editor, but if you add things like "credits" and whatnot with their editor, it will not do the video in anything higher than 1080P. You are also forced to use their music... if you want music for your video. I shoot in 4k, so I prefer to have the 1440P and 4k viewing options on my videos. For the pictures, I used my Canon 50d and a Canon 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens.

I am stumped, what is the song from so that I can move on with life

 

[Broadfield]

I am stumped, what is the song from so that I can move on with life

Bwahahahaha... Sanford and Son

 

[jsker]

Bwahahahaha... Sanford and Son

Ahhhhhh you stumped me. Now it all comes back "Elizabeth here I come". That show was the best

 

[jsker]

@john.m.cole3 you can add a poll after the fact. It is up there now. Went to thread tools to add the poll

 

[jsker]

battling hair algae and not red slim. I decreased lighting time and turn down the whites and bit at the end of the day. With the old lights would have the light one from 7:30 am, to 7 pm with the moon light on till 10:00pm I am thinking to much light causing my algae problems along with higher No3's 5ppm

 

[UKMarineGuy]

Hydra 26HD here on my pico. I got it mainly to get some morphs out of my acans, so far its been great and new colours are coming through already. I run virtually all UV and a touch of blue...

Cheers,

 

[jsker]

Hydra 26HD here on my pico. I got it mainly to get some morphs out of my acans, so far its been great and new colours are coming through already. I run virtually all UV and a touch of blue...

Cheers,

Very nice tank, You have the 26"s turn way down. Thank you

 

[UKMarineGuy]

Yes, im doing an Acan only (ish) tank so running PAR between 50-80.

Cheers,

 

[jsker]

Seems like Algae is a very popular thing on R2R and also with @john.m.cole3 and myself. To report, I have had green hair algae for the past 2.5 weeks. I would say this is from running my light for 12+hr with my whites, reds, a little to high. I cut back on the light to 10 hr and I run my blues for another two hours. It seem to have slow down the growth. I am also dosing Aquaforest Pro Bio S on a daily basis, and also AF Build, AF Energy to get the nitrates down, and will vacuum the sand again tomorrow and Sunday.