# T5Ho Vs LED (which one is better?)



## khuancc (Feb 15, 2009)

Hi all, i believed this has been discussed many many times.. However, i will still like to have some opinions better I go into LEDs.

My current lights are ATI powermodule 80Wx4 and one giesemann razer 80wx2. I really dun know what lumens or par or cri these lights generate. I really like them and my plants are doing great. However, with the raising energy cost; i am thinking of changing all of them into led.

Will be diying some cree xpg but really dunno how many is enough or will they produce the same lumens or par or cri my t5 produced? Let say, 70 numbers of xpg?

thanks.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

There are many reasons to invest into LED. If you already have a nice T5 setup, energy savings are not one... it would be many years until you recover the initial expense (assuming you go for the same lumens/par).

Unscrewing some unneeded bulbs, cutting down on the photo period, while perhaps getting some less demanding plants are great ways to save energy.


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

Based upon energy costs LED's are your best choice.
There are other types of lighting that you mat want to look into.
Such as plasma lighting and cfl florescent induction lighting. Choose bulbs
that have a color temperature of 5500K or 6500K and a high color rendering index >90


An old post of mine.
The Coralife Aqualight LED is using some well thought out marketing to showcase the company’s new LED light. Besides incorporating a sleek and straightforward approach to giving you all the details on the light Coralife has taken the time to sell on you its LED technology with the use of an interactive 3D PAR map. Using an aquarium with 30 in. tall by 48 in. long by 24 in. wide they mapped out the PAR readings of the Aqualight and plotted them on the map. To make it even more interesting.
The interactive map allows you to select common species of SPS, LPS and soft corals along with clams to see where they would be best suited for placement in the tank. Just click on any area of the tank and it will show you which corals would fit best or you can click on the type of coral and then mouse over the species to show you where they would work the best under the light. Granted, these are just recommendations and you’ll have to experiment in your system but this gets you in the ballpark. The PAR map data taken from Aqualight LED at 100% intensity, 14,000K color setting. Changing the color setting and intensity of the Aqualight LED will alter PAR values. You may wish to use a PAR meter to take readings for your preferred settings.

Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2012/01/12/coralife-aqualight-led-interactive-par-map/#ixzz1nGwMfJu5
​http://reefbuilders.com/2012/01/12/coralife-aqualight-led-interactive-par-map/

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The AcanLighting Prism LED is a veritable cornucopia of different LED colors, neigh a fruit salad of the visible spectrum. Coming in black or silver housing, the 70 watt AcanLighting Prism is endowed with no fewer than eight colors of LEDs including blue and royal blue, 12K white, red, amber, green, cyan and magenta. If you are wondering why green is incorporated it's because green light will increae the apparent brightness of the tank and it will make green plants look greener. Cyan is useful because all white leds have very weak output at this necessary wavelength. Red light at 720-750nm and amber light of 620nm is useful too for photosynthesis.
Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2012/02/23/acanlighting-prism-led/#ixzz1nGw1w2ul
​http://reefbuilders.com/2012/02/23/acanlighting-prism-led/







I included this article because I don't remember and don't want to look up at this late hour to verify this led is useful for planted tanks. 

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/02/dual-chip-indigo-led/








Pictured above is a prototype dual chip indigo colored LED with not one but _two_ light emitting diodes under the same primary optic. It’s pretty hot right? It’s really nice having at least one light in the reef aquarium LED arsenal with a platform of individually replaceable LEDs, the MaxSpect Mazarra. The P Series Mazarra LED light already ship with six different LED colors including two indigo LEDs with peaks at 410 and 420 nm separately. Not one to let their irons cool, with the Mazarra now shipping worldwide MaxSpect is beginning to turn its attention towards the first crop of LEDs that users will be able to swap into their Mazarra LED fixtures. 
In addition to the the cool white, neutral white, blue, royal blue and indigo LED colors already included in the Mazarra, we expect to see red, cyan, UV and dual chip versions of the indigo LED which will really help get more punch in the energetic low end of the blue light spectrum. Since the Mazarra has individually swappable LEDs it will be a cinch to trade out the dual chip 410 and 420 for their single core versions currently installed. We’ll report back on the brightness and appearance of the dual core indigo LEDs and also on the experience of swapping chips in the MaxSpect Mazarra LED.

Read more: http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/02/dual-chip-indigo-led/#ixzz1nGyaChBD
​


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## Steve001 (Feb 26, 2011)

Here's a vid demonstrating this Acan LED 600
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AjotIYvB7k


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## khuancc (Feb 15, 2009)

I saw this and i thought they look cool. but dunno will it be good?

http://www.xilll.com/en/products.aspx?pcID=1


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## jmowbray (Dec 20, 2009)

I would totally go with a DIY LED fixture. reefledlights.com or rapidled.com has everything you need for half the price as a premade fixture. Email them and ask what they sugest for a planted tank. I'm also looking a switching my 4xT5HO fixture to LED.


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## Aquatic Delight (Mar 2, 2012)

Wasserpest said:


> There are many reasons to invest into LED. If you already have a nice T5 setup, energy savings are not one... it would be many years until you recover the initial expense (assuming you go for the same lumens/par).
> 
> Unscrewing some unneeded bulbs, cutting down on the photo period, while perhaps getting some less demanding plants are great ways to save energy.


 
i have agree with this one. even with a diy there will costs to creating and setting your new fixture. and then how much will you really be saving a month? if your only going to save a couple dollars a month and it will cost you $50(random number) to build your DIY thats over 2 years before it starts saving you money, and it would only save you a couple bucks.


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

Energy savings alone won't pay the way. But...
I've moved from Power Compact to LED for my 75g. 
Energy savings is about a quarter a day. 
Not purchasing new bulbs\lamps saves ~ $88.
The $150 cost of my DIY LED setup will be paid back in under nine months.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

There aren't many planted tanks that need 4 rows of T5HO bulbs lighting them. A 24 inch front to back depth tank, about 28 inches high only needs 2 rows of bulbs, widely separated, to light up the substrate to about 40 micromols of PAR. More light than that isn't at all necessary, even though you might prefer having more. So, your biggest savings would be from using only 2 bulbs instead of 4, with the light sitting on top of the tank. LED lights are not yet justifiable by power savings.


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## khuancc (Feb 15, 2009)

so will 3 rows of cree xpg with each row round 24 xpg. do you all think is worth trying? reducing the number of t5 doesn't look nice on my tank (150x60x60cm) and my arowana inside needs some lights for tanning purposes. thanks.


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