LEDs or T5s

decoy50

Polypterus
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Jan 25, 2012
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Its beneficial to your electric bill using LEDs over T5s...fish dont care either way.
 

HarleyK

Canister Man
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Aug 17, 2005
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Howdy,

There's a bit more going into the cost benefit calculation than electricity costs. Consider price up front and replacement costs as well.

I know that LEDs last longer than bulbs, but keep in mind that a burnt out LED unit is trash. You can replace a burnt bulb for a few $$.
Life span of an LED is massively influenced by operating temperature. Though they are often referred to as "cold light", they do generate heat which in turn harms the unit. If you get LEDs, make sure to have it not enclosed in a hood.

Good luck, keep us posted on how you decide, and how it works out

HarleyK


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HarleyK

Canister Man
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I love everything about my LEDs. I have them on all but three of my tanks and they will get some soon.
That's great to hear. Could you specify what you had before, what specifically is better than,or equal to, your previous lighting?
What size tanks do you have (height) because that's one if the things I've heard about LEDs that they don't penetrate deep enough, at least in tall, planted tanks.
Thanks!


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brich999

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 3, 2010
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I much prefer leds over other lighting especially for color and shimmer. Gives a very natural effect I havent replicated with any other type of bulb. Here are a couple quick shots
20140704_205521.jpg20140601_194637.jpg

20140704_205521.jpg

20140601_194637.jpg
 

Jaws Fan

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 6, 2014
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I have both and prefer the LED, I have them on two 29 gallon tanks, they are the Marineland single led. They also make double, planted and reef LEDs. I have had them for a couple of years without any issues.

My 120 gallon has the double T5, if it ever goes out, not just bulbs, I will replace that with a led fixture.
 

noside

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 6, 2014
164
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NJ
Hi,
My suggestion about LED's or T5s, I think that LED's are future level of lighting industry and helping to brightness, focusing, green environments and eco-friendly for home and every where.

Thanks
LED Recess Light
In short LED's have no benefit to fish

Mean while, I think lighting is the most important feature in a tank. When you are viewing something, how something looks is entirely dependent on the type of lighting that you have. Not just in brightness for clarity reasons. If anyone knows anything of how colors work if you don't have the full balanced spectrum reflecting off of the surface you are viewing you won't see things as they naturally are supposed to be viewed.

I'm not talking about saturated red or blue lighting making things look reddish etc, but a calculated perfect combination of the RGB spectrum.

Research chromatics, and colorimetry

Physical objects have color only because of the light leaving their surface. If the proper color in the light is not present or correct you can make things artificially appear different. Can go both ways better or worse, which is why I love my LED's! Being able to customize spectral output is the shizznit for someone like myself.

" total AV buff here " so a lot of these color things go hand in hand if and when any of you guys have professionally calibrated a display before.

I love me some LEDs'
I've tried all the entrance level systems out there I can think of.
Aquatic life EDGE series
Marineland double and single brights
aqueon modular
Current USA freshwater led+ and Orbit marine
Ecoxotic E90
 
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