Tank Build! lighting

I have switched over to some off brand Chinese ZEDs about 6 months ago and have been successful with SPS's up high, softies in the middle and low, the Acons are iffy but surviving high up. My Zoa's are also doing ok but not great. some are stretching others are on the bottom with no issues. I run UV about 10-11 hours, 2 kinds of blue about 9 hours and white about 5-6 hours.

 

I run all of them. Halide-t5-led combo on sps tank. A t5 on frag tank. T5-led on LPS tank. And just recently led on a softie tank.

In my experience halide has had best growth.
T5 with or without led is by far the best coral color in my case.
And led has had the slowest growth but colors were good. I tried led in the past and didn't like them. But could have been operator error so I am gonna give a try again.
I like the pop the blue led give. The most natural and best look in my opinion is halide followed by a close second t5.
The t5 is really nice. It's plug and play once you get your bulb combo zeroed in.
I think my problem with led is there is too much to tinker with in terms of spectrum. I am trying the radion on radiant color schedule and so far I really like it. We shall see how it goes.
Now what works best for one might not be the best for someoneelse. Just gotta figure what works for you long term.
Also. All lights are different. Build quality. Bulb or diode layout, reflector size and shape, same with optics an control ability of each could also be a factor. So many variables.

 

I have ran them all at one time or another.

Overall, it is really hard to beat a good T-5 setup. Bad part about T5 is changing bulbs, so on a big tank it gets expensive.

Right now I am going all LED just because of that reason.

 

T5s on the display tank. LEDS on the frag tank and cube tank. Great growth and colors on the DT but little polyp extension except on the millis. Finally getting good coloration on the cube, but so o on growth. Haven't been able to really tune in the colors on the frag tank to my satisfaction.

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@jeremy how big is your frag tank. What T5 fixture and bulbs are you running on it?

 

My frag tank is a 40 breeder. ATI 36 inch 6 bulb light. 4 blue plus 1 coral plus 1 purple plus for bulbs.

 

I got a combo LEDs LEDs my coral are starting to pop colour ..... Kessil 360w x 2 and three ai primes

 

I am running a Halide, T5 and Reefbrite.. I have LEDs in my Biocube with no lenses and it grows things well too.. But when I visited World Wide Corals, speak with Cornbred or Jason fox they all agree that a T5 / MH combo grows corals very well for them and then they have Reefbrites in there to make them pop