t-5 or led

[tubz]

I am wanting to upgrade from my one bulb fluorescent in my 90 gallon to something that will enable me to have corals. This is the one light I am considering.

48 Inch 6x54 Watt AquaticLife T5 HO Light Fixture w/ 4 LEDs Information
Product Manuals & Documentation

AquaticLife Light Fixture

Six-Lamp T5 HO Light Fixtures
Produce more light in a compact housing with these new six-lamp High Output light fixtures.

These AquaticLife™ T5 HO fixtures offer 420/460 nm, 700+ nm and Lunar light in one streamlined unit.

• Timer controls T5 HO Fluorescent Lamps and Lunar LED's independently
• Built-in Fans keep fixtures cool and direct heat away from the aquarium
• Adjustable width Aquarium Frame Mounts support fixture above the aquarium
• German-made individual reflectors maximize light by directing it into the aquarium
• Suspension Ports allow connection to optional cables for various mounting configurations

(4) 48" T5 HO 54W Actinic / Blue Lamps
(1) 48" T5 HO 54W 10,000K Lamp
(1) 48” T5 HO 54W Purple Lamp
(4) 1 Watt Lunar LEDs

My tank is 48 inches long by 18 wide and 24 inches deep. I would like to be able to have any type of coral without worrying if I have enoiugh lighting.
I'm just wondering if this would cost a lot to use, on my electric bill, and how much are bulbs to replace?
Or what is a good economical LED system?
Would the marineland reef ready system work?

 

[little_fish]

That would be a great light, it would let you keep anything you wanted. It will have an impact on the electric bill, but shouldnt be too significant when compared to a metal halide system.

I cant think of an economical LED system out there that would work for your tank, the marineland LEDs wont work for your tank. You could look for one of the chinese knockoff, but you run the risk of getting something that doesnt work or if you ever need help your SOL.

 

[tubz]

I don't know what to expect for the price increase on the electric bill. $10? $40?

 

[BL1]

That's gonna depend on what you pay for electricity and how long you run the lights for.

 

[Northstar24]

I am using a kilowatt hour cost of .14 which is what I pay.

To figure out the monthly cost do the following

Take watts (6x54) x hours of use per day (12) x days in a month (30) / 1000 (for conversion) and multiply that by kilowatt hour cost

So, assuming a cost of .14 per kilowatt hour and 12 hours of operation per day in a 30 day month....

((324 *12 * 30) / 1000) * .14 = $16.32 a month to run. Your milage may vary, depending on how long you run the lights, and what you pay for electricity, but the equation stays the same

As far as replacing bulbs, they need to be replaced every 6-9 months, depending on brand, obviously the better bulbs will last longer, and the cheaper ones (like one ones that come with almost every fixutre) will need to be replaced more frequently.

I don't know what the cost of the 48 inch bulbs is, but my old 39 watt bulbs were ~$20 a piece, so a 6 bulb fixture would run you $120 for a set of bulbs - each year

You could also look at LED's, you could light a 4 foot tank with 2 of the AI Sol units, which would run you about $900 with a controller and a hanging kit. You could also look into a DIY setup if you are electronically inclinded

 

[Sir Alex]

I cant think of an economical LED system out there that would work for your tank.

(Finsanity Aquarium Store)

 

[tubz]

I'm looking at the Ecotech Radian. Would 2 of them be sufficient for my 90 gallon?

 

[little_fish]

yep!!!

 

[tubz]

I'm thinking if I'm gonna do it, I wanna do it right.
Will equal out in the long run for the price of changing bulbs every year.

 

[dangerousdave]

Dang!! Thats a lot of money to drop on lights.

 

[fastrd400]

The Aquaticlife fixture is a good one. They are a great company to deal with as well if you ever have any issues.

The Radions, well, best of the best when it comes to LED lighting. 2 of them would be fine on a 4 foot tank, both now and if you upgrade in the future.

 

[Northstar24]

Dang!! Thats a lot of money to drop on lights.

Lighting is by far the most expensive, and most important investment in this hobby if you are planning on keeping corals.

 

[slm32123]

AI Sol. 2 of them. Awesome product from what I hear. I have used 2 other LED fixtures. And if I had the money to replace my T5s over my 75 gallon with LEDs, I would faster than a heartbeat!