[soulpatch]

Originally Posted by Blink2824

-what ATI fixture do you find to be the best value for a 60x24x24 tank, what bulbs do you use? What is the cost associated with the light fixture on a monthly basis? I understand the ongoing cost of the bulb replacement.

I run T5 mainly but do have 2 Kessils installed in the canopy though I have not had them on recently. (Turned off AC and since it is fall the house can warm up a bit so front of canopy is currently open which my kessils are mounted to.) I miss the shimmer to a degree but my tank doesn't seem to notice at all. I couldnt tell you the energy cost as when moving up the tank I upgraded size on everything. But to put it in perspective...

My house when running my nano tank was costing me about 200-250 a month in electricity depending on temps and such (I am electric everything). Moving to the 150 with larger pumps, more powerheads, lighting upgrades, bigger heaters, and larger mixing station with additionall pumps and my power usage is perhaps 225-275 a month. So with everything upgraded I am perhaps an extra $25 in power. With all the new things on power I count that as a wash. Bulbs I replace every 10 months or so and cost me 120 so add in 12 a month in bulbs. Out of everything these costs are nothing compared to my AWC...

-Why would you NOT go with a T5 lighting solution?

I wouldnt go for one if I went open top and could handle a chiller to run MH/LED combo. Replacing the bulbs is something I need to remember as well as the ability to have sunrise/sunset, storms, and such is neat on LEDs.

-Why would you NOT go with a 100% LED lighting solution?

Couple of reasons. Cost is a large one. I would have needed 6 Kessil A360 to properly cover my tank. Or 2 AP700 at a minimum. You are talking 2K in lighting. Since I am going SPS the other issue is that LED doesnt seem to bounce under the corals the same as MH or T5 leaving the undersides a bit bleached looking. Sure the features are great in LED and you save some power but I am doing this all to have my tank look awesome and grow corals. And YES people are highly successful with LED only but for less money to go T5 seemed worthwhile to me. And also there are those who say long term cost benefits LED. Sure if you keep the fixture 10+ years but with all the advancements and such they are being replaced in 2-3 years if they last that long which drives up their "cost" by immense portions.

-LED's don't last forever so it is unfair to say you can spend the $2,000+ on 3 radions and not have to worry about future lighting costs.

I dont think we know enough yet on life cycle of the fixtures. Not to mention with tech advancing like it is you will be replacing the fixtures more frequently then a basic T5 or MH fixture...

-Is it a fair assumption to think the SPS growth rate provided by a T5/LED hybrid solution is faster than the radion LED solution? If so, do you think the additional cost that comes with T5 lighting can be offset by selling frags due to this faster growth?

Really isnt an additional cost. Think about it. If you go primary Radion then you will do T5 retrofit which for 4 bulb would set you back $300 and 80 or so in bulbs a year. But you get better coverage and would save yourself from needing 3-4 radions in the same tank. So those radions would have cost you 1K+ but you spent 380 in year one and 80 following years. Even with say $100 a year in higher electric (insane amount but just for the math).

1000 for extra radions would get you:
first year of T5 at 480
THREE MORE YEARS of t5 at 180

That math is assuming you dont swap out those Radions for a newer model later on costing you some incremental money.

The cost is more staggering if you consider T5 only vs LED only. IE For my setup I would have needed 6 Kessil A360 which amounts to roughly 2300 bucks (6 lights and 6 mounts)

To go T5 only I needed a 48" ATI fixture which was 500 plus another 50 perhaps for my custom mount in canopy and 120 in bulbs for total of 670. Even if I assume an extra 100 a year in electric my first year would be 770. That savings nets me an additional 7 years of bulbs and electric...

Just some thing I've been mulling around in my head... open to hear others thoughts and opinions on their builds and the ultimate lighting solution that you decided on.

I did not go with it due to heat but my perfect would be MH/LED/T5 mix. Something like the Cebu Sun. Other then that I am actually looking to go to my next best setup of T5 and LED accent strip similar to the BML strips.

I will likely sell my Kessils and use those to fund the light strip to give me back my shimmer and since it will be actinic will give my corals the pop that I love.