This video is a comprehensive reef tank light review and comparison of coral appearance under LED (Aquaillumination AI Prime 16 HD and Reefbrite), T5, and Metal Halide (MH).
In this video I will go through:
- Pros and cons of LED, T5, and MH
- Show coral appearance under:
- AI Prime 16 HD
- Reefbrite XHO
- ATI T5, 2 x True Actinic, 2 x Blue Plus, with Reefbrite also on
- Phoenix Blue Hex Arc 14K 250w Metal Halide with T5 and Reefbrite also on
- Do a direct comparison of 5 corals under each light (Rasta Zoanthids, Highlighter Torch, Green Stem Purple Tip Hammer, Gold Hammer, and Red Acans)
The video footage:
- The video with the Reefbrite, T5, and MH is a few years old and was shot with an iPhone 6. So quality is low
- The video of the AI Prime 16 HD is recent and was shot with an iPhone X and iPhone 12
LED Pros
- Coral Appearance
- Lifespan - No Bulb Changes
- Adjustable Intensity
- Customizable Spectrum
- Programmed Effects
LED Cons
- Coverage
- Shadows on Underside
- Slower Growth
- Initial Investment
- User Interface
T5 Pros
- Set Spectrum - Mix and Match
- Light Spread
- Plug and Play
- Color Development
- Diverse in Use
T5 Cons
- Bulb Change Cost
- Lacks Customization
- Set Spectrum
Metal Halide Pros
- Coral Growth
- Shimmer
- Light Spread
- SPS Growth
- Fish Viewing
Metal Halide Cons
- Low Fluorescence
- Heat
- Costs
- Bulb Change
- Low Spectrum Variability
Direct Coral Comparison Note
- For the Reefbrite XHO, ATI T5, and MH, it is the exact same coral in the same tank.
- For the AI Prime, it is the same coral, Rasta Zoanthid against Rasta Zoanthid, although not from the same mother colony
#fishtalk #reef #fish #coral #coralreef #reeftank #aquarium #aquariumfish #fishtank #saltwater #youtube #SaltyPops
