skirossi
Full Member
Brunswick
Posts: 117
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Post by skirossi on Apr 4, 2014 12:05:58 GMT -5
I have a 40 breeder that currently has a 4 bulb t5 setup. I need new bulbs and 1 new ballast, so it seems like a good time to consider LEDs. What would you all recommend in the under $150 range? Rob if you chime in could you please post a link to the lights you’ve been ordering?
I’ll be keeping a mix of zoas, SPS and LPS.
Thanks!
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Apr 4, 2014 12:09:17 GMT -5
I would definitely look into LEDs, low energy consumption, low heat output, no more changing bulbs, what more can you ask!
In terms of brands, I love my Reef Breeders, customer service is great and all units come with a 2 yr warranty. The units come from China, but their electricians look over every unit and if they need service CT is not that far away.
There are other great brands out there, do your homework, search online reviews and reviews in other forums to see what other people's experiences are.
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Post by gotareef on Apr 4, 2014 12:23:02 GMT -5
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Post by Pokahpolice on Apr 4, 2014 14:06:27 GMT -5
I've been doing a ton of research on LEDs lately (mostly because I built a fixture). There is a mixed feeling on LED only lighting and a lot of people that have switched from T5 fixtures to LEDs are not super happy with the results. I'd suggest reading some of this thread... www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2203067&highlight=dumping+leds&page=90There is so much information and mixed opinions out there that it's hard to come to a conclusion one way or another. I had a good conversation with the owner of Unique Aquarium about this very subject and the impression I got (I don't want to speak for him) is that LED only wasn't great and on his main display tank he is using a combination LED and T5. When I built my fixture I also added T5s to compliment the LEDs. I've seen MANY very nice tanks with just LEDs over them as well...like I said it's hard to come to a conclusion but just wanted to throw a some different opinions in the mix. |
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Apr 4, 2014 14:28:19 GMT -5
My coral growth took off when I changed to my LEDs, just look at my before and after pics in my tour thread.
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Post by Lance on Apr 4, 2014 14:28:28 GMT -5
I think LEDs are awesome. I've had great success with just about every photosynthetic type of coral; soft, stony (LPS & SPS), mushrooms, zoas/palys, etc. I even had good success with first gen products like Ecoxotic's original Panoroma fixture that only had whites and 420nm blues and not real high output. Add in cost savings, heat reduction, and stability (the diodes last way longer than bulbs) they are the only way to go.
The one problem I have experienced was too much of a good thing when I switched to Radions. I flat out did not believe the PAR values that they could put out. I was used to the good old days of 250w halides or numerous fluorescent tubes. So I ran them wide open. Burned/stressed a lot of corals. I've backed the whites, reds, and greens way down and now things are doing better, both growth and color-wise.
I think a lot of people who've been in the hobby for some time might suffer from the "not enough light" delusion that I had when migrating from other formats to LED. Also, pretty much any time you fundamentally change lighting on a tank, it's going to take a while for the critters that have adapted to lighting format "A" to adapt over to lighting format "B".
Anyway, I say LEDs all the way. Just make sure you buy the right intensity for the tank or are able to adjust/program intensity as needed.
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Post by BriMc on Apr 4, 2014 15:02:25 GMT -5
I do like the looks of LED's too but I am not jumping in to LED's for a little while. Seems there is some debate going on about output values dropping, par values dropping, color and spectrum shifting. What scares me is if this is happening what direction is the UV output going?
One other thing that needs to be said is LED's do burn out, yes they are suppose to last five years but so are compact fluorescents. The Five year rating is a general statement about the useful life expectancy not an actual life guarantee.
I do like the idea of a T-5 - LED hybrid mix. T-5's would help eliminate some of the shadowing.
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Post by Pokahpolice on Apr 4, 2014 15:48:24 GMT -5
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Post by gotareef on Apr 4, 2014 15:57:58 GMT -5
over the years I have used everything for lighting. I built my first led around 4 years ago and have never gone back to any other lighting.
these led put out more light than a 250w hqi mh with 4x24w t5 actinics. I run them at about 35-40% on a 24" deep tank
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Post by Pokahpolice on Apr 4, 2014 16:07:44 GMT -5
over the years I have used everything for lighting. I built my first led around 4 years ago and have never gone back to any other lighting. these led put out more light than a 250w hqi mh with 4x24w t5 actinics. I run them at about 35-40% on a 24" deep tank Agreed, but no one is really arguing the power of the LEDs. The debate is if it's the correct light to promote growth and color. I honestly don't have a horse in this race. This will be my first LED fixture so I can't speak from experience. I just wanted to open up the discussion. I will say that I got to see Lance's tank last week and all of his corals looked amazing under just LEDs. Then I look at the display tank at Unique which is probably the nicest tank I have ever laid eyes on and he is telling me don't use just LEDs. I think just like many things in this hobby, there is more than one correct answer and different people are going to prefer one over another. |
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Post by jasonandsarah on Apr 4, 2014 17:16:44 GMT -5
I started with t5's and switched to leds also and like I've said a hundred times I miss my t5's! But that's mostly looks, I loved the looks of the color combo I had b4 switching. Then again before I found the right bulbs I didn't like t5's haha I do think that 1 or 2 small t5's mixed with leds is a great idea. But I'd want to see someone with long term success mixing the two. Is there a downside to mixing lighting like this? Or would it be the same idea as MH w/t5's? Innovation is what our world is all about these days so whatever works and makes your tank happy is what you should do. All that being said why not just go plasma? It's about to be the new led for people that can afford it! (Not me) Watch "Plasma vs Metal Halide - Coral Growth Study" on YouTube Plasma vs Metal Halide - Coral Growth Study: reefbuilders.com/2009/06/16/aqua-illumination-plasma-lighting-closer-reality/ reefbuilders.com/2010/01/26/commercially-lifi-plasma-light-hobbyists-launching/ |
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Post by gotareef on Apr 4, 2014 17:21:29 GMT -5
the problem is led are color specific so you need more than one or two colors of led to get the full spectrum of light then there are colors of light corals dont use but make the coral look different
its the led fixtures with one or two colors that have issues or when you have to much of colors you dont need then you get algae blooms... its hard to get a "correct" color because everyone's tanks are different you need to custom fit the colors but these fixtures I have been getting are a good compromise "one size fits all" type of light
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Post by gotareef on Apr 4, 2014 17:24:48 GMT -5
I started with t5's and switched to leds also and like I've said a hundred times I miss my t5's! But that's mostly looks, I loved the looks of the color combo I had b4 switching. Then again before I found the right bulbs I didn't like t5's haha I do think that 1 or 2 small t5's mixed with leds is a great idea. But I'd want to see someone with long term success mixing the two. Is there a downside to mixing lighting like this? Or would it be the same idea as MH w/t5's? Innovation is what our world is all about these days so whatever works and makes your tank happy is what you should do. All that being said why not just go plasma? It's about to be the new led for people that can afford it! (Not me) Watch "Plasma vs Metal Halide - Coral Growth Study" on YouTube Plasma vs Metal Halide - Coral Growth Study: reefbuilders.com/2009/06/16/aqua-illumination-plasma-lighting-closer-reality/ reefbuilders.com/2010/01/26/commercially-lifi-plasma-light-hobbyists-launching/as I have stated before I have used every type of light made I have a 400w "plazma" light the problem is they are 2700k in color and still get very very hot.... another route would be induction lghting it has been used for years and makes a good grow light but again the color promotes algae growth |
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Post by jasonandsarah on Apr 4, 2014 19:53:00 GMT -5
They're making plasma lighting specifically for reef aquariums now so why would they be 2700k when that wouldn't suit a reef aquarium?
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Post by Lance on Apr 4, 2014 20:26:26 GMT -5
Let's be clear...light is light. The particular mechanism used to produce the light is only relevant in so far as it's ability to produce the qualities and intensities desired.
Further, we are trying to keep animals that naturally occur over thousands of square feet, acres, or miles, vertically and horizontally, in different depths, turbidities, etc. Acting as if there is one right answer is a mistake.
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