LED lights Pros and Cons

[Vigilente]

I currently have MH and t5 combo but was thinking of purchasing LEDs. Just wanted to get some Pros and Cons on LED lighting, been hearing alot of different opinions. Should I wait another year? Should I buy a specific brand of lighting?

Ed

 

[cmantis]

I think your combo will give you the best coral growth and color viewing. LED's are cheaper and cooler. While they can look great in person they are often difficult to photgraph with. I don't think LED technology will change in the next year the part that people keep playing with are the layouts. There are a number of factors at play in designing this such as the physical layout and coverage needed for your tank.

 

[annanymous]

if you already have lights you are happy with, then wait until its more mainstreamed and until there is more researd hre: LEDs and color options.

If your lights are not good or you really unhappy with them, then go for it. Keep in mind you may have to replace and/or adjust your LEDs (depending on what you get) as more information becomes avaiable about whats better for color and growth.

Im currnetly researching diferent LED options out there and am pretty set on either reefbreeders dimmable fixture (cheaper end) or fathom LEDs (more high end). but I do have a failrly limited budget. If your budget is not a problem, then I've heard many good things about radions.

LEDs are good in a sence that they dont overheat your tank as much as MH do and use less power reducing your elecctricity bill.

If I had the option, I would personally wait until the LED/T5 combo fixtures become more affordable as I feel that gives you the best of both worlds

 

[Vigilente]

That is def something I heard from several people that the LED/T5 combo fixtures are probably the best option. I was debating between the Radion Pro and Fathom LEDs.

I was thinking of putting more SPS pieces in my tank.

Summer is coming and if its a hot one, running MH and Chiller will kill my pocket with the electric bill.

I think I might wait and see what comes out next

Thank you guys for your opinions

 

[mu8st7ang]

I recently switched over to the led's from a 2 400watt m/h 2 t-5 setup. I was real nervous at first but after seeing a few tanks that had been under led's for a long time and the growth and color they had I went in. I have to say my coral is growing great now and color really pops. I am glad I made the change but I also hear some people hate it. I guess its hit or miss.

 

[annanymous]

I recently switched over to the led's from a 2 400watt m/h 2 t-5 setup. I was real nervous at first but after seeing a few tanks that had been under led's for a long time and the growth and color they had I went in. I have to say my coral is growing great now and color really pops. I am glad I made the change but I also hear some people hate it. I guess its hit or miss.

which LEDs did u settle on? and what color configuration if custom?

 

[mu8st7ang]

I went with a basic setup from twilight I bought from a guy on here cody. Its just blue and white with lenses its programmable and dimmable. I know its not full spectrum but its doing the job for me.

 

[bhazard451]

Hit or miss. Too many variables between companies, leds, and units, with plenty of chances to screw up. MH/T5 is basically plug and play in choosing a bulb color, while leds are not. If I told you a $900 Radion fixture doesn't even use an optimal choice of leds, would you be sold on buying one?

With that said, I have outstanding color and growth from my LED setup. It took a lot of trial and error, along with demoing several fixtures.

@Anna, Fathom isn't really "high end". It is produced in China by a company names Pharos. The Reefbreeders are produced in China by Evergrow. You get more coverage, power, and a better overall spectrum from the reefbreeders/evergrow units.

 

[annanymous]

@Anna, Fathom isn't really "high end". It is produced in China by a company names Pharos. The Reefbreeders are produced in China by Evergrow. You get more coverage, power, and a better overall spectrum from the reefbreeders/evergrow units.

Good to know! I was under the impression that fathoms were comparable to orpheks or radiions in color and par

 

[Vigilente]

BHazard451 which LEDs do you have? So Radions are not a good choice?

 

[bhazard451]

I ran the Radion Pro over my tank and hated it. I ran it side by side next to a Reefbreeders/Evergrow 32", and I liked the reefbreeders better. You can't see what intensity your lights are running at on the Radion unless you hook up a usb cable and laptop to your light. That alone steered me away. Both units also have the same PAR, except the RB is half the cost and covers more area.

This is an older shot. I've since replaced all the whites with neutral whites like in the newer reefbreeders units, and made a few other changes since this pic. I add cyan leds and 430nm leds into my fixtures too.

 

[annanymous]

I ran the Radion Pro over my tank and hated it. I ran it side by side next to a Reefbreeders/Evergrow 32", and I liked the reefbreeders better. You can't see what intensity your lights are running at on the Radion unless you hook up a usb cable and laptop to your light. That alone steered me away. Both units also have the same PAR, except the RB is half the cost and covers more area.

This is an older shot. I've since replaced all the whites with neutral whites like in the newer reefbreeders units, and made a few other changes since this pic. I add cyan leds and 430nm leds into my fixtures too.

I remeber you posted your current RB layout, but would you recomend going with their standard layout or customizing it in any way? If customizing, can you be more specific? :lol_large

 

[NL146]

Hit or miss. Too many variables between companies, leds, and units, with plenty of chances to screw up. MH/T5 is basically plug and play in choosing a bulb color, while leds are not. If I told you a $900 Radion fixture doesn't even use an optimal choice of leds, would you be sold on buying one?

With that said, I have outstanding color and growth from my LED setup. It took a lot of trial and error, along with demoing several fixtures.

@Anna, Fathom isn't really "high end". It is produced in China by a company names Pharos. The Reefbreeders are produced in China by Evergrow. You get more coverage, power, and a better overall spectrum from the reefbreeders/evergrow units.

What is an "optimal choice" of leds, and what makes it so?

 

[MjG2000]

I use LED & MH combined, looks great, corals love it, so I love it.

 

[Vigilente]

MJG2000 What light do you use? How do you deal with heat?

 

[bhazard451]

What is an "optimal choice" of leds, and what makes it so?

Mimic the spectral output of your favorite MH bulb or T5 setup. Seems simple enough, but its tough to do.

All the "premium" led fixtures from a year or two ago all thought that only royal blue and cool white leds were needed. While that may be good for growth, if you compared the spectral output of a MH bulb to that, there are HUGE gaps in wavelength missing from just those two types of leds compared to the MH bulb. I started with a CW:RB fixture too, and over time since I've been filling those spectrum gaps with different leds, I've been getting better growth and color too.

Why do you think the Radion Pro costs so much over the G2? They're basically admitting the G2 is inferior, although not directly. $700+ is a lot to be spending on an "inferior" light.

 

[bhazard451]

I remeber you posted your current RB layout, but would you recomend going with their standard layout or customizing it in any way? If customizing, can you be more specific? :lol_large

Go standard. The cyan and 430nm violet additions I made are experimentations. I've been very successful in "experimenting" over the past year though.

 

[annanymous]

Go standard. The cyan and 430nm violet additions I made are experimentations. I've been very successful in "experimenting" over the past year though.

Thanks bhazard for all your help! Cant wait to get them and play around with settings! <<<nerd:groupflip

 

[cmantis]

Reefbreeders basically took the the layout designs users were creating like bhazard and myself and played with them further to create what they are currently using. It is really just a lot of trial and error. I have done extensive research as to light spectrum and mixes etc but it also comes down to what works well on the tank.

 

[bhazard451]

The next light I'm trying is from that Sosci chinese company. They have a 4 channel Led/T5 24" fixture for $275 shipped. 36" Led fixture for $375.

I placed an order for the 36" today, although I had to order a full pcb redesign for me, because I'm picky like that. Might be too good to be true, but that's what the 1 unit sample is for. If its as good or better than the Evergrow units in performance and quality, then that will be another good option.

I notified Reefbreeders about them too. If they're good enough, he may just end up importing them too.