NIGHTCRAWLER
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- centereach
Are led's the future bulbs that are better than T5's. i have T5's on my tank and was wondering if LED'S were better, or just a gimmick.
Led Lights Vs T5 Lights
- Thread starter NIGHTCRAWLER
- Start date
IMHO right now t5's are better than the leds. simple because t5's are so much cheaper compared to LED's. However once the technology of led's comes way down in price. it will most likely replace even MH.
but thats just me
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
Killerdrgn
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
Aquactinics 48" Solar Flare $850
Aquactinics 48" TX5 $450
Aquactinics 48" TX5 $450
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
Thanks,
I will try to get some technical data from them such as how many par or lumen they produce then I will calculate an equivalent led for them.
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
In general, it's the double or triple the price of whatever current technology it is to replace with the exception of giant display(it's actually cheaper than the older technologies such as regular light bulbs, plasma ....). However, for aquairum purposes, too few companies making them and also the color requirements are not the common mass production ones. For example, I can get you a standard 67000K(daylight color) 3W bulb for $4 bulk while you have to pay $10 for my custom 12,000K one if I even want to release them to the general public at this time. No factory, is willing to produce these special colors for such a niche market. Pressing a button may mean rolling out 4 5 thousand bulbs, so no one want to risk. For the rope light I used to carry(which is discontinued now), a press of a button in the factory means 500 meters of light coming out of the machine. Average retail market price was $8/foot then. Who would want to risk 20G for something not guaranteed a hit while I have problem selling a <$500 LED to a vendor? Also, note that I have no problem selling 3 4 thousand dallors of LEDs to individuals for their home improvement.
Last edited:
- Location
- BROOKLYN NY 11214
what he said!...I know nothing about LED do u(wingo) things is good for sps?
http://cgi.ebay.com/48-Watt-WHITE-BLUE-LED-Aquarium-and-Grow-Light-Panel_W0QQitemZ110297227311QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item110297227311&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
Last edited:
- Location
- Queens, 11365
it's only expansive if you don't know where to look for it ... supplier
I have 5 blue stips running in my tank for about 2 months now, they replaced my T5 actinics, given that they are 1200 mcd but if you search around eBay, like the one from MOIDOL, there are higher ones available, 8000 mcd is out of date too, i think there are 100000 mcd now. LEDs are from HONG KONG/CHINA, don't know any place made them cheaper
I have 5 blue stips running in my tank for about 2 months now, they replaced my T5 actinics, given that they are 1200 mcd but if you search around eBay, like the one from MOIDOL, there are higher ones available, 8000 mcd is out of date too, i think there are 100000 mcd now. LEDs are from HONG KONG/CHINA, don't know any place made them cheaper
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
You are only half right. Some items are cheaper but not suitable for reefing.
The color of most of their stuff is not the same. Too many people bought stuff from them and BestHongKong and when they meet my stuff in the swap, then they realised the difference-that's why I have to answer in a public thread that my stuff do not come from BestHongKong nor SuperbrightLEDs. Just like you cannot put their HID car light in your reef, they are just different wavelength. Hmm, cheaper really? For 3 channels of RGB, their PWMs will cost $120 and my own design is $50.00. I have to admit I did buy some very small items from them for my club.
Try ask them for 12,000K bulb, 14,000K or the 20,000K or a 300W power supply.
DIY always sound like cheap but actually most people forget about the time they put in. When I make a light for myself I lost $400 being working in the club for a night as manager or just chief engineer. Not to mention most people have to spend may be a week to build anything reasonable. It's always fun to DIY but not cheap.
Last edited:
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
The one in the pic will not, unless you put in on a 5-10G. I saw it in action.
You need intensity not just power consumption. You need right wavelength not just any LED(this is the most common error for hobbyists to go buy from ebay without really understanding what they need). For example, when they say white-what is white? RGB make up white light but how many percent of each of the R, G and the B will generate the lights that is good for reefing???? In T5 you have 67,000K 81,000K, 10,000K but when you look at the spectral graph from the manufacturers or Sanjay's Mh guide, even at same ratings, they all have wavelenths spread differently. For T5 actinics, you have actinics, 03 and 05. You cannot just go to a home lighting shop(or ebay) and buy a correct T5 unless you specify exactly what you need.
I wish the swap can start to invite speakers of lighting so that they can better educate half knowledgable hobbyists of how different technology of the light works. I cannot do a seminar there as I have to pay myself for a table.
Charles was speaking in the NJ swap about lighting or fluorescence propreties. Even though I was unable to attend his seminar but I am sure it covers something you guys should or want to know.
BTW, I think the Elos will work for it's 20G demo tank. Several customers and potential customers of mine bought them and think they are great.
Of course, MINE WORKS, if you trust me. LOL
Last edited:
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
Sorry I cannot get the data from them.
May be someone who owns one and can test them for me or let me test it when my PAR meter arrives.
Last edited:
- Location
- BROOKLYN NY 11214
I wish u or someone can private some proven data like the MH...
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
I will eventually do that when I am ready to start a SPS tank or when Ben switch completely over to LEDs and kick his Mh away. LOL. As you know, he already kicked the T5 and T12 and repalced them with LEDs. Do you not agreed his tank is amazing? Of course, there are many other factors involved too.
One problem to test that, is to have a good reefer who can keep SPS in the first place, who can control water parameters properly and DON'T move all the time like me. I will be staying in Kansas for a while-may be I can research on aquaculture with all that sun! Hmm, but there's no natural sea water though.
Last edited:
- Location
- Queens, 11365
as far as I know, there is only one LED and no matter who made them the technology is the same. LED it's not like your pc, t5, or MH where each manufacture produces different gas into the bulbs to make it different. so when the specs for a blue LED gives off 420/460nm, how is it different besides the price
- Location
- poughquag, ny
better check who really makes t5's then, if i remember correctly 2 companies make them, thn other's brand them, could be wrong, but sure i read it somewhere
- Location
- Westchester, NY
LED's are a new technology and have not been around long enough to say that they are better or worse than any light. The tech has not shown in the long run the benefits except that they use less energy. There is no information as to how long the bulbs will last and what the expense of replacement of individual lights will be. Right now I would stick with proven methods as the LED pricing is insanely high and it is again not proven over an extended period of time.
NIGHTCRAWLER
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- centereach
i think i'll stick with my T5's, as they are cheaper too buy, and like the intensity of them.im setting up a 225 gal and thinking of putting 4- 36'' 4x36 HOT5's on it.
i think led is more $ cause they r new, suppose to last longer, can b dim n generate less heat n less electricity.
i am more interested in the long term success in terms of color n growth rate of sps. this however is n/a cause of time.
i am more interested in the long term success in terms of color n growth rate of sps. this however is n/a cause of time.
- Location
- Flushing NY 11355
Most of the points you guy mentioned are actually proven or estimated to be true except the long term growth and color of corals.
LED is old technology and used more than multiples of 5 years for many applications and proven to last longer than rated life span. Do you remember your the LEDs on your Hi-Fi/VCR are still liting before you dump it? Like building a house, we don't actually waited 150 years to state it should last 150 years but due to engineering estimates, we expect it to last that long. Most materials used in the LED are materials proven to last as stated unless they are manufactured by inferior factories(that bring to the point that not even same color LEDs are not created equal, so a 460nm LED is not necessarily same as another 460nm LED.)
Application in aquarium is not proven because we just need time to really tell if it works or not.
LED is old technology and used more than multiples of 5 years for many applications and proven to last longer than rated life span. Do you remember your the LEDs on your Hi-Fi/VCR are still liting before you dump it? Like building a house, we don't actually waited 150 years to state it should last 150 years but due to engineering estimates, we expect it to last that long. Most materials used in the LED are materials proven to last as stated unless they are manufactured by inferior factories(that bring to the point that not even same color LEDs are not created equal, so a 460nm LED is not necessarily same as another 460nm LED.)
Application in aquarium is not proven because we just need time to really tell if it works or not.
Last edited:
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
