I've been following LED threads for a long while now as I am always interested in saving money on electricity and bulb replacements. Over four years ago, I decided on the below configuration to light my 470 gallon cube tank:
The fixture uses 4 250 watt metal halides and has 4 110 watt VHO super actinic for supplementation. The coloration of the corals and the look to my eye is phenomenal. I spend $260/year to replace bulbs and I can grow SPS on the sandbed.
I've had a lot of friends with smaller, more normal-sized tanks say go to LED, but for the money it would cost to effectively light this monster tank, I would be in the poor house. I have to say the more I read about LEDS, the small footprint each fixture covers, the lack of full spectrum and the extremely high price tag, the happier I am with my decision four years ago. The trend on LEDS appears to be increasingly higher wattage as well to provide the full spectrum.
If you have a better solution for my tank I am all ears though
The fixture uses 4 250 watt metal halides and has 4 110 watt VHO super actinic for supplementation. The coloration of the corals and the look to my eye is phenomenal. I spend $260/year to replace bulbs and I can grow SPS on the sandbed.
I've had a lot of friends with smaller, more normal-sized tanks say go to LED, but for the money it would cost to effectively light this monster tank, I would be in the poor house. I have to say the more I read about LEDS, the small footprint each fixture covers, the lack of full spectrum and the extremely high price tag, the happier I am with my decision four years ago. The trend on LEDS appears to be increasingly higher wattage as well to provide the full spectrum.
If you have a better solution for my tank I am all ears though