Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

I am currently running 6 b+ and 2 c+ right now with 3 kessil 360we as supplemental lighting. Loving the setup. View attachment 319051 uploadfromtaptalk1432902194166.jpg

I dropped GHL mitras 6200 for this setup. I think LEDs work but t5 is still better. And this is truly a matter of subjective opinions here. Some of us are happy with the results leds have to offer and some of us are not. I wasn't happy with color and growth, so I went with a hybrid setup. Things are growing and happy, which makes me a happy reefer. :)

Below are pics of how I have the lights setup:
 
fq600 said:
I am currently running 6 b+ and 2 c+ right now with 3 kessil 360we as supplemental lighting. Loving the setup. View attachment 319051View attachment 319052

I dropped GHL mitras 6200 for this setup. I think LEDs work but t5 is still better. And this is truly a matter of subjective opinions here. Some of us are happy with the results leds have to offer and some of us are not. I wasn't happy with color and growth, so I went with a hybrid setup. Things are growing and happy, which makes me a happy reefer. :)

Below are pics of how I have the lights setup:
Click to expand...
I bet you will get some great results with that combination and you did a nice job aesthetically.
That would be a setup I would try - I almost have the same thing right now with two 6 bulb fixtures side by side:
IMG_6302_zpsizlj3pfk.jpg

I would only add them to add some sparkle and to be able to get some royal blue. Neither of those are big priorities ATM, but its a nice thing to be able to add...
 
Thanks man. Growth and colors r very good. The shimmer is awesome. I find this combo works out even better than the ati hybrid. The shimmer is very visible when when all 8 bulbs are on. I run the kessils at 100% intensity and 100% color at noon. So the leds ramp up and down from 14 - 20k.
 
fq600 said:
I am currently running 6 b+ and 2 c+ right now with 3 kessil 360we as supplemental lighting. Loving the setup. View attachment 319051View attachment 319052

I dropped GHL mitras 6200 for this setup. I think LEDs work but t5 is still better. And this is truly a matter of subjective opinions here. Some of us are happy with the results leds have to offer and some of us are not. I wasn't happy with color and growth, so I went with a hybrid setup. Things are growing and happy, which makes me a happy reefer. :)

Below are pics of how I have the lights setup:
Click to expand...

I was seriously considering some kessils as supplemental lighting for my MH. I might still do that.
 
gablett said:
I was seriously considering some kessils as supplemental lighting for my MH. I might still do that.
Click to expand...
That should work. If you have the space then I recommend radions. They complement MH well. The kessils are better if you don't have enough space up top. The shimmer is very natural. my tank looks like mh + T5.
 
fq600 said:
That should work. If you have the space then I recommend radions. They complement MH well. The kessils are better if you don't have enough space up top. The shimmer is very natural. my tank looks like mh + T5.
Click to expand...

Yea Im very limited on space with these giant reflectors in the problem.
 
fq600 said:
That should work. If you have the space then I recommend radions. They complement MH well. The kessils are better if you don't have enough space up top. The shimmer is very natural. my tank looks like mh + T5.
Click to expand...

If only adding the LEDs for shimmer and perhaps some early and late low light dawn and dusk viewing, I think that the Radions would be serious overkill.

Radions are significantly more expensive and its not because they do things so much better than everyone else, its more because Ecotech projects a "Premium Product" image through the look of their products and marketing. They are the Bose of Aquariums...
 
Yeah, normally I would recommend Radions for LED but if its just supplemental lighting you are looking for what about some Reefbrite strips? I plan on getting one of those myself. I too am severely limited on space in my canopy.
 
I have to plug BML, even though they are a bit more expensive. Get the multi channel strips and control the blues/whites/violets as you prefer. ReefBrights do have more shimmer, but seem horribly overpriced for what they offer. Just my opinion.

Ultimate solution would be a DIY strip, of course, but I'm allergic to DIY.
 
d2mini said:
Yeah, normally I would recommend Radions for LED but if its just supplemental lighting you are looking for what about some Reefbrite strips? I plan on getting one of those myself. I too am severely limited on space in my canopy.
Click to expand...

If you are doing it for shimmer, minimize the number of emitters, so Kessils or Cannons or that sort of thing. if you just want to add royal blue, reefbrite or build my LED works well.

I saw a reef with T5s that used a Kessil near the water line at an angle just to produce the shimmer. It seemed to work very well. Personally, too much shimmer makes it hard for me to focus on the corals so Ill pass for now.
 
mhucasey said:
If you are doing it for shimmer, minimize the number of emitters, so Kessils or Cannons or that sort of thing. if you just want to add royal blue, reefbrite or build my LED works well.

I saw a reef with T5s that used a Kessil near the water line at an angle just to produce the shimmer. It seemed to work very well. Personally, too much shimmer makes it hard for me to focus on the corals so Ill pass for now.
Click to expand...

Kessils drive me nuts, can't stand them. The shimmer is so overdone it's like a rave.
I have MH supplemented with T5.
For me, the blue led strip would just be for a little extra pop when the halides are off morning and evening.
And the reefbrite is a direct bolt-on for my Hamilton fixture.
 
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