Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides
- Thread starter Goldcoastreefs
- Start date
rrasco
Active member
Ha...no. The big tank, is running whites at 45% and blues at 50%. The small tank is at 85%, but no optics.
Thanks. I tend to spend a little more money working on fixture presentation. It's important to me. Although, the frag tank fixture was the cheapest I built, because all I had to do was buy a $8 driver. I had everything else already. I am working on another fixture for my 150 FOWLR as well.
I can't honestly compare SPS growth of the LEDs to MH, because I don't use MH. I have one in my reef room, but I've never hooked it up. Maybe I will one day. SPS growth has been good.
Here is my red planet and rainbow monti from 10/19/12 to 12/3/12. The frag plug has since fully encrusted down. Working on that PE, but I had to get a flame angel out first. FINALLY got that bugger. I had also just installed an ATS, you can see the difference in algae on the rocks as well. Of course, starting today, I just noticed some base recession on a few SPS....so I got something going on in this tank right now. Off to do some tests....
Thanks. I tend to spend a little more money working on fixture presentation. It's important to me. Although, the frag tank fixture was the cheapest I built, because all I had to do was buy a $8 driver. I had everything else already. I am working on another fixture for my 150 FOWLR as well.
I can't honestly compare SPS growth of the LEDs to MH, because I don't use MH. I have one in my reef room, but I've never hooked it up. Maybe I will one day. SPS growth has been good.
Here is my red planet and rainbow monti from 10/19/12 to 12/3/12. The frag plug has since fully encrusted down. Working on that PE, but I had to get a flame angel out first. FINALLY got that bugger. I had also just installed an ATS, you can see the difference in algae on the rocks as well. Of course, starting today, I just noticed some base recession on a few SPS....so I got something going on in this tank right now. Off to do some tests....
meshwheel
New member
Im not getting your pics on the last post! IF that's half throttle, that's gonna be dam bright at full throttle!
I keep thinking the Led's need more UV. Supplemental T5's with them. But then that kinda spoils the led's no heat less wattage thing for me.
It throws the LED mystique right out the window, for me anyway.....
I keep thinking the Led's need more UV. Supplemental T5's with them. But then that kinda spoils the led's no heat less wattage thing for me.
It throws the LED mystique right out the window, for me anyway.....
Gsxr600
New member
what a long read, and it really got me nowhere lol..
ive been a MH guy for awhile, think i over did it with a 250w on my 16 gallon. now im starting a 30 breeder which i really wanted to use LEDs on, think i might spring for the kessil a350.. even though something in the back of my head is screaming reefstar pendant, magnetic ballast with a 14k phoenix bulb. :eek2:
ive been a MH guy for awhile, think i over did it with a 250w on my 16 gallon. now im starting a 30 breeder which i really wanted to use LEDs on, think i might spring for the kessil a350.. even though something in the back of my head is screaming reefstar pendant, magnetic ballast with a 14k phoenix bulb. :eek2:
Excellent combination, I ran one over my old 58.
rrasco
Active member
Here are they are again, from 10/19 to 12/3. They are definitely bright.
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Gsxr600
New member
Its what i ran over my 30 a few years back and It was perfect. Running a dimmable electronic coralvue ballast right now with the phoenix bulb and somethings not right.
I'm like 85% in favor of trying LEDs right now, but I'd hate to be back here in a few months saying fml.
meshwheel
New member
rrasco,
Colors look good. Polyp extension may be due to the angel you had in there. I have had a Golden Pygmy angel for 7 years! Does not bother any of my corals. I guess I am lucky!
And when he poops, it's gold color too. HA HA! Strangest thing I have ever seen, but true.
So many people blame lighting as their problems, when it's other water parameter issues. With my little tank, even carbon changing has to be done at certain times. Wait too long and the water gets colored and corals start to fade.
Never again will I do a little tank for SPS..................
Colors look good. Polyp extension may be due to the angel you had in there. I have had a Golden Pygmy angel for 7 years! Does not bother any of my corals. I guess I am lucky!
And when he poops, it's gold color too. HA HA! Strangest thing I have ever seen, but true.
So many people blame lighting as their problems, when it's other water parameter issues. With my little tank, even carbon changing has to be done at certain times. Wait too long and the water gets colored and corals start to fade.
Never again will I do a little tank for SPS..................
82ndengineer
New member
leds with T5 is best way I've found to get good color out of the corals.
Ron Reefman
Active member
Just my opinion, but you are wasting a ton of money on those brand name units. You really need to read either the Chinese led thread or the newer Reef Breeders/EverGrow thread... better yet, read both. I'll be happy to sell you my EcoTech Radion as I like the EverGrow IT series much better and I got it at less than half the price of the old Radion. Are the new ones really $900? That's crazy when you can get more customized and just as good quality for under $300 (EG IT2040).
Gsxr600
New member
Let me add that as a die hard metal halide guy, I really want to try an LED setup just to see if I can get results I am happy with. And, if I'm coming from a phoenix bulb driven by a magnetic ballast obviously my expectations will be high. I think a year down the road I will be looking back at the choice to go with LEDs as a wise one on my part.
rrasco
Active member
I don't buy LED fixtures, don't plan on it either. I was just responding to the hypothetical 'if I bought one'. I build all my own fixtures.
DM1975
New member
I just ditched my LEDs and switched to halides. I had the crappy Marineland reef capable LEDs and they kept my LPS and soft corals alive, but they didn't have any decent color to them at all. I bought two Lumatek e ballasts 250/400w with Lumen Bright reflectors and 14k Phoenix bulbs and could see an instant difference. I know their are better LEDs available now, but I'm sticking with halides for now.
rrasco
Active member
Please don't use the marineland fixtures as a basis for LED evaluation.
My 2 Cents
My 2 Cents
I switched my 37 Cube from MH to the A6 LED Model from Cidly. I honestly would not switch back. I'm reading lots of people complaining about color, but in my experience with my lights I am getting better color in my corals after having them under the LED's. I do only keep a couple of SPS corals (orange monti cap and a rainbow monti). Mostly I have Zoas, Palys, Ricordias/Yumas, a few LPS (fungia, brain, frogspawn, and Krypto Calaustrea), and a few random high light softies. My rainbow monti did brown after I put it in but has come back strong and got all its color back after moving it around a little (less light). My zoas and palys all look absolutely amazing and are growing like gangbusters. So from here I have no complaints on coral color or growth under my LEDs.
My 2 Cents
I switched my 37 Cube from MH to the A6 LED Model from Cidly. I honestly would not switch back. I'm reading lots of people complaining about color, but in my experience with my lights I am getting better color in my corals after having them under the LED's. I do only keep a couple of SPS corals (orange monti cap and a rainbow monti). Mostly I have Zoas, Palys, Ricordias/Yumas, a few LPS (fungia, brain, frogspawn, and Krypto Calaustrea), and a few random high light softies. My rainbow monti did brown after I put it in but has come back strong and got all its color back after moving it around a little (less light). My zoas and palys all look absolutely amazing and are growing like gangbusters. So from here I have no complaints on coral color or growth under my LEDs.
DM1975
New member
I'm not... But I'm going to stick with halides for now.
rrasco
Active member
Cool. I just wanted to make sure nobody read that and thought, oh marineland doesn't work, so LEDs don't. I know you mentioned they were crappy, and they are (I believe they are all 350mA max, not ideal for corals).
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