Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

How high where your halides from the water surface. And I know they where no 3 inches. Lets be fair.......................and honest about this.................PLEASE
 
Who says you can't keep MH 3" off of the water level? 2 x 250w SE and 1 x 175 SE. I did cheat a little I had glass tops with a 4" fan blowing across the top. My Office temp was around 73 and the tank 75-76
 
Who says you can't keep MH 3" off of the water level? 2 x 250w SE and 1 x 175 SE. I did cheat a little I had glass tops with a 4" fan blowing across the top. My Office temp was around 73 and the tank 75-76

Alton - what bulbs you got in there? I really like that coloration a lot....
 
Used the cheap chinese LEDs last build. Going old school MH this build. Only way to be sure...

a_086MichaelBiehn.jpg
 
Alton - what bulbs you got in there? I really like that coloration a lot....

12K reeflux, they lasted about 18 months before each change. If I didn't get the radium fever I would of never changed. If Radium keeps going up I might change back
 
Alton,
Good looking tank! Yea, having the office at a constant 73 degrees does not hurt one bit! And having the lights in a canopy with a fan certainly made a big difference.
Hey, if it's working for you and your happy.....................THEN I AM HAPPY FOR YOU!
All I an say is in my circumstances I love the leds! They are working great and I am growing corals with 95 watts of light! I AM LOVING IT
 
Due to the venting fan design I used it added zero degrees to my water and it sat on the tank.

My first MH generated too much heat, even inches off the tank & I could not use them or else I would kill everything due to heat.

My next MH/T5's were Acquatinics. They were enclosed & plexiglass on bottom & fans on both ends. They sat right on top of the rim of my tank & water temp only raised 2 degrees mostly. On those really humid days, then 3 degrees. So I can vouch for the statement above.

I would have never believed it if I had not seen & experienced it with my own eyes. Even my 150W Sunpods on my 29g generated 2-3 degrees temp increase.
 
I would call that a good thing, unless you were hitting the upper 80's.

Everyone is so worried about temp swings, yet they are totally natural and happen all day in the wild.

I will say that my tanks with temp swings, have been my healthier tanks overall. I love to see my tank swing 3-4° a day.
 
Everyone is so worried about temp swings, yet they are totally natural and happen all day in the wild.

I will say that my tanks with temp swings, have been my healthier tanks overall. I love to see my tank swing 3-4° a day.
The temp swings depend entirely on where you are. out on fringing reefs you will see seasonal swings, but not daily swings. Lagoons can be an entirely different beast.

I don't know that temp swings are either a god or bad thing. It may well depend on what corals you keep.
 
The temp swings depend entirely on where you are. out on fringing reefs you will see seasonal swings, but not daily swings. Lagoons can be an entirely different beast.

I don't know that temp swings are either a god or bad thing. It may well depend on what corals you keep.

There's a few studies out there to prove temp swings make corals hardier. I'm on my phone and don't have the link with me right now.
 
Not if your pushing 83-84 in the summertime. Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE MH & the combo of MH/T5's. The only thing I don't like is the 200+ a year I had to spend on the bulbs. Sorry, but that is criminal. Now that a part of the market left for LED's, the prices will more likely go up higher.

I never had a problem with heat or energy cost. I ran my MH for only 8 hrs.

I paid $254 for 2x Chinese LED's......almost the cost of my bulb changes in 1 year. That is sick man, just sick!!!!!

The energy cost coupled with bulb cost is just too enticing for me. I will try & post a pic of my tank today. I tell you what, if the lights don't work out for me I will gladly come back & renounce LED's. I will make a video of me throwing them off the roof & post it in here. I will become a MH Fanboy again!
 
83-84 is a normal temp for most reefs, warmer than a few but colder than most.

Here is an excellent thread, pay attention to greenbean36191, he is not just a hobbyist, but today is a scientist who has spent many years measuring reef temps around the world as well as other worthwhile projects.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1977164

A nice series of articles by Chris Jury.
http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/...eat-temperature-debate-part-1-chris-jury.html

http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/82353-great-temperature-debate-part-ii.html

http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/93637-great-temperature-debate-part-iii.html

http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/100587-great-temperature-debate-part-iv.html
 
With all the water i have in my garage here in southeast texas, i didn't have a chiller the first year and my tank was at 84 in the summer. No issues.

i did get a chiller the following year for peace of mind.
 
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