Nice looking tank.
Thank you.
Here's another hybrid MH/Led tank;
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/140-tank-of-the-month
Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides
- Thread starter Goldcoastreefs
- Start date
Thank you.
Here's another hybrid MH/Led tank;
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/140-tank-of-the-month
Last year I've placed sixteen solar panels onto my roof. Two of those panels at a cost of $700 are dedicated to support my reef tank. My tank runs now at zero electrical costs all included (lightning, circulationpump, calciumreactor, skimmer and streamers). I think that is a better investment then trying to make it work and save on the electrical bill with just led...
As you might understand I don't mind having to replace a MH bulb after 12+ months. At least I'm assured that the corals will get the proper lightning they need.
Uncle Salty 05
New member
What kind of lighting are you using?
Here's another tank from the Netherlands who just added MH to led a few weeks ago;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00T7p3lLU_A
Maybe some of you recognize the tank. It's one of the promotion tanks of Orphek.
Colloration and growth increased after adding MH again to the tank. I experienced the same thing...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00T7p3lLU_A
Maybe some of you recognize the tank. It's one of the promotion tanks of Orphek.
Colloration and growth increased after adding MH again to the tank. I experienced the same thing...
Last edited:
You can add the blue leds next to the MH if you want. The blue led light will spread evenly through the tank (other colors won't). I've placed the leds above the luminarc reflector, but well protected from the heat of the MH (acrylic plate, nylon screws that attach the reflector to the heatsink, fans for cooling the heatsink). If you or anyone else is interested I can post pictures later of how I build te light fixture.
Steveb
Premium Member
I would like to see it!
Johnseye
Reef Addict
My LEDs are BML 20000K. They may blend well with Radiums. Fairly blue.
I would like to see your pictures as well.
Here are some pictures.
I removed the actagon piece in the middle of the luminarc reflector and replaced that with a piece of acrylic. That way the leds will be protected against the heat radiation that comes from the MH. Btw the acrylic sheet does not melt and stays transparant with the 250w singel ended MH, I don't know what the effect will be with a 400w MH.
To attach the reflector to the heatsink I used absolutly no metal items as that can conduct heat!! Because you want to prevent that the heat of the MH/Reflector is transfering in any way to the heatsink (then you need more fans to cool the heatsink with leds down). Therefore I used nylon screws. You do need to tap some screwthread in the heatsink.
I also used nylon O-rings to create some space between the heatsink and the reflector, about 0,2 inch (0.5cm), 3 nylon O-rings stacked on each other. I done this because I needed to create more space between the leds and the acrylic plate on top of the reflector. But also so that the heat from the leds it self can escape.
On the heatsink I glued a piece of acrylic mirror, this is done to maximize the effect of light reflection. But also to prevent some infrared heat radiation from the reflector to the heatsink (insulator).
Both the O-rings for free space and the acrylic mirror plate on the heatsink will prevent heat radiation (infrared) from the reflector to the heatsink.
On the heatsink I attached two fans. These fans are being controlled by a temperature controller. I bought the temperature controller via ebay for just 5 or 6$, shipment was included.
The 30w led plate in the middle is just Cree Blue led. The two led plates on the outside are both 30w mixed Cree led, 5x Royal Blue & 5x Blue Cree. So in total I have 60w Blue led, and 30w Royal Blue. I didn't want to much Royal Blue led light because this would cause the tank to get a purplish or pinkish glow if you know what I mean. I think that is ugly and unnatural looking, this is something you see with 90% of the led lit tanks.
Please excuse me if my english gramma is not that good... But I hope you understand.
Attachments
Last edited:
Thanks Nick!!
I build almost everything myself. Done various projects, one that I am really proud of is the Saturation Reactor. See the picture. You may recognize it, as it looks like a Dastaco. Doing things your self, saves a lot of money if of course you know what you are doing ;-). I also made mistakes, invested money in failed projects (DIY led fixtures), but then again you learn something of it and that makes you wiser.
But not to go too much off topic. I've been following this topic for some time. Discussions like in this topic could not be properly done for some time ago on the dutch forums unless you have good theory to back up your opinion. If you didn't have that, as soon as you stick your head above the sandbag, it would be shot off.
But the times are changing as more people are openly sharing there experience. And also in the Netherlands there are various people that encountered issues with leds. Even with the best fixtures out there without dramatic changes in water parameters. Some people also switching back to the traditional lightning of MH and/or T5, some others chose to go for the hybrid and that works well (at least beter for them). A lot of newbies go for led because of the blue light or the Acid/LSD look. Personally I would not recommend it to them to start with, as most of them do not know how to properly keep corals healthy and what healthy corals do look like in the first place as the blue led light can cover up a lot for some time.
I hope I did not offend anybody with my last sentence. But that's is my personal opinion.
Attachments
Last edited:
Benar
New member
Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides
I'm about to switch out a PacSun led/t5 hybrid for a 250w mh/2x39w t5 - will consider adding 8-12 RB/Violet LEDs along the outside of the reflector for effect.
Firstly I've had problems mechanically with the fixture (constantly having to adjust the internal clock, fans breaking - basically not what you'd expect from a ~ $2000 fixture...)
I've given LEDs a very good shot; Chinese bricks, DIY, Radion, PacSun. The only time I got good results was running zeovit and relying on high CRI tubes..
I can keep stable parameters and run low nutrient (have been ULNS but trying to avoid that now.)
My next question is, being that I came about this hobby when LEDs started popping up, I only dabbled in tubes beforehand and never touched halides. Here in NZ/AU the ballast option is smaller (we run 240v too.)
I can get hold of Lumatek 250w electronic remote, Vertex 250w electric, SolarMax 250w electric, LuXcore 250w selectable electronic(although 120v) ballasts. Any recommendations?
I can run the ballast through a transformer that runs my genesis ATO/water changer. Bulbs I can get are XM/Reeflux, these will be SE Mogul. Will there be issues running these bulbs on 120v?
I'm about to switch out a PacSun led/t5 hybrid for a 250w mh/2x39w t5 - will consider adding 8-12 RB/Violet LEDs along the outside of the reflector for effect.
Firstly I've had problems mechanically with the fixture (constantly having to adjust the internal clock, fans breaking - basically not what you'd expect from a ~ $2000 fixture...)
I've given LEDs a very good shot; Chinese bricks, DIY, Radion, PacSun. The only time I got good results was running zeovit and relying on high CRI tubes..
I can keep stable parameters and run low nutrient (have been ULNS but trying to avoid that now.)
My next question is, being that I came about this hobby when LEDs started popping up, I only dabbled in tubes beforehand and never touched halides. Here in NZ/AU the ballast option is smaller (we run 240v too.)
I can get hold of Lumatek 250w electronic remote, Vertex 250w electric, SolarMax 250w electric, LuXcore 250w selectable electronic(although 120v) ballasts. Any recommendations?
I can run the ballast through a transformer that runs my genesis ATO/water changer. Bulbs I can get are XM/Reeflux, these will be SE Mogul. Will there be issues running these bulbs on 120v?
DavidinGA
Active member
It's too bad their isn't some way to use leds in a reflector style setup. To me that is one of the most obvious weak points of leds; poor equal light spread. I know you can choose to use optics in leds to spread the light but with my leds (reef breeders photon 32's with 90 degree optics) I get the dreaded coral die off at the very base of the coral where it gets shaded as the coral grows out. This doesn't happen with mh/T5...because of its better spread through reflectors?
When is someone brilliant going to make a complete translucent led source that can be used with a reflector???
How about a super powerful mh sized led bulb in a mh reflector setup?
When is someone brilliant going to make a complete translucent led source that can be used with a reflector???
How about a super powerful mh sized led bulb in a mh reflector setup?
Last edited:
It's too bad their isn't some way to use leds in a reflector style setup. To me that is one of the most obvious weak points of leds; poor equal light spread. I know you can choose to use optics in leds to spread the light but with my leds (reef breeders photon 32's with 90 degree optics) I get the dreaded coral die off at the very base of the coral where it gets shaded as the coral grows out. This doesn't happen with mh/T5...because of its better spread through reflectors?
When is someone brilliant going to make a complete translucent led source that can be used with a reflector???
ATI Sirius X is based on a reflectors and not optics or lenses. This is a very new fixture and not many people here have it yet. But I've seen some videos and the spread is very even and does not have any hot spots other lense based LED fixtures have. This is perhaps the only LED fixture I would consider if I were to replace my MH setup.
When people stop buying the ones that are out today. Don't anybody fool yourself that the hobby alone is not enough to drive innovation. I don't see RO pendants, 400W radiums and 14K phoenix bulbs running at street intersections and in warehouses.
What is needed more is a full-spectrum single chip.
Mikefromaz
New member
LED reflectors
LED reflectors
I have a Photon24 which is perfectly sized for my 29 gal. tank. It also has 120 degree optics. Believe what you will but I have no shadowing effect from this setup. In fact I often come up "short handed" while looking for spots to put low lite critters. Contact RB they will hook you up with difusers.
LED reflectors
I have a Photon24 which is perfectly sized for my 29 gal. tank. It also has 120 degree optics. Believe what you will but I have no shadowing effect from this setup. In fact I often come up "short handed" while looking for spots to put low lite critters. Contact RB they will hook you up with difusers.
Similar threads
