Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

[d2mini]

You'll get a good spreading of light that covers a larger area. :thumbsup:

Bigger is better? That's what she said!

Yeah, obviously those big reflectors will spread the light out more. My tank is too narrow especially with my coast-to-coast overflow so I had to go with the Mini's. No sense in putting light into the overflow.

 

[frank2902]

Great design, looks very professional Frank, did you use it on your tank now?:bounce1:

Thank you. I still have it above my tank. A few months by know, wouldn't have it any other way. In my opinion led is nice as supplementary light especially the blue leds (RB & BL combination), but not yet good enough as main light in comparison to MH and/or T5. And even if led does get there, and MH bulbs are not available anymore then I would probably go for Plasma just because of the natural look it can produce like MH.

Bigger is better? That's what she said!

Yeah, obviously those big reflectors will spread the light out more. My tank is too narrow especially with my coast-to-coast overflow so I had to go with the Mini's. No sense in putting light into the overflow.

Hahaha, yes, sometimes "bigger is better".

One of the main problems with led fixtures is just that, the shortness of the bigger the better. There manufacturer of the Lani led does get it though... and I wonder when the others get it

 

[HaroldT]

Thanks Palehorse and Jack!
I will post some pics this weekend. Yep have grown out some nice small frags.

Meshweel,

Can you post some progression shots with the Reefbreeders please?

Just curious how it looks compared to Keith's metal halide progression shot.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=22472074&postcount=1759

 

[JPMagyar]

Meshweel,

Can you post some progression shots with the Reefbreeders please?

Just curious how it looks compared to Keith's metal halide progression shot.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=22472074&postcount=1759

Here's Mesh's tank in February or about 7 months ago . . . I would love to see the growth under RB LEDs after 7 months.

As a means of comparison here are 2 crappy shots of my tank one taken on March 1st and one taken today August 27th so 6 months of growth. I would note that if you look over my thread you will see I have taken out whole colonies several times that grew too quickly including a valida and a garf and several montis. Although it's hard to see I believe if you look closely at the growth in the bottom right corner and the bright green towards the top left as well as the clam, you can see growth of SPS in my tank under metal halides is quite dramatic even in 6 months.

 

[muttley101]

Looking to do the switch as well.. I wanted to know if the Cebu Sun fixture by Hamilton with the 2 x MH 250 + T5HO would be enough light over my 60x24x24... or do I need to go 3 MH... its roughly 150 gallons.

From what I'm reading. The m80 ballast overdrives the radium 20k's which lead to more par plus the extra wattage/coverage from the T5HO makes up for the mid area which I plan to have vacant for chalices.

Thanks in advance!
-Mutt

 

[sirreal63]

The two 250's should be fine, and no the M80 does not over drive the bulb, it drives it as close to spec as we can in this country, electronic ballasts under drive the bulb.

 

[Steveb]

The two 250's should be fine, and no the M80 does not over drive the bulb, it drives it as close to spec as we can in this country, electronic ballasts under drive the bulb.

Hey Jack do the lumatek electronic ballasts that have the "HQI" setting, which supposedly overdrives by 10%, get back close to the M80 in your opinion/experience?

 

[sirreal63]

Steve, it gets close enough. Though I prefer to always pair up a bulb to the correct ballast, you can certainly use the electronic, it may not be ideal but it won't cause any harm either. There isn't much advantage in going electronic, the energy usage is not significant enough to be noticed. The advantage may be less heat generated, and the electronic will be silent, though I have only had one M80 that was noisy and that was vibration in the housing and was a simple fix.

 

[muttley101]

The two 250's should be fine, and no the M80 does not over drive the bulb, it drives it as close to spec as we can in this country, electronic ballasts under drive the bulb.

Awesome,

Thanks for clarifying bulb/ballast combo for me Jack.. A local reefer told me it over drove the bulb and said I needed 3. Thank god for the internet... Learn something new everyday lol.

Okay last question for the day... Would the 4ft fixture spill enough light on a 5ft tank or should I just opt for the 5ft version?

-Mutt

 

[sirreal63]

I would get the 5', but the 4' will do the job, it may be a little dimmer (and have less PAR) on the ends of the tank but you can also use that to your advantage and put lower light corals there. Your eye may not even notice it is dimmer.

 

[muttley101]

I would get the 5', but the 4' will do the job, it may be a little dimmer (and have less PAR) on the ends of the tank but you can also use that to your advantage and put lower light corals there. Your eye may not even notice it is dimmer.

Awesome.. Thanks again Jack!

 

[d2mini]

FWIW, I have the 72" Cebu Sun over my 84" tank and it works out just fine.

 

[muttley101]

FWIW, I have the 72" Cebu Sun over my 84" tank and it works out just fine.

Meh... your tank is alright... I don't know if it's TOTM worthy (hint hint)

 

[zoomonster]

I would get a fixture the same size as your tank. I have the 72" on a 72" tank and its a little darker on the ends which I would have to assume would be worse on a tank longer than the light. Of course mine sits on tank and is not suspended.

 

[d2mini]

My personal preference is always a fixture that is a little smaller than the tank.
I'd rather have a little light fall-off at the edges for lower light coral, than to have light spill on my floor.

Either way works just fine.

For reference, here is my tank.
As you can see, looking at the sand bed the light fall off is really not that noticeable and I have sps all the way across the tank.

 

[zoomonster]

As I recall yours is elevated higher than mine which with tank brackets is 4" from water. I don't get any light spill probably because the 72" fixture is really 60". The reflector might extend out 72" but the end sockets face inward and are spaced off the 60" T5's so there is 6" of near dead space on either end of the fixture. I guess the higher you raise the fixture the less of an impact it has.

 

[d2mini]

Yep, you're right.
My bulbs are about 9-10" off the water.
Height does make a difference in spread.

 

[JPMagyar]

Wow Dennis! That is awesome! Love the deep purple in the montis.

 

[ZON]

here reefbreeders are sold with another name/company but are same i think...(evergrow)

some coral wholesaler use it on their tanks..because are cheap and corals stay few time under that fixtures ..i bought some wild aussie spec that i choose under those leds..

come back home and put in my tank corals are completely different in color ..from intense green to brown..a strange thing.

i will never use on my tanks..

 

[power boat jim]

My personal preference is always a fixture that is a little smaller than the tank.
I'd rather have a little light fall-off at the edges for lower light coral, than to have light spill on my floor.

Either way works just fine.

For reference, here is my tank.
As you can see, looking at the sand bed the light fall off is really not that noticeable and I have sps all the way across the tank.

Very nicely done sir. :thumbsup: