Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

[ridetheducati]

I don't know how people are getting this great results. Mine have been disappointing to say the least

Lighting is one of many variables to a successful system. Take a look at husbandry.

 

[mhucasey]

I have a 150 g sps tank with LPS on the bottom. My corals top out about 7" from the water and the Radion G2 are 8" above that. My sps growth sucks. I run them at 90%. My parameters are in check. I don't know how people are getting this great results. Mine have been disappointing to say the least

The main issue with even the "best" LED system is coverage. It is likely you have no where near enough Radions for the area they cover. The MFG reccomendations are not an accurate number. Then you compound the issues with the lack of coverage by turning the power up, effectively making the hotspot issue worse.
If your tank's issue is due to light, that is likely the cause.

 

[mordibv]

The main issue with even the "best" LED system is coverage. It is likely you have no where near enough Radions for the area they cover. The MFG reccomendations are not an accurate number. Then you compound the issues with the lack of coverage by turning the power up, effectively making the hotspot issue worse.
If your tank's issue is due to light, that is likely the cause.

Well said . So much for the cost savings if you buy based on coral needs and not manu hoopla .

 

[Reel North]

So for an 18" tank I need how many lol. It's 72" long and the sps are basically right below the lights. They SUCK

 

[power boat jim]

So for an 18" tank I need how many lol. It's 72" long and the sps are basically right below the lights. They SUCK

No the lights dont suck, you need at least 4 of them on a tank that size. also running the 120 degree lenses help with coverage.

 

[fewponds]

So this is time for me also, after 2 years I plan to switch from LED to t5 (I know this is MH thread ). It is sps tank and, lets assume, rather successful, but the lack of "real" collor is depresing (for me as a hobbyist). Ordered t5 fixture is ATI Sunpower.
How to safely switch from LED to t5

 

[markalot]

So this is time for me also, after 2 years I plan to switch from LED to t5 (I know this is MH thread ). It is sps tank and, lets assume, rather successful, but the lack of "real" collor is depresing (for me as a hobbyist). Ordered t5 fixture is ATI Sunpower.
How to safely switch from LED to t5

I didn't have any big issues switching from Maxspect Razors to T5. I found I could run higher PAR with the T5 without bleaching corals. If you don't own a PAR meter I would rent one and try to match PAR at first.

I like to share pics of the one acro I've been able to get good colors from. Don;t be fooled into thinking I'm anywhere close to an SPS expert here.

This is under Maxspect Razors, 300 PAR.

This is under the Sunpower T5 fixture with some help from a BML LED strip, 450 PAR.

I had a water quality issue right around when I switched which browned out most of my acros. IMO just watch your KH levels, I'm not sure if I had a spike related to the switch, or phosphates, or something else. Point being if the corals pause to get used to the different light make sure you don't spike any parameters.

 

[Reel North]

I was running the 120 degree lenses and it was worse. Talking to another reefer today he told me I'd actually need 6. Yes SIX radions to give enough coverage. I'm trying to find ANY savings using that # of lights. The manufacturer should give truthful numbers for coverage.

 

[fewponds]

I didn't have any big issues switching from Maxspect Razors to T5. I found I could run higher PAR with the T5 without bleaching corals. If you don't own a PAR meter I would rent one and try to match PAR at first.
...

So just match PAR, keep the same photoperiod and let it do its job?

 

[mhucasey]

I was running the 120 degree lenses and it was worse. Talking to another reefer today he told me I'd actually need 6. Yes SIX radions to give enough coverage. I'm trying to find ANY savings using that # of lights. The manufacturer should give truthful numbers for coverage.

For a six foot long tank, I think six is probably what you would need to adequately cover the tank for SPS. They wouldn't run as high as you have them turned up right now, but you are right, the savings kind of evaporate. For a six foot tank I'd go to a 8X80 ATI Sunpower T5 fixture.

 

[d2mini]

Agreed. Six is what I would do.

 

[3FordFamily]

Not at all

 

[markalot]

So just match PAR, keep the same photoperiod and let it do its job?

That's what I did. I bought the 60" fixture and raised it until the PAR matched, then lowered it over a month or two. I'm not sure if that helped or hurt. I also factored in about a 15% PAR error with LED, so 300 ~ 350 PAR with T5. I'm not sure that's correct either.

 

[tonymission]

Thanks for the help guys. The Cebu with the Radiums has been ordered. I would like to keep the Radions to make sure, but I need the cash to pay for the new lights. Wife's orders. One of those not spend anymore money on the tank thing....

Needless to say I have 3 Radion Gen 3's for sale with hanging kits.... 3 months old. I'll post these later today FS

Darn, I was reading the thread and was going to post not to buy that. Just sold mine. Horrible reflectors (technically there aren't any) and very hard to adjust height. Also hate where they put the radium bulbs so close to the ends. Wasn't a fan and neither were my corals.

 

[b7fig]

Cebu Sun

Cebu Sun

Oh, now you tell me@! :mad2:

Anyway, there were several in this thread that have them and have had good results and hopefully I will to.

I've received the light, and I agree, the reflectors suck, matter of fact, they came in damaged and are sending me replacements, but compared to the LED's i was running, its a huge improvement. The brightness and the spread is much, much better.

 

[d2mini]

Darn, I was reading the thread and was going to post not to buy that. Just sold mine. Horrible reflectors (technically there aren't any) and very hard to adjust height. Also hate where they put the radium bulbs so close to the ends. Wasn't a fan and neither were my corals.

You must be on crack. Drugs are bad, mmmkay? :lol:

BTW, i also ran a custom light rack with individual reflectors and I prefer the Cebu.
Having that single loooong reflector really spreads the light out side to side.

 

[mandarin417]

MH with LED and Maybe No T5's...

MH with LED and Maybe No T5's...

I have been playing around with options on my new tank which is 36x36 by 26" tall. The tank is in "œtest mode" in the garage right now.

I built what I call a top hat on top of the tank. It is not a full hood. It is an open hood on which I can place a MH fixture about 10" above the water surface. See picture.

I picked up a used 36" Hamilton Cebu fixture with 4 T5's in it and a single MH socket in the middle of the hood. I hooked up the fixture to a Lumatek Electronic Ballast which allows me to switch it between 250 and 400 watt lamps as well as overdrive them at those wattages too.

I tried a bunch of different MH lamps and really like the look of the 400W radiums. I also tried a lot of different T5 configurations but they all look too blue gray to me when they are on by themselves and with the MH they don't really show up that much.

I like the more royal blue look of LEDs' so I ordered a Super Actinic Reef Spectrum XB Series fixture from Build My Led. Wow "“ what nice color rendering and it augments the MH even at very low intensity settings. I have that LED fixture positioned at the front of the tank.

I think the combination of the 400W radium MH with the BML strip rocks!

I am not sure I like having the MH smack dab in the middle of the tank though so I tried something else. I had another single lamp Cayman Sun MH only fixture that I could also place on top of the top hat I made. I like the idea of being able to slide my fixture from left to right and position the main focus of the lamp wherever I want it. I am also using the Lumatek ballast on this fixture overdriving the radium lamp.

Once I get the tank inside the house and aquascaped, I will most likely run the tank with just the Cayman Sun and the BML LED. I won't get rid of the Cebu though to make sure this is what I want. I have even thought of getting a second single lamp MH fixture and run two MH lamps but not at the same time throughout the day.

By the way, it you deal direct with Hamilton you can purchase their fixtures without ballasts if you already have your own like I do.

I also remove the tempered glass Hamilton includes with the lamps.

Bob

 

[Mike de Leon]

So what's the best way to acclimatize from LED to MH? I have an evergrow D120. Thanks

 

[b7fig]

Acclimation

Acclimation

So what's the best way to acclimatize from LED to MH? I have an evergrow D120. Thanks

I'm using shading currently. Laid screen door/window material over the top of my aquarium. 3 layers. Also shortened my lighting schedule. Every couple of weeks take off a layer. 1 week in and my corals are doing great. Already coloring up. :smokin:

 

[d2mini]

Shading works.
Or what I did was just run the new lights for a very short period of time. I think I started with 4 hours, maybe even less. And slowly increased from there every few days.