Anyone Thinking of Dumping LEDS and going back to Halides

[d2mini]

Hi , At that point there were 4 x Hydra 52 over the aquarium , the aquarium is German so metric sizes but it roughly translates to 6 foot x 33.5" wide x 27" tall.
The whole system is around 370 US gallons or 1400L.

I now run 6 x units for my main lighting and 2 x Vega just to brighten up shadows due to a new brace bar layout. since the reboot however and have turned the power down to suit, this helps prevent shading as the colonies grow out.

Very nice!
See, I think this is more evidence that you really need a lot of fixtures (1 per 12-16") to effectively light a reef.
Thanks for all the pics and congrats once again on the beautiful tank!

 

[lpsouth1978]

Offhand comments like that drive me insane . . . if you've had success back it up with some evidence. Sadly your saying you've always been "pretty lucky" is like that American commercial where the woman says "here's my boyfirend; he's a French model" and the obviously non-French model smiles and says "Bon - jure". The point being the internet is full of liars and trolls.

Show us proof.

To quote you, "Comments like that drive me insane..."! So you are saying that anyone who does not have pictures to back up a claim is a liar. After all it is IMPOSSIBLE to successfully grow and color corals using LED's. Isn't it? Oh, wait, NO IT IS NOT. Many have done it successfully, including myself, as demonstrated in pictures a page or two back. Just because you do not like them or have not had success with them does not mean that it is not possible.

What can I say? "haters gonna hate, ainters gonna aint". (movie quote for those who aren't aware):jester:

 

[mhucasey]

Bonjour to you too Sir lol

I didn't post images of my aquarium as didn't want to inflame the thread with spam posting images of my own aquarium, the tank was lit with AI lighting.Its recently had a reboot due to a replacement glass tank but I'll continue to use LED.

Regards

Your tank looks fantastic Reef Bloke! I think you hit the right amount of units and colors to do SPS right. Post pics of your tank any time, this adds to the discussion. Joe gets frustrated(just like I do) when people don't back up their statements with any proof. As far as I am concerned, the pics of your tank show that LED can be done.

 

[shred5]

To quote you, "Comments like that drive me insane..."! So you are saying that anyone who does not have pictures to back up a claim is a liar. After all it is IMPOSSIBLE to successfully grow and color corals using LED's. Isn't it? Oh, wait, NO IT IS NOT. Many have done it successfully, including myself, as demonstrated in pictures a page or two back. Just because you do not like them or have not had success with them does not mean that it is not possible.

What can I say? "haters gonna hate, ainters gonna aint". (movie quote for those who aren't aware):jester:

Sadly that is the way it is with most people.. Its the new internet culture hiding behind a user name they think they can say and get away with anything..

Sadly pictures dont prove much anymore either. Allot can be faked or not even of their own tank.

Not long ago there was this guy on RC who was stating how great his tank looked after years with no water changes. He was here just to make people angry and cause trouble. On another forum he was using the same photos on his new tank build and his tank according to his tank build was not even 3 months old. But on that forum he was trying to make people angry by stating look what he had in his tank and it was not even 3 months old. Fully stocked with a giant H. magnifica in it.


Also I dont think it is black and white like most are making out to be and the over exaggerators. I dont think anyone here is stating leds dont grow corals or you cant have some corals in with color. I think that is more people like you using the word impossible and putting words in people mouths. Which is just as bad in my opinion and is what causes trouble. I would like you to find one post in this thread where someone used the word impossible to grow corals under led.

Funny thing is 1/2 the people you ask to post pics always have a excuse, "well my tank looks bad because I have neglected it for blah blah"

 

[ffeschultz]

This is my 180 mixed reef. Been running reefbreeders photon 48 with cheap odyssea t5 fixture with ATI bulbs for supplementation. I think my corals are doing fine. Decent growth and decent color. I always think the grass is greener on the other side and want to go back to halides. Maybe I'll regret it. Thinking 250w radiums on luxcore ballasts.

 

[mhucasey]

Sadly that is the way it is with most people.. Its the new internet culture hiding behind a user name they think they can say and get away with anything..

Sadly pictures dont prove much anymore either. Allot can be faked or not even of their own tank.

Not long ago there was this guy on RC who was stating how great his tank looked after years with no water changes. He was here just to make people angry and cause trouble. On another forum he was using the same photos on his new tank build and his tank according to his tank build was not even 3 months old. But on that forum he was trying to make people angry by stating look what he had in his tank and it was not even 3 months old. Fully stocked with a giant H. magnifica in it.


Also I dont think it is black and white like most are making out to be and the over exaggerators. I dont think anyone here is stating leds dont grow corals or you cant have some corals in with color. I think that is more people like you using the word impossible and putting words in people mouths. Which is just as bad in my opinion and is what causes trouble.

Funny thing is 1/2 the people you ask to post pics always have a excuse, "well my tank looks bad because I have neglected it for blah blah"

For me, I think I can discern the difference between a tank that has a few issues or that isn't stocked with top end corals and a tank that is pretty much barren. Someone saying statements like "I'm hoping" or "I think that" "LEDs will work to grow SPS as well as MH" is different than "I've had amazing growth and color in my reef". The first two are still speculation, the third implies that you have a tank with at least a handful of colorful SPS that have grown well past the frag stage, and that you've had the tank for more than a few months. When I look at posting history and see that isn't true, it gets me very frustrated.

I also look to see what kinds of SPS that the tank has. A tank full of purple Stylo and Birdsnests doesn't prove the particular LED set up(nothing wrong with those corals, they just are friggin weeds that will grow under a 40watt light bulb). A tank with Blue and Red Acros are a much better gauge with me. Growth down the bases, light colored growth tips, and something bigger than a small frag.

You can tweak a picture to look unnaturally colorful but not to fake the other aspects of coral growth. It's not being rude to look in to these things. Personally, I think a great case is being made that if you cover the top of the tank with at least cool white and blue LEDs, with wide optics, you can get similar results to legacy technologies. Lots of things have been said about getting other colors into the spectrum but if you look at the results, lots of the most successful are just blue and white panels, same with Lani LED. Nothing is definitive, but I find it interesting.

 

[Reel North]

Is it me or are none of the tanks that look good lit by LED running radion? All reef reeder or AI. Hmm

 

[mhucasey]

Is it me or are none of the tanks that look good lit by LED running radion? All reef reeder or AI. Hmm

I've noticed something similar. Lots of spread out emitters seem to do the best.

Many of the best tanks with long term success have early generations of blue/white LED panels, just lots more than the MFG recommendations.

Heck, the original Lani panel is just cool white, Blue(not royal blue) and 405nm UV. They do fit 80 3watt emitters in a 16" X 16" space and cover the tank....

 

[brad65ford]

Yup, cool blue isn't my favorite.

 

[Reeftub]

I use 6 hydra 52 on my 60x27x27 tank to get rid Olof shadowing.
Reef bloke, what settings are you running. I use apex and run my lights at 12k setting. My tank is just a baby, but house some 2 yr old coral grown from led.

https://vimeo.com/128446660
I just bought some frags to add to my tank and they are getting used to the lights. My tank isn't very spectacular but it should look good in a year or 2 and I'm really not in a rush either I just want to enjoy this tank.

 

[nickdo]

LED is OK/good for grow and color, but it is not good enough compare to t5/MH.

The problem is how we define "GOOD". which LEVEL of success you feel satisfied. It is better to visit more tank in person rather then watching a picture. Picture can't tell the truth.

My first tank is LED DSPS tank. My second tanks is two new tanks linked together, maintank is SPS tank using T5, other is for frag and LPS/ZOA using LED.

I grew this zoa from single head to mini colony by LED.

I decide to cut it and put the frag to maintank sand bed.
After 3 months, I put the frag back to frag tank and take a picture to see a difference.

For HARDCORE hobbyist, LED is not good enough. I didn't say it cannot grow thing or bad color. It is not for serious reefer. Especially DSPS, full of mature sps colony, I got shadowing problem even using T5.

 

[stancfii]

6 AI Hydra 52 = $3294 and 810w
2 Vegas = $800 and 190w
Total= $4094 and 1000w

The results are undeniably beautiful, but you could buy a lot of halide for that.

 

[Wazzel]

For HARDCORE hobbyist, LED is not good enough. I didn't say it cannot grow thing or bad color. It is not for serious reefer. Especially DSPS, full of mature sps colony, I got shadowing problem even using T5.

LED is good enough for any level of hobbyist. The idea that it is not good enough for "serious hobbyist" is rediculous. There is no reasons to expect one lighting system to exactly replicate the colors of another lighting system. To expect them to do that is an unrealistic expectation.

 

[DavidinGA]

LED is good enough for any level of hobbyist. The idea that it is not good enough for "serious hobbyist" is rediculous. There is no reasons to expect one lighting system to exactly replicate the colors of another lighting system. To expect them to do that is an unrealistic expectation.

I think he was pointing out the huge growth difference between the led lit frag tank and the main tanks t5 lights; not color...

 

[nickdo]

There is no reasons to expect one lighting system to exactly replicate the colors of another lighting system. To expect them to do that is an unrealistic expectation.

Agree, but my conclusion is not justify by just one case. Previous picture is just for an example. That's why I mention to visit more tanks in person. This conclusion is just base on experience. Maybe there are some corals doing great in LED than others, but Most of it doing best in MH.

The level that u satisfied is base on what you see(in person/picture). Picture don't tell anything.

 

[nickdo]

I think he was pointing out the huge growth difference between the led lit frag tank and the main tanks t5 lights; not color...

I mean both

 

[alton]

6 AI Hydra 52 = $3294 and 810w
2 Vegas = $800 and 190w
Total= $4094 and 1000w

The results are undeniably beautiful, but you could buy a lot of halide for that.

I agree, the worst part is the one year warranty! But the tank does look amazing!

 

[ReefCowboy]

Very nice!
See, I think this is more evidence that you really need a lot of fixtures (1 per 12-16") to effectively light a reef.
Thanks for all the pics and congrats once again on the beautiful tank!

Couldn't agree more. The main problem with LEDs IMO is the misinformation you can properly cover a 2x2' area with a single unit. I have three hydra 26's over a 36" tank and just that way feel my sps are getting proper coverage around the colonies.
With more units, not only do I get that better coverage, but I can run them at lower intensities therefore not running risk of bleaching while trying to cover the four corners of the tank.
Many will disagree, but that has been my opinion with all testing I've done through the past years.

 

[jminick2]

I just switched from two radion g3 pros to two 250 watt MH, the MH are WAY brighter. It's no wonder these things grow sps better.

 

[DavidinGA]

I still say led + T5's is the way to go if you really want to run leds as your primary...