It's time, let's see those SPS tanks using LEDs 1 year or longer

[Moser]

Zeovit to zeovit. ULNS or not Similar nutrient levels. Overlit or under lit. High tech or low tech. It's not a hard concept to grasp. No tank will be equal, but they can still be grouped. Even the same tank switching one way or the other like mine.

So show me your examples then??... All I have seen you post is words.... it's complete nonsense. I don't know why I'm even wasting my time!!!.

Before and after pics?

What, like you have been posting for the last few days?!. :thumbsup:

Spot on dude!.

:lmao:

I'll spell it out. What I would like you to do is post some pictures of an LED tank where the browns, purples or whatever colour you are talking about look sheite and the same coral looks
awesome drop dead gorgeous under MH or T5 or whatever reference standard you refer to..... You seem to have seen this many times, so put up the pictures where switching to the T5 or MH has suddenly made the coral look amazingly colourful...... You really need to back up your statements with fact, please. Not anecdote after anecdote after anecdote. It's getting boring!!. I need FTS of full colonies and not of a frag tank, please!.

Chingchai posted one that shows LED's are very much up to the mark.... you do the reverse please?...... please??!!!

Mo

 

[sirreal63]

Chingchai posted one that shows LED's are very much up to the mark.... you do the reverse please?...... please??!!!

Mo

Are you looking at the pic Chingchai posted on a cell phone? I have looked at it on 3 different devices now and the difference is the same in each, the LED looks washed out and pale and lacks the same vibrancy and depth of color as the MH. I agree that the tank looks good under each but in no way do they look the same. I am not going to get into a debate on which is better, they each have pro's and con's but in the pic above, there is no contest.

 

[Moser]

I completely missed this post... no photos to show my detailed experience? My build thread is full of photos. I detail everything including things that went awry. I definitely didn't start my LED's out too high.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18271128&postcount=215



I never had issues with SPS bleaching or coral losses that some associate with LED. My tank was on LEDs for 1 year and 5 months. I definitely think I gave everything enough time to acclimate.

Why did you lower your light intensity?

Mo

 

[Moser]

Are you looking at the pic Chingchai posted on a cell phone? I have looked at it on 3 different devices now and the difference is the same in each, the LED looks washed out and pale and lacks the same vibrancy and depth of color as the MH. I agree that the tank looks good under each but in no way do they look the same. I am not going to get into a debate on which is better, they each have pro's and con's but in the pic above, there is no contest.

No, an Apple retina display!.

The pink Hystrix on the left?.... looks nicer to me in the LED shot and that is the weak area for LED!.....

Look at the growth.

It looks nice to me...... He also seems to have stuck with LED. Must be something in it?...


Mo

 

[Reefer1225]

3 weeks of back and forth and the debate wages on regarding LEDs. I really don't think any side is going to convince the other, it's just personal preference at this point. So, why even try proving it to the other? I like my lights you like yours. How about we just post more of these awesome pics.

Happy debating everybody. I like the read but enjoying the pics more in this thread.

 

[Moser]

3 weeks of back and forth and the debate wages on regarding LEDs. I really don't think any side is going to convince the other, it's just personal preference at this point. So, why even try proving it to the other? I like my lights you like yours. How about we just post more of these awesome pics.

Happy debating everybody. I like the read but enjoying the pics more in this thread.

I only just got involved.... having fun!. Anyway, I am a MH/T5 user! lol.
I think I will likely switch though....

Mo

 

[sirreal63]

I am now onto my Ipad original, her iPad with retina display, 3 different PC's and my Razr, there is a huge difference in the coloration between the 2 pics, and each device shows the same difference although on my Razr the LED does look better than on any other device but still pale compared to the MH.

I am not looking at growth, just color, I know that corals will grow under LED's but the color does not appear to be equal. I don't know Mo, my eyes clearly show the MH to have a deeper color and the LED's look washed out. I know not everyone sees color the same but seriously, you think the LED looks better in those two pics?

 

[Moser]

No, just that I'd be happy with either. I don't think the difference is immense.

It may also be down to a shift in nutrient levels, or slightly more intense led's.

Just saying.... My corals vary in colour depending on nutrient levels, with intense lighting, that is enough to make such differences in colour. In my experience anyway.... I do have 9x400W Radium and 12x80W T5 though!.

Mo

 

[Moser]

Hello Mo,
good luck with the switch. my advice is, go with a brand that you can change the diodes on easily. there will be phtosynthasis suitable diodes out soon.

Thanks. I have seen a few fixtures with violet LEDs that look very interesting!.

Mo

 

[Reefer1225]

I only just got involved.... having fun!. Anyway, I am a MH/T5 user! lol.
I think I will likely switch though....

Mo

Everyone has good points. I can't add anything to the convo b/c 1) I am only 1 year in the hobby 2) I started with all LEDs, so no point of reference to compare and 3) everybody's tanks looks way better than mine.

I am satisfied with growth and color in my tank with LEDs. It may or may not be better than MH/T5, but I don't have to replace bulbs often and I am pleased with my electric bill. So, I am sticking with them.

 

[JER-Z]

I only just got involved.... having fun!. Anyway, I am a MH/T5 user! lol.
I think I will likely switch though....

Mo

Don't sell the MH/T5 if you switch.

 

[MedRed]

So show me your examples then??... All I have seen you post is words.... it's complete nonsense. I don't know why I'm even wasting my time!!!.




What, like you have been posting for the last few days?!. :thumbsup:

Spot on dude!.

:lmao:

I'll spell it out. What I would like you to do is post some pictures of an LED tank where the browns, purples or whatever colour you are talking about look sheite and the same coral looks
awesome drop dead gorgeous under MH or T5 or whatever reference standard you refer to..... You seem to have seen this many times, so put up the pictures where switching to the T5 or MH has suddenly made the coral look amazingly colourful...... You really need to back up your statements with fact, please. Not anecdote after anecdote after anecdote. It's getting boring!!. I need FTS of full colonies and not of a frag tank, please!.

Chingchai posted one that shows LED's are very much up to the mark.... you do the reverse please?...... please??!!!

Mo

Complete nonsense. I never said anything about drop dead gorgeous versus looking like poop. I've said over and over again that one produces better colors than the other.Like my tank before and after as an example or the zeovit LED tank versus every other Zeovit traditionally lit tank on that site? Or the split LED/MH experiment of the 800 gallon display at Vivid. Pretty clear if you ask me. Many others have posted comparison shots. And in regards to Chingchai, sirreal has already addressed that.

What experience do you have with LEDs? I'd advise you against switching over your tank, but if you do, please take pics along the way.

Why did you lower your light intensity?

Mo

Well if you're asking that question because you're thinking I bleached or killed a bunch of SPS corals... here's a picture of my tank 2 days prior to that post. I had zero SPS and just a few softies and LPS. My Yuma and a few zoas were somewhat bleached, but within 2 weeks of the adjustment, they had colored back up. It could have been just the transition to LEDs, but I dropped my intensity well below the threshold.

 

[my2girls]

I've kept tanks for over 12 years with every type of lighting. To be completely honest, I have to agree with MH or T5 being superior to LED in terms of coloring SPS. I'm a LED guy to the core, but they only make corals that fluoresce look good. Green, red, or cyan fluorescing proteins are excited under blue light which is the strength of LED. Ironically, that same royal blue is the cause of the Windex look.

I agree with MedRed about those AWESOME tanks under LED. They all could look better under MH or T5. That said, I'm sure those tank owners are enjoying the efficiency, controllability, and reduced heat guaranteed by LEDs. For me, those benefits far outweigh a slight boost in color.

 

[JPMagyar]

This is one persons OPINION . . . It is NOT scientific. BUT look up my name and tank and you'll see that I'm no slouch and NOT in this for the money. All I want is to help others have colorful corals and save our reefs at the same time : )


So, I'm helping a dude setup a 2000 gallon system in Bedford, NY and he spent a fortune on PacSun fixtures. The conclusion so far . . . works awesome for greens, purples, acans, softies, and scolys but kills anemones and 60% of all SPS.

So far I have tried AI, Maxspect, ReefBrite, and Radion and I can say without a doubt that LEDs do NOT keep as many corals as T5 or MH AND to my eye always look washed out unless you're looking at pure actinic blue in which case corals glow like crazy, but you can't keep them under pure LED blue. LEDs are not ready for all purpose use. They are definitely ready if you're willing to focus on a particulars. Commercial greenhouses have come to the same conclusion. They do NOT use LEDs except for particular purposes like making roses really red.

Just adding this for the newbies following this thread to help keep the debate alive. I know many, many folks will violently disagree, but there it is

 

[Tony B (UK)]

We will always have the pro and anti camps when it comes to LEDs.

What you lack in the USA, well at least on this forum, is a collection of LED salesmen who jump on just about every thread whenever the word LED is mentioned .... One of the UK forums is plagued by this, amusing at times, pita other times :mixed:

Tony

 

[Moser]

Or the split LED/MH experiment of the 800 gallon display at Vivid. Pretty clear if you ask me. Many others have posted comparison shots. And in regards to Chingchai, sirreal has already addressed that.

What experience do you have with LEDs? I'd advise you against switching over your tank, but if you do, please take pics along the way.

So why does Dave say in the video that both sides are equal?. You keep glossing over that point?....

I've had LED's for over a year. Pacific Sun. I run them over my smaller tank, which I keep adding frags to and moving pieces out. A purple stylo went from a 1/2" frag to a full colony in about 5 months. Maybe I'm adding the wrong corals, but I've not had any major issues.

I like both shots that Chingchai posted. I think the led tank looks better than most tanks out there. The differences are not major. That tank doesn't support the notion that LED's are not ready.


Mo

 

[Moser]

We will always have the pro and anti camps when it comes to LEDs.

What you lack in the USA, well at least on this forum, is a collection of LED salesmen who jump on just about every thread whenever the word LED is mentioned .... One of the UK forums is plagued by this, amusing at times, pita other times :mixed:

Tony

Quite true, same as we did for T5's and even Zeovit.
They were proven to work over time, still not ideal for everyone, but an option.....

The debate always used to be MH V T5. They now seem to have been combined as a light source. Likely due to shortcomings of each?. It'll be interesting to see what comes next with LeD. It seems Plasma has disappeared?

Mo

 

[Moser]

Have those that failed with LED tried combi T5/ LED?.
It seems Luc is going to try that option.

Mo

 

[Big E]

I wasn't going to qualify your post, but....

You keep picking on the weaker points of previous led systems, that have only just been addressed. Newer LED technology produces lovely red and pinks as the spectrum is now included in newer led systems. Ehsan has lovely pinks and reds. His hystrix looks lovely.

Your pictures are silly examples. You take a suiting example from a LED tank and the best from MH/T5 ( probably photoshopped) and post it... what's the point?. Are you showing photo skills/ reefing skills or attributes of lighting technology?. There are too many variables for you to just make such a statement with those two pictures. You should know better than that!.


Mo

Mo,

You just don't get it...............or maybe I'm not explaining myself. You seem intent on winning some kind of debate..................there isn't one.

I expressied my opinions & what I expect out of lighting for my tank.........you're just going to have to live with it.

Again...............are you reading my comments?? Birdnests hystix is not an acropora


Btw...........that LED hyacynthis table is from the gallery of one of the people on this thread saying how he's very happy with his LED's. It came straight from his link. The other pic is how that coral should look & it isn't uncommon in the least.


Did you watch the video lecture & see my comments & charts in that thread? It's obvious the older commercial units are lacking the correct full spectrum to support acros. The newer line of units coming out have much better spectrum charts. They have a better chance of working correctly but most haven't even hit the stores yet & then they have to be over Sps tank for 6 months to prove their worth.

The lecture/video explains how important full spectrum at a consistent par level is............... it even goes over a few of the top selling LED units that everyone says are so great.

For anyone else reading this, I highly recommend watching that video before you plunk down a large chunk of or your money on any unit. An educated consumer is a happy one.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2195086

Do a search for the video----"reef aquarium lighting in depth"

If anyone has a problem finding it pm me & I'll email you the link. It's the best hour you'll ever spend on you tube.

For me........I'll just wait for all the dozens of posts to show up from all the 100's of buyers of LED only setups to share their experiences of their SPS dominate systems.

 

[Mike de Leon]

Bump! Switching my lights to LED but now going bach to 400 watters!