led light feedback/experience

[xmenx2dad]

I am looking into led lights for the new tank. Does anyone have any positive or negative experiences with led lights? Please let me know what lights you had before and if you would recommend them. thanks

 

[Chronicj7]

I built an LED light for supplement/shimmer for my 40b. It puts out a ton of light and REALLY makes things pop. As far as using only LED's, I don't have any experience with that other than viewing tanks that are running them. Seems like Radion, AI and Cree DIY builds are the way to go...for now.

 

[2Addicted]

So far so good Billy. I love mine so far even though i only have a couple corals. I had halides before and the heat difference in the room is so much better with the LED's. The color is way better and the controllability is awesome.

 

[Gomer]

Way less heat is nice. Softies and LPS love it right away. SPS need time to get used to it or you will easily brown them out. Currently running a pair of kessils and everything (pretty much all LPS/softies) are doing really well.

If you have SPS dominated and they are your true love of corals, be careful.

And I've run SE MH, DE MH, LED, T5HO, PC.

 

[xmenx2dad]

I currently have 6 t5s on my 55g but not sure if it will be enough when I switch to my 120g. My tank is primarily zoas some lps and a growing sps collection. Just doessnt seem like I have that awesome pop of color like u see in other tanks. Getting awesome growth still. Bulbs are about 16 months old.

 

[Gomer]

What are the 6 bulbs in your t5 setup?

 

[barry_keith]

I have had two led fixtures over my 90 for four months now. Each fixture has 55 3w bridgelux LEDs ran at something like 2.3w to increase the life of the LEDs. 17 white, 35 blue and 3 UV. I am very pleased with growth and color of all types of coral, including a clam on the sand bed about 30" belowe the LEDs.

 

[xmenx2dad]

All are ATI bulbs, from front to back, Blue plus, purple plus, blue plus, aquablue special, blue plus, blue plus. The bolded ones come on at 11 am and off at 11pm. the other 4 come on at 1pm and off at 9 pm. The fixture is on mounting legs maybe 3 inches from the top of the tank.

 

[Chronicj7]

If all you want to add is pop then get an led to supplement. This will give you a better idea if you want to invest on switching. May also want to replace your bulbs. Does your fixture have individual reflectors?

A friend of mine has a 4 bulbs t5 fixture over his 90g and he grows everything incredibly with 3 blue plus and 1 aquablue special.

 

[reign]

I can honestly say that I am totally impressed with leds ..I have thus so far built 3 led fixtures (for 3 different tanks) and am impressed with coral colors and growth.. I had bought a ora birdsnest from a LFS that I won't name and it turned purple..while at the store it is still peachy..I also have a grn. monti. cap that is almost baby blue at this point and growing amazing.. I like that I won't have to replace anything for years and have little or no tank overheating to worry about.. next stop DIY LED spotlight with multiple channels (RB,CW,GRN, etc.)

 

[xmenx2dad]

My fixture is a nova extreme with 6 bulbs, it seems to have individual reflectors. does anyone know if i could add some leds to this existing fixture? i do not have a canopy so it needs to be contained within the existing fixture.

 

[Chronicj7]

This build is probably right up your alley xmen.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/...-actinic-supplement-48-light-strip-92290.html

 

[bills tank]

Yes u can add leds to ur fixture . Current has a bunch of stuff ones called truelumen led strip u can mount them right to ur fixture . Ecoexotic has its stunner strips that can b mounted anywere as well and bolth of those r only fifty bucks or so. Just google it or u can go the total retro build and drill holes and install singke ones as well but for fifty bucks from marine depot u canbget either of the two i named and just mount them werever theres enough space on ur fixture or u can get just a single strip that has legs and will sit behind or in front of ur current fixture u have now. I hope this helps u . I have 2*96 w pcs on my 39g and a strip with three rows of leds on my tank and all tigether its bright abd looks amazing and my corals grow like crazy and my btas love all there lights too but sometimes i feel bad for the fish cuz i know if i was in there id b running into everything cuz its so bright and i cant find all the fish sunglasses

 

[Chronicj7]

Yes u can add leds to ur fixture . Current has a bunch of stuff ones called truelumen led strip u can mount them right to ur fixture . Ecoexotic has its stunner strips that can b mounted anywere as well and bolth of those r only fifty bucks or so. Just google it or u can go the total retro build and drill holes and install singke ones as well but for fifty bucks from marine depot u canbget either of the two i named and just mount them werever theres enough space on ur fixture or u can get just a single strip that has legs and will sit behind or in front of ur current fixture u have now. I hope this helps u . I have 2*96 w pcs on my 39g and a strip with three rows of leds on my tank and all tigether its bright abd looks amazing and my corals grow like crazy and my btas love all there lights too but sometimes i feel bad for the fish cuz i know if i was in there id b running into everything cuz its so bright and i cant find all the fish sunglasses

These strips are decent but they're no match for the supplement you'd get from a DIY cree build. I have 12 3w crees at 24" on my 40b at 36 watts and its dimmable. The 36" trulumen or ecoxotic will only put you at 18w, undimmable. You'd need 2 of these for about the same price you'd pay to DIY.

Really depends on how much of a DIY'er you are I suppose.