LED lighting for reef tanks

[Saltliquid]

Hey guys,can I pick your brains for moment please?

Our club here in Aus as of some months back got a few cheap LED fittings made up in china with xre LEDs in them.

The fittings are good enough for the price,$162aus for very reasonable results over a two foot length of tank to 20 inches deep per fitting.

Now the results are brilliant but we have herd of other better options with the LEDs like xpg and so on.

If we get some made up next time, which may be soon, what would be most likely available in china from their markets to put into the fittings that we would get made up, what would be the ones to get that are freely available these days?

We are aware of the degrees but what ones would be best suited to general reef tanks in the whites and blues that are cheap due to them being around for a while beyond the xre , but are still well renowned.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gorgok]

With even the CREE LEDs being made in China you could probably get some nice prices on XM-L, XP-G and XP-E LEDs there...

 

[Thle009]

I recommend going with CREE over Epistar or Bridgelux. I had two unit built in Hong Kong, Par reading 1 foot from CREE unit is aroun 480-520, Epistar barely 200's. The CREE unit cost about 30% more, but you can see why. I also recommend insisting on 10000K white or cool white, since I see little respond from my corals with the warm white LED. If you are interested in some quote PM me.

 

[Saltliquid]

Which one out of the xm,xp or xr do you guys think is best?

 

[Gorgok]

Xp series are much more efficient than xr, and even bridgelux is probably more efficient than xr. Xm are only in white so far, and a little different in size, but the most efficient LEDs so far. Until the next breakthrough like LEDs being built on silicon wafers instead of sapphire.

I would get bridgelux or xp series LEDs, depending on price.

 

[Thle009]

Mine are XPE series.