Are aquarist migrating to mostly LED lightings for their aquarium now? I'm just starting out in the hobby and I don't want to buy an expensive light if I don't have to incase I want LED lights as well. Does anybody recommend LED lights? IF so what are some of the best ones out there for the money? FYI, I am starting out on a 90 gallon reef/coral tank.
LED Lighting
- Thread starter grovetsly
- Start date
jomskie_ad
New member
i think its just personal preference
Anthrax15
New member
Professionally built LED fixtures can cost close to $1000 or more for larger sizes. In a couple years, its predicted that they will outdo MH and T5 lights but they are very expencive at the moment. You could possibly build your own fixture.
Power Compact lights are an ok choice. I personally have never used Power Compact lights for my tanks but Im sure someone can help you out with those. They are pretty inexpencive.
T5's are great because you can get incredible colors out of the fixture with different bulb combinations. They also very good at not having a heat problem. A Tek 6 bulb lighting fixture is something you should look into for your tank. Just do a search on here for T5 bulb combinations. You will see some incredible tanks growing every type of coral.
Then come Metal Halides. These can be your best choice if you are growing mainly SPS but thats not knocking T5's. Metal Halides produce a very attractive "shimmer" effect which looks similar to the sun shinning through a pool. They do produce the most heat and will cause a increase in temperture so you will need fans to exhaust the heat. Your choice of bulb spectrums are 10k (which is closest looking to the natural sun) 14k (Whiter with a blue hint) and 20k (looks very blue depending on the brand of bulb you buy). 10k will give you the most growth from corals. I recommend Phoenix if you are looking into buying bulbs. With Metal halide lights, you need a ballast as well.
Do lots of research before buying any one fixture. They can run pretty high, price wise but DONT BUY CHEAP. You get what you pay for. Lighting is one of the most important things in the hobby.
Good websites to look for lights are:
www.Marinedepot.com
www.Reefgeek.com
www.BulkReefSupply.com
Goodluck :thumbsup:
Power Compact lights are an ok choice. I personally have never used Power Compact lights for my tanks but Im sure someone can help you out with those. They are pretty inexpencive.
T5's are great because you can get incredible colors out of the fixture with different bulb combinations. They also very good at not having a heat problem. A Tek 6 bulb lighting fixture is something you should look into for your tank. Just do a search on here for T5 bulb combinations. You will see some incredible tanks growing every type of coral.
Then come Metal Halides. These can be your best choice if you are growing mainly SPS but thats not knocking T5's. Metal Halides produce a very attractive "shimmer" effect which looks similar to the sun shinning through a pool. They do produce the most heat and will cause a increase in temperture so you will need fans to exhaust the heat. Your choice of bulb spectrums are 10k (which is closest looking to the natural sun) 14k (Whiter with a blue hint) and 20k (looks very blue depending on the brand of bulb you buy). 10k will give you the most growth from corals. I recommend Phoenix if you are looking into buying bulbs. With Metal halide lights, you need a ballast as well.
Do lots of research before buying any one fixture. They can run pretty high, price wise but DONT BUY CHEAP. You get what you pay for. Lighting is one of the most important things in the hobby.
Good websites to look for lights are:
www.Marinedepot.com
www.Reefgeek.com
www.BulkReefSupply.com
Goodluck :thumbsup:
OwenInAZ
New member
The costs are pretty big up front for the purchase of a quality LED setup, but from what I can tell they are FAR cheaper to run that MH or really any other kind of lighting, so over time you most likely come out ahead.
Whichever way you go, don't cheap out on the components. Buying crappy equipment now just means you'll spend more in the long run when you have to buy nice things later.
Whichever way you go, don't cheap out on the components. Buying crappy equipment now just means you'll spend more in the long run when you have to buy nice things later.
Thanks for the info. Additional questions: Would you guys recommend this light. http://www.marinedepot.com/Coralife...ofit_Kits-Coralife-ES53516-FILTRTRMDE-vi.html
Or should I spend a little bit more and get this one?
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewI...nt=mdhflb1All&utm_campaign=mdhfl&child=IC3925
I know some people have said that the metal halide produces lots of heat.
Or should I spend a little bit more and get this one?
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewI...nt=mdhflb1All&utm_campaign=mdhfl&child=IC3925
I know some people have said that the metal halide produces lots of heat.
bbprinting
New member
Yes MH produce a ton of heat so if you don't have good air flow blowing the heat away from the tank you will most likely have to run a chiller. Running LED allows you to avoid a chiller all together.
Went LED...
Went LED...
...and zero regrets. I have had 2 tanks with MH and living in south Florida the heat was really a problem. I did get a chiller at one point that died a year later...
In addition the pure PAR capabilities of LED, I really like the control you have to dim, set blue and white balance, and simulate different light scenarios. I do this while using minimal electric and throwing very little heat into the tank.
Cons? Price and I had to hang the lights from the ceiling to get the right spread from the lenses. Looks good but a bit more work than planned. I have AI Sol Blues over a 24x24x20 cube, 2 units but may have been able to get away with 1. I really think LEDs are the forseeable future but agree price needs to come down. Quality of AI has to be seen to be believed. Well engineered.
Went LED...
...and zero regrets. I have had 2 tanks with MH and living in south Florida the heat was really a problem. I did get a chiller at one point that died a year later...
In addition the pure PAR capabilities of LED, I really like the control you have to dim, set blue and white balance, and simulate different light scenarios. I do this while using minimal electric and throwing very little heat into the tank.
Cons? Price and I had to hang the lights from the ceiling to get the right spread from the lenses. Looks good but a bit more work than planned. I have AI Sol Blues over a 24x24x20 cube, 2 units but may have been able to get away with 1. I really think LEDs are the forseeable future but agree price needs to come down. Quality of AI has to be seen to be believed. Well engineered.
OwenInAZ
New member
While I see what you're saying in terms of heat, I disagree that you really need a chiller. I think that's more an old wive's tale than anything else. I run 2x 400W over a 90 gallon tank with a canopy and yet the temperature at the surface of the water rarely exceeds 82 F. They do produce a ton of heat, but with proper venting and household air circulation their effects can be mostly mitigated. Full disclosure, I do fall into the category of KISS, and I let the temperature fluctuate somewhat based on the seasons of the year (winter = 78-80 F, summer = 80-82 F) to remove the need for extra electrical equipment that can break (i.e. heater/chiller).
IMO, LEDs are a great way to go if you can afford it. It's hard to beat the upfront savings of MH or T5s over LEDs, but over time LEDs probably win out considering bulb replacement costs and electricity costs (from the tank AND cooling your house). They do produce less waste heat, and are supposedly very long-lasting. Also, as mentioned above, I can't dim my MH
Once manufacturers get the costs down on the consumer end, I think you'll see a shift away from the older incandescent/fluorescent lighting schemes to LEDs. I think Garage was running a thread about LEDs, but it probably got buried. It's down there someplace.
There was an LED thread and it was removed when someone lost their posting abilities. I asked for the thread to be reinstated because of the information provided in it, along with the info for those who purchased LED's and were sent the wrong ones. My request went nowhere so the thread is no gone.
sardonicscorpio
New member
my 2 cents:
MH>T5 but I just love the shimmer
once LEDs drop in price and they get the kinks worked out, I'll most likely switch
I use a 150w 14k Phoenix bulb with no actinic on my 30g and its perfect
MH>T5 but I just love the shimmer
once LEDs drop in price and they get the kinks worked out, I'll most likely switch
I use a 150w 14k Phoenix bulb with no actinic on my 30g and its perfect
LEDs have high upfront costs and the high power Crees are roughly equal to a 250W Phoenix 14K in a real good reflector/ballast combo in terms of efficiency. They MUST be used in a well ventilated hood as if they are allowed to overheat the stated 50000 hr lifetime degrades in a hurry. LEDs are more than enough for softie/LPS tanks and probably should be the #1 choice for nanos. I still feel the jury is out on SPS tanks. Something appears to be missing. Some folks claim great results some get color shifts. Don't know if it's nutrient related or lack of spectrum.
Light spread was an issue but wide angle lens appear to be entering the market which helps with this.
LEDs do generate heat but it gets wicked off the back through a heat sink. One thing to consider is you may actually need to heat your tank in the fall/winter.
One more thing to consider. LEDs "should" last 7-9 years. When was the last time you kept a piece of equipment that long on your tank?
Light spread was an issue but wide angle lens appear to be entering the market which helps with this.
LEDs do generate heat but it gets wicked off the back through a heat sink. One thing to consider is you may actually need to heat your tank in the fall/winter.
One more thing to consider. LEDs "should" last 7-9 years. When was the last time you kept a piece of equipment that long on your tank?
Well if you have to spend over $1k for lights it better last that long.
wizardson
New member
Actually the new Cree lights last 10 years, without changing bulbs once a year on MH or up to 6 on T5 it quite inexpensive over the other lights.
And ther are kits out there that you can buy for 400.00
I have decided to switch to LED. I am going to be getting a 300 watt LED for my aquarium. Of course its made in China and therefore a little bit cheaper then their European counter parts. I found a website and was able to get it for about $310. Let me know if anybody is interested in trying it out. We can get a group buy.
No one lost their posting privileges. If you're going to tell a story, at least get the facts.
