Ok so I am torn with what i wan to do, Just starting to convert my 55g to reef tank with fish, not sure which way I want to go with this, LED or MH? Problem with both is they can get expensive so either way will most likely be a build by myself which I am having no luck finding a good build online. If anyone would like to chime in on this it would be greatly appreciated.
LED OR Metal Halide?
- Thread starter Oglan
- Start date
DIY led's aren't that hard to set up. i would think MH would be more work. you can get waterproof lighting strips from places online and from my research can get higher output bulbs for a tenth of the price some of these systems cost. i don't know what the rules are on this forum but i have bought stuff from superbrightleds for my car and have seen rigid waterproof light bars that are relatively low cost.
DIY mh is extremely easy. With mh you must get a good reflector be in luminarc, luminbright or a similar reflector. The reflectors come with the socket for the bulbs and replacement bulbs are cheap..... $10-15 ea......
I prefer the looks of mh. Every led fixture I see the shimmering is different colors which annoy.
I prefer the looks of mh. Every led fixture I see the shimmering is different colors which annoy.
biggles
Premium Member
My radiums cost me $100- a bulb every 6 months but that's a drop in the artificial ocean compared to what i spend each year on the tank overall so i'm happy.
Coralfrager
In Memoriam
I personally would stick to MH for a few more years and see what happens with the LEDs. Just my .02 cents
having both on different tanks, I still prefer the look of MH. You don't have to spend $100 on a new Radium every 6 mos or buy a cheap $15 bulb that, in my experience is sub par WRT color/spectral shift with age. I like Phoenix bulbs and the 150w version is about $40/bulb. Replace once a year, x2 bulbs for your tank...maybe get the 250w...and it's not all that expensive. LEDs are definitely useful in our hobby and will probably save you money down the road, assuming you don't mess with the system too much or change it out, but I simply prefer the look of MH. I run LEDs on my 14g Biocube and 6g Fluval Edge. The MH lights are on my 34g solana and 40g frag tank. The LEDs look great, but they lack that little something from a good MH setup. I can say the same for T5s as well.
power boat jim
Well-known member
You need to ask your self whats important. MH is plug and play. They will grow coral no matter what. They produce a a lot of heat vs watts used. LEDs need to be adjusted so you don't burn you coral. They produce very little heat vs watts consumed so they can save a lot on energy cost. LEDs can give the same look as MH long as they are hung and adjusted to do so. After having both systems for quit some time both are fine in their present state to grow and keep coral thriving.
+1
It doesn't matter the advantages or disadvantages of each if you dislike the way your tank looks. LED lit tanks look different than MH which look different than T5. All three are more than capable of growing amazing corals.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
2 x150w Phoenix 14k in reef optix pendants will be plenty or a 55g and shouldn't cost much if you can find them used.
150w Phoenix 14k bulbs are around $40 like stated earlier. I bought 2 bluewave m-81 ballasts, 2 reef optix pendants, 2 bulbs for $100 used. Good, solid, cheap lighting.
150w Phoenix 14k bulbs are around $40 like stated earlier. I bought 2 bluewave m-81 ballasts, 2 reef optix pendants, 2 bulbs for $100 used. Good, solid, cheap lighting.
markandamber11
In Memoriam
im a metal halide fan and probably always will be.. i love the looks of 20k
radiums that is
I had those with the ice cap ballast and i always had great growth and great color.
i
oh and i supplemented with Fiji Purple bulbs
those were T5 if i remember also ice cap ballast..
radiums that is
I had those with the ice cap ballast and i always had great growth and great color.
i
oh and i supplemented with Fiji Purple bulbs
those were T5 if i remember also ice cap ballast..
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Some nice hybrid multi chips are starting to pop up. They are pretty easy to diy and you don't need 8 miles of cable. The chips seem to advance pretty fast so I would make sure I can change it out in a year or 2 without having to take the whole system apart.
The shimmer you get from the multi chips is amazing but so far your options are fairly limited. I don't know the exact spectrums and such for the multies but people are growing all types of corals under them. Having said that, I doubt they will grow corals as well as top of the line halides at the moment. It would surprise me if the multi chips would not be the reef standard in a few years though, so many advantages and such amazing looks.
The shimmer you get from the multi chips is amazing but so far your options are fairly limited. I don't know the exact spectrums and such for the multies but people are growing all types of corals under them. Having said that, I doubt they will grow corals as well as top of the line halides at the moment. It would surprise me if the multi chips would not be the reef standard in a few years though, so many advantages and such amazing looks.
hllywd
Premier World Traveler
The power savings, and don't forget the cost of regular bulb replacement. I'm coming up on three years with my DIY setup, and at the time I was planning the build, I felt the payback time for my total cost was in the three year neighborhood. I based that on replacing 2x 250W MH bulbs @ $60 - $70/each, and 2x 96W PC bulbs @ $30 - $40/each on a regular basis as foreseen maintenance.
At the time I had a 4'x2'x2' RR 120 with a monster purple monti cap on the right hand end viewing from the front. It grew to the surface with the closest point being maybe 6" from the MH bulbs themselves. With the switch to LEDs, that particular coral continued to fill out the end of the tank and was a bright florescent purple even with the lights off. I don't have a pic that does it's size real justice, but it had encrusted the RR overflow where I continuously chipped it away from the overflow slots at the top, and was to the point I couldn't get my cleaning magnet fully between it, and the front glass...
With metals halides.
With LEDs.
IMO either lighting source can provide success. The shimmer from the LEDs is busier, and more diffuse from the LEDs due to 96 point sources vs 2 with the old MHs I had. In that respect I think I like MH better. Far out weighing that for me is the ability to control intensity, overall color balancing, dusk/dawn effects, low cost of ongoing maintenance and power consumption, and etc... with the LEDs.
I read about people claiming the technology isn't there yet for LEDs. It's my opinion that bus left the station 3 or 4 years ago with my ~3 years of success to back up the claim. Sure there are substatial up front costs, but compare all of the ongoing operation, and maintenance costs you can foresee and I think you can make a sound, informed decision on the question "LED OR Metal Halide?"
alexander_ktn
New member
I am currently setting up a 60g tank with LEDs and have chosen the Maxspect Razor 10k 160W unit. I can't say how my corals will like it, but the possibility to get any color temperature from white to blue is amazing imho. And it's a plug-and-play unit.
For smaller tanks I'd probably go LED again, if coral color and growth will hold up to my expectations.
EDIT:
Tank is still milky from the salt, light is at 65%blue, 60%white
For smaller tanks I'd probably go LED again, if coral color and growth will hold up to my expectations.
EDIT:
Tank is still milky from the salt, light is at 65%blue, 60%white
sfsuphysics
Active member
And this will also come into play if there's a cost analysis to worry about, if you go MH will the bulb cost be the tipping point in whether or not it's economical to go with LEDs or not, you can get a high quality bulb like a Radium, or a lower quality bulb that might work good, but will be significantly cheaper. Cost of electricity should not really factor into play unless you use significant cooling due to the bulbs (I don't so it's not an issue), and anyone telling you that their 30 watts of LEDs is the same as a 150W bulb needs to get smacked in the face.
That said, there are lots of LED options out there that you don't have to DIY,some of which make it really hard to want to go the DIY route, everyting from $250 Kessil 150 to a $500 Maxspect Razor, both from companies I wouldn't worry I'm getting a piece of junk that catches my house on fire
All at ranges and that would make you think if going DIY really is what you want, and just buy the thing.
Lincutis
New member
The power savings, and don't forget the cost of regular bulb replacement. I'm coming up on three years with my DIY setup, and at the time I was planning the build, I felt the payback time for my total cost was in the three year neighborhood. I based that on replacing 2x 250W MH bulbs @ $60 - $70/each, and 2x 96W PC bulbs @ $30 - $40/each on a regular basis as foreseen maintenance.
At the time I had a 4'x2'x2' RR 120 with a monster purple monti cap on the right hand end viewing from the front. It grew to the surface with the closest point being maybe 6" from the MH bulbs themselves. With the switch to LEDs, that particular coral continued to fill out the end of the tank and was a bright florescent purple even with the lights off. I don't have a pic that does it's size real justice, but it had encrusted the RR overflow where I continuously chipped it away from the overflow slots at the top, and was to the point I couldn't get my cleaning magnet fully between it, and the front glass...
With metals halides.
With LEDs.
IMO either lighting source can provide success. The shimmer from the LEDs is busier, and more diffuse from the LEDs due to 96 point sources vs 2 with the old MHs I had. In that respect I think I like MH better. Far out weighing that for me is the ability to control intensity, overall color balancing, dusk/dawn effects, low cost of ongoing maintenance and power consumption, and etc... with the LEDs.
I read about people claiming the technology isn't there yet for LEDs. It's my opinion that bus left the station 3 or 4 years ago with my ~3 years of success to back up the claim. Sure there are substatial up front costs, but compare all of the ongoing operation, and maintenance costs you can foresee and I think you can make a sound, informed decision on the question "LED OR Metal Halide?"
Very good points, all. I decided to go with the 12 led Par38 bulbs that fit into a incandescent light fixture. I got the bulbs for $50 a piece, whereas they normally are about $75-80. This actually keeps the start up cost on par with the MH setup. It is actually cheaper since my MH reflectors and ballasts cost a couple of hundred plus bulbs were $60 a piece. Also had actinic 120 watt VHO supplement. I had a couple hundred in a chiller, but even fans cost. Also had to leave the AC up in the summer to help keep the heat down from the lights as well as humidity. When you add that all up it is a huge savings.
I used Hamilton, icecap and a few other bulbs over the years..... Always been fo or fowlr thus coral growth isn't something I can compare. Icecap was my preferred bulb until they went under. Someone on my local aquarium forum suggested bulbs from a company that I cannot remember their name. I wasn't looking forward to spending 50-70 ea and thought I would try the elcheapo bulbs..... Been very impressed however like stated its a fowlr
Many do complain about the heat that mh's put into a tank. On my tank even in the summer months my heaters kick on..... However its only 750w and a 475g tank.
Many do complain about the heat that mh's put into a tank. On my tank even in the summer months my heaters kick on..... However its only 750w and a 475g tank.
Paralith10
New member
personally i would go with the MH lights due to LED lights still missing parts of the light spectrum which helps with coral growth. led's are getting close but nothing like a nice MH.
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