LED questions

[WVfishguy]

Well, this is the moment I've been dreading: I'm going to try LEDs.

I'm a lot like my father, who retired from the automotive repair business just ahead of everything going over to computers.

I'm 62 years old, and LEDs were simply not part of the equation when I was in the aquarium business. When I set up a reef for myself, I still used halides because I know NOTHING about LEDS. Even reading about LEDs is like reading a foreign language, so I'm going to have to ask you young guys about this.

I recently had a 250 watt HQI pendant go bad over my 90 gallon display. I have two 175's on each end, but the center is for my derasa clam and a few SPS. What kind of LED can I use to replace this halide? I do not have a lot of money - I'd like to keep it in the $200 - 300 range. I'm eventually going to replace them all in order to reduce heat and keep the electric bill down, but I can't afford to do it all at once.

I don't want or need anything fancy. I'm not going to monitor the tank on my smartphone, which I don't own anyway, and I'm happy with 10,000 - 15,000 k. I just want a very basic light.

Thanks in advance.

 

[mcgyvr]

There is always a typical Chinese black box LED like Viparspectra/MarsAqua,etc...
All are right around $100 without wifi/remotes and like $150 with..

Beyond that into the "mainstream" brands in/around your budget you have..
An AI Prime HD is $200
A Hydra 26 is $349
Kessil 160 is $239
360 is $349

 

[WVfishguy]

If I get a Kessil 360 WE, do you think I'll be able to use two on a standard four-foot 90 gallon SPS tank? I've seen a lot of good things about Kessils, so I will probably go that way.

Never mind - I just saw a 90 gal with two 360 WEs on it in the Kessil thread. Looks brighter than my current set up. I can't believe I went with halides. Jeez - I'm running probably 400 watts with one halide, counting the ballast, and I can get more light with a 90 watt LED. No wonder I can't find many halides for sale. And I have to buy a $70 bulb every 8 months to boot.

Forget halides.

 

[Nanook]

Problem with LED’s is they don’t last for 10-20 years like halides and heaters work more. That said, I’m going to try a made in the USA SIRIUS XTC that Big E recommend to me, no frills but plenty of light and if something dies, it’s easily replaceable.

 

[WVfishguy]

Even if halides last 20 years, you've still got more than three times the monthly electric costs, an $50-$70 bulb every eight months for each light, and extra electricity costs from the heat in summer, while working your air conditioner to death.

I currently have eight metal halides running in the fishroom of my tiny, well-insulated home. I have 12 inches of insulated walls and low ceilings (my father and I built this house) - most homes have 6 inches. It's made like a Coleman cooler. But I still have $200+ electric bills. With a gas furnace and hot water heater. Even in winter without air conditioning. Granted, the furnace seldom kicks on, even in January. Halides suck energy like leeches suck blood.

 

[Green Chromis]

Even if halides last 20 years, you've still got more than three times the monthly electric costs, an $50-$70 bulb every eight months for each light, and extra electricity costs from the heat in summer, while working your air conditioner to death.

I currently have eight metal halides running in the fishroom of my tiny, well-insulated home. I have 12 inches of insulated walls and low ceilings (my father and I built this house) - most homes have 6 inches. It's made like a Coleman cooler. But I still have $200+ electric bills. With a gas furnace and hot water heater. Even in winter without air conditioning. Granted, the furnace seldom kicks on, even in January. Halides suck energy like leeches suck blood.

:fish1: Hi, I am in the same boat as you, I'm in the process of changing over from MH/VHO lights on my main display, refuge and sump to all LED. In my case, I bought a used Reef Breeders Photon V2+ light fixture off of someone on Reef Central, for my Fuge, and am looking for another Photon for my sump. The display tank I will be going with the GHL Mitra's 7206 model, unless something newer and better comes out from them, which I highly doubt will happen anytime soon. Check out the Reef Breeder lights, as they are a very well built light, with an aluminum housing with good cooling from their fans, they are stylish looking, not just the square black box and they come with a few bells and whistles, if you like that. They are in the middle of the pack price wise, more expensive then the Black Box LED's, but not nearly as expensive as the Radions, or Mitra's. Good luck with whatever you choose, as for me the LED's will be a no brainer, due to the cheaper electric bills, as the chiller will not run nearly as much and I also will not need to change out all the bulbs every 8 to 12 months. One last thing, there will be a lot less heat in the fish room, so that A/C will also run less. :fish1:

 

[aznflyfisherman]

I think on your tank two Kissel 360we should be ok for your tank, if you need more you can always add. But for me I think two ai hydra52 hd probably would give u a better spread, plus you don’t need to buy a controller since it already has WiFi built in.

 

[WVfishguy]

I think on your tank two Kissel 360we should be ok for your tank, if you need more you can always add. But for me I think two ai hydra52 hd probably would give u a better spread, plus you don't need to buy a controller since it already has WiFi built in.

I guess you missed the $300 limit part of my post. And I don't want WiFi either.

 

[WVfishguy]

How reliable are VIPARSPECTRA?

 

[mcgyvr]

How reliable are VIPARSPECTRA?

In general all black box leds are quite reliable...

 

[WVfishguy]

In general all black box leds are quite reliable...

Thank you.
I just found out tonight that a coral dealer to the west of me uses VIPARSPECTRA lights for his fairly extensive frag operation. But he is relatively new (at my age, "new" means less than 10 years) and his lights have not had the time nor opportunity to fail.
I don't necessarily believe more expensive means higher quality. My Harley Davidson Superglide cost much more than my Yamaha FZ-1 ("Fazer"), yet the Yamaha was far superior.

 

[btmedic04]

The kessil will get you the closest to the MH shimmer out of all the LEDs. Some models of LEDs are known to have a disco ball effect and either need to be mounted higher or have a diffuser mounted in order to remove that effect. Just something to keep in mind

 

[WVfishguy]

Ordered two Kessil 360 WEs. Thanks for all the replies.