Lighting decision Need experienced advice

crosshatch35

New member
Hello and thanks for looking..

My question is i just bought a 180 with a Current US it is the fixture that is 72 inch with 3 250 HID and 8 T5s withe Leds.. The light new is 1400.00 all it needs is bulbs replaced and thats just so i know how new they are..

The problem is i order 3 vertex 12 inch 260s cost was 1650.00 they are on back order.. The guy i bought them from called to day and said since i haven't got them yet he would refund my money if i wanted..

So i am looking for advice from experienced hobbyist who have made the switch or are gonna make the switch on what to do take refund buy new bulbs and run what i have or keep the leds and put this light on craigslist? I do have some coral but no sps and am more into fish then corals to give you idea of were i am going with the tank..
Thanks so much i need to make a decision by Monday on what to do. Thanks Jeramy
 
Anyone? Looking for electric cost savings numbers. Bulb replacement cost and how often. I know in hydro i let my t5s go at least a year and hid 2 years. unless they show signs of needing replaced. PLease someone chime in..

I would normally read as much as i can. but i am super busy this weekend sons senior homecoming football game tonight. I also have a two day Bass tourney i am fishing sat and sunday. Pics and diner with kid saturday night.. Back to lake by 4 sunday morning. All of this and i have to let him no by close monday night.. Thanks in advance since i will not be able to check this very often. Thanks Much appreciated!!! Jeramy
 
OK just got home form game.. Was hoping someone would of replied.. Going to bed check again tomorrow when i get home from tourney..
 
I would buy new metal halides. 14k Phoenix bulbs can be bought onle for $50 each. They last anywhere from 10-14 months. I would keep the metal halide/t5 fixture if I were you. I ran LEDs, then switched back to metal halide.....I just like metal halide better.

I do however, like the blue LEDs for supplementation. Nothing beats royal blue and violate LEDs.
 
I would buy new metal halides. 14k Phoenix bulbs can be bought onle for $50 each. They last anywhere from 10-14 months. I would keep the metal halide/t5 fixture if I were you. I ran LEDs, then switched back to metal halide.....I just like metal halide better.

I do however, like the blue LEDs for supplementation. Nothing beats royal blue and violate LEDs.


Got for the HIDS any suggestions on were to buy?

Also what a T5s would you recommend i will need 8 and what colors?

As for the led sup. any suggestions? The fixture i have has 12 in it.
 
The LEDs in your fixture are just for moonlights, no need to change them ever.

Ati blue plus is a very nice bulb.

I would do 4 blue plus and 4 purple plus.

Marine depot.com has them for $48 each.
 
Ok Thanks. I looked and they are 20.00 a piece...

When you switched to led what kind of electric savings did you see? Or anyone can answer for that matter.. Thats mainly my biggest concern.. I know when i ran my garden i was running 3000 watts and my bill on a 12 hr cycle was around 300.00 a month.. Im sur ei wont be that high. But whats a safe estimate in cost difference. Bulb replacement doesnt really bother me.
 
I would buy new metal halides. 14k Phoenix bulbs can be bought onle for $50 each. They last anywhere from 10-14 months. I would keep the metal halide/t5 fixture if I were you. I ran LEDs, then switched back to metal halide.....I just like metal halide better.

I do however, like the blue LEDs for supplementation. Nothing beats royal blue and violate LEDs.



Same here. I switched back from LEDs to Halides. Maybe in a couple of years when they have everything figured out as to what colors to put in the get the best out of the unit, but as for now, with a new one hitting the market every other week, with new LEDS, new pucks or whatever, new color combos that are supposed to be the best, and then the next week a new one comes out supposedly ever better.

Halides just work.
 
Marinedepot has a sale on Hexarc T-5 bulbs and I just bought a Phoenix 150 watt DE for something like 40 bucks from them also.
If you can stager your lighting you can save a lot of many on the light bill I used to run dual 175 MH and that got to be too much, so now I have either a T-5 light or a T-5/ MH light.
 
Sorry for not responding sooner i just got back from the lake.. Have to be back at the lake by 4:30 am.. Thanks for the response's.. As far as staggering the lights thats what i was gonna do. I wa sthinking only have the HIDs on for 6 hrs max maybe less if i someone steers me in the right direction..

I apologies if i am coming off as lazy but i am just super busy this weekend. If there links to good threads please by all means link me and i will read through them. I have done several searches and am just over whelmed and i need solid advice not to be reading and trying to decipher through the posts.. I know from experience from some of the other forums i have spent several HRS helping others and it gets frustrating that they don't want to read.. But i assure you i am not that guy...

As far as new bulbs should i even worry about the HIDS i have 3 in that work and 3 extra used 20K and 3 extra used 15k?

I think with the T5s i am gonna replace them just cause they are relatively cheap.. Is there any other suggestions as far colors go? I have 8 36in t5s.

Thanks to all that have contributed to the thread its much appreciated and i will try and some day return the favor Jeramy..
 
If they aren't old I would use them. What brand? If they are plus rite they are junk.
 
I ended up going with 8 ATI blue blue plus. And just replaced the HIDs also.. Went with the 14k phoenix Thanks for the help..
 
Back
Top