MH vs. LED ?

[firefightered66]

I have a 46 bf with SPS coral and some softies. I need some factual info from someone that has switched from MH to LED. I can purchase a MH set-up for less than the LED DIY kit. I just want to do what is best for my corals. I am looking for growth and color. I have been looking at the aquastyle 36 led kit.
Thanks, Ed

 

[karsseboom]

Well then search away...there are thousands of threads explaining. No need to start a new thread

 

[scarface70706]

if i was you id just get ecotech's radions and be done with it. leds produce less heat so theres no need for a chiller like MH do. i agree with karsseboom; do some research. there are thousands of threads about this topic with great info on them. good luck

 

[Toddrtrex]

There is nothing wrong with starting a new thread.

No need for a post like that.



To the OP --- which I could help you more, but I am still using MH over 2 of my tanks, and T5s over the other.

 

[James77]

If it was up to some people, all message boards would grind to a halt and it would be nothing but people telling you to search. Don't like the topic of the thread.....scroll right on by.

I have used both and prefer halides. i am still of the opinion that LEDs are "unproven".....yes, many have had success, but there is little consistenty in the results. A few months ago the AI Sols were the best thing ever, now not so much and that opinion is growing.

I'd go for the cheaper halide setup. You will spend more over time with its likely higher electric and bulb costs, but its hard to screw up halides. If you struggle with heat, I would explore the LEDs more, or even T5s. There is no "best" lighting.

 

[nickjj]

I switched to LED lights about a month ago and couldn't be happier with my fixtures. My advice to you is buy a quality unit because all LED's and fixtures are not created equally even though they are using LEDs. No different than the many choices in MH bulbs, reflectors and ballasts. Do your research as others have suggested.

One thing for certain you can't beat the look of the actinic lighting with the blue LED's on your corals. They will glow incredibly bright compared to any T5 or VHO actinic bulbs.

 

[pardalis]

After using all of the above I would have to say my favorite for growth, and color is T5 with LED "actinic" supplement. I had 3 x 250w MH + T5 over my 125, switched to all T5 and was very happy with both. I never needed a chiller on either setup. i switched to LED and Liked it but I wasn't in love with the outcome but I liked it a lot. I also never really noticed much in the electric bill savings department under the LED. I went back to an ATI T5 fixture with LED supplement on my new 180g and i will say, I am in love with this outcome!!!

 

[troyman]

halides is still the best light for penetration go with halides

 

[Mark Bianco]

Ed,

Here are a few facts / numbers from my expierence from switching to led's. First off I like to have the ability of being able to adjust the colors seperately. I have white, blue, and royal blue led's, my former fixture had 2 150w 20k MH and 2 130w dual attinic PC color and growth were ok for years.

I monitored the amperage usage over the past couple month, and what I save in electricity for the lights is about 200.00 per year. This does not include the 4 to 5 times per lighting cycle the chiller and pump would run when the MH were on.

Yearly cost of changing out the MH and PC was 200.00 per year. If you can belive the led manufactures claim of 50,000 hours of use at 10 hours a day that is 13.6 years. Between the savings in electricity and the saving of yearly bulb cost the fixture should be saving about 4200.00 over the life of the fixture.

I am not going to tell you the my coral growth rate has doubled since switching or any thing like that, but all corals are doing good. The only corals that has some improved growth rate are my sps.

IMHO, Both MH and leds are good for keeping a reef tank, but when you run the numbers and having the flexibility of led's its not hard to see why there are alot of people switching over.

Hope that helps.
Mark

 

[dphins]

I wanted to switch over to led but couldn't pull the trigger. They claim 50,000 hours of use for the led, but they only have a 2 year warranty? Has anybody out there done 50,000 hours??? I am an airplane mechanic and a lot of the newer planes are coming out with led for the interior and exterior lighting. I see burned out led's all the time. Just yesterday, I saw a led tail light cluster on this plane with 1/3 of the led's burned out. However, if you can afford this 18 million dollar plane, then you got money to burn!

 

[CliftonArbogast]

I have both and like the adjustability of the LEDs i built, dimmers for each color. On the other hand I have MH and lke them better for SPS although the cooling is a pain. I dont think there is a right or wrong answer, If you like DIY got LED. You can build a rig for less than new MH. On the otherhand you can pick up used MH equipment very cheap woth lots jumping ship to LED T5. . Glad I could help.:wildone: