New Here and question about sps lighting

[TandN]

I have had my SW tanks for a LONG time lol but I have just gotten married and moved into a new house and have to downgrade due to electric costs
My question is I have seen these new lights from PFO that use only LED's said to take the place of MH's and actinics is it worth the swap oout ????????
Thanks in advance

 

[Solitaryensis]

Ive seen those too and while i think LCD technology is the future of the hobby and many other applications, im not sure id be willing to fork over that much money on such "new" technology. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to MHs then i would suggest T5's as many reefers on the boards here have had tremendous success with them. Do a search and youll find plenty of info. What school in NYC do you work at BTW?

 

[Wiskey]

I agree, the startup cost of those LED lights right now would be enough to pay your electric bill for a very long time.

I use T5 and am very happy with them.

Whiskey

 

[TandN]

I know about T5's but still not that much cheaper to run when you calculate the hours that the LED's last (50,000) to the amount of replacment bulbs you have with MH in 50,000 hours and then the 40% in electric and also the heat transfer from MH kickin on the chiller seems like there worth the money. Out here the electric is like .27 a kilowatt its insane.
As for school im in limbo right now i just got my masters in teaching and lookin for a job still the board of ed out here and schools are not on the same page one contradicts the other its killing me

 

[RichConley]

Tanya, at 25000 hours, the LEds are probably running at 50% efficiency. So they should be replaced WAY before they die.


Also, in all the tests, its an LED fixture with all its LEDs on (IE 10Kish light) running against a 20K halide, and par is comparable. So basically, if you put a 10K bulb in the Halide, or adjusted the LED to 20K light, you'd be looking at half the light from the LED, for more than half the wattage. That doesnt impress me at all.

 

[Solitaryensis]

HAHA. Yeah, i worked in New York schools before and the DOE took FOREVER! Good luck!!!

 

[panic]

LED also gives that nice looking shimmer that only MH offers

 

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7942078#post7942078 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by panic
LED also gives that nice looking shimmer that only MH offers

If its one big LED, yeah.

In the arrays of LEDs that the solaris fixtures are, no. (and yes, I've seen them in person)

Shimmer is caused because of the point source nature of MH. Its just shadows. The more sources you have, the less shimmer.


If you're having to downgrade because of electricity costs, lights are NOT the place to start. Look at pumps. In most tanks, the pump running the skimmer is what costs the most, followed by the return, chiller, etc. Lights are usually about fifth or sixth.


A sedra 9000 costs more to run than a 250w halide.

 

[TandN]

not to worried aboutthat stuff i have a
red dragon 8.2 48w
Bubbleking 250 45w
2 tunze 6100's