Onyx rapid led dimmable for Sps?

[itz frank]

Might be purchasing three for a 5ft tank that is 30 inch tall.

Anyone have experience with these and can I get good growth and color or am I better off not?

 

[jonnyu]

They work. I have seen people having success. But 30" tank two radium 250w with two great reflectors you will have a lot more growth and consistent. Check this link out. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-06/review/

Lumenbright mini work great
Here is a pic with 400w bulb

Here is a pic with a 250w bulb

 

[itz frank]

So if I understand you, you're recommending two 250mh with decent reflectors instead of considering the rapid led

 

[jonnyu]

I would do two mh 400w if it's a full blown SPS tank. If you want more spread maybe three 250. I'm using I just upgraded to 3 250mh on my 180 it's 6ft x 24x24 . The above par is with no supplement lighting. I would get 2 lumenbright reflectors as they can be installed 16" above the tank. This will help with heat. I would get dimmable ballast that can do both 250 and 400. This way if you do full blown SPS you can hit a switch and go with 400w instead. But I belive the above par with 250w bulbs would be more than enough for average reefer. If you trying for super growth then 400w but you will have to acclimate corals. SPS love that extreme par. I have a mixed reef so the 250 will work.

 

[jonnyu]

Added note when you add a strip of RB led or T5 will really raise your par even more. Also if you install fans you will not need to worry about heat. As my tank if I run fan I don't need chiller

 

[rovster]

You'll want 4 fixtures or more for sps. If halide you'll want 3 for that size unless you just place the sps under the lights. I thought with the onyx you could choose the lenses may want to look into that also with such a deep tank. If you throw 2-4 T5 tubes on there you'll be golden!

 

[dadummy]

for SPS look on the forums for some used halide stuff from someone that went to LED and buy them before they change their mind and want to go back.

 

[rovster]

for SPS look on the forums for some used halide stuff from someone that went to LED and buy them before they change their mind and want to go back.

Absolutely! Don't get LEDs unless you want brown and colorless corals like me. If only I had heating lamps over my tank, I could shake the colorless blues........

 

[itz frank]

I'm taking this all into consideration. I may get another radion and run a 4ft t5 4 bulb.

 

[jonnyu]

Rovster has a nice setup. He has led and T5 if I remember right. Led can grow corals. No doubt. Mh are less expensive starting cost operating cost about the same. Mh might be a little more. Now for SPS for whatever reason with led the bottom of the SPS look ruff. I think maybe because the lens are more directional. But led will grow sps. If you want extreme fast growth mh or T5 way to go with led supplement.

 

[rovster]

I had led only until very recently. T5 can't take credit for what's in that pic

Although I somewhat agree with your post lol!

 

[knukles55]

you know ive had MH 2x150w with LED supplement, T5s 6bulb (currently with led supplement), and LEDs alone. my next tank im planning on going back to MH..........if I find the need to get back into sticks

 

[jonnyu]

Lol this has been brought a million times but it always seems to be the same answer. Any of the above options will work for you. It's really what you are going for. For many of us that have had both we see there is advantage and disadvantages of both. I don't know if you have been by Biggar's house he has both and I have to say very impressive tanks. All interconnected so water parameters are not of a factor. His sps collection is insane in all his tanks. Now for his 80 gallon "frag" tank he has a 8 bulb ati fixture with 24 rb cree led strips that he gets a lot more growth compared to his led only display tank. I'm sure if he was not banned from RC he would chime in on this. But again both tanks grow sps. So choice up to you and what you are looking to get out of it.

 

[rovster]

I have run a halide + LED set-up. If I'm being honest, I did not notice a difference in growth. I did notice a difference in color, with the halide having the clear edge over the LEDs. I've said that in the past also. I'm not a MH hater at all. But I do think LEDs don't get as much credit as they deserve, and usually its because people haven't figured out how to do it properly, or there are other issues going on.

 

[boostedvq]

LEDS can work, however I believe it's a matter of getting the correct color ratios. I had radions, and while I was happy with the growth, the spotlighting was noticeable. So you'll need an appropriate number to alleviate that con.

For example, I came across a tank that was 72 x 30 x 30, mainly sps. However he had 6 radions over it. That's an insane amount of money (well, for me, I'm broke)

Currently, I'm using 2x250w MH, 4x54 t5, and LEDs. Each set of lights is on for 2.5/4/6hrs respectively

 

[dadummy]

LED can definitely grow some coral, red planet, xmas mirabilis, green slimmer grew like crazy under. Montipora, birdnest, chalice grew good as well. On the other hand under LED some acropora did not grow well at all. For instance, a rose and blue millepora, and a few other would not branch, they would just encrust the rock. Once a few T5 were added everything in the tank started growing.
This time around I slapped a few halides on the tank and am using the old LED for supplement. Ordered a few more drivers last night and getting some more diodes soon. Going to mimic the nano box v3 so the tank doesn't look like windex when halides are off.
Have a couple of nano's that are all LED, softies and lps do fine.

The OP asked " if I can get good growth and color or am I better off not".

You can get good color with LED but in my experience growth can be troublesome for some acropora

 

[nivram]

I have four dimmable onyx on my tank if you'd like to check them out in person.

But to be honest I prefer mh over them. I think with some t5s to supplement them if be happier. My issue is mostly with color and the disco effect I see in the shadows.