Rio LED Lighting Fixture

[dmirza]

I have a 20 gallon reef tank with some Ricordia and FrogSpawn corals. It is currently lit by 2X96 watt PC bulbs. Would I be able to replace the PC bulbs with the RIO LED fixture? How long do the RIO LED bulbs last?

This is a link to the fixture at Marinedepot

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=TA6131

 

[areze]

Im thinking that is about as bright as a decent keychain flash light... seriously, at 30$, those are likely some puny *** 5mm LEDs.

hard to say lifespan, if their driven correctly, 20 years at 12 hours a day. but chances are they are overdriven to increase output, which can decrease the life to days, months or years depending on quality of the LEDs are and the power applied.

personally Id stay far away, thats a meager desk lamp, it would probably do well to light a beta bowl.

 

[rabidcrab]

ive already tried this one, extremely disapointed. Not bright at all. and it was only on a refugium. stay away

 

[KyleO]

Looks like this unit would make a great (bright) lunar lamp to me...............no way strong enough to light your tank (daytime).

LED's are the new thing but the MH comparable LED arrays are seriously expensive and the LED arrays themselves are a lot different than the single LEDs you are looking at.

 

[Wolfmann81]

I have looked a bit at these new LED products, even much higher end than what you are looking at. IMO, the technology has a long way to come. The LED full lighting systems can be extremely expensive, but in no way should be substituted for the traditional lighting systems. VHO's, MH's, T5's, even PC's. I have seen LED lighting systems going for $2000 plus, but I think they are the newest technology (always expensive) that needs to be refined to have any success with the demands of todays reef keepers.

 

[rabidcrab]

no doubt about that, LED's are the newest and greatest thing. If you have a large wallet.

 

[areze]

LEDs have gotten rather cheap. the problem is getting the DC current to power it. not really any different than MH. the cost isnt in the bulbs, its in the ballasts. with these LEDs their probably pulling over 1amp per LED. that adds up fast, when you realize your typical little DC converter for your cell phone or whatever is maybe 300mA. you see what it takes to power get 40+ amps of DC current from AC. a stout computer power supply MIGHT be able to do it. would be interesting to try, for someone else, not for me. Ive had enough DIY mishaps.