barry_keith
New member
How high above the water line are you running yours lights?
SPS and LEDs?
- Thread starter stlcards14
- Start date
How high above the water line are you running yours lights?
ReefGeek79
New member
I'm making the jump to LED's and am looking forward to seeing what happens. I'm getting two Gen 2 Radions for my 65 after running T5's for the last 3 years. I also have a 29 biocube HQI in my office and am looking forward to the comparisons. I have lots of SPS in both, including acros. I get better color with the MH in the 29 but my growth is better with the T5's. When I've had the Radions up for a while I'll report back with some comparisons. I think there's going to be trade-offs (less power consumption, no bulb changes) and I guess it's all in what matters most to you.
sanchoy
New member
12+ inches. Don't let people tell you LEDs can't grow sps. Of course certain brands perform weaker then others. Ajm performed well for me with 90 optics.
Prochef176
New member
LEDs and sps? Next thing you know we will be buying $6 cups of coffee to go!
barry_keith
New member
Uh... It's called Starbucks
barry_keith
New member
I'm on team LED with you.
I have no doubts.
I asked because I run 60* over my 31" deep tank. About 14" above the water
Prochef176
New member
yeah, That was the joke. I have been in and out of the hobby. I had tanks previously with metal halides and they are great. However, I enjoy reading from experts that say things like no sps reefer would even try led's. These are the same types that years ago would have you believe the secret to any salt water tank was the under gravel filter. The technology will improve and I imagine that the number of critics will decrease. I personally like the led's I have. And I have had success. Is it TOTM worthy? Probably not, but that's not my goal in this hobby.
Touring
New member
all I strive for..... I wouldn't be in this hooby if I didn't want to have the best looking tank.
L.E.Ds FTW
Prochef176
New member
My point was that success isn't necessarily measured on a TOTM nod for everyone. LEDs may not be the ultimate light for sps, but it sure feels like led lighting is gaining serious momentum
You are a successful hobbyist if you are self aware enough to know what you want and then go and get it. There are too few like you.
It is true that everybody's success measure is vastly different, and we mostly fail to give context around our recommendations when people ask questions like this. "I love my LEDs" or "Halides are the only way to go" don't really help too much - I am as guilty as anybody.
It is true that everybody's success measure is vastly different, and we mostly fail to give context around our recommendations when people ask questions like this. "I love my LEDs" or "Halides are the only way to go" don't really help too much - I am as guilty as anybody.
marinelife
Active member
Mhs for me never worked. The color and growth was just not there like it is with my DIY LEDs
With everything in the hobby not everything works for everyone.
With everything in the hobby not everything works for everyone.
sanchoy
New member
Very true, every system is different. There may be same equipment/ tank dimensions. But there is numerous factors that play a role in the success of a reef tank. That's why certain corals flourish in some tanks , and die in others. Even though parameters are very close to the same. In my case, LEDs has proven to work.
I run a Pacific Sun LED module over a 40 breeder that has a few sps that grow on the sand bed. Intensity was a lot to get use to and about a year and a half ago I had that bad boy on 100% 24 inches above the tank. Story did not end happily ever after.
But when I purchased the fixture from a shop,no one had a clue on any information of this fixture, sold it to me for a steal.
Anyway this same fixture is 24 inches above the tank at 50% with white leds never hitting 100% of the max power (if you can understand that) and I get better growth all around and its still being adjusted.
I honestly bought the fixture to save money from bulbs and energy but it became more than that because I could program it to look exactly like a 14-20k metal halide bulb.
Im not choosing a side, there are successful tanks with both halides and LEDs and I can respect that if someone has the funding and husbandry to take care of the tank the way it is than why push their nose in the dirt.
If any of you guys have any questions about the LEDs I have or the way its set up don't hesitate to ask.
But when I purchased the fixture from a shop,no one had a clue on any information of this fixture, sold it to me for a steal.
Anyway this same fixture is 24 inches above the tank at 50% with white leds never hitting 100% of the max power (if you can understand that) and I get better growth all around and its still being adjusted.
I honestly bought the fixture to save money from bulbs and energy but it became more than that because I could program it to look exactly like a 14-20k metal halide bulb.
Im not choosing a side, there are successful tanks with both halides and LEDs and I can respect that if someone has the funding and husbandry to take care of the tank the way it is than why push their nose in the dirt.
If any of you guys have any questions about the LEDs I have or the way its set up don't hesitate to ask.
I ran 3 Kessil 350w over my 55g 7" above the surface for a year. The tank had a leak and I decided to do a different set up but while it was up my tank did great! With all 3 lights turned to 100% my par readings were 400 1" under the surface and 250 on the bottom. Tank was pretty evenly lit. I added a build my led fixture over the lights to get the added colors the kessils were missing. This was a pic of the tank about half way through I don't have any from before I took it down but I had alright growth and color
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reefmutt
Active member
Well, I have my new tank under 3 GHL Mitras. All of my old reefs were under mh and then more recently, t5 mh combos..
I believe that LEDs will produce the same results as mh or t5, when all water parameters are where they should be.
The main hurdle LEDs produce, IMO, is dialing them in properly so that the corals get optimal lighting. Keeping the bluer end of the spectrum up and reducing the whiter end to keep the corals from burning..
Running LEDs adds a big element of questioning that mh/t5 removes.
With mh/t5, one can't ask 'is it my lights?' Because they always work. The spectrum is always optimal.... I guess people still ask that question of their mh/t5 but I suspect more often than not, they should be looking elsewhere for problems.
With LEDs, it's a more legitimate question and adds another layer to peel back from the proverbial onion..
I've only had my tank going for two months and won't be making any claims anytime soon.
I have purposefully purchased both named corals as well as bleached out corals from a system running more vodka than necessary... As well as several cultured corals.
I'll post my whole system very soon as well as photos of all the different corals as a reference. I'll be as interested as everybody else to see how they colour up..
I believe that LEDs will produce the same results as mh or t5, when all water parameters are where they should be.
The main hurdle LEDs produce, IMO, is dialing them in properly so that the corals get optimal lighting. Keeping the bluer end of the spectrum up and reducing the whiter end to keep the corals from burning..
Running LEDs adds a big element of questioning that mh/t5 removes.
With mh/t5, one can't ask 'is it my lights?' Because they always work. The spectrum is always optimal.... I guess people still ask that question of their mh/t5 but I suspect more often than not, they should be looking elsewhere for problems.
With LEDs, it's a more legitimate question and adds another layer to peel back from the proverbial onion..
I've only had my tank going for two months and won't be making any claims anytime soon.
I have purposefully purchased both named corals as well as bleached out corals from a system running more vodka than necessary... As well as several cultured corals.
I'll post my whole system very soon as well as photos of all the different corals as a reference. I'll be as interested as everybody else to see how they colour up..
Spirofucci
New member
LOL, the led debate again......
I have seen hundreds of tanks lit by LED's that have beautiful sps colonies. IMO LED's or T5's are almost a must for smaller tanks because of heat issues.
I have a Radion Pro over my 34 gal and have excellent color on my sps corals. Not that it matters but it was TOTM on an other forum....
Kessils are cool looking but have only one source and one sprectrum.
I have seen hundreds of tanks lit by LED's that have beautiful sps colonies. IMO LED's or T5's are almost a must for smaller tanks because of heat issues.
I have a Radion Pro over my 34 gal and have excellent color on my sps corals. Not that it matters but it was TOTM on an other forum....
Kessils are cool looking but have only one source and one sprectrum.
I switched from Halides to Radions over my SPS 150 gal and could not be happier, the dude that commented that experienced reefers dont know any better is completly wrong. My sps are rocking under the Radions. Better colors, just as good growth if not better and a much cooler tank. I have been keeping reefs for almost ten years and one of the main things I have learned is there is more than one way to be succesfull in this hobby.
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