Yes!!!!!!!!! SPS Success with Leds! Come in and Share your Story!

[tdb320reef]

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I set the rock work up with a series of caves. The sohal sleeps in one of the big caves to the left. The Naso sits in the bottom front where there is a space. all of the others have homes behind the corals etc.

 

[LoJack]

I like that scape ... great for SPS placement and perfect for the fish.

I went with arches, and I loved them in the beginning ... but I'm starting to think that they're less than ideal for SPS placement to get a full looking reef. May have to do some moving in the future.

 

[NegroModelo]

i used led but switched back to T5, the growth from the crees was too slow, leds are getting better no doubt but i dont think they have an ATI with KZ bulbs beat maybe the new powermodule t5/led is a nice compromise and stepping stone into a truly great lighting system,

i do get sick of companies showboating matured tanks with their Leds over top of the tank(obviously these tanks were grown by other methods) orphek and the guy with the sunlit tank is by far one of the worst IMO the color they add is nice and im sure they can grow sps fine, but come on it is misleading to the uninformed people out there but i guess thats what you get if you dont research the equipment you buy

 

[sahin]

Tbd320reef: I've just been looking at your photos again...your tank deserves TOTM for sure! Honestly, I am amazed at the colours. The growth is very good too.

 

[Biggar]

Great thread. I may take the plunge and get full spectrum leds soon.

I have been running my 265 all leds DIY crees for about 1.5 years. Leds are all this tank has seen. The colors are starting to fade and I think its nutrients, but my PO4 is .05(Hanna) and Nitrates 5. Like some said, I may try feeding more and adding some oyster fest and reef chilli. Maybe I have a different kind of nutrients that coral do not like.



My red planet is very happy under LEDs

 

[bloodstripe23]

great thread, thanks for sharing. I get good growout with my leds.

 

[tdb320reef]

Wow 84 degrees with LEDS

Wow 84 degrees with LEDS

Wow I have no idea how tanks with MH have been successful without a chiller. My air went out for a few days and my tank skyrocketed up to 84. In just a few days I lost several fags. Of course the expensive LE ones. In any event the tank is on its way to recovery and even though I got my CA replaced I am not taking anymore risks and I came out with one of these badboys:

 

[tdb320reef]

Absolutely beautiful. It is incredible to see all of these beautiful tanks that are LED lit. We have shown over 12,000 viewers and I have received many PM's thanking us for starting and contributing to this thread.

Because of us other members that were on the fence are seeing positive results and make informed unbiased decision to take advantage of the efficiencies, technology and cost savings of this newer efficient light source.

With that said lets Keep it up I know there are many more beautiful LED lit tanks and would love to see them and hear your stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great thread. I may take the plunge and get full spectrum leds soon.

I have been running my 265 all leds DIY crees for about 1.5 years. Leds are all this tank has seen. The colors are starting to fade and I think its nutrients, but my PO4 is .05(Hanna) and Nitrates 5. Like some said, I may try feeding more and adding some oyster fest and reef chilli. Maybe I have a different kind of nutrients that coral do not like.



My red planet is very happy under LEDs

 

[MHG]

Here is mine after a year and a half with LED's. I think a PAR meter is a must. At least borrowing one or renting it to map your tank before and after your conversion. Mine was LED from the beginning and I was cooking everything until I borrowed one. now I have much better success rate. Here is a FTS. Also a frag I added a month ago was all pink. Now it is crazy...

The only one I am not happy with color wise is my green birdsnest. It grows like a weed but it is a bit yellow because I think it is too high...

 

[Biggar]

Here is mine after a year and a half with LED's. I think a PAR meter is a must. At least borrowing one or renting it to map your tank before and after your conversion. Mine was LED from the beginning and I was cooking everything until I borrowed one. now I have much better success rate. Here is a FTS. Also a frag I added a month ago was all pink. Now it is crazy...

The only one I am not happy with color wise is my green birdsnest. It grows like a weed but it is a bit yellow because I think it is too high...

Wow! I like that birdsnest. Yours is different than everyone elses.

Subscribed!

 

[MstgKillr]

I will be upgrading to either a 300 gal (72x36x27) or a 400 gal (96x36x27) DT. I was planning on MHs but after seeing your tank I'm now considering LEDs.

If you were to building the tanks above what LEDs would you go with?

Also, your stand is really nice, who built it?

 

[MHG]

Wow! I like that birdsnest. Yours is different than everyone elses.

Subscribed!

Thanks. I think it is because it is too high of light. It grew like a weed but is a bit yellower than most...

 

[Nanighan]

Tom, I'm surprised you lost frags at a temp of 84 deg. My tank fluctuates between 82-86 deg in the summertime (most of the time around 84). Should be within normal range for temps albeit on the high side.
I will try to post a vid tomorrow on my LED lit sps tank as it will be water change day, and we all know corals look best on water change day

 

[AdamDeMamp]

55g-DIY (60)3w Bridgelux led's, since day 1 of my tank. All coral were grow from frags.

 

[Nanighan]

Tom, I'm surprised you lost frags at a temp of 84 deg. My tank fluctuates between 82-86 deg in the summertime (most of the time around 84). Should be within normal range for temps albeit on the high side.
I will try to post a vid tomorrow on my LED lit sps tank as it will be water change day, and we all know corals look best on water change day

As promised a quick video of my LED lit reef. Slightly oversaturated and the white balance is off, especially from the front view. All corals grown from tiny frags since 2009 using par 38 bulbs only. First coral you see is an aquadelight that has been fragged at least 15 times so it should be bigger than it is and the purple digi on the left side has been fragged over 30 times!
Watch in HD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qV93Pnwsug

 

[3dpilot]

WOW!! very nice tanks everyone!! I hope to be able to post my success here in time....

 

[blazzing_ray]

Here are a few pictures with the magenta stunner strips turned off. I think that is where I was getting the pink tint in my other pics. These colors look good on my monitor under a LED Lit tank.

All I can say is wow

 

[zackw]

As long as people have been growing acro under LED now, there are actually still people who think it cant be done?!?! I have a halide tank and led tank and both grow acro fine, i have noticed that the color changes under led. I am trying ti find an led that matches the spectrum of a radium bulb. I love the color a radium bulb brings out of acros, so once I find an led to color acro the exact same I will be one happy reefer!

 

[tdb320reef]

I will be upgrading to either a 300 gal (72x36x27) or a 400 gal (96x36x27) DT. I was planning on MHs but after seeing your tank I'm now considering LEDs.

If you were to building the tanks above what LEDs would you go with?

Also, your stand is really nice, who built it?

Thanks, I went with the Evergrow fixtures. They are rather inexpensive and good quality will good led bins. The cheap price allows you more money to buy a few extra fixtures which solves the coverage issue with leds. The fixtures that I have have all three whites, both blues, green, red and voilet. The color with the blues up 20% higher than whites reminds me of my old T5 blue + combo with 1 aqua special and 1 purple plus.

The stand is solid Oak with a cherry finish. 36 inches tall so my aquarium stands up above the furniture. Perfect for installing the filter underneath. I purchased it with the tank from a local aquarium builder. You can look them up at Great Lakes Aquarium. I know they ship. If you call tell them you talked tom with the 320 and they will hook you up.

Thanks.

 

[tdb320reef]

As long as people have been growing acro under LED now, there are actually still people who think it cant be done?!?! I have a halide tank and led tank and both grow acro fine, i have noticed that the color changes under led. I am trying ti find an led that matches the spectrum of a radium bulb. I love the color a radium bulb brings out of acros, so once I find an led to color acro the exact same I will be one happy reefer!

Yes that is funny. I believe most people agree that the growth is fine but most are concerned with the color. These are all good points. As we all know different light sources bring out different pigments. Some people believe LEDS morph corals but the reality is that different pigments are being illuminated. Some people love it some people think the color is all messed up. Some people like white cars some people like black cars. It all comes down to preference. I have been called an over zealous led user but will agree the best colors I have ever seen come from MH. Even though it is the best color IMO the light source and all of its drawbacks stink. So running LEDS IMO is the next best choice and to be honest the Colors are great. Finally, In the end I am just an over zealous reefer all together =).