100% LED?

[BeachBumTX]

Thoughts on a sps tank lighted by 100% by LED lights. Saw a reef bum video that was a couple of years old saying LED produce zero UV even though the manufacture says they do. Has that changed since that video came out? I was planning to go all LED to save on energy and reduce heat, but now wondering... Thoughts?

 

[FurrierTransform]

You should be able to see the manufacturer's spectrum, and then judge if the light would be suitable for you. For example, Hamilton Technology lists their Kona Sun LED light as 100% 450-460 nm wavelength, while UV has wavelength shorter than 400 nm. This is a purely blue LED light. (I have the 2' bar)

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yeah, most LED’s don’t produce UV, but some of them do (typically it’s 395nm UV that I’ve seen). As mentioned, good companies usually have a spectrum graph (sometimes they’ll even tell you some of the specific wavelengths included - this is more common when the light uses an atypical wavelength like UV, IR, or both) and a PPFD graph (basically a graph showing PAR readings on a grid with the light raised to a certain height above it - lots of grow lights, for example, show PPFD graphs for three different heights).

As long as the light has a good spectrum with good PAR output, it should be able to grow anything you want it to just fine.

 

[slythy]

There are lots of very successful sps tanks that are purely lit by led. I think wwc uses all xr30’s.

i dis xr15’s and supplemented the lights with t5 just for shadowing purposes in mine.

 

[oreo54]

No words needed...

therman's 12 year old SPS system...top down shot, starting to enjoy this tank again

However there aren't too many corals I let grow much over 6" as when they get to that point they grow so fast that they will overtake a TON of space within a year, and they are susceptible to crashing due to insufficient flow. I imagine the die-off gets weird within the center of the colony...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Semisonyx]

Plenty of SPS dominant tanks run by LEDs, mine included. Find a fixture that you like that’s within your budget and has sufficient power. Buy/borrow/rent a par meter to set the appropriate amount of light and move on to more important things like nutrition and flow.

 

[SilvermistInc]

The majority of SPS tanks today are probably only LED

 

[Dburr1014]

Yup, 100% led
Wow, nobody posted a picture and that door was wide open. LOL

 

[piranhaman00]

LEDs that give off UV don’t last. But as described UV probably isn’t necessary

 

[ekandler]

What kind of SPS are you talking about? I can’t speak to acros specifically but I have just about every other kind of SPS growing well all under LED only (Radiok gen5 blue).

 

[biecacka]

Orpheks. TSA the Fuzz. 8 months of growth.
no complaints on leds on my tank.


corey

 

[BeachBumTX]

What kind of SPS are you talking about? I can’t speak to acros specifically but I have just about every other kind of SPS growing well all under LED only (Radiok gen5 blue).

Going to do all I can get my hands on including acros. You have a spa tank back in my colleges . halide and VHOs. Lots of heat and energy use.

 

[Semisonyx]

TSA Bill Murray. The frag was moved, but this is one year’s growth under Philips Coral Care Gen 2 and diy LED strips.

 

[Bpb]

I’d wager there are presently in the world more led only sps dominant tanks that would be considered “successful” than with any other lighting tech.

Uv is not entirely necessary. Some may be helpful, but the difference is negligible. Almost every led manufacturer calls their violet leds “UV” because it sounds zippier to unlearned hobbyists and they buy them up because of it.

Always keep in mind….the presence of something does not always mean it is used. Corals don’t actually use every single trace element in the water for biological function, nor do they use every single wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum.

 

[Sdot]

If im not mistaken uv doesnt make it very far down in nature and clearly there are plenty of sucessful LED lit only tanks mine included. Id say to the OP get lights that have proven par and spectrum...and go for it.

 

[mdb_talon]

I had to double check the date of the original post cause this seemed the hot topic 10 years ago, but I think it pretty much settled now that you can most certainly grow nice sps systems only with LED. Heck I got 10+ year old black boxes without the 47 different channels and spectrums doing a fine job....

 

[HomebroodExotics]

I had to double check the date of the original post cause this seemed the hot topic 10 years ago, but I think it pretty much settled now that you can most certainly grow nice sps systems only with LED. Heck I got 10+ year old black boxes without the 47 different channels and spectrums doing a fine job....

I'm so confused on how people continue to ask if led grows corals. Doesn't make any sense to me.