Are LEDs really better?

[diamondreef]

I only made this post to get opinions on leds over what people are used to and currently using. Many people i know wont switch to leds so was just curious.


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[bigfoot86]

Your always goin to have different opinions and thoughts from those who believe that one thing is superior to another. Now I know there's reefers out there that just will not give in to the LED's and will continue to go back to what has been proven over the years (i.e. MH and t5), which technically you can't go wrong with either (MH and t5) cause they are effective and there's enough objective evidence out there and history to prove it. I can't deny that one bit. I've even started the hobby off with t5's for a while.

BUT...
There are some undeniable facts about LEDs
1. They are more cost effective than t5s cause you don't have to change out the bulbs every 9 months or so
2. Save A LOT more electricity than running Metal Halides
3. Run much cooler than MH's, reducing the possible needs to run a chiller (which, by the way, would also save on electricity)
4. They are ALWAYS goin to be make better advancements in LEDS (i.e. introduction to CREE 3w and 5w XT-E)
5. Most units nowadays are fully programmable, being able to adjust intesity settings and trigger sunrise and sunset, etc.

Now I do understand there's some CHEAP LEDs out there, but normally in life 'you get what you pay for'. Do some research before you buy your LEDs, because there are a lot out there now 'n days that will prove to be most beneficial in more ways than one. I love my LEDs and will NEVER go back, and there's plenty now that will support and grow all the corals you want (sps, lps & softies) AND show great color! Good Luck!

 

[diamondreef]

Exactly lol

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[GnarleyMarley]

I ran halides for a little while then switched to T5s for years i just recently (december 2012) upgraded to the Radions and have been more than pleasantly surprised. I have bought several corals from WesF over the years and i can honestly say they look closer to his halide colors than the T5s ever did.

Wes I hope u see this I would love for u to post a couple pics of your microlados, Purple nana, Putple Unknown, Yellow Tort or any other ones that I have gotten from u and i will post some pics of what they look like for me under my radions....

I was the worst sceptic ever esp with all the bad that u hear about leds especially in regard to color shifts under leds. But i truely believe the majority of that propoganda was based on the earlier cheap chinese leds, As it has already been stated things have changed alot in the past couple years and LEDs are definitley a viable lighting solution providing u ghet a good high quality fixture.

I have also gotten SPS that came from LED tanks that looked absolutley terrible but they were coming from $100-$200 fixtures U cant generalize leds and assume that they are all the same, that would be the same as assuming that a Sunblaze will b as nise as a Sunpower, or a Odysea Halide bulb is the same as a Phonix..

Seriously tho wes please post some pics, because then it would b a good fair comparison, since i got my corals directly from you. If u want you can even write down your camera settings and i will replicate them as close as possible (i shoot with a canon 400D FWIW)

Also I guess i should note all i keep is Acropora with the exception of a couple of blasto colonies and 3 chalices...

 

[WesF]

lol ok Gnarley but you know it's going to take alot to convince me to switch. I'm surrounded by LED users in ncmas but I'm still hanging on to my antiquated technology. Lol

Upscales Microlados

Tyree Purple Unknown

Yellow Tort

Red Planet

 

[CoralFragZ]

Through Trial and error I have found very good success with LEDS. After purchasing a par meter what I found are two key issues in my opinion and experience. This is from a large tank perspective 96 X 26 X30.

The issues are coverage and temperature. I found that corals grow fine with just Royal Blues and 6500K led. What you have to ask yourself is what your objectives are. I found with leds that have a 2:1 blue:White that the Whites will still over-saturate the blue and found that the corals grow faster but the color is lacking. On this same fixture if you keep the blues at 100% and dim the whites to 50% you improve the color as long as you have the coverage and enough par. For my application I ended up with 16 light fixtures.
I alternate months.
Month A I run Whites and Blues both at 75% results in a good growth month Color stays.
Month B I run Blues at 100% and Whites 50% results in slower growth but great color and I find this astatically pleasing color.

The end result results in the below pictures:

 

[GnarleyMarley]

OK here are my frags I'll note which ones came from wes
Note: all these frags have been under my radions for 3+ months I made the switch in 12/12, also i did absolutley NO editing of any kind these all came straight off my CF card as is


Upscales Microlados came from wes

Tyree Purple Unknown From Wes

Yellow Tort From wes (will have to get a shot this evening after work)


Red Planet Not from wes She is positiones directly unde my center brace so she gets shade in order to get that nice gree and red contrast

Pink Lemonade (Not from wes)

And FWIW i'm not trying to tell people Leds are better than Halides or T5s simply trying to show that they are a Vaiable lighting solution for hardcore SPS tanks, and that they improve coloration compared to many other lights and can easily compete with halides for Growth & Color.

 

[SPS_]

A lot comes down to the person taking care of the aquarium. I've seen "cheap" led tanks, that are rocking sick SPS...Seems like some people can grow sps with a flash light!

 

[SPS_]

A lot comes down to the person taking care of the aquarium. I've seen "cheap" led tanks, that are rocking sick SPS...Seems like some people can grow sps with a flash light!

I prefer halides btw lol

 

[Dan1789]

Nice thread

 

[Liquid360]

Lol yeah threads about comparing light sources always get very intense and sorta off topic.... but it's always informative.

I only made this post to get opinions on leds over what people are used to and currently using. Many people i know wont switch to leds so was just curious.


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[Ninjapotamus]

I think halide and t5 are superior from a purely light point of view, but they have other issues -- mainly cost and heat, that make them much less attractive.

 

[FaviaFreak]

I like supplementing with LED but I still love my T5's

 

[Reefnjunkie]

Led's can't hang with 250w and 400w halides as far as spectrum, intensity, coverage.

Not trying to be argumentative but I can speak from experiance that statement is simply untrue, so in keeping things factual and answering the OP's question-define better, thats to broad a question-

Ive ran MH from 150 to 250 to 400 and switched to LEDs after running a DIY LED fixture side by side to 400 watt radium over my 150 gallon transition tank while I built mt 400.
I've been running LED exclusively for nearly 2 years after switching from 400 watt MH using Radiums and have never once regretted the switch.

Not all LEDs are the same, just as all MH (or T5 for that matter) are not the same. Be careful there are still plenty of garbage units out there-some big name brands too (IMO) but the days of saying LEDs dont or cant work are history, my tank is literally living proof ound:

 

[CoralFragZ]

Use ebay 175 specials From China and they work great!

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[CoralFragZ]

no need to do this.

 

[gmoney243]

Led's can't hang with 250w and 400w halides as far as spectrum, intensity, coverage. If you want to save money on your electric bill, sure LED's will grow your coral. If you want the best spectrum possible, LED's are not the way. Most guys who disagree with me have not run halides. To each is own.

And have you ever ran leds? Ive ran both side by side clearly corals under leds look way better.

 

[WesF]

I used LEDs on my frag tank for about a year. My frag tank and display are all plumbed together. The same corals in the same water looked much better under the MH.

It WAS one of the china box LEDs from a vendor here so I won't say the name. I'm sure the nicer fixtures are better but for me it's not worth spending all that money when the MH are working so well.

 

[CoralFragZ]

Flow?

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[WesF]

Flow?

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Vortechs in the frag tank. Tunzes in display.