Article: Are LEDs a suitable primary light source? + a thread.

[rock_lobster]

LEDs are great as already stated many times. LED fixture will give a very even spread with wide angle or no lens just a reflector and very little if any shadowing looks just like a T5. I think it is absurd to think that coral cant be successfully kept under LEDs at this point in time. Maybe 10 years ago a statement like that would carry some weight but that would be just foolish now. Especially zoanthids.. my god I have them growing like weeds in my rear chamber compartment lit with just a 8w LED light. Zoanthids need the least care of all when it comes to lighting. They will grow under just about anything.

 

[A. grandis]

It isn't worth this argument. I've been running LEDs for almost a decade. I built the first (as far as I could find at the time) DIY fixture that was over 4' long using just blue and white CREE LEDs in 2007 under the advice of the man evilc himself. They grew corals without an issue. My tank today does the same using a Kessil. In fact I have a thread running that the Kessil might be too strong based on the nutrient levels in my tank.

@A. grandis you're not changing minds here you're just stirring up dissent. If you don't like LEDs don't use them. There are thousands and thousands of people who use LEDs successfully.

If @Paul B runs his tank, that is older than I am, with LEDs and is happy after having used everything under the sun, who is anyone else to judge?

Yes, I agree. My intentions are just to expose the thoughts on both sides.
The article was in my favor. I thought maybe we would see articles in favor of LEDs.
If some of them want to change their minds they will. Most of them probably won't because of the electricity savings or because of the investments on the LED fixtures. That's fine.
It's just that many of us noticed the difference between the LEDs and the MHs and T5s. This is a good way to expose the thoughts and learn more. I'm learning a lot here!
Your post is very true!
Not worthy the arguments.
Would be great if everyone just post their experiences...
Thanks,
Grandis.

 

[xellos88]

Just like other artificial light sources like MHs and T5s, LEDs are not a panacea. They have pros/cons as outlined in that article you shared. If you're talking about the best light you can possibly give your LS, try natural sunlight.

 

[A. grandis]

LEDs are great as already stated many times. LED fixture will give a very even spread with wide angle or no lens just a reflector and very little if any shadowing looks just like a T5. I think it is absurd to think that coral cant be successfully kept under LEDs at this point in time. Maybe 10 years ago a statement like that would carry some weight but that would be just foolish now. Especially zoanthids.. my god I have them growing like weeds in my rear chamber compartment lit with just a 8w LED light. Zoanthids need the least care of all when it comes to lighting. They will grow under just about anything.

Yeah, they can grow, aka "can be successfully kept under LEDs", of course. How many million times do I have to agree with that?
Yes, agree with zoas don't need lots of light, meaning intensity. They do need quality light similar to nature. The LEDs aren't the BEST for that in the long run (actually in a short period of time too). That's all. That's my opinion though.

There are so many important points in my previous posts from articles.
I don't understand why people don't try to read and understand the importance of those aspects of LED lights?
They are all truth.

Thanks!

Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Just like other artificial light sources like MHs and T5s, LEDs are not a panacea. They have pros/cons as outlined in that article you shared. If you're talking about the best light you can possibly give your LS, try natural sunlight.

Oh come on you guys... lets concentrate on the subject types of lights here.

Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

I will just leave this here.
Jourdy's tank grown almost completely from frags under Radion G2's.
But obviously led's cannot be used as a primary light source, can they?

Very well done!
Beautiful tank with a flat rock work to take advantage of the QUALITY of LEDs.
I don't particularly like the fluorescent pictures though, I prefer to see some natural colors than the reflection of the blue light on those pigments. Just a personal option.
Grandis.

 

[xellos88]

Oh come on you guys... lets concentrate on the subject types of lights here.

Grandis.

Ok, let's look at this: http://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-li/coralcare . We all know that LEDs/T5s/MHs don't really give the same quality light as sunlight which is what all those light sources are trying to emulate. But in terms of innovation/advancement there's just so much you can do with LEDs. And to say that X technology is not suitable is a dead end and holds back the hobby.

 

[rock_lobster]

Yeah, they can grow, aka "can be successfully kept under LEDs", of course. How many million times do I have to agree with that?
Yes, agree with zoas don't need lots of light, meaning intensity. They do need quality light similar to nature. The LEDs aren't the BEST for that in the long run (actually in a short period of time too). That's all. That's my opinion though.

There are so many important points in my previous posts from articles.
I don't understand why people don't try to read and understand the importance of those aspects of LED lights?
They are all truth.

Thanks!

Grandis.

I'm not trying to confuse you by using the word successful but I mean they will THRIVE under LEDs. I have zoas that grow soo fast I cant even cut them and give them away quick enough. There is no doubt that zoanthids will do as well or even better under LED light source than they will under T5 or MH. The difference in growth rate of the light sources is negligible... Husbandry is like 90% with zoanthids and the light source is the other 10%.

 

[A. grandis]

Ok, let's look at this: http://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-li/coralcare . We all know that LEDs/T5s/MHs don't really give the same quality light as sunlight which is what all those light sources are trying to emulate. But in terms of innovation/advancement there's just so much you can do with LEDs. And to say that X technology is not suitable is a dead end and holds back the hobby.

Yes, I totally agree. That is true. That's why it would be stupid of me to like "ban LEDs" and say they don't have a place in the market.
I just don't agree with the fancy statements sometimes we hear, like for example the coverage of the fixtures that everyone knows it's not true in the real world! Yeah, the technology needs to grow... Well, hopefully they will find a way to change LEDs' nature (?) and make it be as useful as T5s, per say.

I believe that if they can't change the nature of LEDs (and I don't think they can, otherwise they would have to invent another type of light source) and keep playing with new lenses coming to the market every year is just to keep the market alive and the money coming in. BUT... it's fine with me if people who likes the idea and the LEDs to keep feeding the cycle of the market.

Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

I'm not trying to confuse you by using the word successful but I mean they will THRIVE under LEDs. I have zoas that grow soo fast I cant even cut them and give them away quick enough. There is no doubt that zoanthids will do as well or even better under LED light source than they will under T5 or MH. The difference in growth rate of the light sources is negligible... Husbandry is like 90% with zoanthids and the light source is the other 10%.

Good to hera you experience. the growth rate isn't the only thing. The way they grow under LEDs is also important. Talking about limitations in the positions and area covered.

Grandis.

 

[david p.]

is it me or any post on lightning gets polluted by the same dude ?
can we just pick the lightning we think will achieve our objectives either is growth, colors, electricity, intensity...etc..etc.
we can agree or disagree but we don't have to try to overule everyone.
what i want to read in those post are the good experience people had and the bad one also... not someone trying to defend his point so much that a thread becomes unreadable.
why try to respond to everything and absolutely wanting to be right over someone else.

my 2cents... just an avid reader that gets bored seeing this.. i could be the only one... (been following other thread same comments over and over)

sorry i had to say it.

 

[gus6464]

Ahh the mighty Coralcare. Will be mine soon enough. An actual high end fixture with real top of the line diodes. Btw just the Luxeon UV diodes alone on the Coralcare cost more than all of the diodes in a Radion. Some food for thought.

And Cree is trash.

 

[A. grandis]

is it me or any post on lightning gets polluted by the same dude ?
can we just pick the lightning we think will achieve our objectives either is growth, colors, electricity, intensity...etc..etc.
we can agree or disagree but we don't have to try to overule everyone.
what i want to read in those post are the good experience people had and the bad one also... not someone trying to defend his point so much that a thread becomes unreadable.
why try to respond to everything and absolutely wanting to be right over someone else.

my 2cents... just an avid reader that gets bored seeing this.. i could be the only one... (been following other thread same comments over and over)

sorry i had to say it.

Yes you can pick.
Responding like that because that's what they want.
No offense, but why don't you go read other thread then? We're not holding you here.

Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Ahh the mighty Coralcare. Will be mine soon enough. An actual high end fixture with real top of the line diodes. Btw just the Luxeon UV diodes alone on the Coralcare cost more than all of the diodes in a Radion. Some food for thought.

And Cree is trash.

Agreed!
Grandis.

 

[sawdonkey]

You're arguing "suitable" and "best" at the same time. Obviously, LEDs are suitable. For a lot of people, they are "best," but we all value different things. I want a sleek fixture that can fit in my canopy and not create a bunch of heat.

The "article" you reference just seems to be one person's experience with Radions. It's not very scientific and seems mostly anecdotal. Of course single-point LEDs don't have great spread. Maybe the LED sellers exaggerate the coverage, and that's too bad. I doesn't mean they aren't suitable or can't be the "best."

I have a tank full of SPS grown from frags under all LED. My tank is 220 gallons and I only have $600 invested to light the whole thing (four OR T247s). I have the the lights spread out so the coverage is great.

For me, LEDs are "best." Cheap, low energy, sleek, programmable, don't need bulb replacement. Maybe my colonies would be bigger or look different under a different light source, but with as happy as I am with my LEDs, I have no desire to experiment.

BTW I'm mad at myself for even commenting on this junk show of a thread.

 

[A. grandis]

Oh, don't be mad at yourself. Your tank looks great! Thanks for posting.
If you have no desire to experiment other light sources like MHs and/or T5s to see growth and different look because you're happy, that's what matters.
As long as you're happy... that's it.
AND... you're saving money too on electricity.

Grandis.

 

[Knapp870]

Oh, don't be mad at yourself. Your tank looks great! Thanks for posting.
If you have no desire to experiment other light sources like MHs and/or T5s to see growth and different look because you're happy, that's what matters.
As long as you're happy... that's it.
AND... you're saving money too on electricity.

Grandis.

I ran MH(radiums) and got better growth and coloration from my led's.

 

[A. grandis]

I ran MH(radiums) and got better growth and coloration from my led's.

Great! You're welcome to show the pics, if you wish.
Grandis.

 

[bif24701]

Oh, don't be mad at yourself. Your tank looks great! Thanks for posting.
If you have no desire to experiment other light sources like MHs and/or T5s to see growth and different look because you're happy, that's what matters.
As long as you're happy... that's it.
AND... you're saving money too on electricity.

Grandis.

And bulbs

 

[A. grandis]

And bulbs

Oh yeah, forgot about that important detail!
Thanks for reminding me!

Grandis.