Going back to halide after 4+ years with LED

[120reefkeeper]

I know you're not bashing LED lighting as you said but I must say this. I have seen some of the greatest reefs that were grown LED only. Then I will say I have seen some of the greatest reefs that were grown Metal Halide only!

IMO there are pros and cons to both and those pros and cons will ultimately tell each user which is best for their application.

Exactly! Couldn't have said it better! [emoji6]

 

[cilyjr]

I know you're not bashing LED lighting as you said but I must say this. I have seen some of the greatest reefs that were grown LED only. Then I will say I have seen some of the greatest reefs that were grown Metal Halide only!

IMO there are pros and cons to both and those pros and cons will ultimately tell each user which is best for their application.

Yeah I know. Like I said I'm friends with a guy that has a 400 gallon tank with 14 hydras. His tank is the best. it was even a reefkeeping mag TOTM (though that was with halides) but the life in the tank is as nice with the led.
As for me I had better results the old way so I went back

 

[cilyjr]

Ok so apex question

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 13:30 to 20:30 Then ON
If Temp > 81.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

Will min time work after a power failure as well or just when temp probes turn off the lights?

 

[ca1ore]

I was a MH guy for almost 20 years before switching to LED only about 3 years ago. Many of the claims on both sides are piffle. My energy costs are lower now because I don't have to run a chiller, but they aren't that much lower. I haven't frankly had any issue growing corals under both kinds of lights. Some look better under halide, others better under LED. Mostly they just look different. I personally prefer the look under LED, but that's just me.

I'm currently beginning a lighting bake off in my frag tank, with LED on one side and MH on the other with PAR equivalence. Interested to see what differences result. If I deem MH to be my preference I'll switch back in a flash. I don't expect that to happen, but who knows. Will let you know in 2 years.

 

[samparker]

I used to run 5xGHL Mitras leds, sold a couple off and switched in some 400w radiums. Saw a near instant improvement in colour and growth. Also played with some supplementing t5's, but didn't like the washed out look they were giving me. Couldn't be happier with the led/halide combo

 

[Robert Vacchiano]

I have leds on a 92 corner tank just does not look great. I have a 300 gallon dd reef with 250 watt metal halides looks great and corals are at there best. I do use a chiller in summertime but it never turns on in winter. In winter they actually help heat my living room. As far as bulb replacement I now use pulseright mh and they come in 10 14 and 20k at only 15 dollars each for 250 watt bulbs it's so cheap you could change them twice a year if you wanted and they look great

 

[simo]

So here's my system. It's a standard 180. Which is 72x24x24. Built into the wall.

There is frontal access and a fish room behind the tank. Here's a finished room side (this picture is very old but it's still pretty much the same)

I built a rail system to be able to Slide the lights are there forward into the finished area or back behind the tank depending on how I wanted to work on it. Raising them was not an option as the load-bearing Beam for my house runs right above the tank.
Here's it is currently with the 4 sol blues and 2 t5

Here it is when I mounted the first mh years ago. It can fully extend into either direction away from the tank. Making it easier for me to get in there if I need to

I imagine I will Mount the new mh exactly how the old ones were.

In ur second pic were did u get the mesh from i have a cover but its summer here in sydney and its way to hot for a cover i have to have my fan running atm.. and i have a prob with hair i have a hairy cat i need to stop hair coming in but let the heat out ?

 

[gdemos]

Glad the switch is bringing your madness and passion back Chris.
We need More ATO eye candy please. Is that real Duck brand Duct Tape or joblot special?

 

[FFKiwi]

I STARTED my reef tank 2 years ago with expensive LED's. Got virtually NO growth on my corals despite what everyone said about "this high dollar LED" light. I just switched to the ATI Sunpower T5 and can't wait to see how my corals respond NOW! Good luck with your new lighting!

 

[DeanF]

The thing I have never understood is with the cost of buying ALL the right equipment for this hobby, if people worry about a couple hundred dollars a year for a great system, then maybe they are in the wrong hobby. To do this right is not cheap and should not be a hobby where corners are cut. These are live animals we keep and we should do all we can to keep them alive and healthy. If you use either MH or LED, then use them. But worrying about the extra cost for the sake of the animals we keep is not wise. I have always been a MH user and have been for 15 years. Don't have any issues with LED users. I just think if we are worrying about saving a few hundred dollars, should we look for a hobby with lesser cost and lesser chance of less the optimal conditions for our pets. If many of you are like me, you will spend obscene amounts of money on this hobby, so I just don't get the argument about this cost savings. Have never worried about this because I know to do this right is expensive and I will pay what I pay to keep these animals happy. I have almost $20K tied up in my 550 gallon system and just don't care about the expense when it comes to keeping the amazing animals alive. So you sum it up, use want makes you happy and stop worrying about a few hundred dollars a year. Most of us probably spend 5 times that much annually on crap we can even remember spending it on. I spend $100/mo on fish food alone and would spend twice that if that is what it took. Just to clarify, I am not a rich person, just care more about the animals than the money it takes to keep them. Also, not calling anyone out here, just think none of us got into this to save money. I might sell the neighbor' s dog if I needed to buy new aquarium stuff.

 

[Centerline]

I bought the radium. Hoping they aren't more blue then the old phoenix 14k se bulb was. I used to run it without supplementation

They are beautiful. Hint of blue and your corals will produce some of the best natural color due to the uv .

 

[Stubaca]

I went back to halides 1 month ago from led's. Best move ever! Finally starting to get growth again and just look better colored. Cheers for going back!!! Awesome sauce!

 

[120reefkeeper]

Ok so apex question

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 13:30 to 20:30 Then ON
If Temp > 81.0 Then OFF
Min Time 030:00 Then OFF

Will min time work after a power failure as well or just when temp probes turn off the lights?

It will do both. Here is how mine are setup.

 

[cilyjr]

They are beautiful. Hint of blue and your corals will produce some of the best natural color due to the uv .

I like them overall still I want to see the hamilton14k Sanjay Joshi did a comparison years ago and found the 2 to be very similar with the Hamilton a bit more white

 

[cilyjr]

@120reefkeeper

Thanks

 

[120reefkeeper]

@120reefkeeper

Thanks

Your welcome! [emoji4]

 

[alten78]

I like them overall still I want to see the hamilton14k Sanjay Joshi did a comparison years ago and found the 2 to be very similar with the Hamilton a bit more white

I don't know anything about the Hamilton SE's but I tried the DE's a few times over the years and I never cared for them, always went back to Phoenix's (on 250w magnetic hqi's). The Hamilton's were too white and not as bright, growth and color seemed to suffer but that was probably my own bias for wasting money on them lol.

I've ran 250w Radium's and 250w Phoexnix's side by side and they were almost identical in color and brightness.

 

[cilyjr]

I don't know anything about the Hamilton SE's but I tried the DE's a few times over the years and I never cared for them, always went back to Phoenix's (on 250w magnetic hqi's). The Hamilton's were too white and not as bright, growth and color seemed to suffer but that was probably my own bias for wasting money on them lol.

I've ran 250w Radium's and 250w Phoexnix's side by side and they were almost identical in color and brightness.

Thanks this is exactly the kind of 1st hand experience I'm looking to hear about. Maybe I'll skip the Hamilton

 

[cilyjr]

I don't know anything about the Hamilton SE's but I tried the DE's a few times over the years and I never cared for them, always went back to Phoenix's (on 250w magnetic hqi's). The Hamilton's were too white and not as bright, growth and color seemed to suffer but that was probably my own bias for wasting money on them lol.

I've ran 250w Radium's and 250w Phoexnix's side by side and they were almost identical in color and brightness.

Thanks this is exactly the kind of 1st hand experience I'm looking to hear about. Maybe I'll skip the Hamilton

 

[mcarroll]

There's plenty of ultra-high-priced gear in this hobby, so I think it's semi-not-right to say that our hobby is no place to save money.

It's no place to be cheap though.

"Cheap" is a mostly price-independent state of mind.

One is a a smart way to buy if you aren't rich, the other is what closes LFS's and drives domestic manufacturers out of business.

One shops used, the other shops amzeon.

Of course there isn't much left in the way of LFS's or local makers by now, so I probably should have been using the past tense.