LED Lighting for LPS

[Owen22]

I am starting to plan out my aquarium and would like to make the correct lighting choice.
I really like the idea of LED light from running cost perspective and heat generation. Also, love the way the Ecotech, and Kessil replicate the MH shimmer.
Are LED's overkill for an LPS dominated tank?


Tank dimensions
L36xW22xH22
OR
L36xW24xH22


Lighting question
1) EcoTech Marine Radio G4 Pro LED light
2) Kessil A360WE
3) ReefLED90 lighting that comes with the RedSea aquarium packages

I still have a bit of research to do on the corals, but my preliminary LPS list is as follows:
LPS Coral List:

Euphyllia (Hammer)

Euphyllia (Branching Frogspawn)

Scolymia

Goniapora

Acanthastrea

Favia

Pavona

Fungia

Mycedium Colony

Stylocoeniella?

Caulastrea

Blastomussa

Leptastrea?

Trachyphyllia

Lobophyllia

Softies:
Zoanthids, Rhodactus, Discosoma, Pulsing Xenia

 

[Ron Reefman]

A good led fixture will pay you back in time and make your corals look great. If you are fixed on those 2 leds, I'd take the Radion. I'm assuming you'll get 2 fixtures for a 36" tank?

You might also look at the Reefi Duo fixture. The parts are Chinese (aren't all of them these days?) but the owner of the company assembles them and he's in Oregon. So far they have had very good reviews. They should provide good shimmer as well.

I use Reef Breeder Photons V2+. Made as well as the best, as good or better looking, all the same features (dimming, sunrise/sunset, moon lighting, 6 channel color control). But they will shimmer less... but the big plus is they cost a lot less and cover the tank better (their 32" will cover it all).

 

[mmorriso]

I have 3 ReefLED 90's over a Reefer 525XL. They are great lights for a first time reefer as I believe it is very hard to go wrong as long as you buy your lights according to RedSea's recommendation for your tank size. They have respectable shimmer and colour blending, especially considering the price point.

Compared to the other lights you listed, I believe the ReefLED is on the lower end of the cost spectrum. I have all of the species of coral that you've listed and they grow just fine, I've not had any issues at all with any LPS or soft corals.

On the other hand, if you think that you will ever try your hand at SPS, consider other fixtures. I have not had much luck with SPS anywhere but directly beneath my fixtures, quite high up in the tank. I'm currently considering whether I supplement with T5's or upgrade to a more powerful fixture, potentially 4 puck Hydra's or Radion's. I understand that RedSea provides many examples of successful SPS tanks using ReefLED's, however this has not been my experience.

 

[Owen22]

Thanks for the input.

I am leaning towards the Radion lights, just wanted to make sure I wasn't going overboard. I think the first 1-2 years of the tank will be focused on LPS and some soft corals. I would like to have 1 or 2 showpiece SPS's when the tank is matured but it would not be the primary focus.

I still have several more months to waffle back and forth on this decision. Guess it's another excuse to lurk on the board and looks at other peoples tanks.

 

[DSC reef]

All of those lights are great choices and many others will grow LPS just fine. My advice is too try and see these lights setup on a tank in person and choose the one that looks pleasing to the eye as your the one that has to look at it. Don't buy an led because someone said it grew coral better than xyz, they all grow coral. For instance, I can't stand how radions look when lighting a tank but the kessils look amazing to me because I like shimmer. Some can't do kessil because the shimmer is to much them. Good luck on your choices.

 

[William Robinson]

Just a small observation here. I has a SPS frag that is 12" below the surface, light is on the stock mount and since putting it under this lighting the color has become much deeper and more rich in a matter of about a week as compared to when I purchased it. We'll see if it begins to thrive and grow.