LED OR MH?

undercontrolj · Mar 29, 2016

so i am getting back in as it seems tp be the way this hobby goes take a break come back..

i am setting up my tank and not sure if mh has been replaced by led and i want to start out with good lights that can help grow coral and not just make rhe colors pop.

suggestions or pros and cons would be nice or brands to use and those to stay away from

thadscottmoore · Mar 29, 2016

I started with MH- Corals grew like crazy, because of heat issues- I decided to give LEDS a try and I swapped to Radion LED- Corals degressed, Swapped to T5- corals looked good, Went back to MH- Corals doing best!

pickupman66 · Mar 30, 2016

Good to see you getting back into the hobby. I have used every type available to this point. While MH is a great light, I seem to have really enjoyed my LED system. I think LED tech has come so far that they do a great job replacing MH. Yes, some are better than others. I use a Reef Radiance Lumentek Pro 240. there are surely better options out there than mine but it works well for me. I think for true SPS, halide may be better, but I get as good of par now as my 250 watt MH did.

NeptuneGarden · Mar 30, 2016

MH Pros: MH offers turn it on and forget it usability with known results
MH Cons: Heat, power usage, heat, bulb replacement cost, and heat.

LED Pros: energy efficient, 1/10th (or less) the heat of a MH, no bulbs to replace
LED Cons: up front cost (quickly offset with bulbs and power savings), requires more know how to setup and operate properly

Enough people have shown that corals can and do grow just as good under either light. It's all about how they are set-up

On a side note I think people compare LED's, MH and T5's unfairly.
LED "arrays" should be compared against T5's, while LED single point lights like the Ecoxtic cannons should be compared against MH's ..... IMHO

undercontrolj · Apr 2, 2016

So do any of them provide growth and color or is it usually just the color?

pickupman66 · Apr 4, 2016

I get good growth on my zoas, LPS and Derasa under LED. I dont have any SPS at this time.

McMullen · Apr 4, 2016

Sun tubes!! Supplemented with LED!

Just throwing something different out there!

Seriously though, my dream tank will be lit with tubes!!

BlueCursor · Apr 4, 2016

If you are starting out go with LED. Once you start and have an established tank, it's hard to change because corals don't like change! Keep in mind LEDs are a focused light source, unlike T5 and MH. So you can easily create very bright spots and darker spots. Many people like to place LEDs up high, unlike with T5s, because they get better results. This is why.

undercontrolj · Apr 4, 2016

Thanks for the input. i think i will stick to the MH and use some LED supplements or something.

fishdoc11 · Apr 5, 2016

I used MH supplemented with VHOs for years and then a MH T5 combo for a couple of years before I got out a few years ago. I have also had tanks with just T5s over them. I have used a less expensive Chinese LED fixture over the 30 gallon I have now for two years. This is just my take but I think it jives with most people's opinion on the subject.
MH pros:
Great growth and color, particularly in SPS. No other lighting is as good at these in acros IMO.
MH drawbacks:
Heat, heat and more heat. Most tanks lit with MH need a chiller although some with just pendants can get away without one. My last tank with MH and T5s missed just needed some fans for evaporative cooling although a chiller would have helped my nerves a little during the warmest summer months.
Uses more energy than LEDs and not controllable at all.
Need to change bulbs once a year.
LED pros:
almost infinitely controllable
Good color on most corals. IME SPS grow quite a bit slower under LEDs but softies and LPS do quite well. Montiporas seem to grow faster than Acros under LEDs IME.
Bulbs on good fixtures last MUCH longer
almost no heat
LED drawbacks:
Don't grow SPS (particularly Acros) nearly as well or fast as MH IME. Some SPS won't color up as well under LEDs as they will under MH.
Cost, nice fixtures are PRICEY.

FWIW most people are leaning toward combined T5 and LED fixtures as the best balance of all those things (but if you aren't a DIY person T5/LED combos can be super pricey as well).

IMO FWIW