LEDs. Forever controversial?
- Thread starter TheEngineer
- Start date
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twilliard
Tank pests..
Orphek 
I absolutely love them.
With the switch to the v3+ should be even better! (Coming soon!)
I have my own program made and back when I started using Orphek I used the preset but made my own adjustments to the intensities and schedule that I use now.
I absolutely love them.
With the switch to the v3+ should be even better! (Coming soon!)
I have my own program made and back when I started using Orphek I used the preset but made my own adjustments to the intensities and schedule that I use now.
Fwiw i think the reason LEDs get such a bad rap is because every fixture is completely different. With metal halide and t5 you basically know what youre getting yourself into. I also have a single radion xr30w pro g3 over a 20 gallon breeder/15 gal sump setup and it was bleaching sps at 30%, took some patience and dialing in but once you get it youre golden. Part of the reason I love LED is the light looks so clean and brilliant.
Sanjay uses Radion's
Thle009
Well-Known Member
Any FTS?Orphek
I absolutely love them.
With the switch to the v3+ should be even better! (Coming soon!)
I have my own program made and back when I started using Orphek I used the preset but made my own adjustments to the intensities and schedule that I use now.
vitaliyphoto
Community Member
Corals are no more than people needing a suntan- when they go into the tanning salon t5 lamps give them amazing even tan all around- maybe not as good as natural sunlight, but the next best thing. If you don't mind having brown streaks on lower branches of SPS coral then LED will be just the solution for you. However, if you want every level of coral to be "ignited" then T5 or Halide will do a better job (unless you buy a ridiculous number of fixtures to cover the tank). Simplest fact of the matter is- after running both first and 3rd GEN Radions I am only starting to see full coloration "enveloping" the coral under 2xT5 ATI 4 bulb Sunpower fixtures with 4xCoral Plus and 4x Blue plus bulbs in addition to 4 Gen3 Pro Radions on my 280 wide tank (72x36x27). There are three basic issues with LED that are addressed with both T5 and MH. The softness of light- under harsh light you get harsh shadows, under soft light you have soft shadows, soft shadows mean that light is feathered and diffused in them to still excite pigments. Moreover, there are 2 practical concerns with LEDs in addition to shadowing: Brightness and spectral quality. LEDs make it a bit difficult to view corals under higher ambient light. Arguably it's possible to "turn them up" to brighten up the tank but that usually causes either pastel coloration or partially bleached SPS. T5 and Halide lamps are generally brighter. The last issue is spectral quality. Yes, we can blast corals with 450 nm and sub 420nm light and see all pigments getting excited but are those viewing conditions either natural or pleasant over long term? To truly be able to view the tank a more "complex" spectrum is required. Every photographer is familiar with term "quality of light". It is known that LEDs with their "70% + CRI" can't reproduce all colors correctly or fully. So manufacturers throw in a few "green, red, blue, violet, royal blue" diodes to excite pigments and improve color rendition. The question is: HOW MUCH??? I always notice after T5's go out LEDs doing a lot more "pigment excitation" and a whole lot less true color rendition. To make the long story short: If these issues don't bother you- LEDs will save you money and will color up the exposed tissues to the fullest potential, but if you have an eye for color and detail, if you notice the dead pastel hollowness in photos made under LEDs that you need to go mess with sliders in Photoshop- T5 or MH technology may make you a lot more happy. Just my 2 cents.
