Led's want to

[RogerWilco357]

Well want to go led's and went from metal halides which was hard to do to T5's ATI Powermodule 10x54watt yes the colors are awesome and the corals love em growing hasn't been better and yes the heat is no longer an issue like with metals but the electric bill is still a bit too much. Now I have alot of vortech pumps and thinking of going with the Radions but now i hear that the Vega's are going to be the top dog and not sure what to do what would you suggest wait and see what happens or ? any input will be appreciated.
Roger

 

[Steelerfan747]

I think you should wait they look cool and look to be cheaper then the radions

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[RogerWilco357]

yeah they do seem to offer alot i started a thread asking how many people where changing over and from what led unit , since i have seen alot of people selling their led units lately but it seems no one wants to come fourth lol..

 

[Poseidon]

I just bought an LED fixture from another vendor, it is not the Radion or an AI unit. So far, I like it.... I like the look over the T5 unit that I made before, and I REALLY like the wattage, advertised at 88W vs the 6 OD T5's I had before, pulling 480W!!!! YIKES!

Now, I have NO experience with LED and coral growth first hand, but I can tell you in about 6 months. I do really like the Radion though, I like the control, I like the color, I like the software... I just couldn't get to the price point. Vortec's are on my short list too, so there was large incentive to pull it all together, heck there still is. I hear through the rumor mill that Ecotech is building an "improved" version that is due out soon.

 

[Pappy]

Diy

 

[Poseidon]

DIY has to meet Wife Approval Factor for many/most, and as the price of fixtures comes down, it will make more and more sense to buy a fixture over build one. I am a huge DIY fan too, but the cost of my own time has to figure in, as does the fit and finish of the product.

 

[djmatteo]

I am going from a DIY LED Cree system to 3 fixtures from china (alibaba). I am switching because I dont have enough bulbs, I am not DIY enough to upgrade and I had great success with chinese fixtures over my 55. I went three fixtures with a white/blue/uv/violet/moonlight configuarion with dimmers. All 3 cost my about 600 bucks. A lot of china fixtures are actually good quality with great features if you are willing to spend a bit more.

Depending on what you actually are growing there are a LOT of options out there, close to a USA commercial fixture a lot of ppl have been buying from china is the Nova A4, worth checking out. Also can get the apollo units and several other units. I might be a slight fanboy of buying 3 fixtures for the price of one. Will share pictures of my units when they arrive.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

When you choose a fixture look at the details...Heatsink, fan, type of driver, type of LEDs.

The right combo of these details is very important. Some Chinese fixtures got it right others like Eshine or its clones found on EBay have a lot to be desired in quality and performance.

Fixtures like the Radion most definitively got it right but with only 34 LEDs, $750 is a hefty price tag.

If you DIY you can control all the details and create a fixture that out preforms the top of the line factory fixtures.

The latest Cree XT-E LED is currently the industry leader. These are available in DIY Kits from several vendors. It will take a while for the manufacturers to catch up and when they do DIY will have the next generation available before they are offered in completed fixtures.

Bill

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

When you choose a fixture look at the details...Heatsink, fan, type of driver, type of LEDs.

The right combo of these details is very important. Some Chinese fixtures got it right others like Eshine or its clones found on EBay have a lot to be desired in quality and performance.

Fixtures like the Radion most definitively got it right but with only 34 LEDs, $750 is a hefty price tag.

If you DIY you can control all the details and create a fixture that out preforms the top of the line factory fixtures.

The latest Cree XT-E LED is currently the industry leader. These are available in DIY Kits from several vendors. It will take a while for the manufacturers to catch up and when they do DIY will have the next generation available before they are offered in completed fixtures.

Bill

Bill, his fixture has a full heatsink. I agree with teh XT-E series, we just can't get the chinese companies to order the newest ones out there. The new and improved radion will still be way overpriced, you can get a 4 channel controller for $80, computer interface is fun, but $750 fun? You can buy I believe 2-3 times as many LEDs for $750

 

[ReefLEDLights]

anemonekeeper

Thats good to hear.

+1

I've talked to numerous Chinese companies and was very disappointed as they are incapable of providing the latest LEDs like AI or EcoTech. They still are set on the inefficient 1 & 2 Watt LEDs

Bill

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

anemonekeeper

Thats good to hear.

+1

I've talked to numerous Chinese companies and was very disappointed as they are incapable of providing the latest LEDs like AI or EcoTech. They still are set on the inefficient 1 & 2 Watt LEDs

Bill

A lot of the companies build junk, you need to test a bunch out before you find a good one. Heatsinks are not always necessary, an aluminum plate will suffice, so long as it has constant airflow, however a sink is more efficient