Marine land reef capable led

[ray72484]

Are the marine land reef capable led light strip any good. I have a 135 which is 5 ' long, 18" wide, and 30" tall. If they are not good I noticed that they had some on eBay for about 160 a fixture. I do not know the link but if anyone knows what I am talking about could maybe tell me a little about them. If both of these are no good what could I get within the budget of 400 dollars

 

[RaysReef]

For $400 I wouldn't even touch LEDs. I would go 5ft retro T5 for your tank size with your budget. If you are doing just a FOWLR setup the Marineland LEDs would be fine, with corals T5 is a better choice.

 

[swannyson7]

First off, welcome to R2R!

From what I've heard, the Marineland LED is a fairly warm color spectrum (more yellow than the blue that most people prefer in their tanks) and they are inadequate for higher light corals unless kept in a very shallow tank. I'm unfamiliar with the ones you're talking about on Ebay, but I'd be weary of those as well if you're planning on a reef tank. In order to steer you in the right direction, we'll need to know what you're planning to keep in your tank. Also, are you dead set on using LEDs to illuminate your tank? With a $400 budget, you could probably find a used T5 or MH setup that will provide ample light for any corals you desire. HTH

 

[ray72484]

Ok well I was not really wanting any coral. If I was going to put coral it would be just mainly for some color. I would not buy the coral that needs a lot of light knowing that these are not the best led lights. As soon as I can find the link for the ones on eBay I will post it

 

[ray72484]

here is the link to the ebay led lights Aquarium Coral Reef Tank White Blue LED Grow Light 120W | eBay

 

[swannyson7]

I'd steer clear of them. Even though they look similar to several well known LED fixtures, they are not all created equal. With your budget, I'd steer clear of LEDs and look at a T5 or MH setup. While LED prices have come down significantly, a decent unit is still espensive in comparison to other lighting options.

 

[ray72484]

What is exactly the problem with these. I found some t5 fixtures on aquatraders.com. I have also seen some 8 bulb t5 fixtures on ebay. Are those any good. I really don't want a retro fit. I would like to stay with something I can either hang on the canopy or sit on top the tank. What would be good for my budget. Again I am not really in to doing corals.

 

[wld1783]

I'd steer clear of them. Even though they look similar to several well known LED fixtures, they are not all created equal. With your budget, I'd steer clear of LEDs and look at a T5 or MH setup. While LED prices have come down significantly, a decent unit is still espensive in comparison to other lighting options.

+1

For starters you dont know what type of LED your getting. 3 Watt is not an answer....

Most of these fixtures are assembled in China and to save on weight they reduce the Heatsink size. This makes them less expensive as shipping them via DHL is cheaper. The down side to this is if the fans start to fail the fixture will soon follow.

Also there are numerous quality issues like noisy fans, limited thermal management, steel housing, low quality switches, dated LEDs, the list goes on.

LEDs can "be like a box of chocolates sometimes you dont know what you will get".

T5s are a great short term option but long term bulb replacement makes them more expensive. If you stay domestic or DIY you will have a better fixture with less longterm cost.

Bill

 

[ray72484]

What type of t5 fixture could I get that is not retro fit and under 400

 

[pmrossetti]

Tek lights.

 

[Chompers]

Everybody is missing the point of what your needs are. Jump on those lights while you can. They are a good value that you can't beat anywhere. To do better, you will have to buy direct from China, and you will only save about $20 per light.

The facts of the matter are that these are the same lights that some big names are importing, doubling the price, and putting thier name on...and then turning around and trash talking "no-name" Chinese lights.

100% American made lights are going to cost a pretty penny. Semi American made lights are on the market (promoted as American made), and are priced significantly less. They are available with American made Cree bulbs but they are assembled in China. I have also seen them with American made drivers. On the other end of the spectrum is the 100% Chinese lights. The units with the 1W and 3W bulbs do in fact support corals. There are untold numbers of successful tanks with them running. It is typical of the naysayers to never have tried them.

 

[wld1783]

What type of t5 fixture could I get that is not retro fit and under 400

I would go used. Most are trading them out for LEDs. I have an 72" Orbit MH T5 that I cant give away so its being donated to a college.

If you DIY you can do your tank for around $700 which would be a two year payback considering the retail price of T5 bulbs.

Bill