My 125 build LED fiasco

[specialk]

Saltwater genius's ... always a pleasure chatting with you all. Learning. stressing. learning. growing. learning... well you get the idea and have been there many times before. lol. So I have a 90 gallon but moving into a 125. 72 long. Currently have t5's and metal halides on my 90. Want to make the jump to LED's as I have been mulling it over for some time, reading researching on what is better and all that ... everyone has a different opinion so I'm just gonna go with what I want to do, and that is LEDS (hmm.. maybe the wrong choice depending on the LEDS I'm wondering about) My 125 will be made up of about 20-25% sps and the rest lps. I may add more sps as I go so the ability to grow them is obviously on my mind when I am thinking this thru and obviously since I am going to get rid of the halides. I am currently, this will change in about 3 months, not in the market to drop $1,000 on a bad *** set of A1's or anything THAT high end .. although that MAY be a direction I go later on. Some of the reviews I have done online and have come across lead me to think the following lights may be good for what I am trying to do. However, I am at the mercy of all your vast knowledge and where-withal and I am totally coachable here. I am hoping to masters can guide me into the right direction. I do like the price on these and from what I hear and read (I may be reading BS) these would be a good choice. Am I wrong...? I welcome your thoughts ... :mod: Amazon.com: TaoTronics® 120w Dimmable Led Aquarium Lights Aquarium Hoods Led Reef Light for Coral Fish Seaweed TT-AL09(3w/Led, Blue/White Ratio- 28:27; Two-Year Warranty): Pet Supplies

 

[dendroman]

SPS need alot of light flow and stablity is key so that being said you cant beat MH

 

[specialk]

Yah I was afraid that was going to be said -- I often hear that YES you can still grow sps with LED but as soon as I hear that someone gives me an argument the other way. I have seen tanks with new growth on sps (a few LFS around here) but I am not sure the model and light they have -- obviously high high end.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

I have had excellent results with LEDs and SPS.

I tested the PAR of the fixture your considering and its about the same as a 175 watt MH. You would need two to replace a 400 watt MH and the quality is questionable. You more often than not get what you pay for.

A quality LED fixture will pay for itself in a couple years then keep on going and most are controllable/dimmable.

The operating costs of a 400 watt MH at $.12 KWH for 12 hours is $210 a year were a Quality LED Fixture capable of producing the same or greater PAR than a 400 watt MH is only $62 a year toss in an annual bulb replacement of $90 with shipping that expensive $600 LED fixture pays for itself in two years. This is not adding extra electrical for air conditioning a hot room or the cost of a chiller.

Here are some pics from a local reefer who replaced his 1000 watt MHs about a year ago with Cree LEDs and will not go back.

Bill

 

[1.0reef]

DIY is a great, cheap option. On your tank Evil clusters would be great!

 

[Reefing Madness]

@ specialk. Those LEDs your looking at don't have any optics on them, I'd not run em in anything but a FOWLR. Now, if you come across the ones with those lenses, then I'd jump in on that one. Because the cost on those is nice.

 

[specialk]

Yah the reason I was going to consider them, is because I was doing a google search on lights, and I came across some review to which it said and documented the coral growth with these lights. In this "documentation" there was a lot of growth with most of the lps and some of the sps. So it made me look into these lights. I looked into them and the reviews on such sights as amazon were all good (which hey what works for one may not work for another) but I do not want to spend $ on something that may not give me what I want -- obviously--- soooo is there a better option other then these >??? (DIY??) or should I just hold off and spend the money and get a top shelf LED system>? I am at the mercy of you all.... lol

 

[ReefLEDLights]

Yah the reason I was going to consider them, is because I was doing a google search on lights, and I came across some review to which it said and documented the coral growth with these lights. In this "documentation" there was a lot of growth with most of the lps and some of the sps. So it made me look into these lights. I looked into them and the reviews on such sights as amazon were all good (which hey what works for one may not work for another) but I do not want to spend $ on something that may not give me what I want -- obviously--- soooo is there a better option other then these >??? (DIY??) or should I just hold off and spend the money and get a top shelf LED system>? I am at the mercy of you all.... lol

I would put the best over my tank as in skimmers and pumps you do get what your pay for.

DIY gives you the flexibility to use the best parts.

As far as internet info

[video=youtube;v_CgPsGY5Mw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_CgPsGY5Mw[/video]

For the record I use USAA

Bill

 

[CoryC]

i wouldnt put much stock in an amazon review of LED lights, many are fraudulent. I'd come here and do as you are and ask opinions on lights. you want a good quality, preferrably dimmable LED with some solid name brand diodes. Cree, Osram, something. there's a sponsor here that has good ones. the problems people run into when switching to LEDs is either not acclimating correctly, or incorrect color temps. (a 20k radium is not the same as 20k on an LED fixture. usually those are coatings that wear off fairly quickly, or elements that change color also quickly. just because you have MH doesnt mean you have to have to immidiately start blasting your corals like MH would after switching to LEDs. LED lights are more focused and corals take time to adjust to that, just like t5s have a diffused light that is more soft but you add bulbs for intensity. There is no debate that LEDs (quality) can grow just about any coral and can do it well. the trick is in understand that the are a different type of light and making the adequate adjustments. best of luck to you, once you go LED you wont go back, as long as you move slow and keep these things in mind. ReefBreeders is a great brand and there is another sponsor here with a good light that eludes me.

 

[CrazyEyes]

DIY is a great, cheap option. On your tank Evil clusters would be great!

Yes, what he said. A diy EvilCluster style LED light will be great.

 

[Ron Reefman]

In order of use I have used Eco Tech Radions, TaoTronics, SunSun, EverGrow and OceanRevive leds over the past 18 months. My frag tank had the Radion, really good light, to complicated to use as you need a computer and they are over pticed IMHO... but good light and my corals (mostly sps did fine). The TaoTronics was a disaster. No lenses, loud fans and leds started to burn out. So I got EverGrow D120's for both my frag tank (1) and my QT (1). I liked them a lot, but since I couldn't get the group buy prices again for 1 more fixture, I got a SunSun that looks EXACTLY the same... on the outside. PAR was 60% of what the EverGrow was and again, loud fans. So I tried an OceanRevive Arctic S026. Good light, slim case is way more modern looking, runs even cooler than the EverGrow, came with upgraded hanging kit, is dead quiet and has way less 'glare' when you look at it (especially in a dim or dark room). So I got 2 more for my QT. I've had them 4 months not and they have run perfectly and my corals like them as much as I do. So I'd say Radions at $750, EverGrow D120's at $160 or OceanRevive Arctic S026's at $175. My personal opinion is you are crazy if you don't pay the same premium and get the Arctic S026. Of course you are even crazier if you pay $750 for a Radion... it's a good light, but not that good!

So for your 6' tank I'd do 3 or 4 Arctic S026's or D120's. If you want the sunrise and sunset control, EverGrow IT2080's. I have had 2 of them over my 180g DT for 9 months now running 24/7 (moonlights and full daylight). You can get the OR Arctic S026 and/or the EverGrow fixtures at:

]Aquarium LED_OCEANREVIVE LED



Here it is with the lights showing:



Here is the frag tank with the Arctic S026. Notice the lack of 'glare' even though the camera can almost see the leds!

[/URL]

 

[specialk]

Awesome awesome info ... thanks a ton. Yah I have some things to figure out then on which route I want to go, but I am thinking the DIY would be a good option, although Reefman those are some good lights you also brought to my attention as well. I am def glad I did not pull the trigger and get those lights.. .Im sticking with you all for all I do !! And btw.. that commercial ---> STELLAR! Point well received! I want to make sure if I am going to do it I do it right and get the best possible quality I can!