pjr's 135g LED-based tank....

[pjr]

Hi folks... here's a bit on my tank. It's a6 foot x 18" x 24" 135g tank. A mixed reef... acros, montis, chalices big & small, a few leathers, a touch of brains, a smattering of other goodies like gorgonians, and some LPS.

Fish include three pygmy angels, a neon dottyback, two gobies, a maroon clown, and a new small wrasse. Most of the fish have been with me for 5to 7 years, including a 7 year old green brittle star.

Tech wise, I have a Reefkeeper 2, a Tunze 9010 skimmer, a Tunze 6100 and Korilia nano for flow, and a Iwaki 30 return pump.

The interesting part is the lighting! I am using 8 "bulbs" from Sunbrite lighting. Seven of the bulbs (all are 6 foot length) are their 1st and 2nd gen models, which pack 90 LEDs in each foot. The 8th bulb is one of their new 3rd gen models which use higher output devices... about 6 to 7 per foot.

The bulbs are ultra cool and have significantly reduced my energy usage. I have inserted some tank pics below. It's a cool look which my lousy photo skills don't capture very well. It's like everything is in hi-def. Hard to describe.

 

[underwaterfirefighter]

Great looking set up and corals. Some great looking pics as well.

Dave

 

[mevstheworld]

Interested in seeing some pics of your light set up. Nice tank btw. I like the pic with the fish staring you down:wink:

 

[pjr]

Staring me down, waiting for food LOL!

Here's a few light system pics.

Light tubes from top (mix of 1st gen and 2nd gen bulbs)

The optional Timer Pak to operate the bulbs.

A close up of a few 1st gen bulbs:

My cheezy rack to hopld them in the canopy:

Colors -- 440mm, 470mm, 12k (off), 16K, 22K:

 

[Reefstang]

Sweet setup!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Very nice!!!

 

[stunreefer Verified Sponsor]

Pat, what other angel do you have... I only see two

 

[Emoney]

any idea what kinda PAR your getting from those blubs?...I have the same size tank and im running 3 250w MH with 14k bulbs...but love the look of the led's

 

[650-IS350]

Man those colors look sweet and nice pics btw.

 

[mevstheworld]

Thanks for the pics.. Their website says they are $200 a bulb, is this right? How much did the controller run, if you don't mind me asking? Par results would be interesting to see. From the looks of it, they work and look great....

 

[sprinklerdudes]

sweet set up love leds, are you having any good growth from the leds?

 

[pjr]

Pat, what other angel do you have... I only see two

I have the Lemon Peel (2 years), a Bi-Color (5 years), and a Coral Beauty (7 years).

any idea what kinda PAR your getting from those blubs?...I have the same size tank and im running 3 250w MH with 14k bulbs...but love the look of the led's

Right mow, not exactly. In an earlier test with 6 1st gen bulbs, PAR was was somwwhere between 175w and 250w halides. However, there was defects in the 1st Gen actinics that was killing the par.

I have running five 2nd Gen and two 2nd gen (daylight) bulbs for several months, and the performance and growth has been much better.

I just added an 8th bulb, a 470mm actinic with their 3rd gen LEDs, and it's brighter than them all. They have gone to a Cree-based solution. Instead of 90 LEDs per foot, it's 6 to 7 per foot -- but high power LEDs.

QUOTE=650-IS350;383137]Man those colors look sweet and nice pics btw.[/QUOTE]

Thx... I really am not very good with the photography yet. Pics are from a Nikon D50, standard lens, shot in RAW. No special effects, just some cropping, Colors are what you see in real life!

Thanks for the pics.. Their website says they are $200 a bulb, is this right? How much did the controller run, if you don't mind me asking? Par results would be interesting to see. From the looks of it, they work and look great....

The controller is about $100; it's very convenient, but not required. I initially ran them on standard timers just fine. I like the ability to finely tune the on-off sequence with the Timer Pack.

Bulb prices are going up with the new Cree solution. They sent me a note saying that shipping costs, aluminum cases, and the improved power supplies are the main reason.

I hope to get some PAR tests soon.

sweet set up love leds, are you having any good growth from the leds?

The montis (caps, sunset) are growing like weeds... faster than my prior setup (2x250 XM20k on Hamilton ballast, 1x175 Hamilton 14k on PFO ballast). The Hollywood Stunner and Blue Chalice love these lights too! I have just added Acros (2 frags, 2 mini-colonies) back to the tank after some issues late summer (issues were not light related). So far, I am getting decent growth.

 

[Russellaqua]

Beautiful Monti caps! Nice to see a LED-lit tank. Do you have to run a chiller at all? I know LEDs are much cooler.

 

[pjr]

No chiller, no fans. In the summer, having the air on in the house was a requirement during the summer with my halides. Now, even with the AC off on a warm day, the highest my tank reached last summer was 80.5.