thinking change.......

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

ok so right now I'm running leds on my tank
nothing growing very well and I loose corals...
torch frogspawn and hammers last little while but wither away

leds are diy
am thinking on switching to T5's
am wondering if a 48" 4 tube would be enough??
tank is 6' long and 2' deep by 18" wide so I think the widest I can go it a 4 tube fixture
am thinking about 2 Actinic's and 2 purple coral bulbs

I would like to get afew SPS and maybe a clam.......
but really like LPS

thoughts????
thanks

Ineedhelp · Feb 9, 2017

I cant speak for the t5's but I can say I went the cheap route with LED and it hurt me so bad, should of just put th emoney into a good set however, ar bank account only goes so far and we do what we have to do....

redfishbluefish · Feb 9, 2017

I run all LED's and have no problem growing anything and everything.

Tell us about your DIY LED fixture....number and kind of LED's, watts of each, etc. By chance do you have PAR on your fixture?

I originally ran T5's and also had an 18 inch wide tank....ran 6 bulbs that were overdriven with IceCap ballasts. I don't think four would be enough for your tank....or just barely.

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

I think there 3w each......
i'll try and find the sight I got them from...

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

Ineedhelp said:
I cant speak for the t5's but I can say I went the cheap route with LED and it hurt me so bad, should of just put th emoney into a good set however, ar bank account only goes so far and we do what we have to do....

I sooooooo agree

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/120-Bridgelux-LED-Controller-DIY-kit.html
this is the same with afew changes....
mines older unit.....
I'd have to count on how many white blue purple and reds I have in it........

redfishbluefish · Feb 9, 2017

You do have more than one kit? 40 LED's over a six foot tank is way, way too few. I'm thinking four of these kits would work well on a six foot tank......might be able to squeak by with three kits.

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

1 x 70 LEDs Controller DIY kit
(LED Color Options: 21white28blue7violet7pink7cyan, Optics: 80 degree)
this is the one I have

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 9, 2017

Led's by no means are created equal.

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

redfishbluefish said:
You do have more than one kit? 40 LED's over a six foot tank is way, way too few. I'm thinking four of these kits would work well on a six foot tank......might be able to squeak by with three kits.

outch.........

I have the 70 led kit
they did not offer the 120 kit when I ordered...
the 70 was largest they had at time

redfishbluefish · Feb 9, 2017

tgp4274 said:
1 x 70 LEDs Controller DIY kit
(LED Color Options: 21white28blue7violet7pink7cyan, Optics: 80 degree)
this is the one I have

That seems awfully lite. It would be great if you could get a PAR meter under those. For comparison, I originally had 110 3W LED's over my five foot tank (running 100%), and felt it wasn't quite enough, and have since added another 55 LED's for a total of 165....note that they are now not running at 100%.

pdt7361 · Feb 9, 2017

I have a 48" 4 bulb T5 over my standard 90g (4ft) and it wasn't enough...added an LED strip to the T5. If you are only going to do a 4 bulb T5, then I'd suggest you also work your LEDs into it...maybe a strip of LEDs on each side.

tgp4274 · Feb 9, 2017

pdt7361 said:
I'd suggest you also work your LEDs into it...maybe a strip of LEDs on each side.

I'm thinking about it now.........
I could alternate the white and blues.....

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 9, 2017

If its a strip put t5's on the side. All the cool kids are doing it now.

Shaddow_wolf169 · Feb 9, 2017

My 6ft led strip has 180 .5 watt less have not had any issues growing lps coral or softies it cost 79 buck. Corals are 2 months and growing. Full spectrum and moon light

Roy 9121 · Feb 9, 2017

I tried the cheap Chinese LEDs also, waste of money and only lasted a year before the whites went out. I sucked it up and bought an AI hydra 52, it works great and i can grow anything. No problems.

tgp4274 · Feb 13, 2017

so the led's are on a strip of alum 6" wide by 5' long and tanks is 18" wide by 6' long
think it would help if I added 2 48"Actinic t5's?????

Germ42 · Feb 13, 2017

Yeah I have to agreed, over my 4ft 120 I had two Hydra 26s and my coral was suffering, then I took the two 26s and put them together and got a Hydra 52 so I basically have two Hydra 52s and my tank has completely changed, I don't even have to run them anything over 70% and have tons of SPS now, no problems, lighting to me is so important and you have to make sure your tank is filled with good quality light

tgp4274 · Feb 14, 2017

saltyfilmfolks · Feb 14, 2017

tgp4274 said:
so the led's are on a strip of alum 6" wide by 5' long and tanks is 18" wide by 6' long
think it would help if I added 2 48"Actinic t5's?????

no. depending on how much light the leds put out, id say no. DO you know the par at the top of the tank? You do have to consider the heith the t5s will be mounted at as well.
you be better off looking at a higher par bulb I believe and mount them to the full length of the tank. I would look at a blue plus or coral plus in ati bulbs.

keep heith and and reflector in mind as you get reviews as well. I had 4 t5 retro kit on my standard 55 and it was amazing. but it was mounted 6 or 8in in above the tank with decent reflectors and very good ballasts.