LEDs, discussion.
- Thread starter Wicked Color
- Start date
djkms;140436
A lot of old schoolers are not convinced of LED's yet but if they truly do not work then why are so many hobbyists and companies investing their time and money into the technology?[/QUOTE said:
Agreed! My dad is in the a lighting business that specializes in Arena Lighting but also has dabbled in reef lighting. They are starting to produce and work with new innovative "stadium size" LED platforms and he says the overall demand for LED's has skyrocketed! Their cost effective and not power hungry which is the biggest benefit. In my opinion they are going to be a mainstay in reef keeping for many years to come. LED technology is still in its infancy somewhat but I believe the trendsetters like AI,Ecotech,Maxspect, Kessil and Orphek will continue to push the science of LED tehcnology forward. I truly believe MH and maybe T5's will be replaced by LED in the foreseeable future. The science is there for the most part....but the cost to produce such a innovative technologically advanced product is still high..way too high ! 
lpsouth1978;140666 said:
I have had LED's over my tank for about 8 months now and have had great success. Of course, I also have a mix of blue, royal blue, cool white, neutral white, red, and UV. everything has been growing well and has great color. Here is a current, though not great, pic of the tank taken with my phone.
I think that subpotentloe is on to something with a t5 LED mixed system. now take what i say with a grain of salt cause i have VERy little experience in either t5 or LED i run MH with 2 tru blue t5s but i will be switching to LED and now possibly a t5 LED combo. i think the broader wave length with the intensity of Led would not only produce more growth but the over all look of the tank (color wise) could potenaly be just as customizable as using t5s alone...assuming you can dim you LEDs and are using some different color combos along with t5s. Along with that you would need less LEDs or would run them at a less power there for either saving money or prolonging the life of your LEDs. and as far as power consumption T5s still consume more power then just LEDS but its ALOT less the a MH set up still.
Just my 2cents
Just my 2cents
Ok so there is alot of information on this forum but very little is conclusive, those who have had good success what brand were you running? my MH bulbs are done for and im contiplating switching to LEDs with T5s. http://www.ebay.com/itm/120-Watt-Aqu...item2c5c86e1a1 this is the system a fellow reefer suggested, my plan was to put the two together with a spreader in the middle to make a complete length of 42", and then fit a T5 ballast on both sides, very similar to how current MH/T5 systems are setup. However my tank is looking awesome in my mind and i would be devistated if the LEDs fail to keep my SPS alive. im open to conclusive suggestions IE: you use ____ type of LEDs with great success. I understand the best answer may be a full DIY LED system that uses a bunch of colors, however i dont have time to do something like that. like i said i need to make a decision in the next 24 hours so i can work on getting my MH replaced before my last decent buld goes south.
I am running 72 chinese LED's on a DIY fixture. They are 18 RB, 12 Blue, 18 CW, 18 NW, 3 Red, and 3 UV, all with 60 degree optics. I purchased them from www.satisled.com.
I for one am not having much luck with LEDs compared to my T5s.
The coloration isnt there, growth is minimal depending on the coral, and its hit or miss, some montis are growing steadily a few others not so much. some of my Zoas look washed out. The blue milli frag that I gave to Virgil in my tank is very light blue, in his tank it looks amazing, its a dark "smurf" blue. He has LEDs from a difft manufacturer, maybe there is a slight varient from one LED to another? The LEDs I got were some of the chinese ones, 14K not 20K. I have since added 6 more 10w Royal blue LEDs in hopes of getting things to look right and see if that helps the growth.
I am about to rehang my t5's and see if things start to come back and look the way they are supposed to. Ki was asking me when we were talking to him if I would be willing to do it to see if it makes a difference, I am real close to doing it lol
Years ago when Ki was in the original space McKane had a home made spectrometer, was made out of a thin clear film over a paper towel tube. Would be curious to compare the spectrum of a MH or a T5 system to the LEDs, as well as difft varieties of LEDs. Anyone ever see this contraption or hear of one that you can make ? I tried googling but came up with nothing.
The coloration isnt there, growth is minimal depending on the coral, and its hit or miss, some montis are growing steadily a few others not so much. some of my Zoas look washed out. The blue milli frag that I gave to Virgil in my tank is very light blue, in his tank it looks amazing, its a dark "smurf" blue. He has LEDs from a difft manufacturer, maybe there is a slight varient from one LED to another? The LEDs I got were some of the chinese ones, 14K not 20K. I have since added 6 more 10w Royal blue LEDs in hopes of getting things to look right and see if that helps the growth.
I am about to rehang my t5's and see if things start to come back and look the way they are supposed to. Ki was asking me when we were talking to him if I would be willing to do it to see if it makes a difference, I am real close to doing it lol
Years ago when Ki was in the original space McKane had a home made spectrometer, was made out of a thin clear film over a paper towel tube. Would be curious to compare the spectrum of a MH or a T5 system to the LEDs, as well as difft varieties of LEDs. Anyone ever see this contraption or hear of one that you can make ? I tried googling but came up with nothing.
Dbarnes there are two commercial fixtures that have more than just CW and RB LEDs if you do not have the time for diy. The Maxspect Mazzara and the Ecotech Radion. These are both built so that LEDs can be upgraded or replaced easily like changing a bulb. You could also try picking reefkoi's brain because he lights his corals with his Evolution fixtures.
ProjectX I also had mixed to bad results when I switched from T5 to LED. I lost every SPS in my tank. IMO it is a lot harder to acclimate coral to LED and very easy to cook them because you are so used to the brighter "looking" light of the T5 so you end up turning the LEDS up too high. Try raising the LEDs up really high and bring them down slowly a few days at a time. If you have a diy try adding some regular Blue, Red (sparingly) and UV. You could also try a pair of retro t5s with reflectors in front and behind the LED fixture to see how a combo would work for you. Or I can tell you how its working for me in a couple of weeks because that is what I'm doing.
ProjectX I also had mixed to bad results when I switched from T5 to LED. I lost every SPS in my tank. IMO it is a lot harder to acclimate coral to LED and very easy to cook them because you are so used to the brighter "looking" light of the T5 so you end up turning the LEDS up too high. Try raising the LEDs up really high and bring them down slowly a few days at a time. If you have a diy try adding some regular Blue, Red (sparingly) and UV. You could also try a pair of retro t5s with reflectors in front and behind the LED fixture to see how a combo would work for you. Or I can tell you how its working for me in a couple of weeks because that is what I'm doing.
lpsouth1978 How was your experience with satisled.com?? i am looking at them for at least the LEDs and the heat sinks. i think i will go with meanwells for a dimmable driver...any comments??
I was quite happy with them. I did not use their drivers either, but the LED's have been great. Just be ready for a bit of a wait. It took almost 2 weeks to get everything because they are being shipped from China. I have never ordered their heat sinks either, I usually get mine from www.heatsinksusa.com. They are cheap and ship very fast.