My growth under LED

[Vdubjetta01]

Hi all I am in search of a question that just ends up being a big mess. But I am wondering about the growth under my LED's vs if I were to get T5's.

The growth that I've noticed under my 150 watt evo led with dimmers has been sub par at best I have a shallow 40 gallon long I guess. I've been using led's almost since I got into reefing, but I've had 1 coral almost since the beginning of my journey a year ago a yellow tipped torch that I bought from aqua mart in the $10 section. It's base has gotten fatter but no branches not very much taller if at all good polyp extension but that's all. I dose alk everyday and calcium every other to keep at 10dkh and around 440 for my lps dominated tank. All levels are in check am I just expecting too much in a short time period or could the lights really help?

 

[Blindrage]

Every time this question comes up there are a million different answers. Here is what I think I have boiled things down too after reading 1000s of posts on this very subject.

In general, corals will grow under any lighting type, as long as the specific light can provide enough PAR.

A very few corals seem to like a specific light type over another, but what corals like what lights seem to vary based on who is writing the post.

The one truth I could find is that you should take your time when changing between lighting types.

Good luck with your search for the ultimate truth in reefing.

 

[Vdubjetta01]

I know I know and I don't want to start fights but I'm not bashing my led's I know my lights can sustain anything I put under them but is that all? My par is around 550 4" below the water and high 280's on my sand bed and I believe to have more deep water stuff so I keep it more blue what's the formula y+x=z?

 

[jda123]

Spectrum is more important than PAR IMO. In your search for answers, I might suggest that you also evaluate how spectrum plays into things... both lack of good spectrum and too much bad spectrum (spikes in most white LEDs).

In a year, it is not unreasonable to have a branching LPS, like a torch, go from 2 or 3 to 20-50 heads under good conditions. I have a 5 headed candy cane that now has about 150 heads, but those grow freakishly fast.

 

[sethsolomon]

Spectrum is more important than PAR IMO.

+1 to spectrum. I built my own LED's to try and hit a full spectrum and the growth was pretty good but just not as good as halides. My personal opinion is that the Chinese LEDs are not quite there yet to maximize your growth. Give it another year and LED technology will possibly comparable to halides.


And my suggestion is swap back to t5's and add blue accent strips to get that LED look(If you still have the t5 fixture). If not I would get yourself either a 250w halide pendant or 2x 150w halide clip on lights. the single 250w will be more appropriately priced though and save you some money to get LED accent lights.

Side Tangent: Reef appliable dimable plasma lights coming out in March!!!!! http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1051430234/sunstream-400-a-plasma-grow-light-for-everyone I already pledged to get 3 of these lights

 

[jda123]

My somewhat last thoughts on this since I have very strong opinions that I don't want to sway your thoughts. Don't sweat PAR - the meters that are available to us are not great and overemphasize some spectrum and don't emphasize enough of others... seriously, don't sweat this AT ALL. When reading reviews or opinions of lights throw away anything from anybody that is selling anything, or who has friends that are selling something - this includes the LFS. Additionally, display tanks are displays to sell stuff, not a showcase on how to keep a reef in your home - the people with the displays have different goals than you do. Lastly, pay attention to the experience level of the person making the recommendations - I might suggest that you trust somebody who keeps what you want to keep and has a mature tank (preferably with a few past tanks with some depth and breath of experience) and not a tank full of frags that were just mounted and has been in the hobby for 2 months and opine that whatever lights they are using are the "best ever." Most people with a critical mass of breath and depth of experience will typically tend to gravitate together for certain types of coral and those are good places to get advice.

Most importantly, go and see some stuff with your own eyes, if you have not. Pictures on the internet are a horrible way to get advice or experience - I call these people the Bio Cube Generation who know everything that there is to know about reefing from keeping a tank online, but have not gotten out to see and experience anything and have little to offer in reality. You will have the most success and be able to make the best decisions if you get out and see some stuff. ...and you can make tons of friends to trade stuff with and tank-sit when you go out of town.

 

[Vdubjetta01]

Wow thanks guys. I like your perspective on how to look at these, this is what I was leaning toward because from all that I've read about t5's. What I've come up with time and time again was related to spectrum and finding that they used x bulb in relation with 2 of x bulb and used another x bulb and so forth to create the correct spectrum but I'll admit that my noobness has led me to believe that it was all about the par and that t5's didn't penetrate the water as well for deep tanks (which I don't have anyway) so in turn I guess I'll trade up my led's and start looking into a good 36" t5 unit and get a good combo of bulbs to make a good spectrum.

 

[jda123]

Don't stop your search at T5. There are other high quality lights out there could do just as well, if not better. I might suggest that you do a comprehensive search.

 

[Andrew_bram]

I run t5 on a 31 inch deep tank and I can grow sps on the sand bed.