LED question

[Poseidon]

i know ive posted this link before, but i have a different question about it..
the LOT is 4 units, so for under 500$ i would get 4 units.
my question is, could i use just 2 for my main tank, (150 48x24x30)
that way i could use the other two for my frag system, and kill two birds with one stone...

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/120w-led-aquarium-light-55-3w-leds-black-shell-diy-led-aquarium-lights-coral-reef-tank/598790724.html

sry if LED questions are bothering people, feel free not to comment if your annoyed
i dont know much about them but i need to buy a fixture anyways, so if something like this will work well for both my tanks then its worth the price tag.

 

[Duke]

just use the contact seller and tell the guy youll buy 5 if he gives u a deal and put up a new listing for them on there for u, I woud try and use 3 or 4 on the display, its a pretty big tank.

 

[unibob]

Similar to mine, but looks like you have a lot less blue on those units.

 

[AdamS]

I dont think i would even plug that in at my house, please do not waste your money, this is junk.

 

[yveterinarian]

Brandon, this is the one I use.

I know there are a lot of DIY products out there but I really like this one.
http://www.sh-ne.com/eshowshop.asp?/68.html

It can even be used to simulate a thunderstorm if you wish.  Mine is the E7848D-TC version.

 

[Seggsy]

I would make sure you order a dimmable unit (preferably blue and white separate).

 

[chrisstevens]

x2 get the dimmable version,

 

[Poseidon]

well when you sit down at the end of the day it does come down to cost. If i had the money to throw around i would probably TRY out one of the better LED units, but until then im very uneasy about the LEDS.... ive read good performance records and ive encounter lots of people that hate them and find the technology to inexperienced?....

even me posting these lights, it gets disputed and questioned, and adam goes so far as to say he wouldn't even plug them in

... makes me uncomfortable about the whole LED situation....

I will most likely be going with t5 then or a lower wattage metal halide, no greater than 250w.....

the only thing i know for certain now is that im not running the 400w's

 

[unibob]

I think LED technology is good, but obviously you will get better performance from a better built(name brand) light fixture. I get good growth from mine, would it be better if it was name brand yea probably. But remember my tank is only 16" deep compared to 24-30". I run my blues at 100% and whites at 20-35% so I can get the nicer kelvin look. In order for these fixtures to hit the bottom of your tank you would prob need to run both at 100% and it looks really yellow IMO.

 

[AdamS]

I was not kidding about plugging them in. I guarantee they are not CSA or CUL listed, even if they state that they are. These sorts of tests are required by law and are for your safety. I have seen so many videos of cheap china shit melting or exploding.
Please remember, everything below is my opinion, based on experience and some facts, it is debateable.
I disagree with LEDs being inexperienced, this is not true, people are inexperianced. Good quality LEDs are better than any other commercially available lighting technology on the market today in most applications. The problem is still upfront cost, quality costs money up front but saves in the long run. Junk is cheap and costs more in the long run. DO NOT BUY JUNK.  Read the article on advanced aqauriest from oct 31(past all the equation crap), you will see what wavelengths of light you need for your corals, an why junk LEDs dont work.

All that said, i dont know how to grow corals as i have 1 sps, and 5 zoas. I use T5HO lighting because it is economical to buy, reasonable to operate, and provides the wavelengths i need out of the box.

What happened to buying blobs 6 lamp fixture? I thought that was a pretty good deal.

Adam

 

[Duke]

DIY has the potential for much better performance. why not just get a DIY kit, they are cheap and you can light your tank any which way you see fit.

Look at this, if it was me.. i'd consider this my ultimate DIY setup minus automation, if you had more money go with crees but it wont make any difference, these bridgelux LEDS are just as good.
Throw 60 degree optics on them and your ready to rock 30" below the surface. This setup will allow you to run your whites and blues at full and still have amazing color, the red and green dimmer you keep way dimmed down as to just add the slightest amount of color to the tank, and the UV and Violet you leave cranked up to 100% too. This whole setup is below is 385$ before shipping. and you aren't going to light that tank any better for any cheaper than that. You do of course need to make it all work yourself (its really easy), and you need to source something to use as a heatsink or rails, aluminum anything works good, get creative.

aquastyleonline.com

5x Maxwell bigger drivers (3 strings of 20 RB LEDS, 1 string of 20 blue LEDS, and 1 string of 20 white LEDS.)
2x Maxwell Smaller drivers (1 string of 4 UV and 4 Violet LEDS, and 1 string of 4 red and 4 green LEDS)

60 RB LEDS
20 BLUE LEDS
14 10K WHITE LEDS
6 6.5K WHITE LEDS
4 UV LEDS
4 VIOLET ACTINIC LEDS
4 GREEN LEDS
4 RED LEDS

Total Price : 385.00

 

[Poseidon]

I was not kidding about plugging them in. I guarantee they are not CSA or CUL listed, even if they state that they are. These sorts of tests are required by law and are for your safety. I have seen so many videos of cheap china shit melting or exploding.
Please remember, everything below is my opinion, based on experience and some facts, it is debateable.
I disagree with LEDs being inexperienced, this is not true, people are inexperianced. Good quality LEDs are better than any other commercially available lighting technology on the market today in most applications. The problem is still upfront cost, quality costs money up front but saves in the long run. Junk is cheap and costs more in the long run. DO NOT BUY JUNK.  Read the article on advanced aqauriest from oct 31(past all the equation crap), you will see what wavelengths of light you need for your corals, an why junk LEDs dont work.

All that said, i dont know how to grow corals as i have 1 sps, and 5 zoas. I use T5HO lighting because it is economical to buy, reasonable to operate, and provides the wavelengths i need out of the box.

What happened to buying blobs 6 lamp fixture? I thought that was a pretty good deal.

Adam

I want to buy it but I'm not sure 6bulb would be enough... I believe I actually posted that question. I might just get it and see how it works as it is a decent deal.

 

[reeffreak]

I would go more then 6 bulbs on the 120 Brandon you will not regret it

 

[AdamS]

I would try the 6 lamp unit, and go heavy on the actinic spectrum, easy on anything above 500nm. Im pretty sure that 6 bulb unit would be more light than any of the LEDs you have mentioned so far.

Remember that algae grows with light too. Are you running phosphate removal? RO/DI water?

I personally dont have phosphate removal so i sacrifice some coral growth for less algae.

Also, just cause your tank is 30" deep, you dont have to put the corals on the bottom, put them up higher. If budget is a issue, be creative. Think about ongoing costs too!

 

[reeffreak]

As long as your phosphates are in check there shouldn't be much worry about light and Algea. Also 6 bulbs over 120 isn't much. If I could fit another 4 bulbs over my tank I would do it

 

[Poseidon]

Well it's a 150g
Ya I'm running r o water, gfo and bio pellets.

 

[reeffreak]

Should be running rodi you can still run into the same issues with ro water as tap. I thought the tank you just picked up was only 120 ?

 

[Poseidon]

No it's a 150g and I meant rodi.....
The guy said it was a 120g but he had no idea wtf he was talking about.

 

[reeffreak]

Lmao nice always nice getting snigger tank then you thought... Score

 

[reeffreak]

Lmao snigger I meant bigger obviously lol