Lighting For 180g

[Jewel]

I've kept a 400 DE Pendant for the future as well.

 

[EricTMah]

Well we both know that T5's and MH's are proven

I'm just defending LED's

 

[barebottomcouple]

I have a 72 inch tank and use 2 3 foot fixtures more manageable I dumped my leds, back to t5's and halides no need of halides for fowlr with leds my Coralline also declined and coral growth slowed. just my experience-before I get attacked I bought sps's from reefkeeper420 on jan 20 2014 and they have already grown over 1/4 inch in less than 30 days. I think you would be good with t-5's

 

[Jewel]

I dumped my LEDs as well, Kept my 3ft Guissmann Reflexx and I have a 400 Pendant, but with the Pendant you need a canopy of some sort because of light spillage. I don't pay my hydro so that's a plus. Maybe LEDs are the future but they are pricey, atleast the good ones anyway. Building one your self would be nice but I'm not up on all that stuff.

 

[SamB]

I exclusively use KESSIL A360 W's and my corals are growing very well and I have full spectrum adjustability plus brilliant shimmer

 

[Hozer]

PM Sent

 

[Kman]

Jewel for your previous comment about the Coraline algae. You might have baked the Coraline algae when you switched from T5 and ramped up to fast. The LED are way more powerful then people expect, i was sure surprised. I was always a die hard MH guy and I had corals under 250 watt MH and when i switched to LED i had to turn them down. It takes time for corals like the SPS to adjust and at first they didn't like it. If Adamo plans to get corals down the road i would look at LED as an option. You really don't want to have to buy new lights just because it was not planned out the first time properly. When looking at lights you should also factor in extra costs like bulb replacement, energy consumption and possible options you might do down the road. I myself would not want to be paying for a bank of replacement T5 bulb for a fish only tank. Yes MH work but i will not go back to those heat producing energy eating bulbs. I would say LED for sure.

 

[reef keeper]

I did the Led experiment. For lps and softies they work. You need way more of them than you think. And I sure don't understand the whole "had to turn them down" thing. Mine were running at 90%. And the sps weren't too happy

 

[EricTMah]

There are so many ways tp do thing in this hobby. There is no "one right way" to do things.

Lets just agree to disagree.

You didn't have luck with leds. I have.

Choose the lighting that best works for you and your budget. That's the best way to choose equipment in this hobby.

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[reef keeper]

I sure didn't, and I know a lot of people that switched back to MH. Maybe for a shallower tank it might work. You definitely need more LED than they recommend, sometimes double. I would have needed 6-8 radions to cover my 72x18w x 29 h 150. 6x$700 for radion.... I don't see much savings there lol. I'm glad it's working for you.

 

[barebottomcouple]

There are so many ways tp do thing in this hobby. There is no "one right way" to do things.

Lets just agree to disagree.

You didn't have luck with leds. I have.

Choose the lighting that best works for you and your budget. That's the best way to choose equipment in this hobby.

Sent from my Z30 using Tapatalk 2

your 110% right if your system works and healthy then no one has the right to say your Wrong this hobby is as diverse as the oceans our occupants come from. I have had no luck with leds but have seen others that they work great for them ... my experience and tank work amazing with the halides

 

[kapelan]

I sure didn't, and I know a lot of people that switched back to MH. Maybe for a shallower tank it might work. You definitely need more LED than they recommend, sometimes double. I would have needed 6-8 radions to cover my 72x18w x 29 h 150. 6x$700 for radion.... I don't see much savings there lol. I'm glad it's working for you.

6x$700 that's a lot. I switch to DIY LEDs - no way will go back.
From any store they are trying to convince a customer that this lightning fixture is the best. But when you look at documentation - immediately can see problem with lightning fixture. For example:
1. Usually light has not enough blue, with DIY we can assemble any spectrum.
2. They are saying LEDs are more efficient then t5 or MH - that is simply lie.
If corals works good with 500W MH -we should replace it with 500W LEDs.
That's would be equivalent.

 

[Kman]

I did the Led experiment. For lps and softies they work. You need way more of them than you think. And I sure don't understand the whole "had to turn them down" thing. Mine were running at 90%. And the sps weren't too happy

What I meant by turn them down is mine have color that you can set and the intensity level (how bright they were). I had to turn the intensity down and adjust how much color i used.

90% when switching to LED is way to high till they adjust it should be closer to 60%. That is like going from T5 bulbs to 250 watt MH and putting them right at the top. They are not going to like it. Even now after a year i have not gone back up above 75% intensity. I set my levels as well at first at 90% and they didn't like it. How long did you give your corals time to adapt? How long did you try the LED before switching back? I am sure some people they just don't work well for so i am just wondering.

I find and I was guilty of this myself when I first got them, is people underestimate the LED and the different wave length they are and jump up to fast in light intensity/ color change. I though to myself I am coming from MH they can take it at full. LED are completely different light source and corals need time to adjust to them.

Some people don't do well with the LED because they don't give the corals and more importantly the photosynthetic algae within them time to adapt to the change in light spectrum. Others they just don't work. The corals that were under MH for a long time defiantly took time to adjust. The growth slowed and the color dulled for 4 months at least. But when they adapted they colored up better than ever and the growth rate is better than it ever was for me.

With that being said LED are not for everyone. It all comes down to personal preference.

 

[Kman]

6x$700 that's a lot. I switch to DIY LEDs - no way will go back.
From any store they are trying to convince a customer that this lightning fixture is the best. But when you look at documentation - immediately can see problem with lightning fixture. For example:
1. Usually light has not enough blue, with DIY we can assemble any spectrum.
2. They are saying LEDs are more efficient then t5 or MH - that is simply lie.
If corals works good with 500W MH -we should replace it with 500W LEDs.
That's would be equivalent.

For me the equal amount doesn't apply. I will break it down.

I had 250 watt MH pendants and 4 X 40 watt Actinic T5 on my DT. For a 180 gallon if you factor in three MH @ 750 watts + 4 T5 that is 910 watts of lighting. I now use 3X 135 watt LED that is 405 watts on my DT.

No bulb replacement cost for years and i cut my energy consumption in half. I get better growth and color then i ever did. I can even program on the fly from my phone and dim them. Something my MH could not do.

 

[kapelan]

For me the equal amount doesn't apply. I will break it down.

I had 250 watt MH pendants and 4 X 40 watt Actinic T5 on my DT. For a 180 gallon if you factor in three MH @ 750 watts + 4 T5 that is 910 watts of lighting. I now use 3X 135 watt LED that is 405 watts on my DT.

No bulb replacement cost for years and i cut my energy consumption in half. I get better growth and color then i ever did. I can even program on the fly from my phone and dim them. Something my MH could not do.

You have full set .
MH - provide full spectrum
T5 - Actinic move the spectrum to UF area that promote coral grow.
LED- allows to adjust the color to make it nice for human and adjust it precisely for coral.
That's probably the best.

 

[reef keeper]

I gave it a year and started at 50%. Tried different lighting colours, intensity everything. Personally I think they are fine for LPS and softies. Not for a deep sps reef

 

[Kman]

I gave it a year and started at 50%. Tried different lighting colours, intensity everything. Personally I think they are fine for LPS and softies. Not for a deep sps reef

At least you gave it a shot.

 

[EricTMah]

I find most people (Not saying you reef keeper) play with their LED's way too much for the settings. People are mostly impatient. They only give a few weeks and change settings. We all know in this hobby that slow and steady wins the race. Especially when it comes to sps.

When constantly changing settings and not allowing your corals to adjust properly will never yield good results. We all know that lps and softies are a lot more forgiving.

I've read about too many people saying that LED's are no good for growing sps. I beg to differ, and I know a few members here would agree with me.

But like I said before. There are so many ways to be successful in this hobby. Sometimes the choice of T5's or MH's are better for people who constantly like to tinker with their tanks. Less options equals more stability which in turn yields better results.

Just my 2 cents.

I defend LED's because I was once skeptical. But now that I've had them for over 2 years with success. I will never go back to MH's or T5's

 

[reef keeper]

You certainly seem to be the exception Eric. I changed colour modes a couple times.even coral directly under the lights didn't do much. I think that highly successful sps tanks under
LED are definitely the exception. I've spoke. To 10 people who switched back from LED but they won't talk about it on forums because of the backlash and comments they get.

 

[EricTMah]

To each their own.

This discussion is just going back and forth now.

Good luck with your new lighting set up. I'm sure you'll love it.


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