LED Lighting

M

mtraylor

Well, I have read allot and heard allot about LED lighting and I think I'm going to make the plunge. I currently have a 255 gallon rimless mixed reef with 3 x400W Radium MH bulbs and two 72" super actinic bulbs over top. I'm thinking of starting the switchover with either 3 Ecotech Radion fixtures or 3 Aqua Illuminations. Has anyone made similar transition and any input is invited. I'm not sure I want to make my own, but I'm listening.

thanks
 
I dont think three of either the AI or the Radion will be enough, Probably going to need a minimum of six.
 
I agree I had 4 x ai sol blue on my 150 48Lx30Wx24H I eventually went back to mh


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You will need at least 5-6 AI sol lights and 4-5 radions but the AI sol lights are much better than the radions! You will love the LEDS your corals never looked better and never grew faster trust me you won't go back to crappy outdated MH or outdated crappy T5s
 
@silveradobobby wrote:
You will need at least 5-6 AI sol lights and 4-5 radions but the AI sol lights are much better than the radions! You will love the LEDS your corals never looked better and never grew faster trust me you won't go back to crappy outdated MH or outdated crappy T5s said:
Silver have you ran radions, i currently tried both and love my radions and run them now. I get way better bulb temperature, better coral coloration and better growth than i had with ai. Plus i get to throw my vortechs into night mode as a freebie. I know there are pros and cons to both but i love my radions.
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I've been happy with my AI Sol Blue system and converted from T5s. I do want to upgrade to the Vega when those come out to add the additional colors and just for the sake of playing around with something new. I have not tried the Radions.
 
Ok, so do you think 4 EcoTechs Radions would be enough? The tank is 29" deep. I dont want to sacrifice all of my SPS. I seen a rack you can buy with these and posssible put a couple T5's with them if needed. I guess I could start with 4 Ecotech Radions and 2 T5 bulbs.
 
The main reason I'm thinking of buying the LED's is because I'm in the market for a new fixture and was looking at the coralvue all in one fixture, and starting thinkin, why dont I try to reduce my electricity consumption.
 
I would wait till after macna as usually new stuff comes out then and old stuff is discounted ie ai sols last year


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Agreed. I know AI says they'll have their Vegas available by then too. Plus you'd be able to check out different options in person at MACNA and ask the vendors questions you may have about their systems.
 
@silveradobobby wrote:
You will need at least 5-6 AI sol lights and 4-5 radions but the AI sol lights are much better than the radions! You will love the LEDS your corals never looked better and never grew faster trust me you won't go back to crappy outdated MH or outdated crappy T5s said:
To say that MH are a crappy and outdated has got to be one of the crazest things i have read on this board...including all the crap going on in the members forum.
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If I could tolerate the heat output of MH and afford a chiller, I would have a set of metal halides over my tank. They're great
 
I have tried all lighting and MH is the best. I use a fan and top of like crazy, but the growth and color are the best I've seen.
 
@Hook'em2006 wrote:
I have tried all lighting and MH is the best. I use a fan and top of like crazy said:
Odd how some many people think this about such old and crappy technology. [smilie=smile.gif]

And I agree MH is still the best all around lighting out there. May ways to deal with heat with out a chiller, It just depends on your set up.
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@ss95003 wrote:
[I]@silveradobobby wrote:[/I][quote="You will need at least 5-6 AI sol lights and 4-5 radions but the AI sol lights are much better than the radions! You will love the LEDS your corals never looked better and never grew faster trust me you won't go back to crappy outdated MH or outdated crappy T5s said:
To say that MH are a crappy and outdated has got to be one of the crazest things i have read on this board...including all the crap going on in the members forum."]


Fanboy syndrome. "I just paid a ton of $$ for a product, therefore it must be the absolute best thing in the word, everything else is pure garbage."
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@mmiller40 wrote:
[I]@ss95003 wrote:[/I][quote="[I]@silveradobobby wrote:[/I][quote="You will need at least 5-6 AI sol lights and 4-5 radions but the AI sol lights are much better than the radions! You will love the LEDS your corals never looked better and never grew faster trust me you won't go back to crappy outdated MH or outdated crappy T5s said:
To say that MH are a crappy and outdated has got to be one of the crazest things i have read on this board...including all the crap going on in the members forum."]


Fanboy syndrome. "I just paid a ton of $$ for a product, therefore it must be the absolute best thing in the word, everything else is pure garbage.""]


How is it a ton of money the LED setup was the same price as a MH or T5 setup I've been running all types of lights out there for over 15+ years on salt water and LEDs are by far the best lighting out there soo far with coloration and growth.
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Ok you got me.. it does not have to be the most $$. It is pretty common that people give better reviews to stuff they recently purchased. 360 owners trash the PS3, PS3 owners trash the Xbox. In a couple years I would like to see if your opinion has changed.
Btw what lights are you using? I casually looked at something for my new setup and it was going to be really $$ to replicate dual 400 watt halides.
 
@mmiller40 wrote:
Ok you got me.. it does not have to be the most $$. It is pretty common that people give better reviews to stuff they recently purchased. 360 owners trash the PS3 said:
I run the AI sol led setup I've ran both radion and AI sol LEDs and the AI are the best hands down didn't get the color or growth from the radions that I have with the AI sol lights. I've been running them for 10+ months now with no growth or coloration issues. I've had 50-60 people over to see my tank in the reef biz and all said its the best color they seen in a tank. Guess no LED haters yet cause there is a lot out there. Plus the AI sol lights cost you about 320 each compared to 800 each from other types and I grow everything under these lights! :)
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something like this? http://www.tbaquatics.com/aqua-illuminations-sol-blue-48-with-controller-915.html

1720$ seems a bit $$ to me. Would take many years of bulb replacements and electric costs to make up that difference. It does look pimp though
 
I would absolutely consider making your own if you are wanting to switch over to LEDs totally. Not only can you customize the light to your exact specs but you can ensure that you have the highest quality parts. While I have to admit that I have had good success with only royal blue and cool white LEDs I am a firm believer in the need for the other colors in the PAR spectrum. These can not be accomplished with the AI SOL fixture or any other fixture for that matter which does not have reds, greens, and purple(UV) just for starters. Ron can chime in here and correct me if I am wrong but I believe he is up to 10-11 different colors on his LED fixture to ensure a full spectrum light. While I am sure this seems like a lot to digest I can promise that you will be happy with the LIGHT (cant promise coral growth obviously) but when it comes to the color, and ability to customize it nothing can compare to DIY. It will most likely also be cheaper than buying AI or Radion or Maxspect etc.
 
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