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View Full Version : What would you do for lighting? 150w? 250w? LED?


Milad
11-27-2010, 06:52 PM
So my lights are up for renewal. I have a 180g 72x24x24

currently I have 150w fixture
I can replace the bulbs and spend around $500

or I mod the fixture to 250w with nice ballast (galaxy) for about 900

or I can build a DIY LED (which i might have fun doing) for about 1100 and then sell the 150w fixture..

someone give me some FEEDBACK! ahhhh my brain is going nuts.

ScubaSteve
11-27-2010, 07:33 PM
First question, what is it you want to keep? Second, how many 150W bulbs are in your fixture?

Milad
11-27-2010, 07:43 PM
First question, what is it you want to keep? Second, how many 150W bulbs are in your fixture?

forgot to mention mainly SPS and some zoas.
3 bulbs on 150w fixture coral life aqualight pro

Lance
11-27-2010, 09:47 PM
Does the tank have a canopy? If so you can keep the fixture you have and just add a few T5's into the canopy. 24" isn't that deep. I know that fixture you have, I had one. With a couple of 39W T5's you'll have enough light for SPS.

Madreefer
11-27-2010, 09:59 PM
What size are your PC's? I have a 48" fixture with 2 250MH and 2 96W 36"PC. Wanted to change out the 250MH for 400MH. Decided to change the PC's out instead to T5's. My original PC's were 36" and I was able to change them to 4 54W T5's that were 48" More light coverage and was able to do it for under $150. A cheap upgrade that i'm glad i did.

oupulino
11-28-2010, 12:57 AM
lol make DIY led fixture gonna last you for almost 12 years ,no maintenance,no replacing expensive bulbs ,electricity cost cut in half this is the future

lapdog2020
11-28-2010, 12:58 AM
You said you want to do the LED thing and I would say no to that one and for that price it's not worth it. I know of a cupple of people with some really bad times with the leds. I think that the LED still need work i say give it like 2 or 3 more years before getting in to that. There is nothing wrong with T5 HO's


Frime the do it your self light man lol (thats me!!!!!)

fencer
11-28-2010, 01:55 AM
My gudeline is 250watts MH for every 2 ft on std off the shelf tanks. If you can fit t5 as a supplement that's okay too. 20K bulbs are too blue...14k Phenoix bulbs are a better choice

Milad
11-28-2010, 04:54 PM
lapdog2020, how is the price of the LEDs not worth it? they are cheaper than the 250w option because ill end up selling the 150w fixture. plus in a year i wont have to change the bulbs! ($500)

globaldesigns
11-28-2010, 06:47 PM
my tank is 60X27X27, and I am using the Hamilaton Belize fixture. It is 2X250W with 2 foot long T5HO and 3X1W LEDS. this fixture is top notch quality, and I love it, and they make them in all lengths.

I ordered mine from JL, and had it in like 7 business days, and they don't even stock it. I paid about $1070, incl shipping and taxes. It also came with all bulbs, tank brackets, hanging brackets and deflectors if you hang it. I would recommend this to anyone.

Here is the link to the 6 foot with 3XMH:

http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/item/BELIZE-SUN---6-FT-HQI-+-T5-HO-+-LED-Lighting-Systems-1726

Milad
11-28-2010, 07:31 PM
my tank is 60X27X27, and I am using the Hamilaton Belize fixture. It is 2X250W with 2 foot long T5HO and 3X1W LEDS. this fixture is top notch quality, and I love it, and they make them in all lengths.

I ordered mine from JL, and had it in like 7 business days, and they don't even stock it. I paid about $1070, incl shipping and taxes. It also came with all bulbs, tank brackets, hanging brackets and deflectors if you hang it. I would recommend this to anyone.

Here is the link to the 6 foot with 3XMH:

http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/item/BELIZE-SUN---6-FT-HQI-+-T5-HO-+-LED-Lighting-Systems-1726



but im still replacing $500 worth of bulbs a year!

globaldesigns
11-28-2010, 08:25 PM
but im still replacing $500 worth of bulbs a year!

It would be about $350/yr, based on the MH, I buy (Ushio)... The new unit comes with your choice of Hamilton bulbs with the new unit, so you don't have to worry about the new bulbs if buying the new fixture for the first year of it.

You are still going to have a yearly cost on bulbs, if you want good bulbs, then more money. but the light fixture is one of the most important things if you want coral like SPS. I would just budget for that yearly cost.

If you don't want to worry about yearly bulb costs, then LED may be your solution, but they are not cheap. So you need to work it all out, spend it up front on the LED, or average out the cost by doing MH or some sort of combo and replace the bulbs each year. Either way, you will have to pay something.

ScubaSteve
11-28-2010, 09:34 PM
Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that switch and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.

Milad
11-28-2010, 09:41 PM
Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that sworn and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.

true, i havent seen an LED setup that I actually like yet. i do like the fixture but the corals never look "colorful".

im reading this might have to do with UV rays or something that the LEDs dont have. still doing a bunch of reading.

lapdog2020
11-29-2010, 04:12 AM
lapdog2020, how is the price of the LEDs not worth it? they are cheaper than the 250w option because ill end up selling the 150w fixture. plus in a year i wont have to change the bulbs! ($500)


Led's sure there good and cheeper on the bill's but All i have ever herd of with the LED's is that they burn out and it does take a long time to get them warrentied by the company that you buy them from. There is a friend of mine right now that is having a really hard time with the 4500.00 set he just bought. Its been now 3 months since he sent them in and he's sorry that he spent the money. He's trying to get his money back. The Tech. is still not really at it's best yet. i would agree with you if the LED Tech. was perfect like the T5HO are today or the MH are. throse 2 are still the best realible lighting right now. I wont take my chances with the LED at this time. My be in the next year or two I might.

Milad
11-29-2010, 05:00 AM
Led's sure there good and cheeper on the bill's but All i have ever herd of with the LED's is that they burn out and it does take a long time to get them warrentied by the company that you buy them from. There is a friend of mine right now that is having a really hard time with the 4500.00 set he just bought. Its been now 3 months since he sent them in and he's sorry that he spent the money. He's trying to get his money back. The Tech. is still not really at it's best yet. i would agree with you if the LED Tech. was perfect like the T5HO are today or the MH are. throse 2 are still the best realible lighting right now. I wont take my chances with the LED at this time. My be in the next year or two I might.

i would be building the LED fixture so i can swap out anything if needed fairly easily. there is no much to read on this stuff though, im going blind!

RuGlu6
11-29-2010, 07:34 AM
Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that sworn and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.
x2!
Take a look at J&L's LED set up... corals DO NOT like it or maybe their staff still cant find proper setting either way i agree with many ppl who say that MH is still best for SPS.

ScubaSteve
11-29-2010, 07:43 AM
Personally, I'm curious to see what the switch to the 250W takes and I think MH are the way to go. I say do it!

lapdog2020
11-29-2010, 10:46 AM
i would be building the LED fixture so i can swap out anything if needed fairly easily. there is no much to read on this stuff though, im going blind!


Well good luck to ya dud I wish you the best!!

JonT
11-29-2010, 03:15 PM
Just went through this myself. Had a bulb burn out too soon.

After looking at everything, I am keeping the halides. I will be changing up the ballasts to something newer, and smaller than the one I have. I might change from SE to DE bulbs (still looking at this) I am also adding a few T5HO to the tank (almost went all T5)

Here is how I looked at it...

I like the halides. I like the shimmer, the intensity, everything! So, to justify the cost, I bought some more corals. I then cut them into frags. I am going to grow them out. By the time I need to buy new bulbs, I will sell the frags (should be small colonies by then) and use that money to cover the bulbs.

Reality is, I will likely sell them before the bulbs are needed. Then buy beer, or other corals, or tank toys with the money, but hell, the wife is buying into the idea so far.

Milad
11-29-2010, 04:52 PM
What is this shimmer everyone is talking about with MH? is it the rays i see sometimes in my tank? i hate that.

im super leaning towards the LEDs now, its probably going to be 3 36LED modules and "maybe" ill run 4 T5 super actinics for some pop.

JonT
11-29-2010, 04:56 PM
What is this shimmer everyone is talking about with MH? is it the rays i see sometimes in my tank? i hate that.

im super leaning towards the LEDs now, its probably going to be 3 36LED modules and "maybe" ill run 4 T5 super actinics for some pop.


Yes, the "shadows" that come from the water ripples at the top of the tank.

LED's will give the same shimmer. Any point source light will. T5's won't.

Milad
11-29-2010, 05:23 PM
Yes, the "shadows" that come from the water ripples at the top of the tank.

LED's will give the same shimmer. Any point source light will. T5's won't.

thsi whole time i thought when I saw those ripples it meant my water was cloudy! doh! :frusty:

lastlight
11-29-2010, 05:47 PM
I'll pretend you didn't knock the shimmer. I'm also curious what bulbs are setting you back $500 for 3?! And don't most here replace bulbs more like every 9 months? Is this where you are getting that hefty number?

Just to mess you up...Dez uses $20 cheap bulbs off ebay. He's certainly not suffering! To be fair he also has a lot more light from his tubes.

Lance
11-29-2010, 05:59 PM
I'll pretend you didn't knock the shimmer.


You gotta have the shimmer. Shimmer is the shizzle!

reefwars
11-29-2010, 06:07 PM
I hate tanks that don't have the shimmer I'm halides all the way baby , 4x250w going on my new tank with 2x22000k and 2x14000k plus 24 LEDs :):)

Milad
11-29-2010, 06:19 PM
I'll pretend you didn't knock the shimmer. I'm also curious what bulbs are setting you back $500 for 3?! And don't most here replace bulbs more like every 9 months? Is this where you are getting that hefty number?

Just to mess you up...Dez uses $20 cheap bulbs off ebay. He's certainly not suffering! To be fair he also has a lot more light from his tubes.

500 is for:
3x
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/lb-hg1514/150W+Megachrome+Coral+(14500K)+Metal+Halide+Bulb+-+HQI+Double-Ended.html

4x
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/lb-pcu9603/URI+96W+Super+Actinic+Compact+Fluorescent+Bulb+-+34%22+(Square+-Pin).html

thats 83*4 + 37*4 + taxes = 547ish

lastlight
11-29-2010, 06:33 PM
I guess with the fixture you are stuck with those compacts. Too bad as T5s would do far better.

There's no way around some big costs to change it up I guess. Try and find a nice 3x250w retro used? Sell the fixture?

Milad
11-29-2010, 11:20 PM
I guess with the fixture you are stuck with those compacts. Too bad as T5s would do far better.

There's no way around some big costs to change it up I guess. Try and find a nice 3x250w retro used? Sell the fixture?

well the cost of a 250w used + new bulbs would still take a big bite out of a LED fixture.

so im going ahead with LEDs and you will soon see an LED build thread from me. this is going to be fun!!!

Ian
11-29-2010, 11:37 PM
I am doing the same comparrison and am leaning strongly toward LED myself. It just seems that the long term cost of LED's is hard to beat. Even if a few burn out early and need to be replaced after about 1 year they have paid for the increased cost and have 5-10 years left of life span. even at 400 per year replacement cost for bulbs that sholde be 3000 in savings plus electricity.
As for SPS liking them the key seems to be using enough LED's and dimmable ballasts so you can fine tune the color.

Milad
11-29-2010, 11:52 PM
I am doing the same comparrison and am leaning strongly toward LED myself. It just seems that the long term cost of LED's is hard to beat. Even if a few burn out early and need to be replaced after about 1 year they have paid for the increased cost and have 5-10 years left of life span. even at 400 per year replacement cost for bulbs that sholde be 3000 in savings plus electricity.
As for SPS liking them the key seems to be using enough LED's and dimmable ballasts so you can fine tune the color.

when you doing your build IAN? we can have a build off.