Are you happy with your LED's???
 

Well boys and girls, I'm in a dilemma. I'm going to be swapping tanks from my current 55 over to my new shiny 160. Super excited! Anyways... I bought 10 bulbs worth of t5 fixture, and am now having second thoughts. Essentially, I didn't do enough research about LED's prior to buying my t5's. Now that I've had a little extra time, and ran across a few articles and sites regarding DIY LED setups... I'm kicking myself.

So... here's the question for those of you that are running LED's on an SPS setup... are you happy with them, and would you do it again? Also, what did you switch from... T5, or MH?

If you could, pleas include a little info on your switch and set up.

Thanks!

Tagging along. Also to add to the OP's questions can you please post brand of LED either DIY or store bought that you are using. Along with tank specs.

I switched from 3x250W MH + 4x80W T5HO on a standard 180 gal tank (6x2x2). The unit I switched to is a Aquaillumination SuperBlue Unit with 6x75W fixtures. My corals love it. My algae problems have reduced. I like the rampability of the lights and the reduction in waste heat. I don't have to cool the tank with fans most of the year.

Switched to 3x400W SE MH to 6xAquaIllumination LED Modules and totally impressed with Natural shimmer, Lightning storms, Built-in controller (for intensity, timers, moon phases, etc.). Was also able to remove my inline chiller....so NO Heat issues. The coral response was fantastic too. I purchased these LED's from The Reef Shoppe.

Dude how much light does this put out?
What size tank are you lighting now?
On a 96 " tank how many LED's units would I need?
I have all LPS and 3 huge clams squamosa's and 3 SPS at the top of the rock work.

That depends on the depth fo your tank and width of your tank, however, lighting requirements also depend on coral and clam placement. If your tank is only 24" wide, I would suggest 8 of the AquaIllumination LED Modules. I have seen the 30" and 36" wide tanks where 2xmodules are required for ample light coverage. Mine is 30" deep and still getting excellent par values at that depth. The tank is SPS dominated, but do have Clam and Carpet Anemone in the sand bed. All are doing fantastic for 1.5 years now. :wink:

even if there are some regrets, you're unlikely to find too may people willing to admit to a 2000 dollar mistake...

BINGO

My tank is 96x24x24 how ever i have3 a light mover that i can use so on my tank now I'm using 3 x250's on a 96 " tank.

Never thought of that. hahaha. Hey, it's an anonymous poll... somebody could admit it, but nobody would know it!

I admit to being skeptical when I invested in LED, but let the great debate be over. LEDs are completely and totally ready for full blown SPS systems. My corals have grown more in the past 60 days under LED then they did in 6 months under 250W MHs. The colours are great, the polyp extension is great, the overall health of the system is great.

Now, I confess that I am also supplementing Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium in a much more controlled fashion that I previously was. This is undoubtedly why I am seeing the increased growth, but it still proves that LEDs can and do grow-out beautiful coral.

I completely love the sunrise, sunset and moon effects. It really adds value to my viewing time. The fish are well aware of the light cycle and will act differently depending on the time of day. The dusk cycle inevitably triggers the mating instincts in a number of my fish. The energy in the tank at dusk is incredible.

For what it’s worth, I have zero regrets. None what-so-ever. These lights were one of the best purchases that I have made for my tank.

I have the 6’ Vertex Illumina 260 on a 300G tank (6’ x 3’ - 27" deep) open top.

On a 42"H x 18"W x 22"D tank, would I need two of the AquaIllumination LED Modules or would one do the trick ?

Perhaps, but then you would expect to see them being sold off too...and I don't see too many used LED fixtures for sale.

Hey Mike, I am no expert and do not know what you are wanting to keep. PAR readings with one of the 72W modules to a 42" depth should be okay for some species, but knowing their specific lighting requirements and placement become key. A pair of these LED modules will definitely be stronger and so allow you to keep more light demanding species. That said...there are other LED fixtures that will provide more light, but will also put a larger dent in your pocket book.

To start, the tank will have some LPS, fish and anenomes. But if I'm going to invest in anything in the lighting department beyond my 6 Bulb T5 fixture I may as well work under the assumption that SPS will be involved down the road. Currently my lighting will hang 4" above the tank in a canopy.

good idea for a poll

what happened to the ReefTech units? I thought i saw them on your site last week as well but it looks like the product line was changed up.

how far from the centre of the light are you keeping SPS?

Remember that the AquaIllumination LED's are modular. Just my opinion, but if I was in your shoes...I would purchase make an initial purchase of a single LED module, controller and 22" rails. Then run it for a while. If you want more punch later, just order another single module, slide it on the rails and daisy chain them together. I forgot to mention that is another cool feature of theirs....expandable and as my budget can afford them. :wink:

Yes - We had been working hard to secure a deal with ReefTech for the Canadian Distribution. Unfortunately, we recently decided to pull the line. While the technology looks promising, we had a conflict of interest that ultimately could not be resolved. For anyone interested in purchasing these lights, I would encourage you to contact ReefTech directly. At this time, we have no association with ReefTech.

- Brad

Sorry - I forgot to mention.

My Vertex light is roughly centered above the tank. As the tank is 36 inches from front to back, this leaves about 17 inches on both sides of the light strip.

I have a Red Planet at the bottom of the tank about 6 inches from the front pane of glass. That puts it about 11 inches in front of the light strip. It is probably about 20 inches below the surface of the water. The coral is growing well.

- Brad

Thanks, do you run them on a controller or do you use the onboard auto system ?

You can use the Profilux controller (and I have one on my other system), but I just use the Aquaillumination controller for my LED lights. There is a USB port for online controller software upgrades. I do not like to hijack other threads so please message me if you have more questions. Thanks :wink:

Well, it certainly appears that most of the replies are in favour of the switch. There are however 3 people that have replied as unhappy... if by chance you're reading this, I'd sure appreciate a little insight as to why you're unhappy, and what kind of a fixture you're using.

Thanks for the input everybody!

Oh... and thanks for making me feel like I made a mistake!! lol Good thing money grows on trees! (anybody know where I can find the money forest?)

If your looking for a great light. Check out orphek. The pr156 is an awesome light. I think orphek is about the best you can do led wise at the moment because they seem to be the only company producing diodes specifically designed for aquarium use. Sure the ai has tons of Cree LEDs but most of the white spectrums pur is wasted but not being optimum for coral growth.
Just my 2 cents.

Orphek is pretty goo....prices too
 

I also see http://orphek.com/wordpress/new-product-t5t8-led-tubes/ by orphek is pretty cool for those who invested in t5 canopies. Also, The newest orphek lites just came out this couple months can also use cheap ikea lights they say. They also have a uv with the bku and white LEDs. Besides marine depot.com, whwere can one buy it readily in canada.?
Msjboy

This poll is too early, the majority of current LED owners have only been using them for less than a year. LEDs work, the par numbers and data are plenty proof of that but the question is (and has been) how will they serve you 5+ years from now. These fixtures have to last many years without any problem in order for the payback to work out. Plus imagine what will be available for lighting 5 years from now, will people still be happy with their LED fixtures then? Will they still be happy with only blue and white color options? Will all these newer companies continue to provide upgrades to those special fixtures and how much will they cost? Will people miss the effect from the new bulb changes, you know that new bulb smell?

I'm much more comfortable with LEDs now than I was before but you're still dealing with new technology (new to the application) that is advancing at a rate not ever seen previosuly with reef lighting. What was good last year isn't anymore and as new technology advances the previous models become obsolete.

Also consider resale, LED fixtures probably have the worst return compared to other fixtures so if you want to upgrade a few years down the road don't count on your current LED fixture helping you out.

As for the effect of LEDs, personally I think MH and T5 tanks offer better color and overall effect depending on what you're looking for. LEDs offer that controllability but at steady state I don't consider them king but this is personal preference.

Your not quite right on your led rant sorry. Mh and t5's and pc the best method of comparison is par. But for LEDs the best measurement of their effectiveness is pur.
Mh and t5 only have the blue an white look. LEDs have numerous color combinations blue, royal blue, white , red, violet, ultraviolet to just name a few. LEDs are replacing hid lighting in the rest of worlds application so its safe to assume they will be here for a while. They run a lot more efficient than halides an cooler.

Long term resale is not something most companies are looking for. Because they designed their units to be able to be upgraded that is why they are modular. You don't have to buy bulbs every eight months but you will have the option to swap put for better diodes.

Mh are awesome for coral growth but LEDs are now showing to be as effective. And have more of an ability to make your colors pop. The long term data isn't there yet. But it will be after the short term results we have seen.

This is all mostly true but has nothing to do with my previous comments. To contradict MH and T5s have more options than blue and white and LED fixtures that are available today for the most part only offer blue and white, yes other colors are available but are they used in fixtures?. Resale is not usually the concern of the manufacturer but it is something a customer should consider. And yes like I mentioned many fixtures are now upgradeable but how much will this cost and when buying a fixture with a premium price for the intention of it lasting many years how financially feasible is it to spend additional money on such a fixture well before it's lifespan?

As it stands LEDs cost more money but have a good potential of saving you time and money down the road and of course offer other advantages relating to heat and controllability. But you still have to consider if this will pay off for the individual. First you should plan on keeping the fixture long enough for it to pay off. Then you need to weigh whether you need/want that controllability as many actually don't. As for heat this can vary as well, people with T5s don't typically have issues and if they do it's a result from a combination of equipment and environment, using LEDs may not solve the problem completely.

As for color saying LEDs is better is providing false information. This completely depends on the individual and like I said is personal preference. I personally like the single light source effect from halides for a more natural look. Also T5s IMO offer better color distribution and the actinic effect available just doesn't compare to what's available in today's LED fixtures.

One needs to consider more than efficiency alone, doesn't matter if you compare PAR or PUR you're still talking about efficiency and there are many debates regarding which is the better measurement. Don't get me wrong I'm not anti-LED I'm actually currently building a custom LED fixture but it's important to consider everything and remember LEDs may not be for everyone. This is not a rant, simply providing information to consider.

sphelps - I agree with you to some extent in regards to the timing of this poll. Unfortunately, I'm in the market today, not 4 years from now, hahaha! I'm looking specifically for info in regards to coral growth and coloration... essentially, I want to know if these fixtures are worth it.

Since I can't afford to buy an AI, or vertex fixture (read: my wife would castrate me)... one new question for those of you who have built a DIY fixture... can you still get the lightning storm effects and things like that? Can you run them off of your controller (I have an RKE)? I really like the idea of the sunrise, sunset, cloudy day, and lightning storm effects. If I can't do this, I may end up waiting until the prices come down.

Yes you absolutely can still take advantage of the features of external controllers with a DIY build, if anything it opens more options. If you're thinking of using a profilux you can get a PWM modual from them which can link up to 4 different sets of drivers to open up the full control you're looking for. However there may be a little more expereince needed as I believe some drivers such as meanwell do not have an open drain PWM input and will require the addition of a pull up resistor. This isn't hard to do but again something to be aware of as it's not aways a simple plug and play DIY project.

Have you seen the Sfiligoi Genisis? They are using other colors in the same diode. The colors can be seen on the thread below. Now it doesnt look like you can run all the colors at the same time, however with a custom/modular light im sure you can.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1849626

As for cost saving to the owner, I had 6 54w T5HO's and 2 250w SE MH's replaceing bulbs twice a year is roughly $500 or more in 1 year. I assume that most people will keep their light for 3 years. A $2200 LED Vertex replacement for the light above, over 3 years will be paid off with approx. $1500 in lamps in 3 years + the energy saved. Not to mention that ballasts will start to fail in 3 or more years.

I have seen many tanks running LED on RC and other sites that are now pushing 3+ years with good SPS growth. No, they are not 5 years in like you say. I feel that there are enough case studys out there if you look for them to prove that LED is a viable solution. It still remains to see what fixtures will stick around as there is new ones every month. But there are a few names out there that have lasted a few years already.

Yeap seen them and the price tag to match makes them out of the average budget. Like I said for the MOST part fixtures don't offer such options.

Also lets not get into specific examples of return as this will vary greatly for each idividual and therefore should be left up to them to decide if it's worth while. They certainly do have pay back periods but it will vary and the individual needs to decide if it will pay off or not, this was my only point but as an average I would say 5 years is fair.

Also I don't doubt the LED fixtures will last but my comments were more based on if people would still be happy with the purchase after several years as aspose to several months.

As for ballasts failing after 3 years, that's total BS and you know it.

I dont think that the genisis is that out to lunch. All dependent on your application and budget of course. When you look at this model it is far less than the equvelant all in one or pendant.

http://www.aquaticselite.com/Product...ode=GE-LED-348

Or look at the Pacific Sun, more than likely your going to need a master and a slave to get the proper coverage and par on your tank. Depending on depth you may have to step up to the next wattage of these pendants.(based on a 48" tank)

http://www.conceptaquatics.ca/index....rp-master.html

Absolutly It will be up to the consumer to justify the upfront cost and if it will work for them or not. Is anyone really happy with their fixture in 5 years? Seeing all the technology change so rapidly from T12 to MH to T5 to LED, dont discount plasma as well, its hard to keep up. There will always be something newer and better that you will want to have.

Im not here to argue your point, I see what your saying. I'm on the fence still with LED. I would like to look in my crystal ball and see how they work and customer satisfaction in 5 years, but its broken right now. However that was not the point of this thread. Are you happy with your current store bought or DIY LED or not? I would like to hear on this thread or in PM from the few people that voted unhappy, as to why they are unhappy fixture type, system etc.

(I guess the ballast that I have seen fail were in my dreams... lol but that's not the point here)

Scott I'd like to just chime in and say the banged-up old PFO you sold me is still rocking hard lol =)

I'm also still on the fence with LED. I enjoy the thread as I enjoy the other 10 new threads that are started daily. It should be noted that LED thread generation still lags new LED company generation. It's the gold rush!

Kind of my point regarding people not being happy in general with equipment after so many years with new and better stuff always coming out. Since LEDs in general require you to keep them for about 5 years for the efficiency to pay off and the fact this specific technology continues to advance more rapidly than anything else it's something you really need to consider. It's also why I mentioned resale as continuously upgrading LED fixtures will not likely pay off financially.

As for the price of the fixture we discussed it is certainly cheaper than I expected as when they came out I recall pricing one out for around $4K. The price you linked is much more reasonable at $1600 however this is only a 120W fixture which I don't believe is ideal for sps in a 48" tank. The 240W verson is probably a better match for the average reef application which will cost you over $3K with the RGB option. If compared to other fixtures like the vertex in terms of wattage you'll see a bigger premium involved in going this route.

Also didn't mean to suggest products don't fail as pretty much anything can including LEDs. But to suggest ballasts will begin to fail after 3 years isn't accurate.

I will show you banged up!! :lol: That thing is the exception, its built like a tank.

yeah...
except for the most important person of all....themselves.:lol:

first off, there arent that many around and in reality, one would need to accept the error of their ways before putting the item up for sale...

even then, could you sell the item to someone else in good conscience?

be nice of those who voted UNHAPPY stated why...

totally happy with my LEDs
 

I switched from 250 MH over my 50 gallon to 36 Cree XP LED's DIY. Totally happy with the looks of it, the dimmability and the flexibility of color combos. It grows my corals like nothing else and is upgradeable if I want. The only thing is that the colors of some of my corals changed when I went from MH to LED. Some for the better, some for the (in my eyes) worse. And when you turn those LED's on, you have to turn them way down because if you don't they'll burn some of your corals. Also, I love the fact that I no longer need to worry about heat and have my controller turning my MH on and off all day due to over-heating. Overall, I'm very happy - my tank has never looked better.