long term LEDs users
- Thread starter guerry
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FF337;881250 wrote:Keep on doing what your doing.
Oh and sorry to the OP, I didn't mean to hijack your thread if it appeared that way.
don't feel like your hijacking LOL I'm looking for imput good, bad or indiferent
I've been resreaching this in other places as well and getting alot of diffent feed back, I may try adding 4 80watt t5s to see if I get the resualts I'm looking for before dumping another couple of Gs on MH not to mention having pull out the chiller
i would definitely do that before you switched.
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I KNOW you guys ALL know this, but it is left out of these type of conversations SOOOO often.
There is a LOT more to growing SPS corals than what kind of light you're using!
I'm not just trying to blow smoke up Reeferman's dress (strange thought), but he has been doing marine aquaria a substantial time.
Take his EXACT set up and put it in the hands of a noob who has been in the hobby 1-2 years (no offense to anyone of course) and there would be a MUCH greater chance of that person coming back in 6 months saying, "LEDs just aren't adequate".
As far as LEDs go and which are best... I donno... From what I've seen from outside the LED circle you pretty much need to DIY something to make it work... Do some of the high end fixtures offer what the corals need.. time will tell.
I'm personally not sold on LEDs
BUT I really think its because I don't want to go through the process of getting a LED setup that I feel is adequate haha, so thats a personal problem. I've skirted around the issue several times, but just end up sticking with the t5s after all is said and done.
it seems like LEDs are starting to come out of the dark, and the success is getting more widespread.
There is a LOT more to growing SPS corals than what kind of light you're using!
I'm not just trying to blow smoke up Reeferman's dress (strange thought), but he has been doing marine aquaria a substantial time.
Take his EXACT set up and put it in the hands of a noob who has been in the hobby 1-2 years (no offense to anyone of course) and there would be a MUCH greater chance of that person coming back in 6 months saying, "LEDs just aren't adequate".
As far as LEDs go and which are best... I donno... From what I've seen from outside the LED circle you pretty much need to DIY something to make it work... Do some of the high end fixtures offer what the corals need.. time will tell.
I'm personally not sold on LEDs
BUT I really think its because I don't want to go through the process of getting a LED setup that I feel is adequate haha, so thats a personal problem. I've skirted around the issue several times, but just end up sticking with the t5s after all is said and done.
it seems like LEDs are starting to come out of the dark, and the success is getting more widespread.
I've been pondering changing to LED's from MH for a loooong time. It's a very difficult decision to make as there is truly no definitive case study to use as justification. I looked at all the OEM models and followed many DIY threads but still seem to change my mind every few days.
I'm probably going to make a DIY rig as I like to build and troubleshoot things and I've got an Apex already for control. When I do make the jump there will be a really nice 400W MH system for sale!
I'm probably going to make a DIY rig as I like to build and troubleshoot things and I've got an Apex already for control. When I do make the jump there will be a really nice 400W MH system for sale!
I chose the Reefledlights P47 kits. They are a little pricey but they had a discount recently so I jumped the gun. I'll post a little swap over thread Tuesday or so. I am waiting for a part to install them. Also, my phone broke and my new one is coming in Tuesday.
I am just about at a year on my leds. I have 3 mazarra p units on my 92 corner. I still love them but am going to tweak them a little bit. They did come with actinic 410/420 but only 2 leds per unit. I plan on ordering a 3rd for each to replace a cool white for the added "pop". I love the way actinic highlights everything. That is my only complaint and seems similar to why Reggie is using actinic t5 supplements. I may even go that route if I want more pop.
I love everything else about my lights but probably would have gove DIY if I had known the slightest bit about any of that when I started. Would have been cheaper. A lot of people arent familiar with these lights but are happy with the razor. They are like the razor but moveable, have 4 channels, and a "broader spectrum". I also love not having to run a chiller and my tank stays 77-78d year round.
As for color, everything is great. A few of my acros have paled slightly since I bumped my alk to 11-12dkh but I dont care as I am in a growout phase right now and they still look good. Overall, color is excellent on nearly everything. A lot of my frags are pretty new and looking to get more (if I can ever get to Reggie's house) I had an epic fail with biopellets and elevated alk but everything is rebounding great (several RTNs that died except 1 polyp and are up to 20-60 after 5 months). I have a couple of stags that are out of control and a green sarmentosa that is brilliant green that started as a golfball size piece and is now softball size after 5 months. Stylos, favias, chalices, pavonas, zoas, etc are also excellent. Wait, what was the OP's question again?
I love everything else about my lights but probably would have gove DIY if I had known the slightest bit about any of that when I started. Would have been cheaper. A lot of people arent familiar with these lights but are happy with the razor. They are like the razor but moveable, have 4 channels, and a "broader spectrum". I also love not having to run a chiller and my tank stays 77-78d year round.
As for color, everything is great. A few of my acros have paled slightly since I bumped my alk to 11-12dkh but I dont care as I am in a growout phase right now and they still look good. Overall, color is excellent on nearly everything. A lot of my frags are pretty new and looking to get more (if I can ever get to Reggie's house
) I had an epic fail with biopellets and elevated alk but everything is rebounding great (several RTNs that died except 1 polyp and are up to 20-60 after 5 months). I have a couple of stags that are out of control and a green sarmentosa that is brilliant green that started as a golfball size piece and is now softball size after 5 months. Stylos, favias, chalices, pavonas, zoas, etc are also excellent. Wait, what was the OP's question again?As a nano tank owner, I selected LEDs as the lighting technology when setting it up and never looked back. Too many external criteria demanding low heat, pleasing spectrum and low maintenance. Something that even the appealing mini T5HO fixtures didn't have going for them.
I'm only running a softy/LPS tank so can't comment on stony coral coloration/growth (yet), but with a properly selected LED product some really great results can be had. I've been extremely happy with my ledtric PAR38 choice... it's been running over my tank for the past 7 months with great growth and color from my photosynthetic corals.
The big problem as I see it is that there's way too much variation in quality and spectrum with regards to even the emitters themselves, let alone the build quality of the fixtures. Those looking for a slam-dunk solution may want to stick with more accepted setups and use LEDs for supplementation/effect for at least the next couple of years.
I'm only running a softy/LPS tank so can't comment on stony coral coloration/growth (yet), but with a properly selected LED product some really great results can be had. I've been extremely happy with my ledtric PAR38 choice... it's been running over my tank for the past 7 months with great growth and color from my photosynthetic corals.
The big problem as I see it is that there's way too much variation in quality and spectrum with regards to even the emitters themselves, let alone the build quality of the fixtures. Those looking for a slam-dunk solution may want to stick with more accepted setups and use LEDs for supplementation/effect for at least the next couple of years.
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Ugh. I dislike LEDS. I'm pretty much to the point that I don't even like talking about them.
"Good luck" to those that use em and are happy with em, glad to hear it.
I wouldn't loose an ounce of sleep if the cree factory burnt down and we never saw another led light fixture.
Edit: They are just like every other fad out there.
"Good luck" to those that use em and are happy with em, glad to hear it.
I wouldn't loose an ounce of sleep if the cree factory burnt down and we never saw another led light fixture.
Edit: They are just like every other fad out there.
i wouldnt call leds a fad at all.they are as proven as any other light source out there if you buy quality.they absolutely work.
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Give us a photo to look at:up:
here you go Dave,crappy iphone pics cant do them justice though
strawberry shortcake
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rommels rainbow
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red dragon
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strawberry shortcake
rommels rainbow
red dragon
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no doubt on the pics but very nice just the same. Did you run MH or t5 prior to the switch over
t5 before the switch,ATI Powermodule 8x54w
Edit: i lost my photographer when Ryan went to Minnesota lol
Edit: i lost my photographer when Ryan went to Minnesota lol
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I aggre whole heartily that they work beyond anything else in existence, but only for you....and you only....and I'm not being sarcastic....I know they work for you, just not so well for the rest.....they might work just as good for me, but my SPS are getting clipped more than worth posting for sale actually...lol...
All good brother...
Edit:
reeferman;881664 wrote: here you go Dave,crappy iphone pics cant do them justice though
strawberry shortcake
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rommels rainbow
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red dragon
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Nice Dragon, how long have you had it?
Ralph,sometimes it seems that way to me too lol.im sure you would succeed with leds[not that your interested]because us seasoned acro keepers know its more about water quality if you have a decent light source anyway.
i got a frag from Oz last summer
i got a frag from Oz last summer
You should be fine being cautious. I believe I started them too early on a very young tank with a light bioload kind of like a "just in case" and probably should started with a lesser amount and very slowly increased. I was also running an alk of 11-12dkh instead of 8-9dkh and everything went unstable in the tank. Lost several corals to RTN and several more barely survived but are recovering. I should have kept parameters closer to "normal" sea water. I may use them again in the future now that I learned those lessons and dont dissuade anyone from trying them. They can be a useful tool.
