Way too much LED info to process - Please tell me which LED system to buy

[Meaty24]

I have a 175 Oceanic Bowfront. 72 inches long and 30 inches deep. Money is not the biggest concern for me. I want the best system but don;t know which to get. I am not in love with the aestics of the AI system. My tank does come with a plastic cap canopy I could probably hide some lightsm but right now i have a 72 inch MH strip hanging from the ceiling.

I have a little bit of everything in the tank. SPS, LPS, clams, etc.

I want to get the LED system very soon as summer is coming and want to get the unit before it gets hot. The MH fixture heats up my living room like an oven.

 

[tosiek]

If your going to spend the 2-4k in lighting for your tank I think you should know what to get. Mainly because the top 3 lights are very similar and those small differences are what will make you choose the right one for you.

There are 3-4 posts running now with LED units and info on them. Do some looking around. All the info you need is there.

 

[Meaty24]

what do you think?

 

[LatinP]

If you go for LEDs make sure it's upgradable. Nothing worse than spending that kind of money and not being able to customize it to your needs. If it were me I'd be looking for something here http://www.aquaillumination.com/.

 

[batt600]

What ever you do stay away from 1w led fixtures stay with cree led fixtures . the 1w led fixtures have alot of leds like say 100 leds and only have 100w were the 3 w are say like the AI 24 leds 72w

 

[Meaty24]

Has anyone bought or used the Vertex or Pacific Sun models?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Lots of people have those units. Try a search for them and you should have some good results.

 

[Meaty24]

The Metis Xm that just came out from Pacific Sun looks cool, but it only came out a week or two ago. Anyone have thoughts on it? Part of me says that these LED systems are getting significantly better every day and every company is racing to be the best. It worries me to buy something right now because I don't want to find out in two months, the unit I bought does not have the right PAR, color, watts, etc.

 

[JT101]

The Metis Xm that just came out from Pacific Sun looks cool, but it only came out a week or two ago. Anyone have thoughts on it? Part of me says that these LED systems are getting significantly better every day and every company is racing to be the best. It worries me to buy something right now because I don't want to find out in two months, the unit I bought does not have the right PAR, color, watts, etc.

That's a risk I think we're ALL taking by "going LED" right now.

I just bought a CAD Lighting Systems 36" hood last night. It was a fraction of the AI's and the Acan's but it doesn't have all the bells and whistles. I'll see how it goes over the coming months - either it's going to be great, or it will wind up just being another $expense$ that wound up in the trash :anger2:

 

[bartur]

I have pac sun leds.Bad quality lights.Stay away from them.I have them for over a year and so far replaced computer and power supply twice.Now I am waiting for my 3rd power supply.

 

[LatinP]

LEDs are risky right now the technology is new and you're basically a test subject for these light companies. If you're hell bent on LED the AI SOL would be the only factory made fixture I'd really recommend. Although I'd go Metal Halide they run hot but nothing a chiller or some fans and a ceiling kit can't fix. Recommend that fixture based on owner's opinion and personally seeing a few on people's tanks I do not own one but I've yet to hear anything bad about them, in fact the opposite.

 

[Meaty24]

Which Pacific Sun lights do you own? Anyone else have this bad experience?

 

[poormansdream]

I have the reefkoi evolution LEDs and there great.

 

[batt600]

This is just like when T5 came out ever one said the same thing slow growth and MH are better then T5 Blaaa Blaaaa Blaaa .All over again . And how sayed that leds is a new thing its not its been over here for about 2 years and longer in other countries.

 

[garys reef]

AQUA ILLUMINATIONS i just went with them 3 weeks ago i had a 4 bulb t5 light with kz bulbs i started at 30%white 35 %blue and 40 %royal blue uped it by 3 % per week these things are so powerfull i am gonna slow down and add 3% every 2 or 3 weeks all my corals are doing great just noticed when i uped it the last time my corals didnt open as much so i lowered it back and everything is fully open so u have to go slowwww

 

[qy7400]

This is just like when T5 came out ever one said the same thing slow growth and MH are better then T5 Blaaa Blaaaa Blaaa .All over again . And how sayed that leds is a new thing its not its been over here for about 2 years and longer in other countries.

Pretty spot on, the first Solaris light came out in 2007 (I think) so LEDs been around a while. A quick search on any reef site will get you plenty of tanks using LEDs now with great success.

It's the cost that prevents mainstream use and why you see so many DIY builds, take an AGA 90G or 120G tank; on average you'll spend 2K in name brand controllable LED, 1K in DIY or 600 for a good T5 or MH setup.

 

[2Sunny]

This is not a request for an argument, but an opinion from someone who has hands on experience with LEDs and hates them, buts that's all it is . . . an opinion designed to help a fellow aquarist or not . . .



I am an avowed LED hater so take everything I say with a grain of salt, but I am testing LEDS in my basement. I spent a small fortune to get "good" names. I use blue LED strips on my display and think they make excellent actinic supplements, BUT if what you want is colorful, healthy corals then LEDs are NOT the best choice. If you want a "wow" factor to say you have the latest technology and you can make a chalice glow like a black light velvet tiger poster then LEDs are for you. LEDs produce light by exciting specific wavelenghts and shooting those particular photons out at an incredibly cheap cost per photon, but that means LED light has narrow spectral qualities. Some photosynthetic reactions have been identified which can benefit from particular wavelengths, but in general our knowledge of the spectral needs for individual corals is almost nil. If you want a great looking tank full of beautiful corals stick with T5 or MH or a combination of both and forget LEDs.

Joe the avowed LED Doubting Thomas


Here is my tank. I have tried to grow the same corals in my frag tank under LEDs and found that except for some Montis most of my corals end up pale and washed out looking under LEDs. . .

 

[garys reef]

have you tried a good led light ??

 

[mattfish]

Best LEDS

I went with two Aqua Illumination Sol Blues over a 55 gal reef, 12 " AWL. really nice .whats better is they dropped the price too.But then i heard the Eco Tech Marine Radion LEDs are even better !

 

[mattfish]

Best LEDS

I went with two Aqua Illumination Sol Blues over a 55 gal reef, 12 " AWL. really nice .whats better is they dropped the price too.But then i heard the Eco Tech Marine Radion LEDs are even better ! Ck out at Marine Depot.