LED lighting

**Miltonic** · 09-26-2011, 03:10 AM

I also trying out LEDs for the first time on my 37g reef tank and I went with the SOL blue from AI. Im really loving them so far I can wait till my tank is ready for more corals like SPS to really see what they are capable of lol

**genocidex** · 09-26-2011, 03:16 AM

i think LEDS can and will surpass every light eventually XD

**rich311k** · 09-26-2011, 03:17 AM

I agree, they use little energy, can be any color and almost never burn out. They are the way of the future.

**ILuvMyGoldBarb** · 11-21-2011, 10:59 AM

I wanted to revive this thread after doing a little reading. IMO, anyone considering LEDs in the next few months needs to read the article at Wet Web Media concerning LEDs. The lesson: great technology with lots of potential, just don't cut corners and get a cheap fixture.

**Cliff** · 11-21-2011, 02:51 PM

I could not agree more Goldbarb. When it comes to reef lighting, you can not buy the cheap LEDs and get anywhere near the same results.

I am still running my LEDs at less than 100% capacity (white 45% and blue 80%) and the lighting is brighter than my 6 bulbs of T5HO that I had on there. My corals, clam, and anemone are still growing and the colors pop more now as well.

**Hpimichael02** · 11-21-2011, 03:30 PM

i have actually made a LED thing from those cheap 5MM leds they work fine on small tanks such as nano's i have 18 blue's spotted over my Zoa until my GU10 Led arrive and it opens up and shows great color. i ordered 5 GU-10 LED's 3 blue and 2 cool white, but i am def. looking for a more permenant solution for when i get a bigger salt tank in the future.

Cliff do you have the fixture already? if so do you have before pics and after with the LED's?

**Cliff** · 11-21-2011, 04:05 PM

I've been using the LEDs for about a month now. It's on my 120 gallon tank (4'X2'X2')

I've got a new camera so I'm still trying to get a few good after pics. It's really hard for me (with my limited camera skills) to get a pic that truly captures the the full extent of the color. I'll post a few pics this weekend or early next week at the latest.

**ILuvMyGoldBarb** · 11-21-2011, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Hpimichael02

i have actually made a LED thing from those cheap 5MM leds they work fine on small tanks such as nano's i have 18 blue's spotted over my Zoa until my GU10 Led arrive and it opens up and shows great color. i ordered 5 GU-10 LED's 3 blue and 2 cool white, but i am def. looking for a more permenant solution for when i get a bigger salt tank in the future.

Cliff do you have the fixture already? if so do you have before pics and after with the LED's?

The problem isn't that they don't work, it's that you don't always get the PAR that you need, and rather than 50,000 hours, you usually only get 10,000 - 17,000 hours from these cheap LEDs.

When you do the math, it's rather interesting. Let's say for my 210gal tank, I decide to go with EcoTech Radions to light it. Well, that means I need 3 fixtures, and I will need to drop about $750 per fixture. EcoTech uses the Cree LEDs in their fixtures, Cree are known as the best on the market due to the greatest Lumen to watt ratio, as well as producing the most PAR. The LEDs in a Radion fixture will last 50,000 hours, that translates to about 11 years being run at 100% for 12 hours per day. Now, let's say I cut corners and get those cheap LEDs and I still pay $300 per fixture. Well, at an average life of about 10,000-17,000 hours (2.5 years), I'll replace them times before the Eco Tech fixtures burn out. So, I put out $2,250 1 time for the Radions, or I put out $900 4 times in the same time frame totaling $3600 for the cheap fixtures. Savings? nope, not at all.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put a sales pitch out there for EcoTech, but you get the idea, the cheap fixtures are not really cheaper in the long run.

**labnjab** · 11-22-2011, 02:51 PM

I agree 100% here. With leds you really do get what you pay for. Ive used the cheap gu10 bulbs from ebay and they lasted only 6 months. I then built a cree fixture for a little more then the gu10s, but it will probably last 10+ years.

**Hpimichael02** · 11-22-2011, 03:38 PM

i completely agree you get what you pay for, how ever a $30 investment on a 10G nano/ temp tank is not bad at all, im actually buying a MH fixture this week for my 150G but as for now the GU10 will be sufficent- not the best but better than nothing.