LED experience

wld1783 · Jul 28, 2010

jaytizzle said:
No doubt, Bay... I'm with you. I just read through the thread and it just seemed like a fool's errand to keep arguing with the OP.

I tell you one thing though... everyone wants dimmability on LED fixtures and I have a trick up my sleeve that may be unveiled soon enough.

Toss me a PM when you have it.

Bill

engineeronh2o · Jul 28, 2010

OK, so everybody is saying in 10 years, I will be $$$$ ahead. How many people right now.......ARE USING A FIXTURE THAT IS 10 YEARS OLD! Nobody, it is like coral and cell phones....People! As soon as I get the latest and greatest, they come out with something twice as good and is the new fad. If I get a MH fixture, they have practically perfected these creations. I can get a MH with T5 combo for a dawn and dusk setting, with led night lights built in. The only improvement with MH are the bulbs, and I can upgrade yearly when I get a new one. Kinda like renewing the tags on my vehicle everyyear, without buying a new car! LEDs still have so much room for improvement, how long is it until 5 watt LED that burn at 14 K. etc...............

The Saltwater Kid · Jul 29, 2010

Not to hijack a thread…but…I am going to be setting up a 40g breeder (36” L x 18” D x 16” H) soon and would LOVE to go with LED’s as my main (only) light source. I was looking at wld1783’s kits and he has a 24 pack LED Cree 3w with dimmable drivers for about $300. My question is, do you think 24 LED’s would sufficiently light a 36” reef tank? How hard are they to install (I’m not exactly Mr. DIY)? What do you install them into? I’m also looking at a used 36” Sunpod dual 150w HQI fixture for $240 shipped but it has the stock Current 14k bulbs which aren’t that great so I’d be buying a couple of Phoenix 14k bulbs (about $80) to replace them with which would bring me to a little over $300 so it’s about the same money…obviously LED’s would save me a lot in the future but…the Sunpod is a plug and go fixture as compared to an extensive DIY project like the LED’s. Any thoughts?

TopNotchCorals · Jul 29, 2010

The Saltwater Kid said:
Not to hijack a thread…but…I am going to be setting up a 40g breeder (36” L x 18” D x 16” H) soon and would LOVE to go with LED’s as my main (only) light source. I was looking at wld1783’s kits and he has a 24 pack LED Cree 3w with dimmable drivers for about $300. My question is, do you think 24 LED’s would sufficiently light a 36” reef tank? How hard are they to install (I’m not exactly Mr. DIY)? What do you install them into? I’m also looking at a used 36” Sunpod dual 150w HQI fixture for $240 shipped but it has the stock Current 14k bulbs which aren’t that great so I’d be buying a couple of Phoenix 14k bulbs (about $80) to replace them with which would bring me to a little over $300 so it’s about the same money…obviously LED’s would save me a lot in the future but…the Sunpod is a plug and go fixture as compared to an extensive DIY project like the LED’s. Any thoughts?

If your looking for a plug n play LED fixture then talk to Luke at reeffiltration.He is a sponsor here.I run his GEN 1 LED fixture and have nothing but SPS in my tank with a few LPS on my SB.His Gen1 LED fixture is comparable to a powerful 250w MH.

wld1783 · Jul 29, 2010

bayreefer said:
If your looking for a plug n play LED fixture then talk to Luke at reeffiltration.He is a sponsor here.I run his GEN 1 LED fixture and have nothing but SPS in my tank with a few LPS on my SB.His Gen1 LED fixture is comparable to a powerful 250w MH.

Luke has a winner based on the numbers with his latest light. I cant wait to demo/test one.

Bill

TopNotchCorals · Jul 29, 2010

wld1783 said:
Luke has a winner based on the numbers with his latest light. I cant wait to demo/test one.

Bill

Yeah Bill,I am anxious for you bro they are pretty insane.

The Saltwater Kid · Jul 30, 2010

Bayreefer do you think the Gen 1 fixture you have is capable of sufficiently lighting a 36" tank?

spleen · Jul 31, 2010

I would go with 2 of Luke's fixtures if you want to grow SPS on the bottom and on the ends on a 36 inch tank. Each fixture covers about 18 to 24 inches of linear length. You could do one fixture if you were ok with using lower light corals on the ends (chalices, zoas, LPS, softies)

The Saltwater Kid · Jul 31, 2010

No SPS for me...I'm sick of them. My only corals will be zoas/palys, ricordeas/yumas, acans and chalices. I do want the entire tank properly lit from end to end though if nothing more than for aesthetic purposes.

TopNotchCorals · Jul 31, 2010

The Saltwater Kid said:
No SPS for me...I'm sick of them. My only corals will be zoas/palys, ricordeas/yumas, acans and chalices. I do want the entire tank properly lit from end to end though if nothing more than for aesthetic purposes.

If your gonna only have LPS and softies then I dont think your aquascape will need to be structured very high and the Gen 1 fixture from Luke will do you fine

ben&bobbi · Jan 14, 2011

subscribing to read more later!

Steve W · Jan 25, 2011

Check the prices on ebay at gogosource

MyLady · Jan 31, 2011

engineeronh2o said:
What about the Meanwells, I have received all kind of questions about the drivers......Do you think a meanwell 30-27D can handle 4 LED? Actually that is overkill in most peoples eyes.....Dont you think?

What I am waiting for.......$100 fixture with the following:

1) 12 LED that is 2"x24" with optics
2) 3 watts that are dimmable
3) Capability of just blue, just white, or all on with simple on off switches built in the side of the fixture
4) One power cord
5) Fan built in
6) $100, no more than $150!

#1 is doable as there are many places that you can get them but I woudnt do 6/6 i would do an 8/4 with a lean towards blue but thats me.
#2 yup, see above cept the dimable thing is on the driver not the LEDs.
#3 Can be done with installation of switches on the end of the heat sink no worries. This will require 2 seperate drivers however.
#4 This can be done with some very creative splicing and wiring. I wouldnt do it though. I would just plug everything into a surge protector and then plug that into the wall/controller.
#5 can be done by mounting a fan or 2 to the heatsink.
#6 With what you want, it cannot be done for $150 right now. Wait about a year when the drivers and the LEDs themselves come down in price and then it can be done. Honestly though, I think it all can be done for $200.

Someone correct me if I am wrong somewhere.

RonMidtownStomp · Jan 31, 2011

I'm going to tag along here because I'm considering adding Cree's to my frag tank in addition to the 250W Radiums, but now I'm wondering if they work at all for supplemental lighting. If I understand right, they have no spread?

I have two large Lumenarcs over that tank and would like to be able to use blue Cree's in a similar fashion to how I use my VHO actinics on my display tank. With the VHO's I get even better color and for lights when the MH's are off. Is there a way to do this or will I get just hot spots? I believe the OP's problem was that LED's seem to be an all or nothing solution because either he wasn't using the right optics or the optics don't exist. Can someone clarify which it is?

MyLady · Jan 31, 2011

OP didnt have enough LEDs and they were underpowered in my opinion.

OPtics exist and you can get them in a varity of display angles from 60 to 80. Its my understanding that if the LEDs are close enough, optics wont be needed in a small tank. However, in a large tank, optics would be needed and probably 80 degree at that.