LEDs to replace 250W MHs for a 72” x 36” footprint

[crvz]

I’ve been running 250w MH for a good 10 years on this tank, but I’m looking for something new. I’ve got a marineland 300 DD, so it’s 72” wide, 36” deep, and 27” high. I added 6 of the reefbrite XHOs this year, but as you can see in the pictures it’s still not great coverage on the back. I’m getting more into SPS of late (having taken a break for a number of years), which is part of my interest in solving this issue.

I’d like to replace the MH with LEDs, but I’m really unconvinced how to do it. Run 3 lights front to back that are 36” x 24”? Or maybe 6 Kessil type pendants? How would you solve this problem, and with what product? Costs are a consideration, but I’d probably pick something robust over cheap.

 

[Bpb]

What are you trying to grow?

 

[rtparty]

I'm currently building a 72*36*22 peninsula and opted to stay with halides. Not an LED out there that I've tried (G1, G3, G4, and G5 Radions, Kessils, AI, Mitras, and other random fixtures over the years) that can keep up.

I run the Reef Brite pendants with Hamilton 20k bulbs on my 120. I get a pretty decent 32*24 spread from each pendant. Your reflectors may just need to be replaced.

If you are dead set on switching over to LEDs, I would be looking at the ATI Straton. The Coral Cares are also a great deal and BRS is selling them for like $700 each right now. Sam Parker of Parker's Reefs on YouTube runs the Coral Care and his success is undeniable.

 

[crvz]

I'm currently building a 72*36*22 peninsula and opted to stay with halides. Not an LED out there that I've tried (G1, G3, G4, and G5 Radions, Kessils, AI, Mitras, and other random fixtures over the years) that can keep up.

I run the Reef Brite pendants with Hamilton 20k bulbs on my 120. I get a pretty decent 32*24 spread from each pendant. Your reflectors may just need to be replaced.

If you are dead set on switching over to LEDs, I would be looking at the ATI Straton. The Coral Cares are also a great deal and BRS is selling them for like $700 each right now. Sam Parker of Parker's Reefs on YouTube runs the Coral Care and his success is undeniable.

How often do you replace your halides? I replaced my radiums in Jan, I’m almost thinking they’re due again.

 

[vtecintegra]

Budget is a big player in this situation. If you're ok at $5k, use could do six radions. Or $1500, three of the reefbreeders 24". Just an example of why a budget needs to be stated.

 

[crvz]

I’m assuming this is gonna cost me in the $3k range if I do it. I was thinking of three of the Neptune Sky units, as I like the integration stuff with the Apex, but I’m not convinced. Granted $3k buys me a LOT of radium bulbs, so in theory I could stick with what I’ve got and just replace bulbs more often.

 

[HB AL]

Here's an idea, total overkill but having all the lights on hand I figured might as well use em!

 

[HB AL]

 

[vtecintegra]

Problem is the tank is 36" wide.

Three Sky is a good option and fits the budget. Then use the bars for any additional fill.

 

[bobnicaragua]

Nothing is going to beat the performance you have now. It's going to take a lot of LEDs to light that large of a tank. That being said, any LED will work, if you get enough of them. I would do Reef Brite bars and Kessils if it were me, just for the aesthetics. Panel LEDs probably make the most sense.

 

[Jon's Reef]

If you can get the Coral Care G2 price from BRS, I would strongly consider those. For 3k you could get 6 of 'em! Note that when you actually put them in the cart there is an extra discount... so 6 would be $3400!

3 SKY, 3 of the new Orphek Icons, 3 Stratons, 3 Radion G5 XR30 will all probably work. Especially if you keep the XHO's as fill light if needed.

 

[Smite]

I currently have a 48x24 foot print and was running g5 xr30s, 3 fixtures ran perpendicular to the length of the tank. Some may think that's over kill but the coverage was great, I wouldnt have done less. I've got a build being made that is a 50x38" footprint. I just couldnt justify buying more g5's to get the coverage I wanted out of them so I've swapped to MH now because I'll be running MH on the next system. G5's paid for half my custom tank costs.

You have the ultimate system right now. I've seen improvement across the board with the MH, its the reason they are the standard that what LEDS are trying to achieve still. What I've found is yes LEDs have the spread but they fall flat in coverage as things start to grow. You just can't mimic the angles of light you get from a pendant with the small footprint of the LEDS.

What pendants are those? My plan was 2 lumenbright large pendants on the next tank that I found used, mounted 16" to bottom of pendant to top of tank. Why don't you want to raise your existing system and bump up to 400w lamps for better coverage/spread?


If I had to go led it would be xr30 g5 pros. The blues are very blue.

 

[djf91]

I’d definitely stick with the MH. Growth and health with halides can’t be beat still. I’ve noticed quite a few people on here that were originally halide users and switched to LEDs and regret the switch. Can we get a picture of the tank to get an idea of what it looks like with the halides.

 

[rtparty]

How often do you replace your halides? I replaced my radiums in Jan, I’m almost thinking they’re due again.

Every 12-18 months. Halides lose the most light in the first couple months and then it very slowly declines from there for the next 10-14 months.

The difference in PAR between months 6 and 18 is like 10%.

 

[oreo54]

I currently have a 48x24 foot print and was running g5 xr30s, 3 fixtures ran perpendicular to the length of the tank. Some may think that's over kill but the coverage was great,

What I've found is yes LEDs have the spread but they fall flat in coverage as things start to grow. You just can't mimic the angles of light you get from a pendant with the small footprint of the LEDS.

Conflicting statements..

 

[oreo54]

Every 12-18 months. Halides lose the most light in the first couple months and then it very slowly declines from there for the next 10-14 months.

The difference in PAR between months 6 and 18 is like 10%.

Historically depends on the bulbs.

Osram/Radium 20,000 K Lamps​

Figure 3 shows the spectral distribution of the various 20,000 K Osram/Radium lamps tested, and Table V presents the PPFD. Table VI presents the drop in PPFD output when compared to new lamps. Here again, one of the lamps at 6500 hours of life seems to be an outlier (an anomaly). As seen from the data, these lamps tend to lose their output at a much higher rate compared to the 6500 and 10,000 K lamps. Year-old lamps had lost about 40 to 50 percent of their intensity. Unlike most of the other lamps, these lamps show an almost uniform reduction in intensity across the range.

Aquarium Frontiers Feature

Aquarium Frontiers On-Line: Feature

Sanjay Joshi - RTAW Reefpedia

www.masa.asn.au

Then there are spectrum shifts..
Yes, LED's can do the same..just not usually in a year or 2..
and the above is old...

 

[Smite]

Conflicting statements..

I can see how it could read that way, great coverage with 3) xr30s over a 48" tank, that's $2550 in lights.

OP, On a 36" DD tank with a good amount of rock and coral I think you'd need to be running two parallel rows fo a acro heavy tank if that helps.

 

[Islandvib3s]

I would say it depends on your aquascape unless your trying to grow sps 36in on the bottom. Im a cheap reefer and just started getting into the higher end lights but I have a 300 viparspectra which is 32 long and I'm pretty sure it'll push into 36in deep. Light runs around 165 new.2 channel and has timers built in,just no ramp up or down.i had it on my 40b but it was way too much power and I ran it @10% blues only.i ended up using a 165watt black box and just recently added 2 AI sols for the sides for more sticks. Im loving my new light setup. Good luck either way you go. Btw my tanks only 7months old.lights are a ft above water line.

 

[crvz]

I currently have a 48x24 foot print and was running g5 xr30s, 3 fixtures ran perpendicular to the length of the tank. Some may think that's over kill but the coverage was great, I wouldnt have done less. I've got a build being made that is a 50x38" footprint. I just couldnt justify buying more g5's to get the coverage I wanted out of them so I've swapped to MH now because I'll be running MH on the next system. G5's paid for half my custom tank costs.

You have the ultimate system right now. I've seen improvement across the board with the MH, its the reason they are the standard that what LEDS are trying to achieve still. What I've found is yes LEDs have the spread but they fall flat in coverage as things start to grow. You just can't mimic the angles of light you get from a pendant with the small footprint of the LEDS.

What pendants are those? My plan was 2 lumenbright large pendants on the next tank that I found used, mounted 16" to bottom of pendant to top of tank. Why don't you want to raise your existing system and bump up to 400w lamps for better coverage/spread?


If I had to go led it would be xr30 g5 pros. The blues are very blue.

those are lumen bright mini pendants. The reflectors are still in great shape, though the outside housings are a bit worse for wear after 11 years.

What ballast would you recommend for 400W bulbs?

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

I have a 72x36x25 and replaced 3x 400w MH with 4x xr30g5 pros. Great coverage, I can grow sps anywhere in the tank.