thinking of going led

edsreef · Jun 18, 2013

so I have been thinking about going led over my sps 180
I like the halides I have I don't mine the cost of them just thinking about a change so am thinking about radion pro but I'd like for others to talk me into it as am very happy with the tank now

it's time to change bulbs so am going to get another round of halides or make the switch
I just don't want to buy led then end up going back to halides.
what is your thoughts

Planedoc · Jun 18, 2013

Switch half the tank. You will be able see results for yourself and know that all other parameters were the same. It's like testing the water before jumping in.

Tapatalk on Galaxy S3

ReefLEDLights · Jun 19, 2013

Planedoc said:
Switch half the tank. You will be able see results for yourself and know that all other parameters were the same. It's like testing the water before jumping in.

Tapatalk on Galaxy S3

Good Advice.

I kept my VHOs for two years then went all LED.

I feel safe to say that everyone who switched to a Quality LED Fixture from MH is happy with the results.

The Radion Pro is a good light and has a lot of good reviews. Its downside is price and it does not have the intensity of a 400 watt MH. If your replacing 175-250 watt MH you should be fine.

Bill

edsreef · Jun 19, 2013

thanks guys.
I will be replacing 400 watt halides
I like the idea of one at first
think ill put a led in the middle and see

ReefLEDLights · Jun 19, 2013

edsreef said:
thanks guys.
I will be replacing 400 watt halides
I like the idea of one at first
think ill put a led in the middle and see

Other than heating ones house in the winter MH have a better coverage than LEDs.

You will still have some bleed over.

PM Sent

Bill

bigfoot86 · Jun 19, 2013

True you may have some dead edge spots depending on placement, quality, etc. of the leds. Think if you look around you can find the right led fixture for your tank.

Reefing Madness · Jun 19, 2013

Man I'd just stick with the Halides myself. Love mine also. If its a color thing you need, are you running VHO Actinics??

edsreef · Jun 19, 2013

I'm really on the fence about it as I really have no complaints about my halides
I do have vho but have not been using them for some time just halides only and tank looks great
I may just get a fresh set of bulbs and leave it alone

bucksfan1976 · Jun 19, 2013

I have owned a TON of LEDs , I was never 100% happy I just went back to halides / t5s

cdness · Jun 19, 2013

I did the part of the tank swap when I went from a 4 foot tank to a 6 foot tank. Since my T-5 system only covers 4 feet of the tank, an LED system was the right choice. I can say that between the two I prefer the LED side. I have better colors, better growth, and less algae growth as the LEDs don't age and shift spectrum like the T-5s (and MH) do. I was in the same boat though where I liked my T-5, but I was open to change and wanted to give it a shot. I will be all LED soon.

edsreef · Jun 19, 2013

bucksfan1976 said:
I have owned a TON of LEDs , I was never 100% happy I just went back to halides / t5s

what made you go back
color - growth. was it a big difference

edsreef · Jun 19, 2013

cdness
what kind of led are you using

Liquid360 · Jun 19, 2013

I couldn't do halides any longer. Summertime would bring my tank to boiling. I went LED and have been ecstatic with all aspects. I haven't a single complaint.
27in Maxspect Razor 160w 16k (x2)

bucksfan1976 · Jun 19, 2013

edsreef said:
what made you go back
color - growth. was it a big difference

To be honest , not so much color but more growth. Plus some of the Best tanks Ive seen locally are all lit by Halides and t5s, I will say I love how you can control LEDs dont get me wrong, but there just isnt enough research to prove they are by far the best. Until then , Ill just go back old school , the way its been for years. Once something is proven then I might switch. I dont mind $30 a month in electric and $150 in bulbs per year , just with knowing im getting the light I know works gives me piece of mind , thats priceless. Plus a single 250 Halide covers my tank with a single fixture , the only thing that came close was a maxspect razor.

edsreef · Jun 19, 2013

I have to say all of may favorite tanks are still using halides as well

jservedio · Jun 19, 2013

I went with the Radion Pro like you are looking at and I couldn't be happier (although I only have 20 gallons to cover). Since I had such a small tank and it was only 12" front-to-back I couldn't fit a 6-bulb T5 on it and 4 simply wasn't enough to get the colors I wanted.

For a tank like yours though, that is going to be a HUGE investment. Nobody else should be talking you into a light beside yourself. People have great tanks with Razors, Mazzaras, AI Sols, AI Vegas, Radions, Radion pros, etc. and people have great tanks with MH and T5s. You are going to be spending thousands of dollars to switch to LEDs and you need to decide for yourself if you want to make the switch and if it is worth it.

For me, the switch to LED was a no brainer. Don't let people talk you into them and certainly, by no means, let anyone talk you out of them. They are plenty capable and most anyone would be happy with them. You need to take a hard look at your application and decide why you want to get rid of them. I would imagine, a bunch of 400w MHs kill your electric bill and add no small amount of heat. If you are used to 20k radiums, getting anything other than the Mitras or Radion Pro's is going to dissapoint you. You simply can't get the same spectrum out of other LEDs since they are not truly full spectrum (about 400-800nm wavelengths). To compete with your lights, you going to need to spend thousands of dollars - that is completely up to you :)

Liquid360 · Jun 19, 2013

Under a grand for Razors.

jservedio · Jun 19, 2013

Liquid360 said:
Under a grand for Razors.

I would think for a 6 foot tank he would probably want 3 Razors - especially coming from 400w MHs. I know you have the Razors and like them very much, but they are very different from 400w MHs, especially running 20k Radiums (if that's what he has). The best bet might be getting something that can accurately copy the spectrum graph of the 20k Radium (or whatever he is using) since he can always fall back on that tried and true spectrum (albeit not coming from a MH). Only he can decide what will suit his tank the best and give him the features he wants. It's going to be expensive no matter what way you look at it - and is even more expensive if he gets a LED that doesn't have all the features he wants and has to upgrade, or worse, revert back to MH. MHs are tried and true - they work fantastically you basically can't go wrong with them. LEDs are new - and are also great (even far better in certain applications, such as my own) - but there is a much bigger lineup of products to choose from and they are not all made equally. The Razors are definitely up there compared to other units, but they certainly aren't the top of the line. I love my Radion Pro's, but that doesn't mean that the OP is going to like them - same with the Razors.

The only way he will like the LEDs he picks, is by actually looking at tanks that have the same lights he wants, and playing around with them to see if they have the features he likes. Nobody should be saying "This is the best light for you" or "You need to get this, it's the best" because nobody knows what is best for his tank besides him.

Buying a LED without seeing it in person and using the software is, frankly, stupid. Unless you are buying some cheapo light, you really need to see the light in action, see the coral it is growing, and use the software. Sure, other peoples thoughts and reviews are important (especially when it comes to longevity), but nothing is as important as liking what you get.