400w MH to LED for 92gal corner

[Fazio92]

Hey Everyone,

 

So i have been debating whether to switch out my 400W MH and 3 atc T5's on my 92gal corner "dominated SPS" tank for LEDs. I recently DIY'd LEDs on my 2 40gal breeders and linked them to my Apex and love them and all the features. I was thinking that i could make it so that the "bow" portion of the tank is also covered, plus reducing the insane amount of heat that the halide puts out. Plus, it's about that time to get a new bulb ~$85, so i could put that towards LEDs instead, since i spend that roughly every 6months. My only concern right now is really that my tank is doing great and the lighting is good, but i relly like the effects, cost, heat reduction, etc... of the LEDS. So, my questions to you all are:

 

1) Would you change it (since the tank is doing really well)?

 

2) How many LEDs should i do...36? 48? 72?(remember i can always dim them as that is what i am doing on the two 40's right now, not to exceed 65% B and 55% W through the Apex)"

 

3)(Biggest concern) How should i go about mounting them, while looking nice? (i have currently been using c-channel and gutted fixtures, but i would like to make it so that it cover the entire top of the tank, bow and all. I just dont want to see wires and c-channel in my living room). I personally dont have grinders, bandsaws, etc... to really customize and make something look good; which is why I have been using gutted fixtures. the problem really lies in the "snow cone" shape of the tanks top opening; which i would really like to utilize all space.

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

-Anthony

[zygote2k]

You could always use one of the new 100w Cannon Pendants with remote dimmer.

[Fazio92]

You could always use one of the new 100w Cannon Pendants with remote dimmer.

 

 

I like the ability to dim b & w seperately and gradually over time etc... Plus i would like to have them cover the entire tank around the rim etc... Having a single pendant is pretty much what i have now and limits the sapce to a spot light. Good idea though, but i would like to do a diy, not only for cost, but for sake of maximizing coverage, space, and ability to reconfigure inidividual leds later on when i upgrade to a different shapped tank.

 

-Anthony

[zygote2k]

I like the ability to dim b & w seperately and gradually over time etc... Plus i would like to have them cover the entire tank around the rim etc... Having a single pendant is pretty much what i have now and limits the sapce to a spot light. Good idea though, but i would like to do a diy, not only for cost, but for sake of maximizing coverage, space, and ability to reconfigure inidividual leds later on when i upgrade to a different shapped tank.

 

-Anthony

The 100w Cannon is capable of illuminating a 36" diameter and is dimmable. It covers the same area as a 400w MH pendant. It's far cheaper than DIY and looks better too.

[Guest thefishman65]

You might be able to do 60 LEDs. I am not good for SPS. I bleached everyone when I went to LEDs from lack of experience. Are you any good with wood? If you can find some sort of screen to cover the top it would still allow good air flow.

[Supernova26]

I don't know if you should change man. Your tank is doing really nicely with that halide. But if you are going to I saw a build somewhere where they used a black ionized heatsink. It turned out pretty nice.

[Saltwaterworx]

The cannons are a good choice to change. This company by the name of Ecoray has some very nice LEDs. Way more PAR for your buck than other competitors. I saw them set up in a show a while back. When I make my big transition, it may be with them, but the way new LEDs are coming out.......

 

 

[zygote2k]

The cannons are a good choice to change. This company by the name of Ecoray has some very nice LEDs. Way more PAR for your buck than other competitors. I saw them set up in a show a while back. When I make my big transition, it may be with them, but the way new LEDs are coming out.......

Ecoray fixtures are great for little tiny tanks. They are underpowered and can't even compare to the Cannon pendants. If you've never seen a Cannon over a reef tank, then you just don't know how bright they are and how much area that they cover. I've used DIY, P38's, Panoramas, Stunners, Powerbrites, and the Cannons.

 

Anthony- if your tank is doing well under Mh, why risk the corals? At your current rate, you'll go thru a $60 mh bulb every 10 months plus associated electricity and cooling. It'll cost anywhere from $500-$100 to do a proper LED fixture.

[Fazio92]

Ecoray fixtures are great for little tiny tanks. They are underpowered and can't even compare to the Cannon pendants. If you've never seen a Cannon over a reef tank, then you just don't know how bright they are and how much area that they cover. I've used DIY, P38's, Panoramas, Stunners, Powerbrites, and the Cannons.

 

Anthony- if your tank is doing well under Mh, why risk the corals? At your current rate, you'll go thru a $60 mh bulb every 10 months plus associated electricity and cooling. It'll cost anywhere from $500-$100 to do a proper LED fixture.

 

 

Yeah, cost really isn't the main issue to me really just the ability to cover every square inch possible on such an odd shape opening that is 48" x 48" each side and a bow from front to back of ~54". Plus i love having to ability to hook up to the Apex and really "tune" it to change each color individually % wise over time at vairing rates making it as natural light cycle as possible (even clouds, thunderstorms, etc...) if i had the tools i would make an aluminum bracket the shape of the opening "snow cone" (bow and all) and fill it in with a grid of c-channel, then take alumimun sheets and cover as if a true fixture and paint it black. If someone could help me make the skeleton structure i would be all over that, as i know what i want just don't have the tools to really pull it off. I have been using 16 Cree (8 RB & 8CW) per/ each 40gal fixture, really tuned down because they were even frying the sps, but i absolutly love what they do and how "tunable" they are. Just thoughts going through my head

 

-Anthony

[Saltwaterworx]

Trust, theres nothing wrong at all with the cannons. Ive seen what a few can do to a public aquarium! Im starting to get well versed in the LED phenomenon as well!

[Fazio92]

Trust, theres nothing wrong at all with the cannons. Ive seen what a few can do to a public aquarium! Im starting to get well versed in the LED phenomenon as well!

 

 

You only have a choice of Blue or White though correct?

[trockafella]

I agree, If I were to switch to LED's (which I most certainly will NOT be doing) I would use the cannons.. Its the most natural looking LED light ive seen.. IMO the light spread and shimmer looks just like a Halide...

[Fazio92]

I agree, If I were to switch to LED's (which I most certainly will NOT be doing) I would use the cannons.. Its the most natural looking LED light ive seen.. IMO the light spread and shimmer looks just like a Halide...

 

 

Out of all the Pre-fabbed fixtures that could be true, however i have never seen the cannon. But i get all of those great halide effects with the DIY setup, no question. Again, i like to diy, not only because pre-fabbed LEDs are far overpriced. But diy'ing truly allows me to tailor to the tank itself and if i change tanks, i can pulled each led off and rearrage it for the new setup, "percisely interchangable" i would call it. Again, i love what i am running on my 40 breeders and they are holding sps, lps, gigantea nem, etc... and it looks amazing IMO, that's just one other reason why i was thinking of ridding the Halide. I'm not looking to go standard here, no rectangles over cones, etc... i want to make it a "seamless" look, as if it was designed and came with the tank itself. Again, i WANT to diy, just don't have the necessary tools to do what i want. Anyone know of a company that could "water-jet" me a heatsink that large to fit the cone shaped opening? That would be ideal, but almost unrealistic.

[Saltwaterworx]

Correct.. White or blue.

[zygote2k]

OEC Engineering in Chantilly has a Waterjet. I used to run it back in the day- they'll cut anything you want.

[Fazio92]

OEC Engineering in Chantilly has a Waterjet. I used to run it back in the day- they'll cut anything you want.

 

 

Do they have the material to use as well? Rob, send me a pm this may be something i would be really interested in.

 

-Anthony

[chucelli]

Anthony,

I don't know what your 92g corner tank looks like now, but if you have many larger mature sps colonies, I would think twice before switching to LEDs, especially if they are doing well as you say. Colonies, especially larger ones that have grown accustomed to a particular setup do not acclimate too well to this kind of change. As colonies grow, they shape their skeletons to optimize the use of available light. They way most LED units output light is still very different than the closest comparable MH setup. If you really have to make the switch (ie. economical, or heat reasons) then expect some die-offs in certain areas and stunted growth in others. It's not the end of the world, but it will take some time for the tank to get back to its current state.

-Robert

[zygote2k]

Anthony,

I don't know what your 92g corner tank looks like now, but if you have many larger mature sps colonies, I would think twice before switching to LEDs, especially if they are doing well as you say. Colonies, especially larger ones that have grown accustomed to a particular setup do not acclimate too well to this kind of change. As colonies grow, they shape their skeletons to optimize the use of available light. They way most LED units output light is still very different than the closest comparable MH setup. If you really have to make the switch (ie. economical, or heat reasons) then expect some die-offs in certain areas and stunted growth in others. It's not the end of the world, but it will take some time for the tank to get back to its current state.

-Robert

 

On the 3 tanks that I made the switch from Mh to Led, I had no die off of SPS, but they did noticeably change their growth rate and subsequent shape.

Anthony- just call JP at OEC and ask away...

[trockafella]

You can also get individual heatsinks for each individual LED, Then you can place them anywhere and everywhere you want.

[epleeds]

BRK has two of the cannon's over their zero edge tank. one white and one blue. it looks awesome. the blue by itself is awesome. the price not so much.

 

maybe one day.