LED after 2.5 years Observations/retrospect

[chucelli]

First off, I would like to clarify that this thread is intended to be purely informational and not a X vs X which technology is better thread. I personally believe people should use whatever method works for them. If you are happy, there is no reason to convince others that it is the best. What's best for one may not be for another.

I've been asked by a few frag buyers recently what lighting I was using. When "LED" was disclosed, there seemed to be much surprise. I never gave this a second thought when I posted the frags for sale here at WAMAS, since it obviously works just as well as anything else. I can't reiterate enough that water chemistry is much more important than lighting. I can say that with some confidence now

 

For those that are interested in seeing my original build thread with various PAR numbers, it is located somewhere here, but it's so old I'm not sure I can find it. Alternatively, you could also venture to the "evil" site, but I'm trying to post everything here as well so you don't have to go there.

 

It has been roughly two and a half years since I switched over to LED lighting. I was running 3X250w MH on Lumentek electronic ballasts before the switch. My main reason (there were other reasons as well) for the switch was fixture aesthetics. I could not find compact fixtures which used the bulbs I wanted (SE MH) and had the look I wanted in a living room. With these LEDs, I was able to mount the lights higher up like some of the spot-lit Japanese tanks I had seen. I feel now that I've had some time with these lights, I can now make some observations and comparisons. Keep in mind that my observations cannot be used to judge commercial LED systems since I have no experience with them besides seeing them in action at various LFS.

 

Growth:

I want to assure anyone who has any doubts about LED's ability to grow corals, I can say they definitely do not have any problems growing corals. It has grown corals as well as any lighting I've used in the past. In addition, please remember that I am still using the same original fixtures I built years ago. There have been multiple advances in LED technology since then.

 

Cost:

I believe I spent around a grand in materials at the end of 2009 when all is said and done (mounting hardware included) to build these three pendents. There has been no maintenance of any kind or any burnt out emitters since they went into service. With my previous MH setup, I would have spent around $540 on bulb replacements at this point. This is with a replacement interval of 6 months. Factoring in the cost of the ballasts and retrofit fixture parts, I think I am about even now. There may be other long term cost benefits that may apply to you (ie. chiller, energy consumption, etc…)

 

Color:

First off, I think there are two separate sub-topics when talking about color. The first is how the corals immediately look under a certain light. The second is how the colors develop as the corals grow under that light. This is what I would like to talk about more in depth. In my experience, the latter is most certainly related to water chemistry and has very little to do with light, as long as the light spectrum is within the commonly accepted ballpark range. I find what does seem to change color seems to be intensity. Spectrum is directly related to intensity, as I believe intensity goes down when you approach the ends of what is considered "correct" spectrum, or PAR. The best documented example I have of this is the large Acro colony (formosa) on the left side of the tank. In the earlier photos as well as the pictures, you can see how much color is in the base compared to the top areas where the colony is receiving most light. Later photo documentation of the same Acro shows the main colony losing most of that color and becoming what the top portion was before, with the top portion lightening even more. At this point, it is logical to assume that the switch in lighting caused the Acro to lose its colors. However, frags of the same Acro sitting at the very bottom of display develop the same color and color intensity as the mother colony before the switch to LED. Now it seems obvious that intensity directly affects coloration. In short, assuming the lighting used meets PAR requirements, adjusting intensity will allow adjustments in the coral's true color. Keep in mind this change happens in weeks if not months. Now back to the first sub-topic.. As long as you like the way your corals look under lighting which meets PAR requirements, you should be good to go. Remember when we were growing Acros under yellow sodium vapor bulbs?

 

Shimmer Aesthetics:

Assume natural sunlight is the benchmark. When diving, you can see that shimmer lines are long, and ebb slowly into and out of one another. In an aquarium, the same exact shimmer lines are almost never reproduced due to the faster/shorter water movement cycles and the multiple light sources needed to provide the needed coverage and intensity. The way LEDs are built and used thus far pulls us further from that by introducing even more sources of point intensity. Depending on how far apart these LEDs are mounted, some have complained of a "disco ball" effect. This effect is certainly real and is a valid concern. Seeing an LED fixture in action is a prerequisite before considering any kind of switch.

 

I personally will definitely use LED in my next tank (if we ever move). However, I will definitely have some modifications to make! Higher emitter densities is something I am striving for and initial testing on a test unit over my frag tank shows promise...

It seems that in recent months, some manufactures have also started to design units with tighter emitter groupings. It remains to be seen whether or not their cooling design is sufficient to offset the greater heat dissipation needed for higher emitter densities. Unfortunately, this is an area easily skimped due to much higher manufacturing costs and is almost invisible to consumers.

 

Now on to the pictures.

The display has remained mostly unchanged since the pendents went into service in 2010. At some point, a second MP40 was added to increase flow as corals grew in. I recently moved the return to the right side and installed a bigger return pump in efforts to introduce more flow on the right side. Flow has been blocked due to the growing colonies on the left.

Changes in fish stock due to outgrowing and a major power outage in 2011 which killed most of the smaller fish (non-tangs). I now have a generator.

Coral wise, I have dealt with my share of pests and vowed to never add anything new as long as this tank is running. I have been successful with this self imposed restraint with only the addition of the Heteractis Crispa in April of 2011. Here are some select pics from beginning and present:

 

FTS March 2010 (3 months after LEDs went into service)

 

 

FTS April 2011

 

 

October 2011

 

 

FTS Feb 2012

 

 

FTS June 2012

 

 

some hope for those of you who may have gotten the Loisettae from me recently:

 

April 2010

 

 

April 2011

 

 

Feb 2012

 

 

Formosa:

 

 

 

 

some top-downs:

 

 

 

Some other recent top-downs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

current FTS:

 

 

January 2010 clip:

 

 

June 2012 clip:

 

 

hope this post has been interesting and informative!

thanks for looking

-Robert

Edited June 6, 2012 by chucelli

[icecool2]

Great post! The growth is clearly strong on everything. Do you have a shot from the same angle as the original from 2010?

[Ryan S]

Travis needs to read this.

 

Thanks for sharing. Love the before and after photos. Your tank is beautiful.

[schudini]

Wow, great pics.

 

What angle of optics do you have on those LEDs?

[epleeds]

Do you still only have 3 pieces of live rock in the tank or have u added more?

[chucelli]

Great post! The growth is clearly strong on everything. Do you have a shot from the same angle as the original from 2010?

I think this one is the same angle. Pic is a bit out of focus, so didn't include it first time...

I put the original 2010 pic next to it. I think that's what you had in mind?

 

March 2010

 

 

June 2012

 

 

-Robert

Edited June 6, 2012 by chucelli

[chucelli]

Travis needs to read this.

 

Thanks for sharing. Love the before and after photos. Your tank is beautiful.

 

Thanks Ryan.

why? do you have an inside bet going on with Travis?

 

Wow, great pics.

 

What angle of optics do you have on those LEDs?

 

I'm running 40˚ optics over this display.

 

Do you still only have 3 pieces of live rock in the tank or have u added more?

 

Eric, I actually removed a couple pieces of rock since the first 2010 pic posted here.

 

-Robert

[icecool2]

I think this one is the same angle. Pic is a bit out of focus, so didn't include it first time...

I put the original 2010 pic next to it. I think that's what you had in mind?

 

Yep, exactly. Much easier to compare the growth between the two shots.

[taiscici]

Great post Robert. Some frags I got from you are doing really well. BTW how do you keep your tank so clean??

[chucelli]

thanks. That's good to hear Chau. In a few months it would be interesting to see what growth pattern the tri-color takes in another tank/environment.

 

I think it looks "clean" because there is no coralline algae. While pretty, coralline spots can sometimes give the impression that a tank is not "clean". I have almost no coralline due to hundreds of Asterina starfish in my tank. As soon as a small spot takes hold, you will see a starfish on it within a couple days. I still mind them when they find a developing spot on a rock. On the glass I don't mind so much

 

-Robert

[taiscici]

thanks. That's good to hear Chau. In a few months it would be interesting to see what growth pattern the tri-color takes in another tank/environment.

 

I think it looks "clean" because there is no coralline algae. While pretty, coralline spots can sometimes give the impression that a tank is not "clean". I have almost no coralline due to hundreds of Asterina starfish in my tank. As soon as a small spot takes hold, you will see a starfish on it within a couple days. I still mind them when they find a developing spot on a rock. On the glass I don't mind so much

 

-Robert

 

 

I love to have a clean tank like that. Thanks for the info on the asterina starfish, I"m going to get me a few of those soon

[schudini]

I love to have a clean tank like that. Thanks for the info on the asterina starfish, I"m going to get me a few of those soon

 

You can have mine. I don't like them.

[chucelli]

I love to have a clean tank like that. Thanks for the info on the asterina starfish, I"m going to get me a few of those soon

I was going to say that a lot of people hate them and would glad to give some to you, but it looks like you already have an offer!

[taiscici]

You can have mine. I don't like them.

 

Thanks Schudini for your offer. My friend got a ton in his sump so I am just gonna grab a few from his.

[Sharkey18]

Awesome post! Thank you so much for sharing. Your colors look pretty awesome to me!

 

Your pics are really helpful since I am still trying to decide what to put on my 250 and I need an answer soon!

 

Are you still making LED fixtures? hint hint

 

Laura

[chucelli]

Hi Laura,

if you are in the area and want to swing by for a look, let me know. The most important thing is to get an idea of the quality of light before making any decisions. Sometimes, expectations do not meet with reality and decisions are questioned after the fact...

PM sent.

 

-Robert