GaryL April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 Ok so I was partially reading that there are a lot of people switching back from LEDs to T5 or halides.... Over in reef2reef. I have tried them all and still like LEDs for various reasons. Do people resort to "go with what you know" or stick it out and play with setting to see the outcome? Is UV really an issue? Do I need to supplement? I seem to get great growth and color with LEDs. This is the "yellow" leather I picked up at petland for the raffle. But I like the way it's growing! I know I posted a before in another thread but this is an after. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 1, 2014 Author Share April 1, 2014 http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/equipment-lighting-hardware-aquarium-filtration/155197-back-t5s-guy.html is the discussion I was referring to Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 If you are getting great growth and color with LEDs, what are you missing? Not having to run a chiller, or constantly replacing bulbs? As a fan of LEDs, let me be the first to say, sorry for the convenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 1, 2014 Author Share April 1, 2014 Lol I agree but I like to here othe opinions Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crob5965 April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 well, the money I will save on bulbs this year, I will spend replacing coral I melted lol, I'm a fan so far, I think once I get the settings right LED's will be a keeper for me. I love the actinic look from LED but I do miss my purple/pink glow I had with my T5's ( not enough to hook them back up). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 that's not a yellow leather. can't understand why someone would go back to fluorescent after using LED's. I wonder did his grandfather trade in the Model A on a new horse....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 1, 2014 Author Share April 1, 2014 It was yellow when I picked it up lol. But love the way it's turning out Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I learned the hard way that it is difficult to light acclimate fresh cut SPS frags under LEDs. Turn them suckers way down. I fried the day lights out of them lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 that only applies if the SPS wasn't grown under LED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I've had halides, PCs, T5HO's and now LEDs. I've had things grow and color up under all of them. I know some people who are very experienced in the hobby that stick with what they know and have had proven success with, and I respect their choice and sometimes stand in awe of their results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 1, 2014 Author Share April 1, 2014 I think for led in my experience is how you okay with the intensity settings. On my d120 I have the blue cranked all the way up and the white only at about 20%. And everything pops and I'm getting growth from all my coral critters and Condy anemone Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I think from the outside looking in, no one in their right mind would go any route other than LED from the beginning (provided they had the money for the initial outlay). There is plenty of scientific and anecdotal evidence that LED's will grow coral. There is virtually no maintenance costs (bulb replacement). Energy costs are a fraction of older technology. LED's do not emit as much heat, thus eliminating the necessity of a very expensive chiller. As Tom said, some old heads will pine for the older tech, because it's what they know and will experience great results, but when those guys are all gone, you won't even be able to find aquarium T5 or halide bulbs (or chillers) anymore, because those companies will be out of business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I know some people who are very experienced in the hobby that stick with what they know and have had proven success with, and I respect their choice and sometimes stand in awe of their results. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! I do have to say though, one of my favorite tank builds on R2R is a 320, and he uses a rocking metal halid/LED combo. His SPS frag tank is the size of my DT, and he has to trim every week to keep the corals from fighting. The only close to that tank I know about with just LED's is Ride the Ducati's tank, who IMO is the posterboy for LED's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Der ABT April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 Leds work fine halides grow faster and better colors if you ask me....light spread is 20xs that of leds... on my led frag tank i have good color on the top of the coral but under looks like its never seen light under a halide the coral has almost 350 degrees of color coverage....aka light seems to hit the coral from alot more directions im a big fan of combo's t5/led or halide led.... my frag tanks are just leds and if i ever get around to it will be adding some t5 as well. on my main the plain is to add leds in place of the t5s to make it a halide/led tank. guess im considered old but i gotta say, halides grow faster corals....may change down the road Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 call me a dinosaur. After over 11 years I can't give up my MH and don't see that changing any time soon, growth, color, and no fuss....i do have reef brite blues to pop out the color more but thats where I draw the line..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I had 2 AI sol blues over my 75 at one time replacing my MH and t5's. After 6 months I switched back to my MH/t5 and never looked back. This past year I purchased some d120 full spectrums and had 3 over my 150. At first everything looked great! especially with all blues. I acclimated my sps kept my softies in their locations and enjoyed what I saw but still wasn't 100% happy. After a few months I went back to my 12 bulb t5 fixture and added some panoramas for accenting my corals. I am now 100% happy with my light setup. Reason why I switched back: 1. The water didn't look crisp. Under t5's the water had a cool blue ice look. Under the leds the water looked thick, dense, as if fishes and coral were swimming in a tub of blue jello... 2. My corals didn't do to well with the new light. I know I probably needed more time but I experimented with led grown sps and now switching back to t5s, I had no idea some of my sps had different colors or changed colors entirely. I'm not doubting led's as I use my AI's over my softie frag tank. Unfortunately, I have yet to use or see a led unit that can give me the same colors as t5's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 What would be cool is if 3 people do a coral trade, lets say of that toadstool, and 1 uses just MH, other t5, and 3rd leds. Then we all vote in who has the prettiest toadstool after a few months. This will show true potentials for new comers and those who are skeptical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firecrackerbob April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 I swore I wouldnt get into another one of these, but... heres my reasons for disliking LED 1) I think they look like crap. LED is getting better looking to be fair, but personally HM/actinic-VHO or MH/T5 always looks better to me. in fact, whenver I see a tank with LED my first thought is wow that tank would look so much better with different lights. 2) I dispute the cost savings. in this area too LED is getting better, but I think the claim that has been made that you will save $10,000 if you switch to LED is bunk. 3)I dont want to deal with any coral acclimation issues. in other words it aint broke and nothing needs fixing. let me be clear that I think LED can work just fine. if you like the way they look good for you. I wont say that I will NEVER run them, but I will say I would probably leave the hobby if it was my only choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sen5241b April 1, 2014 Share April 1, 2014 (edited) Got a 150watt Mh in my basement so no over-heating issues that I can't solve without a fan. Clams and acropora love that much light but my problem is its too much light on my little 20G long. What would be interesting is to measure PAR (and spectrum too?) under all three, MH, T5s and LEDs. If the light is the same then its the same, no? Edited April 1, 2014 by sen5241b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 2, 2014 Author Share April 2, 2014 I started with MH and vho. I loved it then went to t5 when they first came out. Then I did a combo of mh and t5. Someone have me some power compacts... I didn't care for them but they were great for softies. Now I have LED so I have to read all about them and it seems to be a personal preference if people like them or not. I still have my backup MH if I ever go back but I still can't wait to set up my big tank with the new it2080 I just got Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite April 2, 2014 Share April 2, 2014 I like using combo of T-5s and LEDs, but don't want all LEDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 April 2, 2014 Share April 2, 2014 I like using combo of T-5s and LEDs, but don't want all LEDs. +1. I would love one of those new ATI fixtures that includes both led and T5, but they are so darn expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto April 2, 2014 Share April 2, 2014 I think that a lot of problems that people are having is that they either have too many or too few leds over their tanks. Also the transition from a type of light to another, corals will most likely change and stop growing until they get used to it.. I have had frags that come from MH and T5 tanks and when I place them in my tank, they stay very small and dont show growth at all untill months or even a year after... I have been able to keep all types of coral with leds for years now and they all have very good color. My major problem is keeping water quality the same all the time since I have a nano and having soo many corals in one small box, parameters are changing all the time. Everyone will have some problems with their tank and they will probably blame it on LEDS.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL April 2, 2014 Author Share April 2, 2014 I wonder if it has to do with the 90* optic that comes on most causing the coral to show color on the under side of it since t5 and MH usually have some sort it reflecting device Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion April 2, 2014 Share April 2, 2014 The shaded areas are annoying with LEDs even with 120degree optics on my tank, and I wonder how they will effect the growth of the corals down the road given the fact that LEDs are point-source? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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