John Ford June 25, 2014 Share June 25, 2014 Yeah it's the money that stops me as well. I can change t5s for 12 years before I spend the cash for radions once. I might even stay with t5 even if I had the cash. I most likely would shoot for a bigger tank then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 25, 2014 Share June 25, 2014 The two combined is a winner in my books. LEDs don't have to be expensive. See evergrows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WheresTheReef June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 I like the longevity of LEDs. One less thing to have to remember to change out. I'm sure I tossed some bulbs with some life still on them trying to guess when I should replace them. I waited too long the first time and there was an obvious color shift when I replaced them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 After reading so many threads of people going to led and then going back to T5 or adding T5 supplements I'm happy I just stayed T5. I'm glad to hear things are improving Same for MHs. I went from Ecotech Radions to a 400w MH and the difference was incredible. My coral growth rate and color was just insane under the MH. Just like when someone switches from LED to T5. So I definitely think you made the right choice. How many TOTMs on RC do you see under LED? What about T5 or MH? Point proven. LEDs have come a long way, and still have a ways to go, but I do think they are the future. I like the incredible customization, the lack of heat output, and the energy savings. Then again, i say all of this, and one of my favorite tanks of all time, ridetheducati's, went from MH to LED and his SPS look just great. He says the color and growth rates are similar to before, so what the H-E-double hockey sticks do I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 Same for MHs. I went from Ecotech Radions to a 400w MH and the difference was incredible. Ryan, I forget...what MH setup (ballast, reflectors, bulb) did you have? I'd look it up, but that's a really long thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 (edited) Same for MHs. I went from Ecotech Radions to a 400w MH and the difference was incredible. My coral growth rate and color was just insane under the MH. Just like when someone switches from LED to T5. So I definitely think you made the right choice. How many TOTMs on RC do you see under LED? What about T5 or MH? Point proven. LEDs have come a long way, and still have a ways to go, but I do think they are the future. I like the incredible customization, the lack of heat output, and the energy savings. Then again, i say all of this, and one of my favorite tanks of all time, ridetheducati's, went from MH to LED and his SPS look just great. He says the color and growth rates are similar to before, so what the H-E-double hockey sticks do I know. chucelli's tank was TOTM on reef central and he only has whie & blue cree LEDS. Edited June 26, 2014 by Neto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/137-tank-of-the-month Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 Ryan, I forget...what MH setup (ballast, reflectors, bulb) did you have? I'd look it up, but that's a really long thread lumenbrite reflector, 400w MH ballast, 14k plusrite bulb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 chucelli's tank was TOTM on reef central and he only has whie & blue cree LEDS. uh huh. and do you want to make a list with 2 columns. 1 for tanks with LEDs and 1 for tanks with T5s or MHs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neto June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 uh huh. and do you want to make a list with 2 columns. 1 for tanks with LEDs and 1 for tanks with T5s or MHs You are right but leds can still provide good color & growth under the right conditions. Sometimes the transition from one type of light to another can have a negative effect on corals, specially if they are very sensitive such as SPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 uh huh. and do you want to make a list with 2 columns. 1 for tanks with LEDs and 1 for tanks with T5s or MHs? It won't be long till LEDs are king. I agree though, a combo if led and t5 or mh is the best. LEDs are fairly new. A lot of the old school reefers are still holding onto their traditional ways. Chucheli's tank, and Tonys tank, are prime examples of the older generation of reefers who have identified the benefits to LEDs, and given them the time to show results. I've seen so many people come and go, even in my short tenure in the hobby, that it's no surprise that there are mixed and heavy opinions on lighting. I used a metal halide for 3 months. I used LEDs for about a year. I don't think I have enough experience with either to tell someone what's better. I think no matter what lighting option people go with, as long as it's enough, you will see great growth and color by being consistent. The correlation is consistency, not the product, IMO. Either way, I agree with the op, the addition of t5s was a great choice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals August 13, 2014 Author Share August 13, 2014 I finally lowered the lights into the final placement. Corals have finally started to look healthy and are finally growing again. I can't wait to see how they do now that the lights are lowered into place. Here is a comparison between a coral under just the leds and now with the t5s added. The new pic isn't as good but I am happy it's getting its nice colors back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals August 13, 2014 Author Share August 13, 2014 Just leds Today under the leds and t5s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 Wow..great coloration.... Making me think of adding on some t5s... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 That looks great, however, my bad azz (that's what it looks like, correct me if I'm wrong) had exact same coloration as your combo with just the radions. Just my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 (edited) 100 percent seems high. I run my LED at 40% max. You are probably killing them. Plus you may have been running to much blue. Edited August 14, 2014 by Keraxis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 100 percent seems high. I run my LED at 40% max. You are probably killing them. Plus you may have been running to much blue. What is the point of running something at less than 100%? I was saying that I was achieving the same color combo with just led that he is getting with led/t5. I don't think anybody in either situation is killing anything, and I'm a little perplexed by your statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 Big difference between radions and evergrows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 Big difference between radions and evergrows. Don't want to turn Paul's thread into a discussion about this, but having run both, I don't think the difference is that big. It certainly is when it comes to a price tag though, I can agree with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 100 percent seems high. I run my LED at 40% max. You are probably killing them. Plus you may have been running to much blue. That is a point worth bringing up since it took me quite a while to figure out. I can't run mine at any more than 50%. All depends on what fixture people have, how far apart and how high up mounted, how deep, how clear water is, corals growing and how long the lights are run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals August 14, 2014 Author Share August 14, 2014 The coral I just posted is not the bad azz, it's a different wild coral I got around 5 years ago I like to keep growing out. Sorry to confuse with a new coral pic, but I like the colors it's getting so much I had to post it. I am not saying you can't get good colors with leds either guys. In my case I just didn't have the right bulbs, amount of bulbs, fixture height or amount of spread. Plus no patience. 100 percent seems high. I run my LED at 40% max. You are probably killing them. Plus you may have been running to much blue. 100 percent I worked up to over a few months, plus I have no optics on. I don't think the spectrum is right with just the erc layout to grow sps very well. Which is what I was told the bulb combo was. Anyways I still have the leds at 100 percent and the fixture is 7 inches off the top of the tank as well as the t5s. So I was Definatly not killing them with too much light. I run the blues at 100 percent for 11 hours everyday. The whites and 4 t5s I am running for I think 6 or 7 hours a day. Gemerek2 said it all when it comes to percentage of the power being run. I have not ran Raidons so I couldn't comment on that. They are to fancy for me : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 (edited) Leds are much brighter then even MH at 100% with a good quality bulb. Par at 100% is in the 600 to 700 range almost 6 inches into the tank. http://www.ukmarinelighting.co.uk/evergrow-it2080-proreef-marine-aquarium-dimmable-led-unit-203-p.asp also at 24 inches down you would still be at almost 200 par Here is a good link about MH par. http://melevsreef.com/node/678 If I felt like dealing with the heat and bulbs I would have MH with an LED strip. Edited August 14, 2014 by Keraxis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraffitiSpotCorals August 14, 2014 Author Share August 14, 2014 That 2080 is way bigger than my fixture so there is no way I am getting that much par from it, especially with no lenses. That fixture is really low to the water surface also, I have not seen anyone keep one that low yet. Comparing the light from a led fixture and a metal halide by par measurements is kinda hard since leds are a completely different type of light, correct? I really think my corals were suffering from not enough light and even the wrong kind of light with just the leds in he beginning. No way was I giving them too much light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjamaya August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 Don't want to turn Paul's thread into a discussion about this, but having run both, I don't think the difference is that big. It certainly is when it comes to a price tag though, I can agree with that.we'll Well thats interesting. One would think there would.be a difference other than $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 14, 2014 Share August 14, 2014 we'll Well thats interesting. One would think there would.be a difference other than $. Sure, they are smaller, sleeker, easily controlled, but in terms of par, I got very similar readings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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