New to LEDs. Need advice

[sen5241b]

I've had a MH 150 watt for years and it did its job just fine but with a recent tank upgrade I am not getting enough light. Anyone recommend LEDs for a 29G with dimensions 30¼ x 12½ x 18¾ ? The rock does not come up very high and I need light down on the sand.

 

This one looks cheap and decent reviews:  http://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-55x3w-Dimmable-Spectrum-Aquarium/dp/B00INM0J1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1453091486&sr=1-1&keywords=leds+reef

 

The AI Prime at $199 looks nice with wifi and a phone controller app but I don't think ti will cover my 29:  http://www.amazon.com/AquaIllumination-Prime-LED-Light-Black/dp/B00V3Q7I5A/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1453091687&sr=1-1&keywords=ai+prime

 

[khh27]

Prime not at 30 " wide.

It2060 is nice.

 

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[sen5241b]

Maybe not. I know someone who got a hydra 26HD for a 40 gallon breeder and it was way overkill. He has it throttled down to less than half it's output

[dread240]

all my research has been into building your own fixtures... Just dropped $1600 tonight on supplies for the new lights for my 280 :-\

[Bruleyii]

I ran the IT2040 on my 37g and I got great colors. 

[sethsolomon]

This one looks cheap and decent reviews:  http://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-55x3w-Dimmable-Spectrum-Aquarium/dp/B00INM0J1M/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1453091486&sr=1-1&keywords=leds+reef

 

 

you can get this cheaper on ebay for the exact same light. Should be about $87.   Or you can go with one of the reefbreeders/evergrows fixtures that have built in controllers.  There are several venders for them here on the forums.

[FirstContact]

Have Orpheks.  I really like multi chip leds like the first Orphek pendants or Kessils.  I feel the light spread is much better in addition to the shimmer, but you have a lot less choices over spectrum. 

[YHSublime]

Prime not at 30 " wide.

It2060 is nice.

I ran the IT2040 on my 37g and I got great colors. 

you can get this cheaper on ebay for the exact same light. Should be about $87.   Or you can go with one of the reefbreeders/evergrows fixtures that have built in controllers.  There are several venders for them here on the forums.

 

These are all the same kind of light, just different models, etc. I think if you go with the Evergrow, at least through the old group buys that ERC used to do, you can get them with a warranty. I ran the IT2080's on my rimless 57, and then on my 150. For their price point and performance, I wouldn't suggest anything else. JMO.

[malacoda]

Depends how much you are/aren't willing to spend...

 

One LED light that starting to gain reputation for quality is Nanobox - similar in price range to running Kessil(s) on tank with the exception being that the gooseneck/hanging kit (your choice) and built-in wifi controller are included in the price rather than having to be purchased separately, which saves you a few bucks versus a similar-sized Kessil setup.

 

For example, I just recently got the Nanobox Duo (the fully loaded Duo Plus M to be exact) for my 24g (24"x16"x16")  for ~$470. A Kessil 360 would with gooseneck and controller would've run ~$550.

 

So, even with higher end lights, if you dig around a bit, there may be opportunity for a little bit of savings.

[sen5241b]

I got the AI Prime, $199, powerful, programmable phone app (see pic) and no controller needed. Friend of mine has a Hydra TwentySix HD (double the output of the AI Prime) hanging 12 inches over a forty cube and he had to throttle down intensity by well over half and his clam is still happy on the sand. The far sides of my 29 should be fine with some low light corals. Unfortunately, its in a truck or warehouse somewhere stuck in transit.

 

[08can-am]

I run 2 primes over my 36" tank. Its a innovative marine 30 fusion. I use their mounting arms. Im not super tech savy so i appreciate the wifi built in and ease of setting them with the app.

 

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[zygote2k]

The original D120's are the best value and most reliable 50/50 light out there. Kinda industrial but very reliable. The ITseries with control on the fixture are also very reliable. Both of these are easy to open and replace components. The newer Evergrow fixtures seem to have a plethora of issues and we are currently replacing these with older models.

 

AI lights are also easy to work on with fans and power supplies being the most frequent to replace. Less industrial looking.

 

Radions give off very nice light and the control features are great. Also semi easy to repair. Not cheap.

 

Kessils are nice- I use an a 350w and after 2 years, haven't had any issues with it.

 

I had a Maxxspect Razor and was happy with it and the current owner has been using it for 2 years happily with no issues.

 

I use an array of 8) Maxxspect Mazarra modules over the 300 and after 4 years, I'm just now beginning to see some flickering in  the program at startup. This is a power supply issue according to Maxxspect. Haven't replaced them yet.

 

We have numerous tanks with the Marineland LED fixtures. There have been many modifications with the latest having very powerful LEDs, low profile, and built in programming. They last 3 years or so and are moderately priced. The low profile is appealing and can be used in many applications.

 

We are just now playing with the Aqueon LED strips with programming and it's so far, so good.

 

I was a big proponent of the PAR 38 bulbs and used more than 60 of them over various tanks. Track lighting fixtures were great and best of all, you could create dramatic lighting schemes. Still nice to use, but lots of equipment needed, making them bulky and unsightly in some applications.

 

We have a Vertex at work and it's an amazing light. Very powerful, Very heavy and Very costly- this one has a $5k pricetag.

 

I used many of the Ecoxotic Panorama fixtures back in the day and these worked reliably for 2-3 years as long as you had a fan blowing on them. Part of the sales pitch was that they didn't need fans. No fan meant 2-3 month life due to excessive heat and poor heatsinks.

 

I also used the 50w and 100w Photon Cannons and was impressed by both. These also don't use active fan cooling and went through power supplies every 2-3 years. If you need a big gun, this is the light for you. 

 

I won a DIY light at one of the meetings and it was built nicely. Justin still uses it 3 years later.

 

I had a Chucelli-built  DIY 3 channel LED with fan cooled heatsink and used it for 3 years. Never had any issues with it.

 

I used the Deep Blue brand led lights and they went through power supplies in less than a year, fans failed frequently too.

No longer in use.

 

I think this is everything I've used- hope this is helpful.

[Origami]

^^Great post, Rob!

 

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[sen5241b]

Yeah, very informative. Thanks mucho.

 

I noticed some of the LEDs off amazon (see 1st link in my initial post) do NOT have a UV LED. The AI Prime does. Is this needed?

[newbie2014]

Yeah, very informative. Thanks mucho.

 

I noticed some of the LEDs off amazon (see 1st link in my initial post) do NOT have a UV LED. The AI Prime does. Is this needed?

 

I'ld like to know that, too.

 

On a side note, I thought UV is anything below 400nm. Amazon lists Ai Prime as UV at 405nm!?!?!? 

[dread240]

Well my parts are finally starting to show up. I'm doing a custom built fixture with the reef led lab 12-up pucks, optics and diffusers, and meanwell LDD drivers (up to 1500ma for the whites)

 

It's very heavy with the violets. 4 of the 12 LED's are violet on the board, and I had great success when I started mixing some of them into my older fixture I had built years ago.

 

The only problem I see with them for your application is that you'd need 2 pucks to cover your application, and if you wanted the full customization of the spectrum you would require 7 drivers just for those 2 pucks.

 

I'm not sure how long you have until you do this. I doubt my tank will even be up and running until sometime in april, but if you're still looking at that point I could see what channels are running at what intensity and you could dial back the required drivers and controls. Maybe shave it down to 3 or so channels to get the light you want.

 

http://reefll.com/12xV3.0

 

I also bought a couple of these diy housings for them too. http://www.aquastyleonline.com/products/AE%252d30-Aluminum-Heatsink-16.5cmX6cmX30cm.htmlThey just arrived yesterday and they look pretty good. I didn't get the hanging kits but did opt for the fan brackets in case I need some cooling.