Going back to halide after 4+ years with LED

[Bronx19]

Went T5 on my last build and my next will be the same. Might even stick a Kessil or something on it for the shimmer.

 

[cilyjr]

Time to update I think I'll try to throw in monthly FTS now that I am in a place where I feel happy taking them.

This was taken about 5 months before the switch. In Oct 2016

Taken 2 months with halide

This was taken in nov 2017.

 

[cilyjr]

I'm actually kind of running out of room for bigger things. I've been buying smaller pieces of the more expensive fancy corals these days. The thing is it's a very easy to mount a small piece on say the side of a wall and let it grow out eventually. And when it in crusts it's firmly attached to set wall.

 

[cilyjr]

Oh and check out my giant derasa clam I got it for free many years ago from a friend who is breaking down his tank it was about four in then. And now measures 10 and 1/2 in from tip to tip

 

[DSC reef]

Impressive set up! That's a nice deresa.

 

[cilyjr]

Thanks. Here's something else I thought might be a cool picture. My 10 year old plate. Was 2 inches at purchase. Now...

 

[PastaMario]

Cool thread!

 

[twiddledog]

cilyjr, looking at your tank with the MHs makes me want to get back into reefing. Nice Job! I ran MHs for 12 years with one year in the middle with LEDs..I did not like them and switched back. If I ever get another tank I will definitely use MH even if I have to go to an antique store to get the fixtures and bulbs.

 

[cilyjr]

cilyjr, looking at your tank with the MHs makes me want to get back into reefing. Nice Job! I ran MHs for 12 years with one year in the middle with LEDs..I did not like them and switched back. If I ever get another tank I will definitely use MH even if I have to go to an antique store to get the fixtures and bulbs.

Yup you should. You'll find the mh. I got my set used but their still in production. Coralvue makes the luxcore ballast. The lumatek is still in production but not in the US. I think they're a British company

 

[cilyjr]

I talked to a Hamilton rep and he said they be seen an uptick in the 14k bulb sales.

 

[Greybeard]

I was out of the hobby for over a decade. Excited by all of the LED options available when I got back in a couple years back. After a year of futzing around with LED's, I picked up a 250w hamilton for my 60g cube. I upgraded to a larger tank, and went with T5's. Either way, I just don't think LED's are quite 'there' yet. Yes, you can grow corals with LEDs, but if you look at initial costs (especially on a larger tank!) and coral health... I'd still choose Halides or T5's. Some of the combo T5/LED's are interesting, but the prices!

Eventually, LED's are going to surpass other lighting choices... It's inevitable. I just don't think they're quite 'there' yet. Imagine an LED video projector... a full blown LED projector, inverted over your aquarium, with a controller that allows you to replicate a bright sun moving across a brilliant blue sky, add in a few drifting clouds, perhaps a storm once in a while, a moon that matches phase, motion, and duration... with the color matching and blending that is available on today's LED TV's. It'd be incredible.

 

[Cully]

I chickened out on going back to MH. I’m still determined to make a go of it with LED and T5s. That said, I’m on my last nerve.

I’ve upped my reef keeping game a bit and seen some improvements, but Reefs under MH were never this needy and sensitive.

We shall see.....

 

[cilyjr]

I have had 2 sol blues over my frag tank that are dying ( bought new in 2012) and are being replaced with 2 hydra 26hd. I'll be curious to see how these preform over the much older sol models. The sol is as large as a 52 but has less leds than a 26.

A friend of mine put 2 atlantik v2 over his 120g tank last week. He likes the light but noticed the shadowed areas immediately.

My display is very happy with metal halide.

I tried the Hamilton 14k bulb for about 10 days and decided they were to "white" to run unsupported by t-5. I am now stockpiling radium bulbs.

 

[Centerline]

I was out of the hobby for over a decade. Excited by all of the LED options available when I got back in a couple years back. After a year of futzing around with LED's, I picked up a 250w hamilton for my 60g cube. I upgraded to a larger tank, and went with T5's. Either way, I just don't think LED's are quite 'there' yet. Yes, you can grow corals with LEDs, but if you look at initial costs (especially on a larger tank!) and coral health... I'd still choose Halides or T5's. Some of the combo T5/LED's are interesting, but the prices!

Eventually, LED's are going to surpass other lighting choices... It's inevitable. I just don't think they're quite 'there' yet. Imagine an LED video projector... a full blown LED projector, inverted over your aquarium, with a controller that allows you to replicate a bright sun moving across a brilliant blue sky, add in a few drifting clouds, perhaps a storm once in a while, a moon that matches phase, motion, and duration... with the color matching and blending that is available on today's LED TV's. It'd be incredible.

Great idea! Need to get Elon Musk on that one

 

[Centerline]

I chickened out on going back to MH. I’m still determined to make a go of it with LED and T5s. That said, I’m on my last nerve.

I’ve upped my reef keeping game a bit and seen some improvements, but Reefs under MH were never this needy and sensitive.

We shall see.....

Ya, very simple with MH.

 

[Cully]

I’m actually back to strictly LED. I’m teally liking the Kessil AP700. I was Having an issue with GHA. I turned Off the T5s and after 6 weeks things are looking good. Growth and coloration has improved a little. Problems exist with every system. I did Find MH much easier. I found growth and coloration superior. I’m currently enjoying a happy medium. Simplicity, heat, and expense, a sacrifice for what I was Once able to produce with MH/T5.

 

[Centerline]

I’m actually back to strictly LED. I’m teally liking the Kessil AP700. I was Having an issue with GHA. I turned Off the T5s and after 6 weeks things are looking good. Growth and coloration has improved a little. Problems exist with every system. I did Find MH much easier. I found growth and coloration superior. I’m currently enjoying a happy medium. Simplicity, heat, and expense, a sacrifice for what I was Once able to produce with MH/T5.

Ya Man, I'm rolling 3 G4 Pros on a tank at my office - everything is doing just fine. Might not be exactly like MH but I have yet hear the chiller on that tank kick on - actually - there isn't a chiller on that tank! First time ever for me

 

[bif24701]

I don't really follow the logic of the heating argument. Whether you pay for the electricity on your heater or MH, the efficiency should be similar. As I understand it since heat loss is how electrical efficiency is calculated, an electric heater is necessarily 100% efficient. If you prefer MH to LED that's fair, but electricity from the heater isn't less efficient than from you MH so there's no loss by switching your heat sources in your home. I think if you leave your thermostat at the same temperature it's at now and switch to MH the heater will be on less, but the electric bill the same.

I lived in Phoenix and no Florida. MH don’t just heat the aquarium but the house also. In warm weather states this is a huge problem for some. With 3 450w MH the heat in my living room was punishing! Heat problems can be very very real. Like anything it is very dependent on the circumstances.

 

[Centerline]

I lived in Phoenix and no Florida. MH don’t just heat the aquarium but the house also. In warm weather states this is a huge problem for some. With 3 450w MH the heat in my living room was punishing! Heat problems can be very very real. Like anything it is very dependent on the circumstances.

And don't forget all the humidity it henergene. I'm in FL so I absolutely understand that.

 

[Centerline]

I’m actually back to strictly LED. I’m teally liking the Kessil AP700. I was Having an issue with GHA. I turned Off the T5s and after 6 weeks things are looking good. Growth and coloration has improved a little. Problems exist with every system. I did Find MH much easier. I found growth and coloration superior. I’m currently enjoying a happy medium. Simplicity, heat, and expense, a sacrifice for what I was Once able to produce with MH/T5.

You know Man, I was thinking about this a bit. I run MHs (Spectra with Radium's), LEDs (Gen4 Pros and Hydra 52HDs as well as XHOs hung on my Spectra fixture) and I have a 8x80 Powermodule (with LEDs) coming for a new build at my business so I have enough context to see that once tuned LEDs really are the simplest approach. I've also had results with LEDs that rivaled anything I have ever had under MHs and I really, really wish I had documented what I was doing with the tank a little better because I would consider nothing else if I could replicate it. Mixed LPS / SPS tank, fairly new (less than a full year). Was dosing NOPOX, Reefenergy a/b and maybe RS Colors... Maybe. Was also still dosing Probidio from post cycle clean up. But none of that is special and some maybe even unnecessary. I really think there is some relationship between light intensity and nutrition when using LEDs that is the difference between the tanks that thrive and those that just hang in there. What it is I don't know. Of course I could be full of it as well.