LED's on 500 Gal Mixed Reef

AS · 02/16/2013, 12:54 PM

500 Gallon Mixed reef 96"x40"x32"
- viewable on all (4) sides.
- 23" Clearance inside enclosed canopy (ceiling to water level)
- Current (3) 400 Watt 20 K Radiums to LEDS's + (2) 72" VHO

Questions:
Should I continue to go with Halide or move to LED?
If LED, which brands should i consider?
Which LEDS can give me enough light to penetrate bottom.
What height should light surface hand above tank?
Should I consider some other combination?

Thanks

BigAl2007 · 02/16/2013, 01:21 PM

I've been LED for years (~5) and wouldn't have it any other way. Of course LED or NOT LED is a very subjective question but with today's crop of high end and high output LED you can grow anything under them AND have amazing colors.

To penetrate that deep of a tank you'll want to do your research and make sure you don't cheap out of you wont be happy.

AS · 02/17/2013, 09:06 AM

Thanks Big Al - anybody else

NaturalReef · 02/17/2013, 10:43 AM

I'll throw in my experience with Led's. I have had them for around 5 years as well and have exclusively used Aqua Illumination. SOL Blue, Nano and Currently Vega Color. All 3 will grow any coral you throw at it(even in deep tanks) with a few caveats.

The SOL Blue have narrow lenses that will fry corals with their hot spots( if started too high with intensities) and with those narrow lenses will have lots of shadowed areas unless you have more fixtures or raise them to fill those areas. The color output is good, but still has a cold look to the tank.

Vega color has wider lenses and more spectrum to warm the tank up. My corals had an extremely positive response since adding the vega color. I haven't seen such vivid reds, yellows and green in my corals until I added the Vega color. The aqua illumination do have some blending issues at the sandbed especially with the Color vega, but they are minimal imo.

The biggest thing I can pass along to you is to start slowly with led's and don't go by percentages, only go by the reaction of your corals before you increase the intensity. We are directly giving the coral more of the spectrum they require than a halide would provide. So people see the coral to start losing color and they incorrectly assume it is starving of light and they increase the intensity till the coral bleaches and then they complain about led's ineffectiveness. They are in fact too effective is the reason I go by coral reaction instead of par/pur at the sandbed.

I love them and wouldn't go back to halides or t5's. just my opinion

Sunrise/Sunset and cloudy days simulated with led's is a pretty cool thing to watch!

Good luck with your decision!

C Dog · 02/17/2013, 11:49 AM

AS PM sent

BigAl2007 · 02/20/2013, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaturalReef

I love them and wouldn't go back to halides or t5's. just my opinion

Sunrise/Sunset and cloudy days simulated with led's is a pretty cool thing to watch!

Good luck with your decision!

Excellent reply NaturalReef especially that last couple of sentences

I've been LED for ~4 years or so and wouldn't go back either.

jbm421 · 02/22/2013, 10:51 PM

Yeah gonna need some good optics or high watt chips maybe 50's or 100 w chips?

r.barn · 02/23/2013, 11:06 PM

Ecoxotic 100W cannons will give you good penetration and coverage
http://www.ecoxotic.com/100-watt-ell...annon-led.html

bhazard451 · 02/24/2013, 12:12 AM

LEDs are the real deal. They require more research and understanding than MH and T5, but they can give excellent results when implemented correctly.

Due to the size of your tank, it won't be cheap, but there are many options available.

Ron Reefman · 02/24/2013, 05:44 AM

I know it's really big, but read the 'Chinese led' thread. I did, I bought what they were talking about by the end, the EverGrow IT series. Good quality, totally custom colors (designed by you), an easy to use controller and way cheaper than units like Eco Tech and AI. I did all 4 of my ttanks for half of what Eco Tech Radions would have cost for just my 180g DT! OH, and I got slightly better PAR values as well.

02/16/2013, 12:54 PM	#1
AS Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 82	LED's on 500 Gal Mixed Reef 500 Gallon Mixed reef 96"x40"x32" - viewable on all (4) sides. - 23" Clearance inside enclosed canopy (ceiling to water level) - Current (3) 400 Watt 20 K Radiums to LEDS's + (2) 72" VHO Questions: Should I continue to go with Halide or move to LED? If LED, which brands should i consider? Which LEDS can give me enough light to penetrate bottom. What height should light surface hand above tank? Should I consider some other combination? Thanks

02/17/2013, 11:49 AM	#5
C Dog Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SWFL Posts: 532	AS PM sent __________________ C Dogs 400+ Gallon Sun Lit Peninsula Reef

02/24/2013, 05:44 AM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I know it's really big, but read the 'Chinese led' thread. I did, I bought what they were talking about by the end, the EverGrow IT series. Good quality, totally custom colors (designed by you), an easy to use controller and way cheaper than units like Eco Tech and AI. I did all 4 of my ttanks for half of what Eco Tech Radions would have cost for just my 180g DT! OH, and I got slightly better PAR values as well. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

02/16/2013, 01:21 PM	#2
BigAl2007 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waynesville, NC USA Posts: 1,737	I've been LED for years (~5) and wouldn't have it any other way. Of course LED or NOT LED is a very subjective question but with today's crop of high end and high output LED you can grow anything under them AND have amazing colors. To penetrate that deep of a tank you'll want to do your research and make sure you don't cheap out of you wont be happy.

02/17/2013, 09:06 AM	#3
AS Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 82	Thanks Big Al - anybody else

02/17/2013, 10:43 AM	#4
NaturalReef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kankakee,Illinois Posts: 369	I'll throw in my experience with Led's. I have had them for around 5 years as well and have exclusively used Aqua Illumination. SOL Blue, Nano and Currently Vega Color. All 3 will grow any coral you throw at it(even in deep tanks) with a few caveats. The SOL Blue have narrow lenses that will fry corals with their hot spots( if started too high with intensities) and with those narrow lenses will have lots of shadowed areas unless you have more fixtures or raise them to fill those areas. The color output is good, but still has a cold look to the tank. Vega color has wider lenses and more spectrum to warm the tank up. My corals had an extremely positive response since adding the vega color. I haven't seen such vivid reds, yellows and green in my corals until I added the Vega color. The aqua illumination do have some blending issues at the sandbed especially with the Color vega, but they are minimal imo. The biggest thing I can pass along to you is to start slowly with led's and don't go by percentages, only go by the reaction of your corals before you increase the intensity. We are directly giving the coral more of the spectrum they require than a halide would provide. So people see the coral to start losing color and they incorrectly assume it is starving of light and they increase the intensity till the coral bleaches and then they complain about led's ineffectiveness. They are in fact too effective is the reason I go by coral reaction instead of par/pur at the sandbed. I love them and wouldn't go back to halides or t5's. just my opinion Sunrise/Sunset and cloudy days simulated with led's is a pretty cool thing to watch! Good luck with your decision!

02/22/2013, 10:51 PM	#7
jbm421 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 168	Yeah gonna need some good optics or high watt chips maybe 50's or 100 w chips?

02/23/2013, 11:06 PM	#8
r.barn Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 10	Ecoxotic 100W cannons will give you good penetration and coverage http://www.ecoxotic.com/100-watt-ell...annon-led.html

02/24/2013, 12:12 AM	#9
bhazard451 Registered Member. Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 1,900	LEDs are the real deal. They require more research and understanding than MH and T5, but they can give excellent results when implemented correctly. Due to the size of your tank, it won't be cheap, but there are many options available.