Live from MACNA - new "Flagship" LED from Aqua Illumination (AI) 135 WattsAnnounced - Page 2

alton · 09/01/2013, 07:13 AM

The fun part of arguing MH versus LED is most led people change there fixtures faster than we change our lamps. Hope the new Hydras work out

zachfishman · 09/01/2013, 07:41 AM

I wish they'd upgrade the Nano, or offer power pucks for it. That unit would be perfect for the setup I'm planning, but I want more than cool white, blue and RB...

dkeller_nc · 09/01/2013, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysticwave_2

Don't understand the love of MH in the US. MH =

IMHO

Well, one explanation is that electrical power in the US is considerably cheaper than in Europe, though it varies depending on what section of the US you live in.

But - not all of us Yanks love MH. I have 2 complete MH setups that I elected to let gather dust when I set up a new 50gal cube - I put 2 AI Vegas over it instead. Far less electricity, far less heat, and far more control.

ReefMonkey13 · 09/01/2013, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachfishman

I wish they'd upgrade the Nano, or offer power pucks for it. That unit would be perfect for the setup I'm planning, but I want more than cool white, blue and RB...

+1 . . i was also hoping to hear an updated to the AI Nano.

rodneyri · 09/02/2013, 01:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysticwave_2

So you drawh1kW minimum. Then take the losses in your ballasts and the huge amount of heat given off, you are probably drawing nearer 2kW from the supply.

With LED's I reckon you'll be using 1/4 of that. 4 x 150W max, you have a much better light spectrum for coral which can be tailoured and tuned, much less heat output, so no issues with heat and huge evaporation, plus in europe filament bulbs are hugely expensive, and are being phased out. (My house is now lit with LED. 9W spots as opposed to 50W spots. 1 room fully lit for 80W compares to 400W)The MTBF of an LED compared to a MH bulb is 10 years as oppposed to a few months. Plus if they do blow, they dont chuck toxic heavy metals in your display tank.

Don't understand the love of MH in the US. MH =

IMHO

not sure I agree with that statement, you will find the MH spectrum much fuller than a LED fixture, LEDs have come a long way but not that far to support that statement IMO.

Big E · 09/02/2013, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alton

The fun part of arguing MH versus LED is most led people change there fixtures faster than we change our lamps. Hope the new Hydras work out

Funny and sad at the same time. These companies keep making small incremental changes to continually suck money out of people's pockets.

psykobowler · 09/02/2013, 08:15 AM

I am running one system with a 300 gallon display and a 150 gallon display. I use 4 x 400 watt radiums on the 300 and 3 x 400 watt radiums on the 150. I already sold the t5s and will be getting rid of the vhos super actinic when I purchase LEDs but I am definitely keeping the halides because I am keeping mostly sps. The benefit of the LEDs is that I can lit my tank from 8 in the morning until 11 at night using both halides and LEDs. The LEDs can be used to ramp up slowly dusk/dawn and have full spectrum at some point in the day. Most of the sps reefers in my area uses a combination of mh with leds or t5 with leds. As long as the halides turn on 3 to 4 hours a day and LEDs for the remainder, there is no light spectral issues and it cuts the use of the halides. You can switch the mh bulb to like a 10k or 14k ushio to get maximum par for growth and use the LEDs to get the color you want on your corals. The hydra 52 will be perfect for a 30" width tank. I had been purchasing used lumenmax elites reflectors because it is small enough to allow me to put both halides and leds in my open hood. Just need to get in and purchase the LEDs at some point. With apex coming out with apex fusion and axm i believe it is called, the controllability of the LEDs will be there.

rc1626 · 09/02/2013, 10:37 AM

As someone in another thread had brought up about this topic.....a lot of times it is what is pleasing to your eyes and makes corals grow. I've tried a few of the current led fixtures on the market as well as diy led. I keep finding myself going back to radiums because nothing that I know of or tried out there in the led world can give me the same spectral output as a radium MH bulb. The look is most pleasing to me and it produces excellent par numbers when paired with a good reflector. Yes it will cost more to run I guess if you project costs years into the future but with how much this technology is changing and the upfront costs people are laying out I really don't know how much most people are really saving. Especially those who keep changing to the latest and greatest. What does look promising is the led/t5 hybrid units. We'll see where that goes. Hey, if you run led's and your truely happy with color and growth then good for you. I'm happy for you. For me I've learned my lesson. I'm sticking with my Radiums for now and the extra costs that may or may not go with it.
Just my .02.

09/01/2013, 07:41 AM	#27
zachfishman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: St Petersburg, FL Posts: 3,577	I wish they'd upgrade the Nano, or offer power pucks for it. That unit would be perfect for the setup I'm planning, but I want more than cool white, blue and RB... __________________ Patience is a reefer's best tool. Secret Xenia lover. M.S. Marine Biology Staff - Marine Discovery Center, St. Petersburg FL Tampa Bay Reef Club BOD 2018 Current Tank Info: 34g modded Solana

09/02/2013, 08:15 AM	#32
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	I am running one system with a 300 gallon display and a 150 gallon display. I use 4 x 400 watt radiums on the 300 and 3 x 400 watt radiums on the 150. I already sold the t5s and will be getting rid of the vhos super actinic when I purchase LEDs but I am definitely keeping the halides because I am keeping mostly sps. The benefit of the LEDs is that I can lit my tank from 8 in the morning until 11 at night using both halides and LEDs. The LEDs can be used to ramp up slowly dusk/dawn and have full spectrum at some point in the day. Most of the sps reefers in my area uses a combination of mh with leds or t5 with leds. As long as the halides turn on 3 to 4 hours a day and LEDs for the remainder, there is no light spectral issues and it cuts the use of the halides. You can switch the mh bulb to like a 10k or 14k ushio to get maximum par for growth and use the LEDs to get the color you want on your corals. The hydra 52 will be perfect for a 30" width tank. I had been purchasing used lumenmax elites reflectors because it is small enough to allow me to put both halides and leds in my open hood. Just need to get in and purchase the LEDs at some point. With apex coming out with apex fusion and axm i believe it is called, the controllability of the LEDs will be there. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

09/01/2013, 07:13 AM	#26
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	The fun part of arguing MH versus LED is most led people change there fixtures faster than we change our lamps. Hope the new Hydras work out

09/02/2013, 10:37 AM	#33
rc1626 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Long Island Posts: 451	As someone in another thread had brought up about this topic.....a lot of times it is what is pleasing to your eyes and makes corals grow. I've tried a few of the current led fixtures on the market as well as diy led. I keep finding myself going back to radiums because nothing that I know of or tried out there in the led world can give me the same spectral output as a radium MH bulb. The look is most pleasing to me and it produces excellent par numbers when paired with a good reflector. Yes it will cost more to run I guess if you project costs years into the future but with how much this technology is changing and the upfront costs people are laying out I really don't know how much most people are really saving. Especially those who keep changing to the latest and greatest. What does look promising is the led/t5 hybrid units. We'll see where that goes. Hey, if you run led's and your truely happy with color and growth then good for you. I'm happy for you. For me I've learned my lesson. I'm sticking with my Radiums for now and the extra costs that may or may not go with it. Just my .02.