LED basic Q&A's

[ReefNole]

Hey all, I know how big LEDs are becoming in the aquarium, and although there seems to be plenty of hype about them, apparently I have missed the boat on some of the basics. I understand most of the pros and cons, but I was hoping you all would be able to help me with some of the more "elementary" questions. Such as:

1) Can you mix and match LED brands, fixtures, etc.? or is it more beneficial for them all to be from the same company.

2) Are there different LED companies? or just different LED fixtures? If there are several companies, what are some of the better and some of the cheaper (worse) ones?

3) How often do the bulbs / fixtures need to be replaced? And how do you know yours are due?

4) How do the typical spectrum levels (20,000k etc) play into LEDs and how important are they?

5) What are the wattages on LEDs and how do you tell them apart? Is there a generic watt that all LEDs fall into? Or are they specifically labeled?

6) Overall in one (or 2) sentences, how would you describe LEDs on an aquarium compared to some of the more traditional options? (price, look, pros/cons etc)


Sorry there are so many. To be honest, I feel like a rookie even asking this many "stupid" questions. I debated posting this in the New to the Hobby forum, but I thought this location was more fitting. If you only want to answer some of them, that is still appreciated. Just looking for some answers without extensive research of the web! Cheers!

[HaKs310]

I'll cover the LEDs because This is what fixture manufactures are using. Believe both the EcoTech Radion and AI fixtures use CREE and some Osram LEDs.
I still consider myself a noob to LEDs so hopefully others will chime in and correct or add to the thread.

1. You can match any way you can, as long as you follow their power consumption guidelines.

2. They're are dozens of companies. Main ones used in our hobby right now from what I've seen are: CREE, Bridgelux and Osram.

3. LED life will vary by brand, type, power they are ran at, temperature. They don't die like CFL or incandescents but will dim and shift color temperature.

4. Kelvin ratings will play the same role as they do now. Mix and match till you get that temperature you want.

5. The ones currently being used in the hobby are 3w LEDs but this will depend at the power they are ran at.

6. Price is comparable to other lighting options currently offered. You will be replacing less "bulbs" with LEDs so that's a cost plus. Looks I would say they are a cross between T5s and Halides. You get the color options T5 has to offer but with the intensity of Halides. LEDs will also run cooler than anything else which is a concern with most hobbyists. Power bill will also go down compared to Halides and you will also get that nice shimmer in the sand bed.