Help with LED lighting on a 90G.

RiddlerJoe · 11/13/2014, 11:44 AM

Hey all,

I've been keeping SW for about 7-8 years now. My last big upgrade was MH lights about 5 years ago. Currently I'm using PFO Lighting boxes (old I know) but over time the sodor on the bulb clips is coming apart and I'm having to re-sodor them once a month. I'm tired of doing this and I'm thinking and hoping to upgrade to LED's.

Currently the MH are 250w hung inside a canopy about 12". I also run 2 54w T5 ancitic's for color.

The canopy I have is 49" wide by 19" deep and the light will be mounted to the inside board which is 12" high. I'm looking for suggestions for LED fixtures or a setup like http://www.21ledusa.com/category_s/1836.htm

Price is a factor here as I have to pass this to the finance minister (wife).

I've already looked at:

Maxspect r420r fixture
Ecoxotic Stunner bars
21ledusa.com Reefbars

Please if your going to make a suggestion provide a link or a picture so I can see what your talking about. Thanks.

Riddler

Reefer07 · 11/13/2014, 12:45 PM

Hey Joe. Not sure about the LED but kind of a side question. I have 2x250 watt on my halides as well. What bulbs have you been running and how are they with color? Do you have any pics? I'm trying to decide which bulbs to go with. Right now I just have the stock coralife 10k ones. IMO they are just white, no yellow, no blue.
I am looking for a 14kish light. The phoenix is too blue from what I see. I am more so looking for white with a light blue tinge. Like the water looking blueish but not really dulling my rock and corals to a blue color.
Any help is appreciated and again I don't mean to take over your thread.

jda · 11/13/2014, 01:13 PM

What are you keeping?

Mr. Comer · 11/13/2014, 01:48 PM

I'm running a pair of Kessil A350W's in my 90g mixed tank. Color and shimmer are awesome and better yet my corals are growing.

RiddlerJoe · 11/13/2014, 03:11 PM

Reefer07 - I've been running 14k bulbs but have been having a harder time the last few years finding them. Another reason to upgrade.

jda - I'm keeping pretty much everything. I've only got one sps though and it's a bird nest near the top. I mostly have lps and zoo's. As well as fish but they don't care on what light is what...

I just found the photon 48". Another self enclosed unit.

Riddler

jda · 11/13/2014, 03:16 PM

If you don't have any specific needs, then the EverGro or Reefbreeders are as good as anything, IMO, but I am not much of a LED master having used 4 or 5 different kinds and never wanting to replace my MH with them. Most of the advice that you will get is people recommending what they use - the people who have some breadth and depth of LED experience are not many, but if one will chime in, then it will be great.

Give the photon 48 a hard look. They are virtually the same unit as the EverGrow that you can get on eBay, but with USA support and warranty.

dartier · 11/13/2014, 06:58 PM

RiddlerJoe, as you are in Canada (though very close to the border), I would go with EverGrow from one of the Canadian online suppliers (Pets and Ponds or Reef Supplies). Both vendors are very good and have excellent customer service.

As you are not SPS focused, the cheaper Chinese lights (like EverGrow) would be a great fit. Lots of people use them for SPS as well, so they are quite capable. You can't beat the price as well.

Just make sure whatever you do decide on, make sure it is dimmable.

Dennis

RiddlerJoe · 11/13/2014, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dartier

RiddlerJoe, as you are in Canada (though very close to the border), I would go with EverGrow from one of the Canadian online suppliers (Pets and Ponds or Reef Supplies). Both vendors are very good and have excellent customer service.

As you are not SPS focused, the cheaper Chinese lights (like EverGrow) would be a great fit. Lots of people use them for SPS as well, so they are quite capable. You can't beat the price as well.

Just make sure whatever you do decide on, make sure it is dimmable.

Dennis

I was checking them out but I'm not sure how I'd hang these inside my canopy. Wife loves the finished look of having a canopy.

How far off the water do these need to be?

Riddler

jjmccloud2011 · 02/08/2015, 06:13 PM

I'm also looking into these for a 90g mixed reef did u get them or aby leds yet

SnoopyDaPimp · 02/08/2015, 08:17 PM

My 110g is not much bigger and I went from four bulb T5 setup to two 48" Current USA LED. It started as a FOWLR but is now more of a mix reef set up. My zoanthids, GSP, mushrooms, etc... all enjoy the lighting. Comes with preset timers or you can program your own.

Bpb · 02/08/2015, 10:45 PM

Aside from the Maxspect unit, or the photon 48 also mentioned, you aren't really talking about an upgrade. Those two units would be more of a lateral movement if anything, and the others you mentioned would be a pretty distinct downgrade to be honest. If you like the way Metal halides work, why not just purchased new reflectors, instead of continuing to repair your old ones.

meidinad · 02/08/2015, 11:43 PM

I've used T5s, AI Sols, and I currently have a Maxspect Razor 16K. I LOVE the Maxspect in terms of color. The AI Sols had a bit more controllability but, for me, there Razors have enough. The corals really do seem to appreciate the light as well and even new coral seems to open up faster under the LEDs.

For reference, I have the 27" model over a 40B. I had 2 AI Sols over a 75 which is the same tank I ran the T5s over. I ended up moving for school and tore down that tank and set up the 40.

OceanRevive · 02/09/2015, 12:18 AM

Maxspect's color is the best for my eyes

you can also consider OceanRevive's LED products

11/13/2014, 11:44 AM	#1
RiddlerJoe Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Windsor, ON, Canada Posts: 85	Help with LED lighting on a 90G. Hey all, I've been keeping SW for about 7-8 years now. My last big upgrade was MH lights about 5 years ago. Currently I'm using PFO Lighting boxes (old I know) but over time the sodor on the bulb clips is coming apart and I'm having to re-sodor them once a month. I'm tired of doing this and I'm thinking and hoping to upgrade to LED's. Currently the MH are 250w hung inside a canopy about 12". I also run 2 54w T5 ancitic's for color. The canopy I have is 49" wide by 19" deep and the light will be mounted to the inside board which is 12" high. I'm looking for suggestions for LED fixtures or a setup like http://www.21ledusa.com/category_s/1836.htm Price is a factor here as I have to pass this to the finance minister (wife). I've already looked at: Maxspect r420r fixture Ecoxotic Stunner bars 21ledusa.com Reefbars Please if your going to make a suggestion provide a link or a picture so I can see what your talking about. Thanks. Riddler

11/13/2014, 06:58 PM	#7
dartier Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Brampton, ON, Canada Posts: 958	RiddlerJoe, as you are in Canada (though very close to the border), I would go with EverGrow from one of the Canadian online suppliers (Pets and Ponds or Reef Supplies). Both vendors are very good and have excellent customer service. As you are not SPS focused, the cheaper Chinese lights (like EverGrow) would be a great fit. Lots of people use them for SPS as well, so they are quite capable. You can't beat the price as well. Just make sure whatever you do decide on, make sure it is dimmable. Dennis __________________ 560G Miracles tank in process making a DIY DyMiCo style filter (for 560G) Current Tank Info: 560G Miracles tank in progress, 80Frag Temporary

02/08/2015, 08:17 PM	#10
SnoopyDaPimp Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 492	My 110g is not much bigger and I went from four bulb T5 setup to two 48" Current USA LED. It started as a FOWLR but is now more of a mix reef set up. My zoanthids, GSP, mushrooms, etc... all enjoy the lighting. Comes with preset timers or you can program your own. __________________ ( 0 \ l / 0 ) & no tanks for now

11/13/2014, 12:45 PM	#2
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	Hey Joe. Not sure about the LED but kind of a side question. I have 2x250 watt on my halides as well. What bulbs have you been running and how are they with color? Do you have any pics? I'm trying to decide which bulbs to go with. Right now I just have the stock coralife 10k ones. IMO they are just white, no yellow, no blue. I am looking for a 14kish light. The phoenix is too blue from what I see. I am more so looking for white with a light blue tinge. Like the water looking blueish but not really dulling my rock and corals to a blue color. Any help is appreciated and again I don't mean to take over your thread.

11/13/2014, 01:13 PM	#3
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	What are you keeping?

11/13/2014, 01:48 PM	#4
Mr. Comer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Katy, Texas Posts: 268	I'm running a pair of Kessil A350W's in my 90g mixed tank. Color and shimmer are awesome and better yet my corals are growing.

11/13/2014, 03:11 PM	#5
RiddlerJoe Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Windsor, ON, Canada Posts: 85	Reefer07 - I've been running 14k bulbs but have been having a harder time the last few years finding them. Another reason to upgrade. jda - I'm keeping pretty much everything. I've only got one sps though and it's a bird nest near the top. I mostly have lps and zoo's. As well as fish but they don't care on what light is what... I just found the photon 48". Another self enclosed unit. Riddler

11/13/2014, 03:16 PM	#6
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	If you don't have any specific needs, then the EverGro or Reefbreeders are as good as anything, IMO, but I am not much of a LED master having used 4 or 5 different kinds and never wanting to replace my MH with them. Most of the advice that you will get is people recommending what they use - the people who have some breadth and depth of LED experience are not many, but if one will chime in, then it will be great. Give the photon 48 a hard look. They are virtually the same unit as the EverGrow that you can get on eBay, but with USA support and warranty.

02/08/2015, 06:13 PM	#9
jjmccloud2011 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Columbus, Indiana Posts: 69	I'm also looking into these for a 90g mixed reef did u get them or aby leds yet

02/08/2015, 10:45 PM	#11
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	Aside from the Maxspect unit, or the photon 48 also mentioned, you aren't really talking about an upgrade. Those two units would be more of a lateral movement if anything, and the others you mentioned would be a pretty distinct downgrade to be honest. If you like the way Metal halides work, why not just purchased new reflectors, instead of continuing to repair your old ones.

02/08/2015, 11:43 PM	#12
meidinad Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 61	I've used T5s, AI Sols, and I currently have a Maxspect Razor 16K. I LOVE the Maxspect in terms of color. The AI Sols had a bit more controllability but, for me, there Razors have enough. The corals really do seem to appreciate the light as well and even new coral seems to open up faster under the LEDs. For reference, I have the 27" model over a 40B. I had 2 AI Sols over a 75 which is the same tank I ran the T5s over. I ended up moving for school and tore down that tank and set up the 40.

02/09/2015, 12:18 AM	#13
OceanRevive registered member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 105	Maxspect's color is the best for my eyes you can also consider OceanRevive's LED products