budget LEDs for LPS?

[Burningbaal]

I'm wanting to re-up my tank for mostly LPS, probably a couple anemones (I've got two clowns that came with my tank). I'd really like to do an LED setup but don't want to spend the money on the solaris or orphek or similar.

 

anyone have any good recommendations? I've thought about the marineland reef capable (the 48-60 for my 48" tank), but am skeptical. what about DIY? anywhere to get some good 12k or so 1 watt leds for a decent price?

 

poll is estimate minimum price to get enough light for what I want

[newfisher]

Contact The premium Aquarium --sponsor on here ( Garrett) The unit I have I bought through a custom order he made and in the last month have great growth. Other than the small cycle the tank went through 3 weeks in, I am very happy with the color, growth, fixture and price. There are other units out there using the same fixture case that are a little chaper. Do the research or just pull the trigger with Garrett.

[matty]

This is a great thread about the ins and outs of led. There are links and diy ideas.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186982

[Trautman]

make sure you get PASSIVE cooling. ones with fans work great until a fan blows, then you are in BIG trouble. try reefbrite

[impur]

Budget and LEDs still do not go together. It'll be another year or 2 before LEDs come down in price enough to make/buy a budget LED light for corals IMO.

[newfisher]

I look at it like this, an internal combustion engine in most of todays cars/trucks that we think of as making power to get us from point A to point B ,is only a small component of the drivetrain and management system. There are several different engines, several different management systems and several different manufacturers. This is similar to the Light Emmiting Diode industry. You can read consumer products reviews, forums, tweets, test drive, dealer literature etc. enough to make your head spin but until you put your A$$ in the seat and own/drive it for awhile, you will only know from others opinions and biased testing. For $350 for me to experience what, how , if an L.E.D. fixture is , will, or should be right for my tank. I asked an expert, did a small amount of comparison, pulled the trigger and am happy. Will it fail in a year? Will it put out less Par than another more expensive fixture? Who knows....it was $350 BUCKS! If anyone doesn't see my point, find a different hobby.

[MVPaquatics]

Agreed. I did the same thing. 350 isnt a bad experiment. With how hot they are you can always bail. Mine have been running for 7 months now

[pantherguy30]

For lps and possibly your nems up high depending on how deep your tank is. The fixture Garrett is selling should rock that tank! I recently pulled the trigger on one. And honestly for most of the items I have I'm my tank it worked out awesome! But others like a big carpet I have it didn't provide enough light for it to stay happy on the bottom of my 20" tank. So I'd weigh what you plan on having/keeping before you pull the trigger on a Led fixture.

[impur]

I look at it like this' date=' an internal combustion engine in most of todays cars/trucks that we think of as making power to get us from point A to point B ,is only a small component of the drivetrain and management system. There are several different engines, several different management systems and several different manufacturers. This is similar to the Light Emmiting Diode industry. You can read consumer products reviews, forums, tweets, test drive, dealer literature etc. enough to make your head spin but until you put your A$$ in the seat and own/drive it for awhile, you will only know from others opinions and biased testing. For $350 for me to experience what, how , if an L.E.D. fixture is , will, or should be right for my tank. I asked an expert, did a small amount of comparison, pulled the trigger and am happy. Will it fail in a year? Will it put out less Par than another more expensive fixture? Who knows....it was $350 BUCKS! If anyone doesn't see my point, find a different hobby.[/quote']

 

I don't see your point?

 

I'm not getting out of the hobby either you can't make me!!! (laugh)

 

$350 is WAY to much just for an experiment IMO. If it doesn't work out for your needs, you lose money in just a short amount of time. I don't like to throw away money. I think a more reasonable experiment, and one that would teach you a whole lot more about LEDs, would be to build a small fixture in the $75-$125 range and go from there. In the end this smaller LED fixture could be used for so many things.

[newfisher]

I don't see your point?

 

I'm not getting out of the hobby either you can't make me!!! (laugh)

 

$350 is WAY to much just for an experiment IMO. If it doesn't work out for your needs, you lose money in just a short amount of time. I don't like to throw away money. I think a more reasonable experiment, and one that would teach you a whole lot more about LEDs, would be to build a small fixture in the $75-$125 range and go from there. In the end this smaller LED fixture could be used for so many things.

 

I already have a few of those smaller ones on our " home defense" systems

[impur]

Well then you are a step ahead of the game

[matty]

I personally want to see a large tank with a bunch of par38 type spotlights for lighting. I have one over my pico and I love it. It seems like in a large tank you could really highlight big show pieces or rock mounds.

[Burningbaal]

I don't see your point?

 

I'm not getting out of the hobby either you can't make me!!! (laugh)

 

$350 is WAY to much just for an experiment IMO. If it doesn't work out for your needs, you lose money in just a short amount of time. I don't like to throw away money. I think a more reasonable experiment, and one that would teach you a whole lot more about LEDs, would be to build a small fixture in the $75-$125 range and go from there. In the end this smaller LED fixture could be used for so many things.

 

any good build threads? I looked at the one matty posted, good info for what I've read so far, sounds like 75x3w at probably 60% white, one or twoUV's and the rest royal blue space ~1.5inches with 40 degree optics, but as for actually putting together something is beyond me. I'm capable and can do stuff and actually, my dad has a degree in EE, but any good actual instructions?

 

also, it seems like most of the led's i can find (cree, lumileds, etc) have a maximum K of about 9000...I was expecting to go more like 12 or 14 (like some t5's out there)...thoughts?

[reefnjunkie]

Budget and LEDs aretypically not synonymous. Depending on what your are trying to keep in yourtank will determine what fixture will work as well as the footprint of yourtank.

 

I dont agree withsome of what has been said here-be cautious of " this will work", or"that wont work" it all depends on the build of the unit-my heatsinkis so massive I could get by without fans if I wanted to but in the long run itmay shorten the life of the LED

 

I have 40 breederwith a 24 bulb (DIY) fixture running at about 60% of what it is capableand(whch is where I want it for now) that is more than I need, the fixture ran275.00 and could have been done for a little less money still. It does not havethe spot light effect most of the off the shelf units that I have seen do plusand its adjustable/dimmable.

 

I have ran a parmeter under it and is why I have it a 60% (roughly 600 milliamps) I get goodeven par and not the 500 I have seen directly under some fixtures that lose70%of that number if you stray 8-12" to one side or the other

 

This is a constantquestion and very opinionated, but to my the true test is when you put a parmeter under the fixture, sadly those units are spendy and not everyone hasaccess to one.

 

I am more thanpleased with the unit I have built and can say in my experiance with thefixture I have tested it against (using a meter) it BLOWS them away, but noteveryone wants or is able to build there own.

 

I could go on andon as to the pros and cons and why I have chosen to got the way I have and theshort reason is the off the shelf units wont work for my application given whatI grow and my future footprint. My 3rd DIY kit showed yesterday and I am willbe putting it together shortly-its a 60 bulb unit and compared to the 400 wattMH it replaced it has better spread and par and color.

 

It came from here;

 

http://reefledlights.com/shop/category/led-kits/

 

for a 48" tankyou could get by with 2-12" fixtures 550.00 and grow anything youwant-IMO/E-or spend close to the same and get the off the shelf units somestores are selling and not spend the time soldering, trouble shooting and havea more ashtetic looking unit.

 

Here is a 6 foottank the right side being 60 -3 watt crees LED, the left side 250 Radium (youcan see it being a little shaded in the middle)

 

 

Here is a 40breeder (36" tank) using a 24-3 watt cree bulb unit

 

 

If you spend about40 hours do a "little" reasearch, you'll find your answers-

 

Good luck

Sorry about the font

[reefnjunkie]

for your size tank 48" 400-600

[Dustin]

check out eugenereef's build thread on his LED fixture he built its got some great info and if u have specific questions u can probably ask him i have and he has been very helpfull ive been researching a lot as far as the DIY for my future 40B and its looking like it will end up around $450 when its all said and done for a 50/50 24 3 watt cree cool white and 24 3 watt cree royal blue fixture with all the drivers and a basic controller for dimming as well as everything else needed check out rapidLED they have everything u need and prices seem fair if u r gonna try the diy route

[impur]

any good build threads? I looked at the one matty posted, good info for what I've read so far, sounds like 75x3w at probably 60% white, one or twoUV's and the rest royal blue space ~1.5inches with 40 degree optics, but as for actually putting together something is beyond me. I'm capable and can do stuff and actually, my dad has a degree in EE, but any good actual instructions?

 

also, it seems like most of the led's i can find (cree, lumileds, etc) have a maximum K of about 9000...I was expecting to go more like 12 or 14 (like some t5's out there)...thoughts?

 

There are so many build threads out there i can't really recommend one to you. There is a main DIY LED build thread over on RC that is a billion pages long, but it definitely has the most info of any thread i've seen. Problem is the billion pages you have to sort thru.

 

Sorry i know thats not much help...

 

At the moment, LEDs are all the rage so the prices are only getting higher. Eventually that will reverse. That is when i will start getting serious about building one. The savings just aren't there right now. Sure, you could build one now and prove that after 5 years it will give you savings. But 5 years is to long for me to see savings, so i'll keep my MH for now.

[reefnjunkie]

check out eugenereef's build thread on his LED fixture he built its got some great info and if u have specific questions u can probably ask him i have and he has been very helpfull ive been researching a lot as far as the DIY for my future 40B and its looking like it will end up around $450 when its all said and done for a 50/50 24 3 watt cree cool white and 24 3 watt cree royal blue fixture with all the drivers and a basic controller for dimming as well as everything else needed check out rapidLED they have everything u need and prices seem fair if u r gonna try the diy route

 

450.00 is a way high-I built the same fixture you are describing and like I mentioned it ran me 275.00 you may want to look at the link I posted. I also looked at rapidled but they did not get my business, they have less options. A lot depends if you are doing a DIY type sink like Upinder did or one from Heatsink USA-which for me was a better option.

 

Good luck

 

My bad, I read that as a 24 bulb build not 48.

 

Still should look at the link, more & better

 

LOL your 40 breeder is gonna look like a airport landing strip-Its going to be like a 600 watt MH over a 40 gallon-(clap)

[Dustin]

haha well ive heard the par readings can b low so i wanna go a lil overkill so if i decide i want some hard corals i can do so without upgrading

[Dustin]

the LEDs are more expensive on the site that you linked by a dollar a piece

[reefnjunkie]

the LEDs are more expensive on the site that you linked by a dollar a piece

 

Pricing out everything I needed they where a little less but I also went with the heatsink USA sink and ordering that direct added money, plus the plastic washers, self tapping bolts, the thermal grease, the connectors, the Leviton plugs-LOL the list goes on, not to mention I got a 5% discount on top of that.

 

Plus they were a little late in shipping my 1st order ( I just received my 3rd yesterday) and they sent me 6 LEDs, a driver and epoxy as a way to say "sorry for the delay" add that in with the time the owners have givenme for questions, its has turned out to be the best way to go in my opinion. (Dang I should be getting kick backs) I have a 24 bulb unit over my 40 breeder on a 12" heatsink running at 60% 48 bulbs (laugh) is gonna allow you to grow about anything you need-but I love the "go big or go home" builds.

 

Burning, here a few links I had bookmarked;

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=17783831#post17783831

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1678127

 

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1630589

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1587273

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1761942

 

Thats a few

 

happy reading

[Gill]

For lps and possibly your nems up high depending on how deep your tank is. The fixture Garrett is selling should rock that tank! I recently pulled the trigger on one. And honestly for most of the items I have I'm my tank it worked out awesome! But others like a big carpet I have it didn't provide enough light for it to stay happy on the bottom of my 20" tank. So I'd weigh what you plan on having/keeping before you pull the trigger on a Led fixture.

 

 

Oh no, what happened to your carpet!?

[Dustin]

how long have u been running your leds for u might b talking me out of the 48 i may start with 36 and eventually add an extra row later on that would drop the price about a hundred hmmmmm.....(scratch)

[pantherguy30]

It's fine:-) just started moving up the rocks, looking for more light. I threw my 250w hqi fixture back on. Hopefully it will stop moving upward, since it was way happy before with that fixture. Also swapping out the led fixture with an Elite pendant and radium bulb combo. So hopefully I can get more purples and blues out of my sps:-)

 

 

Sorry for taking this off topic on your thread:-(

[reefnjunkie]

how long have u been running your leds for u might b talking me out of the 48 i may start with 36 and eventually add an extra row later on that would drop the price about a hundred hmmmmm.....(scratch)

 

If yopu are talking the ones on the 40 breeder 60 days tomorrow-I think they have an 18" heatsink on their site and that would be perfect.

 

Here is the bottom side of the 12" sink running 24 bulbs 18 royal blue and 6 cool white I believe-

 

I know Kris came and saw this fixture and ended up ordering one as well-I'm running them without optics so I get a larger spread, with optics it would increase the par by about 30% but narrow the area covered, thats why an 18" 36 bulb IMO would rock-granted I could crank these up and I am sure grow whatever I want.

The 48" fixture I have over half of the 150 gallon also without optics is sweet, my tank is almost all SPS and they are loving it. The fixture I am going to start building tomorrow I am going to add optics to and see the differance. My plan is the 2- 48" fixtures and 4 -12" fixtures to use on the 400 gallon a 12 on each end with the 48 in the middle 2 rows like that

 

Maybe I'll do a DIY thread on the 48" fixture as there were a few things I learned along the way-Eugenreef was a big help-Great guy!

 

 

Burningbaal, what is the budget you have in mind? I would not jump into a certain fixture but do as you are doing and ask questions, its the best thing to do. I know of at least 3 or 4 people that have bout units, both 1 watters and 2 watters and have since gone back to what they had-If you are really wanting an off the shelf unit (again in my opinion) these are nice;

 

http://www.fish-street.com/key_aquarium_led_lighting_us_version

 

The K3 is SAWEET but at roughly 800.00 well.......

 

and Maxspect makes a sweet unit too;

http://www.fish-street.com/maxspect_programmable_led_aquarium_lighting110v-120v?category_id=118

 

the G3 is coming out soon I hear but again 800.00 ish, that why I went with DIY-every single off the shelf unit I saw and tested was great if you can buy 2-3 units at 500.00+ each (AI SOL units) (thats what you would need in my opinion for a 48", or 2 of the 2 watt units at 300.00 each (non dimmable)

 

I'll stop typing now because I could go on and on as to what to keep in mind and look out for but that is taking the thread WAY off track.