I have been rocking 400w halide + T5 since the beginning of time and want to experiment with LED at some point. No budget in mind, I just want an experience SPS reefer to give their optimal LED lighting scheme on a tank that is 32x32x26 with dense SPS growth. Complete coverage is one of my main concerns. Thanks for any suggestions and happy holidays to all.
Full Blown SPS Tank LED Choice
- Thread starter jackson6745
- Start date
Hey jax,
All i can say is good luck with that. been there done that and i went back to 400 watt 20k Radiums with no regrets. Getting the colors i want and growth. Im still using my radion G3 Pros for my main viewing pleasure and i dont think anything compares to what those leds make your corals looks like. If i were you i keep the 400 watt 20K's and buy a used radion pro from someone on MR. Youll have the best of both worlds.
You will get a lot of answers with regard to which Leds are best for a SPS dominant tank but just make sure whichever you get you get the coverage needed, more leds are better and turn them down than too little leds and turning them up burning everything under it like a laser. That was my mistake, i needed double the amount of radions for my tank to cover everything. Anything under the puck got burnt anything a little more than 1 foot to the sides got browned. Glad i never sold any of my equipment, In the long run it was a good move keeping it all.
All i can say is good luck with that. been there done that and i went back to 400 watt 20k Radiums with no regrets. Getting the colors i want and growth. Im still using my radion G3 Pros for my main viewing pleasure and i dont think anything compares to what those leds make your corals looks like. If i were you i keep the 400 watt 20K's and buy a used radion pro from someone on MR. Youll have the best of both worlds.
You will get a lot of answers with regard to which Leds are best for a SPS dominant tank but just make sure whichever you get you get the coverage needed, more leds are better and turn them down than too little leds and turning them up burning everything under it like a laser. That was my mistake, i needed double the amount of radions for my tank to cover everything. Anything under the puck got burnt anything a little more than 1 foot to the sides got browned. Glad i never sold any of my equipment, In the long run it was a good move keeping it all.
- Location
- Wallingford, CT
Rich,
Didn't you try LEDs a few years back and went straight back to MH/T5?
Didn't you try LEDs a few years back and went straight back to MH/T5?
- Location
- Long island
Talk to Dave at vivid aquarium in calf. He has an 800 gallon sps tank half metal haylde half led you can't tell the diferance.
6 months on a frag tank with a radion g2. That was a terrible mistake lol. Hoping they got better since then.
G4 has me intrigued also but so did my GHL Mitras
Nothing compares to halide
You could prob get better results with 150 HQI than any LED
IMO some corals color up under LED but many don't and if they do the don't grow into lush thick colonies like they do under halide
It sucks but you can't beat the look, health and growth of a halide lit SPS tank
Nothing compares to halide
You could prob get better results with 150 HQI than any LED
IMO some corals color up under LED but many don't and if they do the don't grow into lush thick colonies like they do under halide
It sucks but you can't beat the look, health and growth of a halide lit SPS tank
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
The Gen 4's are terrific. I have 2 mixed in with some older Gen2's and you can really see the difference in spread and spectrum.
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
I'm tired of the can't grow SPS under LED BS. It just isn't true. And there are dozens upon dozens of world class LED lit tanks out there that prove it. Mine and Sanjay's included.
Sanjays tank. All Radion LED:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM5Adc4nCxeA4DOm5Wgu4aSN2HW8Lbtf6UtpY7t
Mine all LED:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMIZaunzDQKTcSjhBdDVxi7_dxfCo2dy-1tR3XW
Sanjays tank. All Radion LED:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM5Adc4nCxeA4DOm5Wgu4aSN2HW8Lbtf6UtpY7t
Mine all LED:
https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMIZaunzDQKTcSjhBdDVxi7_dxfCo2dy-1tR3XW
Last edited:
+1. I replaced 4 G3s with 3 G4s. The spread is great. I did this a couple of weeks ago so I don't have real performance analysis, but I got a few SPS frags just before and at the swap and they are encrusting, showing new growth and maintaining colors.
- Location
- Westchester, N.Y
+1 radion G4. A guy on reef2reef is having great results with them. I'm leaning towards them too.
I think I had poor results in the past with the g2's because my corals were low in zoox, colors were light. Not the case now with my heavy bioload.
Anyway, on a 32x32 tank would 2 radion g4 give full coverage? I'm not aware of the actual spread of these newer fixtures. I never trust manufacturer recommendations.
Anyway, on a 32x32 tank would 2 radion g4 give full coverage? I'm not aware of the actual spread of these newer fixtures. I never trust manufacturer recommendations.
- Location
- Long Island
Many leds lights out there not falling behing MH's at all in growth or color...
I switched from mh to Orphek's Atlantik V3+ on a full blown sps tank and growth is now better with color kicking butt also. The Radions G4's are excellent, even World Wide Corals now runs them im the "legendary" 300 gal.
I switched from mh to Orphek's Atlantik V3+ on a full blown sps tank and growth is now better with color kicking butt also. The Radions G4's are excellent, even World Wide Corals now runs them im the "legendary" 300 gal.
You never miss your halides?
cause I do all the time
I feel like you even get an over all more stable coral too when grown under halide. I find corals are much more sensitive to even the slightest changes in water quality when under LED. I know we never want fluctuations in the stability of an SPS system but we all know things happen, it sucks even more when it happens and my tank is led lit. Only nice thing is you can turn down intensity till corals recover if you really stress them, but I feel corals are way more resilient under halide.
I know what can be done with halide or t5 and for tanks that matter that's my light of choice, but for my own experimentation I like to keep trying LED hoping I find a setup where I don't constantly compare it to the good ol 400 watt overdriven Radium.
Heck give me a iwasaki 65k with a bunch of actinic and I'm happier than any led I've used.
Radion, ghl, AI, maxspec...
I've seen the pratt reef tank when it was halide lit with some led reef brites and please understand there is no disrespect intended here, but, I feel it looked better and more natural than what I've seen recently with the Radion.
These conversations are good and not intended to insult or belittle anyone, we are all skilled reefers just trying to push the boundaries and have healthy happy corals.
For all I know I could be running my led incorrect as far as spectrum and intensity and have been completely frustrated with the most current one Im using, Mitras, but I will soon try a G4 and see for myself.
cause I do all the time
I feel like you even get an over all more stable coral too when grown under halide. I find corals are much more sensitive to even the slightest changes in water quality when under LED. I know we never want fluctuations in the stability of an SPS system but we all know things happen, it sucks even more when it happens and my tank is led lit. Only nice thing is you can turn down intensity till corals recover if you really stress them, but I feel corals are way more resilient under halide.
I know what can be done with halide or t5 and for tanks that matter that's my light of choice, but for my own experimentation I like to keep trying LED hoping I find a setup where I don't constantly compare it to the good ol 400 watt overdriven Radium.
Heck give me a iwasaki 65k with a bunch of actinic and I'm happier than any led I've used.
Radion, ghl, AI, maxspec...
I've seen the pratt reef tank when it was halide lit with some led reef brites and please understand there is no disrespect intended here, but, I feel it looked better and more natural than what I've seen recently with the Radion.
These conversations are good and not intended to insult or belittle anyone, we are all skilled reefers just trying to push the boundaries and have healthy happy corals.
For all I know I could be running my led incorrect as far as spectrum and intensity and have been completely frustrated with the most current one Im using, Mitras, but I will soon try a G4 and see for myself.
- Location
- lancaster pa
- Location
- Garden city
Mello tang good question
I've seen a few do it with leds I never did great with them thinking about switching to mh t5. For last few months
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I've seen a few do it with leds I never did great with them thinking about switching to mh t5. For last few months
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Location
- 10022
I would never quit my MH
I have leds as supplementary lights (blue) and to enjoy the tank when I come from work
I have leds as supplementary lights (blue) and to enjoy the tank when I come from work
- Location
- astoria,new york
Mmmm...let's take a wild guess what lights I'm running !!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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