LED Lighting?

[msmith619]

I purchased a used 75 gallon reef-ready aquarium this week. The seller bought the tank for the corals growing in it, took the livestock and sold me the tank, stand, hood, and wet/dry filter. The aquarium came with 4 "Power Bright" LED power strips. Each strip is 3.1 feet and the specifications are as follows:

Each strip has 198 LED all-purpose lights.
uses 11 watts of energy
puts out 75 watts of light
13,000 MCD (I don't know what this is)
life- 10 years, 80,000 hours

The seller tells me the previous owner claims this was his lighting system for the corals. These are not sold as aquarium lights and I can find little information on them, such as the light spectrum. They look like flourescent strip lights.
I did a web search and found one post on MarineDepot.com that stated LED lighting was possibly the reef lighting system of the future and gives the tank that "shimmering effect" like metal halides but it is a cool light.
Does anyone have any experience with this type of lighting or know anyone who does? I don't know whether to get a reflector and install these or buy a T5 power stip.
In theory, 4 lights will provide 4 watts per gallon to illuminate the aquarium.
Suggestions?

[Texreefer]

not the correct spectrum of lighting.. if your going to keep any type of corals, I would get something else..JMO

[Gilbert]

i agree with texreefer..., but on a side note what color are the bulbs if they are blue i will buy one from you

[msmith619]

The lights are white. I am planning to call the manufacturer to get the spectrum. I think I will put up a T5 white/actinic blue, with LED moon lighting and try adding one of these to see if it does give that shimmering effect. If it works I will post and let everyone know as I have 4 fixtures and will probably only need 1. They come with bare wires and appear to be designed for a electrician to install them to a ceiling or under a shelf so, I will have to buy a cord to attach them to. The seller says they were all wired to a plug cable and just plugged into the wall outlet.

[OrionN]

Here is smoe high price LED reef light
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PFO-67112-5&Category_Code=Solaris

[Jonthefishguy]

I must inform you all that PFO no longer exists so if you buy SOLARIS, your S.O.L. if it breaks down (and it will) as there is no warranty whatsoever, so buyer beware!

[LoneStar]

FWIW this is a simple, well built LED fixture:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?category=Elos_E_Lite_LED_Anodized _Aluminum_Fixture_%3C20in_Units&vendor=Elos_USA&SearchStr=&action=view&idProduct=EO7123&idCategory=FILTFILDTN

[wesheltonj]

I am not sure that those LEDs will work. A 48" LED light fixture that will grow corals for an Aquarium will run around $2500. PFO is out of business, AI is still selling their fixture.

[msmith619]

I called the manufacturer. He says the spectrum on these lights is 6500 to 7500. He also has some 10,000 and blue spectrum. He says they will grow corals and some people are buying them for that purpose. The cost $29.00 a strip and these are 3 foot strips. So, here is what I am going to do:
Put one light as a supplement to my new T5 HO fixture. Ii is supposed to give that shimmering effect. I will put another over a refugarium and see if it will grow algie there. I will let you all know how it works out.
Mike

[Jonthefishguy]

If your T5 fixture is significantly brighter than the LED's, they will drown out the intensity of the LED's which will wash out the shimmer effect. If this is the case, the only time you will see the shimmering effect is when the LED's are the only lights on.