New LED lighting system

[StevenSeas]

Found this a little bit ago, and thought some of yall might like this, specially those whom are worried that LEDs dont cover the full spectrum.

http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2010/09/orphek-pr-156-reef-aquarium-led-light-review.html

I WANT ONE!!!

[Jarob]

Awesome!! Not nearly as expensive as I would have thought too.

[CoryDude]

These look comparable to the ecoxotic panorama lights. I never cared for LED's until I saw them at Aquatek. As soon as I have the $$$, I'm getting a couple of those or this brand. BTW, from the manufacturers I've talked to, don't expect LED's to go down in price much. Since there's very little need for service or replacement lights, they have to make their $$$ at the initial point of sale. Thanks for the link!

[FireWater]

They (manufacturers) need to quit it. All the new stuff is making it way too hard to make my mind up and costing me money.

[StevenSeas]

I was very surprised at the price of one of these units too. 750 for a system that could easily do a 36 -48 inch tank, with no bulb changes. But its about 500 less than an AI fixture for comparable coverage.

[Europhyllia]

Nice. Definitely like the full spectrum aspect. Wonder if I would miss dusk/dawn. Then again I can use my shadowbox for that...

[olaggie01]

Am really considering all LEDs for my 150g (36x36x27) tank. Was thinking about DIYing a couple of units, but this will fit the bill nicely. I don't want/need full coverage on the walls/side, so this fixture appears to have great potential.

[Europhyllia]

looks like price went up since blog post from 750 to 850 so to cover a 72" tank with two units it would end up being $1700
I am hoping somebody comes up with a way to tweak the spectrum. I really love playing with the t-5 bulbs to get just the perfect shade...

[Jarob]

Exactly why Im so partial to my t5's



looks like price went up since blog post from 750 to 850 so to cover a 72" tank with two units it would end up being $1700
I am hoping somebody comes up with a way to tweak the spectrum. I really love playing with the t-5 bulbs to get just the perfect shade...

[olaggie01]

I'm debating T5s/LEDs to get the best of both worlds, but we will see what I can come up with

[RayAllen]

I do think they are neet, but still have not jumped on the train. Just last year everyone was excited about t5s and they were the lights to have.

I was talking to another member just a few weeks ago with my same logic on the subject. MH has proven them selves time and time again. I know I only run VHO (oudated) but they work for my setup with only softies. When I decide to upgrade I will go with HQI MH again with t5 or vho supplementation. Again it has proven itself.

Is it that they are the new technology that everyone seems to want them? Is it just a craze that will go away. Sure they make corals pop but so do other lights. Reminds me of TVs. Tube, projection, plasma, LCD, 3D, LED......

The price on these LEDs are way to high now, I do see the price coming down a lot within a year or so.

Not trying to burst any bubbles, but will something new not just come out in a year or two?

[txg8gxp]

Ok, I just wanted to add my opinion. MH is proven and works great, I just don't like heat and energy cost. I wasn't very happen with the t5's I had, color was ok..but growth was slow and still too much heat. Ok now for leds. Yes other light make coral pop, but nothing like quality leds( you have to see it to understand). Led price is high, but I'm done spending money...not adding to it every 8 months. I will run nothing but LED's, but that is me. There are also several nice 1w emitter fixtures on the market now for the same price as t5's. As for something new in the next year or two, maybe..but I doubt it. The only other nice technology out there is plasma, but plasma has it issues that will be hard to overcome.


I do think they are neet, but still have not jumped on the train. Just last year everyone was excited about t5s and they were the lights to have.

I was talking to another member just a few weeks ago with my same logic on the subject. MH has proven them selves time and time again. I know I only run VHO (oudated) but they work for my setup with only softies. When I decide to upgrade I will go with HQI MH again with t5 or vho supplementation. Again it has proven itself.

Is it that they are the new technology that everyone seems to want them? Is it just a craze that will go away. Sure they make corals pop but so do other lights. Reminds me of TVs. Tube, projection, plasma, LCD, 3D, LED......

The price on these LEDs are way to high now, I do see the price coming down a lot within a year or so.

Not trying to burst any bubbles, but will something new not just come out in a year or two?

[RayAllen]

to each their own, I respect your opinion and you have some valid points. Bring the cost down a few hundred and I can see the mass buying them, but for now it will be only the select few. I for one have never had crazy energy bills resulting from any of my aquariums even when I ran MH. To me the cost just did not seem bad.

With that said I will follow along with threads of those who use them and after I see some true growth and color results I will go from their. All in all im simply saying still to new for me to make any accurate assessment.

[StevenSeas]

well the BOD should apply for this: http://directory.directaquarium.com/2010/10/orphek-aquarium-led-light-giveaway/ and give it away and settle this debate in MAAST once and for all.

Personally as far as the debate about if LEDs will grow coral or not, we all know rationally that yes they will. So now its more of to what extent will they. Light is light, it doesnt matter the source whether be it the sun, T-5, T-8, VHO, or LED. What matters is the amount of light emmitted in the specific wavelengths needed to photosynthesis. If this is accomplished then the way to increase growth is by increasing intensity. This is analagous to a man-made solar cell. If we put a light source above a solar cell the more light it absorbs the more energy it makes. Now if we reduce the solar cell to only operate within the same narrow margins of that needed for photosynthesis, we will have a testable way of seeing which source will cause more growth.

That is effectively what a combination of PUR and lux does. All that matters is if one light source puts out the proper wavelengths and with more intensity (without too much) and there will be better growth from it then another light source.

Now for coloration that depends on the rest of the spectrum and what thats at. I wont bother with this because that is a whole lot of personal preference and not as much definitive science.

[RayAllen]

well the BOD should apply for this: http://directory.directaquarium.com/2010/10/orphek-aquarium-led-light-giveaway/ and give it away and settle this debate in MAAST once and for all.

Personally as far as the debate about if LEDs will grow coral or not, we all know rationally that yes they will. So now its more of to what extent will they. Light is light, it doesnt matter the source whether be it the sun, T-5, T-8, VHO, or LED. What matters is the amount of light emmitted in the specific wavelengths needed to photosynthesis. If this is accomplished then the way to increase growth is by increasing intensity. This is analagous to a man-made solar cell. If we put a light source above a solar cell the more light it absorbs the more energy it makes. Now if we reduce the solar cell to only operate within the same narrow margins of that needed for photosynthesis, we will have a testable way of seeing which source will cause more growth.

That is effectively what a combination of PUR and lux does. All that matters is if one light source puts out the proper wavelengths and with more intensity (without too much) and there will be better growth from it then another light source.

Now for coloration that depends on the rest of the spectrum and what thats at. I wont bother with this because that is a whole lot of personal preference and not as much definitive science.

I like the way you think! BOD should do that ;) I agree light is light. When I got into the hobby it was all about wattage and we have seen that go the way of the dinosaur.

I will be honest and say ive only seen a couple of LED lights in action of other maastard tanks. Maybe I just need to see a few more.

[txav8r]

well the BOD should apply for this: http://directory.directaquarium.com/2010/10/orphek-aquarium-led-light-giveaway/ and give it away and settle this debate in MAAST once and for all.

.

This wold have been perfect for LMAR

[alton]

I am still on the fence when it comes to LED, in the electrical industry except for Exit Lights they are not much of an improvement. Example, while I was at an open house the other night one of the lighting reps was showing me a 2x2 light with LEDs and I ask him what the input watts was and he told me 44. This fixture normally uses 2 - 24w T5HO lamps or 49 input watts. LED fixture $400 and the other $200. You never could pay for the LED fixture only saving 5 watts. When looking at the LED light fixtures for aquarium use they normally only mention the wattage of the lamps not the input watts including the power the driver/ballast uses. Hopefully someone here can answer that for me? The light the one vendor had at LMAR was very nice and if I had $300 I would of bought it for my 29 here at work because it cost me $90 to change T5HO lamps every year, so in this case the fixture would pay for itself in three years.

[Troy Valentine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81OjobFOZ0o
Watching stuff like this makes me hopefull

I will be moving to LEDs in the spring, the only time I like having Halides is in the winter time when they warm the house. I've been looking in to the Ecoxotic elliptical cannon. I spoke to Ecoxotic and they told me the new 6" x 9" pendant will light a 24"x36" area. These fixtures will be fully dimmable, and come in a 20K spectrum along with 12K and 453nm.
I have a good friend who switched over to 100% cree par38 LEDs, his growth and color are amazing. Far better than when he had 3 - 250watt DE fixtures.

[RayAllen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81OjobFOZ0o
Watching stuff like this makes me hopefull

I will be moving to LEDs in the spring, the only time I like having Halides is in the winter time when they warm the house. I've been looking in to the Ecoxotic elliptical cannon. I spoke to Ecoxotic and they told me the new 6" x 9" pendant will light a 24"x36" area. These fixtures will be fully dimmable, and come in a 20K spectrum along with 12K and 453nm.
I have a good friend who switched over to 100% cree par38 LEDs, his growth and color are amazing. Far better than when he had 3 - 250watt DE fixtures.

Very cool Troy

Ive always thought of your aquarium as one of the best. I remember going to your house 3-4yrs ago and I was very jealous of your reef. Looking forward to seeing your upgrade. Your reef couldnt get much better, or could it?

[Troy Valentine]

Thank you for the kind words Ray.

Stephen inspired me a few months ago to shift gears with my system, and up the challenge. I want a system that is 50% larger and uses 50% less energy with equal, or dare I say better results. I originally had 1200 watts of light, then I went down to 750. Now it will be 300
With the electrical savings i'm planning on adding 2-60 cubes to bookend my 240.

[RayAllen]

$$$ Savings is always good. The 2-60 cube bookends sounds sweet.

[Markster]

Anyone picked up one of these systems? Curious as I am interested.