Quote Originally Posted by merlin0883 View Post
I'm not opposed to MH's. I had two 150watt vipers on my 55gal. I had to change the bulbs about every 8 months though, because of the heat I guess. I definitely didn't get the colors that I wanted though. I tried the 10k, 14k, and 20k's. I ended up sticking with a 14k and a 20k, placing most of the orangish/reddish stuff under the 14k, and the bluish/greenish stuff under the 20k. I also had 2-48" HO t5's that spanned it, one actinic and one super actinic. The colors still never really moved me, though! But I like this. Any particular reason you give the edge to MH's over LED's...other than the money! I'm not rich, just want to do it up as perfectly as I can the first time, even if it takes a little longer to get it all together. Also, maintenance, as you all know, is a big money suck. How long do the LED bulbs last? Will I come out ahead on bulb replacements in the future if I get LED's?
With a 6 x 3' foot print you will have 3 sections 3' x 2'. With the list you have given you are looking at 600 watts of led versus my 825 watts of MH. With my pendants being vented on top they raise the water temp only about 1 to 2 degrees max in the summer, in the winter you will have to run heaters. Three coralvue luminbright pendants, ballast and Radium lamps run about $1K versus $2.5K? Your savings in electricity would be about $340 in 5 years and lamp savings of $720 in 5 years for a grand total of $1,060.

You missed the fun we had a few months ago with which is better LED or MH?

Steven that stinks with the Marineland DD, I guess if something happens with my 300D I will get my choice of which new tank I want? Marinelands warranty has always been great, so I am not worried.