LED conversion

Well over the weekend I went and bought an LED setup for my display tank. installed the hanging ligts today, and WOW, do I really like the look. Will post some pics

Took a bunch of pics, here is the light setup in my canopy..............






the tank with blue lghts on.............


and with the whites just on..................



and a pic today with all the LED and VHO bulbs on................

Here are some coral pics.................

still more......................

Looks nice. Curious why your still using VHOs with it though?

Looks great John! lots of good pics! so whats your initial thoughts? happy with the color and shimmer compared to the halides? and did you happen to ever get par readings from your halide setup? I'll put you on the list for the DRC meter, i'm sure you would like to know what you're getting now. What brand leds did you use btw?

Chris, I am using the VHO's to simulate sunrise and sunset.

John, I bought the setup from Shawn. IT was a DYI he made for his 265 gal. I know the blues are Cree and the whites I would have to find out . All the LED's are 3 watts.
I am very happy with the colors and I can adjust the blues and the whites seperately, so I can pretty much get whatever look and I want. As far as the shimmer goes, my MH lights had alot of shimmer, so I am pretty much familiar with it.
I really like the fact that they hardly give off any heat and my electric meter has slowed down.

John it's tough to tell from pictures but how does it compare to the MH??


I seen the tank with the other lighting and it was as nice as anything I've seen. Whats the thoughts using the LED's and I'm curious to know what the par was compared to now so we need to get some specs

I'm pondering doing LED flood lights with 70 degree reflectors, LED's are gonna either be 50 or 100 watt 20,000 color with alot of blue supplement.

Originally Posted by Saltcreep

and did you happen to ever get par readings from your halide setup?

more specifically do you know what par your clams were getting from the old lighting?

Originally Posted by houndsbayman

As far as the shimmer goes, my MH lights had alot of shimmer, so I am pretty much familiar with it. .

I'm sure you're familiar with it, i was more wondering how it compared... halide vs. led?

Sorry John, never took par readings on MH setup. But if anyone is using Coralvue 250W ballast with 12k Reeflux bulbs on a 180 gal, 24 in deep tank, their readings would compare to mine.
I think there is more shimmer with the LED. I like it over the MH.
Bill, when I borrow the clubs' par meter I can take readings of the LED system, but have nothing to compare them with.
I really got tired of laying out $300 a year for new bulbs and the added electric costs.Plus the heat given off by the MH was always an issue. I like the fact that I can adjust the 2 different LED bulbs to blend the way I like the tank to look and also for the kind of light needed for growing SPS.
Now, about the clams having enough light to survive, I am thinking they will have the proper amount reaching the bottom of the tank. With that being said, it is only day 2 with LED's, and only time will tell.
If my clams start to look like they aren't doing well, I can place them in my frag tank which is lighted with MH.

Looks great John!!!! One day I will go to LEDs, but the start up costs are still a little steep for me.

Thanks Pat

It's been a few weeks now and evrything is doing fine. The only corals I see that are slower to adjusting to the LED lights are my Superman and Sunset montis. Here is a video I took today with the lights.

Looks great John! Glad to hear the light switch is going smoothly! the clams look happy, and beautiful. What are the sunset and super doing?

Thanks John.

The montis have good polyp extension, but the color on their skeletons has faded a bit. Keeping a close watch on them. If need be I can move them into my frag tank which has MH lights on it