Switching from 250 metal halide to LEDs ?

#1
So I have 250 metal halides on my 72 gallon and I seen a lot of people use LEDs but do the corals grow the same as 250 metal halides? Can some one with LEDs help


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Haddonisreef

Orca
M.A.S.C Club Member
#2
The LEDs grows coral just fine, what kind are U thinking about? Before u buy look at some others tanks to help u decide what your looking for. Feel few to swing by my place and see what the Eco tech radion looks like.
 

robert.talarico

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#4
Rigo07;285094 said:
So I have 250 metal halides on my 72 gallon and I seen a lot of people use LEDs but do the corals grow the same as 250 metal halides? Can some one with LEDs help


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Do you keep sps? Sps are more vibrantly colored under halides vs. LEDs.
 

fishguy69

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
We have four different LED manufacturers on 3 display tanks. Come in to the store to check them out.

Radions, Sols, Acan Lighting and Fluval Sea.
 

jgonzz

Hammerhead Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
Platinum Sponsor
#7
save your self some money and keep the halides.

Maybe suppliment with some Reefbrite led strips if your looking for that pop

IME nothing grows and colors coral like a halide
 
#10
My halides were killer on the xcel bill and heat issues. I would have had to add a big chiller which would have then added to that bill so although i thought they grew my nems and corals the best, i switched to t5 and led strips. I now run t5 on one tank and led on another. With the right bulbs i have plenty of pop now but too some time to switch then out to my liking. I don't mind the cost of tubes every six months or so but may eventually switch to led full time. Some of my critters seem to prefer the tubes and some grow like crazy under my led. I bought one polyp of ultra gobstopper zoa from allyson a few weeks ago and its five polyps now under cheap Chinese led only. Under halides my nems used to split like crazy but the electricity usage and heat make me stay away personally. It's up to you by i don't think anyone can say leds don't grow coral quickly and with good color.
 

J.guokas

Cleaner Shrimp
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
I get food growth and decent color under led but I am actually going to be switching to halide since I have seen some tanks with amazing growth and even better color than I have ever gotten. I think led does a great job but it's lacking something I really want.
 

Bajamike

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#13
For what its worth switched from LED to metal halide dont see myself going back

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aztecdreams

Bat Fish
M.A.S.C Club Member
#14
If the heat and humidity wasn't so bad in my basement is be switching back to MH. Mike and I are big fans of Sps and personally I don't think there's anything better for them. Even some of the guys that own shops have went back to MH
 
#15
I've seen alot of people switching back to mh lately but usually don't say why. The humidity is a big one i forgot about. The evap on my old 90 was horrid and the ballasts worried me. They were probably old and had to have these noisy fans attached. Pretty much zero heat from my t5 unit at least from the surface of it whereas my mh would be smoking hot six inches away. I do miss the depth at which i could grow stuff. Even on the bed of that tank nems and lps and sps were happy.
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
What do you keep? What would your goals be if you switched? Why do you want to switch? What is your expectations for the lights?
 

sethsolomon

Hammerhead Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#17
jgonzz;285123 said:
save your self some money and keep the halides.

Maybe suppliment with some Reefbrite led strips if your looking for that pop

IME nothing grows and colors coral like a halide

+1 I will not go back to LED's until they can match the same results as halides.
 

DyM

Sting ray
M.A.S.C Club Member
#18
I love both Mh's and LEDs. Won't let go of either anytime soon. As soon as the multichip 100w LEDs are more proven, I'd let go of the mh's but that is a few years off in my opinion.
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
M.A.S.C Club Member
#19
From what I've seen, some corals grow/look better under LEDs, others flourish under halides. It kinda depends on what you're keeping. Mike's Stick Farm (SPS tank) has gone crazy since he switched to a combo of halides and t5s. My tank is a very mixed reef, and does fine under LEDs. We have moved a few of my SPS into Mike's tank because it browned out, however. If we weren't moving in a year, I'd add some t5s to supplement my LEDs, because I think a combination approach to lighting works best. At least until they develop a game-changing perfect light bulb for corals.
 
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