Best cheap LEDs for a reef tank?

[markodeniro]

I have an aqua reef 400 and want to upgrade to LEDs. I've been looking at this V2 iLumenAir 1200 212w. But price is £500! Any ideas for a cheaper version controllable for blue/white?


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[pinsonja]

You could look into aqua illumination. They're reasonably priced. How big is the tank?

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[markodeniro]

It's 80G


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[cgthebeast]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/131261397845?nav=SEARCH

This is one of the best LEDs imho. It lets you keep almost anything without killing your wallet. I have one an plan to buy one more for my 55 when my wallet allows it.

 

[Olliefowler]

I wouldn't bother! Cant beat the ati t5 fittings for coral growth etc. lots of people are actually returning to these fittings!


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[pinsonja]

http://m.ebay.com/itm/131261397845?nav=SEARCH

This is one of the best LEDs imho. It lets you keep almost anything without killing your wallet. I have one an plan to buy one more for my 55 when my wallet allows it.

Does it not have a controller? I looked into it but it seems to me about the only thing it does is dim. What did you grow with yours?

 

[Olliefowler]

I had those! No controller but u can use a seperate timer to brings blues on first!
I had good results but they bleach any sereatopora and digitata. And colours on sps werent great.
But just for lps they are perfect and give water a nice glimmer!


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[Sniperhank]

Taotronics are the best bang for your buck. I personally prefer my Radions, but they aren't cheap at all.

 

[markodeniro]

I had those! No controller but u can use a seperate timer to brings blues on first!
I had good results but they bleach any sereatopora and digitata. And colours on sps werent great.
But just for lps they are perfect and give water a nice glimmer!


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How do you change these from blue to white separately? My current set up with T5 only has a timer that comes on with 2 whites and 2 blues all day. I would like to separate this. It also says you can dim them so do you have to do this manually also?

Last question do I have to suspend them from the ceiling?


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[PoppaRyno]

Theres a decent lil LED light called eLive. Its a pod based led strip. You can add pods of many types to suit your needs. The pods are generally 6-9$. Im giving one a try and its doing fine on one of my 20L. They have pods that suit most all tank needs.

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[PoppaRyno]

Also its on a heavy planted tank. So its doing good with light needs. They are also 2 channel. So you can add lights for the night cycle as well.

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[Gregcoyote]

Best cheap LEDs?

RapidLed is also a good supplier. Not sure I agree that everyone is moving back to T5 or MH. Many of us grow all types of corals just fine under even cheap LED's. I would never move backwards. I threw my hot lights away after 20 years.


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[Animal-Chin]

I would never go back to T5's. I like everything about my ebay LEDs better than my old T5s. It used to KILL me to have to replace the bulbs every 9 months. SOOO much money. My ebay LEDs are 2 years old now and still perfect. I have everything from Acropora to Anemones to Zoanthids in my tank, everything does great under them.

 

[markodeniro]

Is that the same ones on the link above?


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[Gregcoyote]

Best cheap LEDs?

For the cost, try them out. This is a full spectrum light, some like them, some don't. I like them. Taotronics is also a good EBay supplier of Chinese fixtures.


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[Animal-Chin]

My 125 has 3 of the Chinese 125 watt LED units from ebay (like in the link at the beginning of this thread) and the color and growth are both outstanding. Almost all my coral started as frags and have only lived under the Chin

ese LEDs....

 

[markodeniro]

Wow they do look amazing! I'm thinking I might need 2, can you change the colour spectrum? And do you have to hang them from the ceiling?


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[Animal-Chin]

You can add blue, remove blue or add white, remove white. I guess you could call that changing the color spectrum. I had 2 over my 38 inch and 3 over my 72 inch. They spread about 2 feet and are really powerfull. I run mine on 25% white 50% blue and that's more than enough for fast growth.

 

[mr_X]

I agree with the above- those cheap LEDs from ebay/amazon are good for whatever you want to grow, wherever you want to grow it. T5 and halides are no comparison in terms of efficiency, and yes, you can manually (via 2 knobs) alter the spectrum.

 

[Gregcoyote]

$75 is a insane price. I'm ordering one just to see it.


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