mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
Understood. I was simply stating it for everyone. That fixture you linked is good then, because if you don't like the red, green and violet LEDs you can turn them down.
Lighting your reef... Best bang for your buck.
- Thread starter Jess1ca
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LaWoWee
Aquarium Advice Freak
I think you can do a 120w as long as it is dimmable. 1) You can adjust the output to the strength according to what your corals demand, 2) you can use them IN CASE you ever change your mind on going bigger with tank size, and 3) They will be more marketable to other reefers should you ever decide to break down and sell them.
Jmkb02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 947
On my little brothers tank, I bought him a taotronics dimmable and it is at 20%. We just put it on his tank and he has a 250 watt mh before. What a difference in the growth already. All of his corals across the board and happier now and there is growth everywhere. His tank is a 37 gallon (a tall 30). He has a couple sps, Lps and quite a few zoas. It's been about 3-4 weeks since we put it on, and nothing but positive results. I would really recommend it. Also if you decide to grow more coral in the same tank, you may want a little more light. You have that option. We are still tinkering and adjusting but I haven't seen one coral bleach, or stop growing anywhere in his tank, nothing but big time growth and colors look amazing!
Pisces3473
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Thanks for jumping in, you're the first person I've heard that's actually using these exact lights. Good to know they're doing the job!
Jmkb02
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2012
- Messages
- 947
Well several people are, in fact X was the one who recommended them. If I had the money, they would also be over my 135 and 180, but that 6 fixtures not counting if I wanted them over my fuges. They are very much so one of the best fixtures on the market and don't look cheap by any means. Well built and very good quality.
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yep. I'm using them over my tanks. I've been using them for months. I wouldn't go as far as saying they are the best fixtures on the market, but they will do the job for a cheap price. This is what started this entire thread. My argument was that they are the "best bang for the buck".
CorallineAlgae
Aquarium Advice Addict
mr_X said:
A lot of people's initial concerns with these were build quality, LED color quality (for unwanted algae growth), noise, and real world results of coral growth and coral vibrancy. I think this thread, and the mass of info you shared along with other Chinese fixture owners, has put most of these concerns to rest. Thank you so much for sharing so much of your time and information. Really, thank you. I'll definitely be ordering some version of these lights for my latest reef tank.
I think it's very clear that the blue and white LED fixtures work at least as well as the MH and fluorescent combination that I used to use, and at a fraction of the overall cost. It may still be too early to know if the latest fixtures like the Reef Breeders, that use violet, red and green LEDs are any better than the standard white and blue TaoTronics.
audifusion
Aquarium Advice Freak
just ordered 8 fixtures.
Will post up some pics when I get them!
Will post up some pics when I get them!
Pisces3473
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I can't wait to see what you're gonna do with 8 fixtures! One tank?
Animal-Chin
Aquarium Advice Addict
about 2 months in.
Coral growth - yes and most noticable with my sps. LPS love them. My hammer, frogspawn, galaxia, ect have all now adjusted and are open and colorful.
Algae growth - no. I have significatnly less algae with my LED's than with my T5's
Heat issues - None
Power consumption - I'm saving about $30 a month from this time last year. I'm down 2 kwh's a day compared to last year and pre chirstmas. The only thing i've changed in my house is my lights. My wife is thrilled...lol
Noise - No, fans are silent.
Issues - I "think" the bright light stressed out my dwarf lion and I've had my first real ich outbreak. I didn't loose any fish and it's gone now (for now) but I think the change in light intensity did have an effect on it.
Light sensitive coral aren't thrilled with the new lights. I have a nice green/orange lobo and even on the sand it's fading on the tops of the polyps. My mushrooms hated them so I moved them to a shady area under rock work and they've opened up again. My finger leather is half the size it was with T5s and doesn't seem to want to open up again. All other coral (I have about 30 kinds) are doing fantastic. Its just about finding the right spot for everything...
Still super pleased with these units and highly recomend them...
Coral growth - yes and most noticable with my sps. LPS love them. My hammer, frogspawn, galaxia, ect have all now adjusted and are open and colorful.
Algae growth - no. I have significatnly less algae with my LED's than with my T5's
Heat issues - None
Power consumption - I'm saving about $30 a month from this time last year. I'm down 2 kwh's a day compared to last year and pre chirstmas. The only thing i've changed in my house is my lights. My wife is thrilled...lol
Noise - No, fans are silent.
Issues - I "think" the bright light stressed out my dwarf lion and I've had my first real ich outbreak. I didn't loose any fish and it's gone now (for now) but I think the change in light intensity did have an effect on it.
Light sensitive coral aren't thrilled with the new lights. I have a nice green/orange lobo and even on the sand it's fading on the tops of the polyps. My mushrooms hated them so I moved them to a shady area under rock work and they've opened up again. My finger leather is half the size it was with T5s and doesn't seem to want to open up again. All other coral (I have about 30 kinds) are doing fantastic. Its just about finding the right spot for everything...
Still super pleased with these units and highly recomend them...
Animal-Chin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Pisces3473
Aquarium Advice FINatic
That would be because your camera see things differently than you and I. You may need to try using a different white balance setting on your camera or correct it with your editing software on your computer. Depends what you're using. My iphone takes great pictures... when the light is white or outside.
Animal-Chin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ya I have my wb set at 10000k but these LED's are probably what 12000 or 14000 k. I don't think my Nikon goes that high.
Pisces3473
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Try pulling out some magenta in your color balance or hue saturation. If you have those adjustments available.
Daniel Fishy
Aquarium Advice Addict
These are the reef breeders? Your tank looks great the sps looks like there flourishing.
Animal-Chin
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm using the 125w (2 of them) dimmable LED units from ebay. Basically the taotronics but some other guys brand. I got the red/green/white/blue lights but I don't know that the red/green are needed. That big green acro has been in my tank 2 weeks and every branch has new growth on it. The small purple one was a brown stick of dying coral in January and everythign you see is new growth, it came back to life and sprouted all that since I got the lights.
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Daniel Fishy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks the new growth is wild!
audifusion
Aquarium Advice Freak
Pisces3473 said:
The ones I got are roughly 300w each, 2ft long.
Need a lot of em bc my tank is 800 gallons.
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
Take pics when you get them please. Do you have a PAR meter?
audifusion
Aquarium Advice Freak
mr_X said:
no PAR meter.
will take pics tho.
