My 55 gallon reef build.

[needmorecowbell]

Are they the reef suited and the double bright. They look pretty cool IMO

 

[iDream]

All of them IMO won't cut it for a reef. I wouldn't waste my money

 

[needmorecowbell]

They are expensive... I thought that led was the best out of them all? Kinda tied with metal halides

 

[iDream]

Good LEDs, yes. Those Marinland ones? No.

Also, MH isn't as good as its perceived to be. Mr. X can tell you that a good T5HO fixture can put out the same amount of light as a MH. IMO over a larger area since MH are pretty spot-light like

 

[needmorecowbell]

Oh gotcha and I guess it deals with par. I have t5s but thats cuz they were pretty cheap and efficient.

 

[iDream]

They are. But let's get back on topic here.


Give us some more updates!

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

Lol I don't mind a little light debate, I would like to see some long term feedback from leds. All the comments I see are positive but nobody seems to have had leds for that long of a time on their tank. There are quite a bit of money so I myself will be holding out a little while longer for leds. I have absolute no experience with anyone with the marinland ones so I couldn't comment on those.

 

[mr_X]

the marineland "doublebright" fixture says "36 – 48” - (16) 1W 6000K White & (8) .06W Blue LEDs 1200 Lumens"

1200 lumens is not enough. a spiral compact lamp which is 20 watts (one of those curly q energy saver bulbs) puts out the same lumens. you cannot keep corals under this fixture.

view the chart below for an idea about intensity-

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

Well I wish they would live under a curly q energy saver bulb because that would save me a lot of money!! Good info mr X.

 

[Redfox1]

In in the process of building my first reeftank. In my reading I am finding nothing but praise for LEDs. With nothing negative being spoken about them, I am forging forward with the mainland LEDs for my lighting.

Robert Fox

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

In in the process of building my first reeftank. In my reading I am finding nothing but praise for LEDs. With nothing negative being spoken about them, I am forging forward with the mainland LEDs for my lighting.

Robert Fox

Sounds good, let us know how they workout

 

[hackteck]

how do led lights work anyway they are like half a watt and t5s are 54 watts per for my tank

 

[Redfox1]

Thank you, yes I will let you know how they work. On the marineland LEDs each light is one watt. The model I am choosing has 18 lights and I need six units. (i have a 180 gallon tank) This brings the total to 90 watts.

 

[mr_X]

the marine land LEDs will not support corals. they are just for looks.

 

[Redfox1]

Curious, specs say 10,000k and 460 nm. Is that not what corals need. Please advise.

 

[iDream]

That's the right spectrum, but those LEDs won't put out enough PAR to sustain corals.

 

[mr_X]

even their "reef capable" fixtures don't put out enough lumens.
Our Products
the fixture you are choosing only puts out 1305 lumens. barely more than a spiral energy saver bulb. 6 energy saver bulbs and you still can't keep corals.

as shown in this comparison chart-

 

[Redfox1]

This lighting thing drives me crazy, may have to go back to the drawing board. Any suggestions for lighting for a coral reef tank 30" deep.
Rather not have metal halides.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Get nice t5s from aquatraders.com. I bought my 4 bulb 159 watt with 4 led moonlights from there for only about 100$. They always have sales and it they are good fixtures. They even have halides that are cheap. Yours might be in the 80-100$ range

 

[mr_X]

T5s will work for your 30" deep tank. what's the problem with halides?