Once i get my new 40 Gallon in two months or so i'd like to use LED lights and i need some advice on which ones are the best or if it's even possible to have LED lights with a reef tank all input on this subject is welcome!
LED lighting
- Thread starter KLelle
- Start date
I'm certainly no expert as to which LEDs are best, nor how many are required to adequately light a reef tank, but I do know and have seen people using LEDs as the only light for their reef tanks. There's a couple here on AC, hopefully they'll see your thread and share their experiences.
Probably want at least 1 of these, possibly 2 on a 40G if you want really high light demanding corals. Still too expensive for my taste to buy a fixture. I think they run around $500ea.. so if you need 2 of them and want a controller with it to give different settings your looking at around $1300. They will work for any type of coral.. but the price is just waaaay to high when compared to T5HOs, that is unless you build your own LED light, then it is reasonable.
http://reefbuilders.com/2010/06/08/tmc-releases-aquabeam-1500-xg-ultima-led-aquaray/
http://reefbuilders.com/2010/06/08/tmc-releases-aquabeam-1500-xg-ultima-led-aquaray/
Those are almost $400, ouch!
the LED's are going to be the most expensive part of my project, I'm dreading explaining that bill to the wife...
and I am only going to use them for supplemental lighting!
Well, if they are simply supplimental lighting then you can get off for A LOT cheaper. 
Look up some LED tubes like the ones pictured below. Just google "LED Tube Light" and see if you can find some blue ones. I am at work now and can't search to much right at the moment.
Look up some LED tubes like the ones pictured below. Just google "LED Tube Light" and see if you can find some blue ones. I am at work now and can't search to much right at the moment.
Hi M8
you can look at this LED fixture they have free shipping in Canada but the price is way up there maybe you can buy one and let me know how it is
good luck with the build
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/410/Vertex+Lumina+LED+Lighting+Fixtures.html
you can look at this LED fixture they have free shipping in Canada but the price is way up there maybe you can buy one and let me know how it is
good luck with the build
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/410/Vertex+Lumina+LED+Lighting+Fixtures.html
there arent a ton of good fixtures out there for led, most of the ones ive seen are small leds which wont penetrate as well as larger leds. the ones that are good cost even more, id say building your own is the way to go, for a 40 breeder reef, you would need in the range of 36-48 leds. aside from leds you will need drivers and a heatsink mainly
80 dollars for drivers, 100 for heatsink, maybe 3-400 for leds, its a big leap, but check out nano-reef where theyve done 40 breeder builds before to get an idea of what youre looking at
80 dollars for drivers, 100 for heatsink, maybe 3-400 for leds, its a big leap, but check out nano-reef where theyve done 40 breeder builds before to get an idea of what youre looking at
Wow.. a fixture that is super expensive.. AND junk by todays standards.. Luxeon Rebel leds? Aren't those about 2 years old now and only about 1/3 the output of the Cree XP-G's?Hi M8
you can look at this LED fixture they have free shipping in Canada but the price is way up there maybe you can buy one and let me know how it is
good luck with the build
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/410/Vertex+Lumina+LED+Lighting+Fixtures.html
the rebel isnt actually much worse than crees, the xp-g is a big step up but before that the xr-e wasnt much more effecient. and there is a new rebel in the works that will match the xp-g. i used to knock the rebel too before i really learned about it.
the fixture does seem redic expensive though, you could probably build it for a quarter to a half of the price
the fixture does seem redic expensive though, you could probably build it for a quarter to a half of the price
