led's for the money

brandon

Member
Im wanting to switch to less from t-5s but im not looking to break the bank. I've been looking at the crew e shine 60w fixture. So I called eshine and they are no longer making that fixture and are out of supply. The ecotech radions are a little out of my budget at $750 a unit. Im looking to spend no more than $700 shipped. The less are for a mixed reef tank. My tank is a 46g bow front 36" long by 16" deep. Thanks for your suggestions on fixtures not looking to do and diy fixtures.
 

Bearjohnson

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
RS Ambassador
Aqua Illuminations has my vote. Check them out. Great units that won't break the bank.
 

brandon

Member
The ai sols? What watt leds are in them and are they outdated compared to other fixtures? I need 2 fixtures.
 

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
the AI uses 3w bulbs just like all the other high priced units out there, and they perform just as good.


they get my vote as well.
 

dmatt88

Has been struck by the ban stick
Well I've had these Apollo leds for about 20 minutes. I'll have to check back when I can give more of an educated opinion.

Matt leaves out punctuation.
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
The AI's are nice but I would want 2 of them over a 46g bowfront and that probably blows the $750 delivered budget. Still, to have the ability to control them it might worth it to get one now and get the second later when you can.

For the money - I don't think the Kessil A150W Special Blend LED Aquarium Light can be beat right now. $265 each x two is in the budget range but you're giving up the ability to control the lights.
 

Bearjohnson

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
RS Ambassador
The AI's are nice but I would want 2 of them over a 46g bowfront and that probably blows the $750 delivered budget. Still, to have the ability to control them it might worth it to get one now and get the second later when you can.

For the money - I don't think the Kessil A150W Special Blend LED Aquarium Light can be beat right now. $265 each x two is in the budget range but you're giving up the ability to control the lights.

Kessil also a very nice choice. They do look very nice just not as versitile.
Careful if you go with the deep blue. They will change the colors of some of your fish esp. anything yellow. I had the light on one of my tanks and wasn't happy about the color change myself.
 

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
the kessil will also need some actenics, or supplemental lighting also... otherwise you wont be 100% happy with the color and control ability.
 

brandon

Member
Hey matt now that its been an hour and twenty minutes with the less how are they working now? Yes I am looking to be able to dim the colors individualy. The ai sols are they free leds? I can go over $700 but really trying to stick to a budget. Im trying to buy a house in the next month or two. Do the ai sols come with a dimmer?
 

brandon

Member
Do the sols come with dimmers and hanging brackets? Stark led has the cree 60w units I like but does anyone think they compare against the sols for sps growth?
 

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
Kessil also a very nice choice. They do look very nice just not as versitile.
Careful if you go with the deep blue. They will change the colors of some of your fish esp. anything yellow. I had the light on one of my tanks and wasn't happy about the color change myself.

Yup, most folks who got the 15k lights returned them for the 10k and reporting they look more like 12k.

Also, Kessil is strongly rumored to have new products coming out in the first half of 2012. I've exchanged an email or two with their sales staff, they're not willing to let slip what they have coming but said they're looking to address the same issues I asked them about. Namely the ability to control the lights - possibly with more than 2 channels (ie. they would be adding different color LED's to the matrix), and when will the larger LED light they've had on the market for indoor gardening be released with aquarium spectrums.

I'm watching Kessil to see what they come out with because I think they're the only manufacturer actually bringing new innovations to market, every other LED manufacturer is just repackaging the same CREE, Rebel and Osram LED's that we can buy and build ourselves. Check out the video on their main webpage on the Spectral Halo light, this is the larger light I'm waiting for an aquarium version of. What's cool about it is the vapor exchange cooling plate they're using in conjunction with the heat sink and fan.
 

DesertOrchid

Active Member
Thanks for the good info on the leds. I'm debating about getting new lights for my 72 bow to replace my 6 bulb t5 aquaticlight. Love the light just not the heat and don't want to support the power company any more than I do by buying a chiller. Having trouble keeping the temps down especially in the summer.
 

brandon

Member
Alright for 2 ai sol units with metal tracks hanging brackets and controllers im around $1000 plus shipping guess im gonna have to shop a little bit. I want a light that will look great and grow sps with no problems.
 

DesertOrchid

Active Member
Alright for 2 ai sol units with metal tracks hanging brackets and controllers im around $1000 plus shipping guess im gonna have to shop a little bit. I want a light that will look great and grow sps with no problems.

Geez you'd think they'd throw in the shipping for free with a purchase like that!
 

brandon

Member
ok i think i talked my gf into letting me get 2 ai aol units. I have been watching you tube videos of the super blue units and the white led units. Now im stuck on witch one i want. if i got the super blues will the sps corals grow ok with only one white bulb with 6500k spectrum?
 
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