Why switch from rsm250 t5's to led's?

M

mtk

Member
Hey everyone.

I wanted to get everyones feed back on why you would like to switch from the rsm 250 T5's to led's and what you would like to see in a DIY rsm 250 led conversion kit.

For me I want to go to led's because
1. heat issue I have with t5's
2. Don't like changing t5 bulbs every 6 month's
3. I don't think t5's give enough light at the bottom of my tank.
4. I like the shimmer effect led's give.

I would like to see these things in a DIY kit

1. Very good, detailed instructions and a video on how to do the instal from removing t5's to installing new led's.
2. Being able to not have to solder if I did not want to.
3. Being able to add other color spectrums to the light system with its own drivers so if I decided the red or green was too much I can control them on there own.
4. Being able to tie directly into the original timer and having it dimable with turn knobs or to be able to tie into a controller (like the apex for me).
5. No modification or very little modification to the hood. Meaning I don't want to hack up my hood to be able to fit led's into it.

Think you guys get where I am going with this.
Thank's
 
FCatCH76

FCatCH76

Member
I installed two AI SOL's with little actual hacking. All I really had to do was disconnect some stuff. But don't think removing the T5's will cool off your tank. I was sold on this ( and actual used it against my wife), but they were pushing 140 F from the outlet, and absolutely nothing change with my water temps after the LED install. The heat is all in our pumps and the closed hood.
 
Ian Eisenberg

Ian Eisenberg

Member
Ditto on the heat. The biggest change on the heat in my tank came from adding an external sump.

I also did the AI Sol install and I can tell you that the corals love it, the look of the tank is very different (crisper is the best way to describe it) and I like the ability to more finely control the lighting with my Apex.
 
lethal

lethal

Has been struck by the ban stick
It's very interesting to hear that adding led's didn't reduce the heat problem at all. Apart from the lower power consumption, that would be one of the main reasons for me wanting to install them. Seems like the closed hoods are a killer for our tanks.
 
PIMPALA

PIMPALA

Well-Known Member
mtk said:
For me I want to go to led's because
1. heat issue I have with t5's
2. Don't like changing t5 bulbs every 6 month's
3. I don't think t5's give enough light at the bottom of my tank.
4. I like the shimmer effect led's give.
Click to expand...

1. as noted, wont be fixed with LEDs. LED heat sinks still put out tons of heat.
2. 6 months? you running them 12-14 hours a day? or are you just changing them out that soon "to be safe"?
3. then you arent using the right bulbs.
4. you could always add some low wattage, high shimmer LED panels to add shimmer.


that being said, T5s are a very good source of light, and I'm no longer a LED fan. If I was going to run any LEDs on a RSM, it would be in conjunction with the T5 setup, possibly replacing one or two of the T5 bulbs, but not all of them.
 
M

mtk

Member
Thank's for all the input on the pros and cons of my reasonings but I am more asking if you were going to change why would you and what you want to see in a DIY kit.
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
The biggest change on the heat in my tank came from adding an external sump
Click to expand...

This is exactly right, the biggest heat source is the skimmer pump - I picked up a spare one from Tom and use it to make up my sw, without a heater only using a skimmer pump to mix my saltwater, it brings it to temp 80f.
 
M

mtk

Member
Ok I will play for a second. I do agree that the pumps are a major heat source but I also do know when my lights are off my tank temp will drop about 3 degrees with my apex controlling my heater and fan's. Now if you were to build a led system with external drivers and the correct airflow over the heat sink you might be able to eliminate that 3 degree's. Now I know my lights give off more then 3 degrees to my tank but I only see 3 degrees because my tank fans kick on. At night when my lights are off my heater does kick on from time to time and my fans do not run so that tells me my lights are kicking down some heat. If I had to guess I would say 5+ degrees. Now if you cram a set of ai sol's or any other all in one led light into the hood or a diy kit that is not set up the right way you may not see a temp difference but I think with the correct set up you will.

Now it will also be nice to have the led's dimable throughout the day with the light peaking at noon. Yes I know you can do all this with t5's but I have seen tanks under led's and like the growth, color and effect the led's have on them. Now also you have to take into consideration not only lighting but the stability of your water perams to make a informed decision on what the led's are doing exactly. I have seen a tank go from looking very good too even nicer once led's were on for a few month's.
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
I have seen some great looking LEDs too ! I don't know enough about them to comment on their heat output, other than it seems there is some law of physics that are in play. I was only pointing out the skimmer pump, is a tremendous source of heat in the RSM tanks, didn't want to give the wrong impression.
 
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M

mtk

Member
As far as I understand it led's put heat away from the bulb going backwards away from the water into the heat sink. thats why it is so important to keep the heat sink cool. Now t5's and metal halides radiate heat around the entire bulb and our reflectors reflect that heat down ward into our tank's. Now I am new to led's but this is how I understand it.

As far as the skimmer pump I have also seen that pump and all the rsm pumps give off a large amount of heat but atm I am not looking into going with a sump so the lights are my next step...
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
I did indeed notice a temp drop on both of my All In One tanks when going to LED and both had 'similar" lighting before hand.

On my 12g tank (Enclosed LED in the hood) my evaporation went from about 1/2g a week to what I guestimate to being about 1g every 2 months or so. I have a gallon of RO/DI water here in my office that I "made" before I went on vacation to St. Lucia the last week of June. It's still about 3/4 full but I plan to top off later today which will take it down to about 1/2 full.

LED are more efficient in that they convert MORE of the electricity into light but they still do give off a LOT of heat... don't be fooled into thinking LED don't produce heat.. they do but it's not going INTO the tank in the form of IR.... it's going from the back of the DIODE into the Heatsink.... When I crank mine up to 100% the heatsink is just hot enough to where you feel it's hot but not hot enough to cause any burns. LED do produce heat but not in the same way as other light sources and less (due to higher efficiency) overall.


Knowing all that I know about LED I'd do it again if I needed too.. in fact I would have done it sooner had I known how much I like it.
 
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