My First Impression, LED Fixtures

[Eric]

I seen my first LED fixture yesterday on a 120 gallon tank I forget the brand but the fixture had a nice built in controller that would control different effects with the lights, it was a 48" 8 bulb unit, the fixture in total cost $2250.00 w/o tax.

My impression, I was seriously not impressed and it was a great disappointment to me as I was expecting this great lighting from all the buzz around these fixtures, I walked by the tank several time and didn't even notice, I did notice the reds looked a little more pink but still it didn't catch my eye like whoa LEDs till it was pointed out by the shop keeper.

So while I was looking at the colors and the shimmering effect which is more like a strobe light than the calm flowing shimmer of halides, my friend and the shop keep both said it made then nauseous to look at the tank for any length of time and I agree way to much motion in the tank caused by the lights.

I was comparing the lighting to a RSM sitting a few feet away stocked with sps and it looked equally as good IMO lacking the shimmer but the colors of the corals were actually deeper and prettier, they were not the stock bulbs in the RSM but it was the stock fixture untouched with geisman bulbs, there was also a tank with halides near by and I thought both looked better than the tank lit by LEDs.

Anyway I'm not knocking LEDs but other than the energy savings I honestly didn't see feel they were impressive at all, another thing I noticed was the tank seemed kind of shaded or dim which I didn't like.

So there you have it my honest unbiased opinion on LEDs, keep in mind this is not to start a debate but I feel the pictures I have seen with led lit tanks look 100xs better then they do in person, so make sure you see them before you buy as you may feel the same way I do.

 

[Eric]

One more thing I would like to note about this shop, it was hands down one of the nicest shops I have been in for a long time, everything was clean and healthy.

They also had a 1000 gallon or somewhere around that display reef and it was one of if not the nicest mixed reef I have seen in person.

Here's a link to the gallery of their site, it's a very impressive little shop unfortunately it is about 4 hours away.
Atlantis Aquariums 804.377.0243

 

[Val]

Up until a year ago, I managed a business that LEDs were a huge part of. It was truck parts, chrome and lights. I was able to see how LEDs evolved and eventually took over the lights in the trucking industry. I'm waiting but am hopeful about LEDs and reef tanks. The amount of change I saw in diodes, reflectors and lens in truck lights I figure there will be alot of trial and error with reef lights also. The good thing is, as the lights get better the prices also seem to be better. I'm going to be patient and wait to see what happens in this area. Kudos to those whom are trying these lights out and supporting the industry.

 

[seafansar]

I like the LEDs on my two nanos. I don't get the strobe light effect, just looks like MH's do. They look about the same as MH's to me, but I don't have to replace the bulbs, it runs cooler, less energy, and MUCH quieter than MH's. And my SPS are coloring up really well under them. My SPS browned out completely due to a few things going wrong in my old tank, but now are almost back to normal. My chalices and favias look good and my zoas look great (they really colored up under the LED's). My acans however still haven't colored up at all and they all look a bit plain for some reason. They sort of changed colors, but don't look as nice as they did before. Not sure if I can totally blame that on the LED's though since they were almost brown before putting them in the new tank. I think they are well worth the price for a small tank, but I still don't think I could spend the money to put them on a bigger set up.

 

[tnwillia]

Great input Eric, this will be a very helpful thread as others add their first hand experience and reviews. Thanks!

 

[PIMPALA]

ive seen a fixture with cree LEDs on a sps/lps tank, and was VERY impressed. so impressed that i ordered 6 units. i'll post vids/pics as soon as they come in. I just got my tracking numbers yesterday.

 

[Eric]

Like I said this is not a debate post, I think they are nice lights but they are not as great as I have been led to believe, for the initial cost you could replace bulbs in halides for the next 8-10 years and that is the life span of leds the saving is only gained by the added cost of the initial investment.

 

[PIMPALA]

well, the problem is that you used the generic term "LED Fixture" and said it was $2,250. You didnt list anything else like brand name, types of bulbs, optics, etc etc. of course its going to cause debate... different manufacturers make very different fixtures using very different bulbs. saying "im not impressed with LED fixtures" because you saw one unit, is like saying that you dont like the taste of chicken, after eating nuggets from mcdonalds.

 

[Eric]

I just called down it was a Sunbright lighting fixture.
SUNBRITE LIGHTING SYSTEMS INC-Product

 

[PIMPALA]

i cant for the life of me figure out that website, the products... or what they are even selling. is everything LED? there are no specs really... no nothing.


Thats SO irritating. lol

 

[Eric]

Call the store and they will tell you about them.

My only point was make sure you see them in person before dumping the $$$ assuming you would like them as I would have been very disappointed.

I imagine they are a top brand as the shop only offered the best products in everything else, it is a real saltwater shop not offering the crap most do just to make a buck.

I'm not knocking leds if you like them that is GREAT I personally was not taken with them but that's me.

http://www.sunbritelighting.com/FAQ.asp

 

[Eric]

Those bulbs cost an average 240.00 except for the one it's up over 300.00 you could replace the same T5 bulb every 6 months for 5 years for the cost of one bulb so there again the only savings I really see is in electric.

 

[coralmadness]

I agree Eric. The tank I seen with LED lighting I seen looked dim towards each end of the tank. The middle was bright, but the light was staright down, it didnt span out.

 

[PIMPALA]

I agree on THAT fixture, or THOSE bulbs not being cost effective.


but what if you could light a 48" DEEP tank for $600ish... can grow any coral you want, and it would last 5+ years with no bulb changing at all?


lets see... buy a decent 6 bulb t-5 fixture for the same price and replace bulbs all the time... worry about the heat... electricity consumption... or spend it once and forget about it.

or spend even more on everything for MH...


Guess i'll just have to experience it for myself.

 

[Eric]

what if you could light a 48" DEEP tank for $600ish... can grow any coral you want, and it would last 5+ years with no bulb changing at all

If they ever come down to that cost I would consider it but I honestly don't believe they will ever come down to the same cost as a T5 fixture or a halide fixture unless something better comes along and they are in a fight for first place. they will consider the money you save in bulb replacement and electricity tack that on to the led fixture partially so you are still saving but marketing would never allow them to sell for the same cost as a fixture that needs bulb replacements every 6-12 months and used twice the electric even if they could build and sell them that cheap they wouldn't.

I am still not a fan of the looks of the lighting but being the electric is a big savings it would be a possiblility.

 

[PIMPALA]

Thats actually a little more than i spent on mine. but i bought mine wholesale and ordered 6 units. you can get them retail for around $700ish all day long. and it looks as good... or better than the 15k phoenix bulb sitting right next to it when I saw a side by side. same shimmer, same spread.

I'm gonna light up my 150 display with Cree LEDs for less than what my 6 bulb Tek T-5 Light retails for new.

 

[coralmadness]

:lurk:

 

[Eric]

Ok, how about a link for reference, this turned into a debate and that is not my intent so lets take it back to I personally was not impressed by the looks of leds not even for $600.00, this doesn't mean that the next person won't think they are the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[PIMPALA]

not sure what you mean. I currently have a 6 bulb tek light over my 150 gallon display. i honestly think this tank (its 24" front to back, and 30" tall) really needs an 8 bulb or 10 bulb t-5, or a pair of 400w MH to really do it justice.

i am putting TWO of these fixtures over my tank:

OCReef XP-E® 60 Watt CREE™ LED Aquarium Light with 3 Watt High Intensity LED's

one on each side. i didnt get them from OC Reef, but if i had, would have spent almost $900 for the pair... i will have a little over 1/2 of that invested to light my entire tank.

 

[Eric]

Ok well the price difference is in the number of LEDs you will have 40 LEDs in the two fixtures on your 150, the fixture I seen had 200 LEDs on a 120 so they are around the same cost. plus you don't have tp replace the fixture if the lights go bad just the tubes or one tube at a time if you choose.

I didn;t read enough on the ones you have can the leds be replace if they go bad or just replace the fixture? either way cost is about the same if you consider the bulbs and the fixture that changes the colors and does dusk to dawn effect and all that bs

I'll keep reading