My new RSM 250 - LED recommendations

alabella1

New Member
Hey all! Just joined the forum. I recently inherited a RSM 250 from my office as they decided they no longer wanted to pay for the upkeep. So last weekend we moved it into my house and so far it's doing great. Got everything I need for the care, kept all the original water and life in tact post move. Added some new fish. But now onto my issue. Only 2 T5s were on so I bought 6 replacement bulbs so I could get going on a replacement schedule. Come to find out, only 2 fixtures actually work. So it could be ballasts, could be something else. I don't know. All that said, I've heard from some fellow enthusiasts to look into LEDs. So I've been doing that and boy there's a lot out there. I've narrowed it down to a handful of options, but I don't really know what to do. Here is what I found in other forums and through researching.

Ideally I want something I can just drop into the current hood with little or no modifications save removing the current T5s and dropping something new in there.

Steve's LEDs - RED SEA MAX 250/C250 LED UPGRADE - PLUG AND PLAY - $799 but you know I'm gonna throw the add ons to make it $875

Reefbreeders - Photon 32-V2+ - $589 - look decent but not sure about the controls on them.

Aqua Illumination AI Hydra 32HD LED -$366 x 2

Noopsyche K7 PRO II LED Light - $155 x 2 and controller for $57

and finally... the cheapo option but might just be worth a try...

DSunY T75 Reef Led Aquarium Light - $185

Any help, recommendations, reviews would be so helpful as I'm driving myself insane trying to make the right/easiest decision here.

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Pancho75

Well-Known Member
I have good experience with AI Hydras, very reliable but I have also read good experiencies with SteveLED’s solutions for the RSM-250. Good luck and hope to see some tank pics soon.
 

alabella1

New Member
I have good experience with AI Hydras, very reliable but I have also read good experiencies with SteveLED’s solutions for the RSM-250. Good luck and hope to see some tank pics soon.
I'm def. leaning Steve's based on the reviews and talking to Jeff @ Steve's. He gave me a ton of info and their kit really does sound like the best.
 

Blue Space

Well-Known Member
Holy Moly! That's one nice setup to get for nothing out of pocket!

You should be able to find a good replacement light fixture. Whether you go LED or Hybrid (led & t5) there's lots of nice options out there. Lots of folks have success with AI's, Radions, Kessil, and all the rest of the most popular brands. Are you planning on re-homing some anemones to make room for other coral or just keep it a nem tank? You could get some good store credit at your LFS for some of those... :)

Welcome to RS alabella! Look forward to seeing your upgrade!
 

alabella1

New Member
Holy Moly! That's one nice setup to get for nothing out of pocket!

You should be able to find a good replacement light fixture. Whether you go LED or Hybrid (led & t5) there's lots of nice options out there. Lots of folks have success with AI's, Radions, Kessil, and all the rest of the most popular brands. Are you planning on re-homing some anemones to make room for other coral or just keep it a nem tank? You could get some good store credit at your LFS for some of those... :)

Welcome to RS alabella! Look forward to seeing your upgrade!
Thanks man! I've spent like 10 years with this tank in our office, so I just couldn't bear to see it go to a stranger so taking it home was a no brainer for me. The tank itself is a little newer since a crack developed in the old one a few years ago and Red Sea replaced it for us. I am going to try to trade some of the nems for store credit. I've just never done that before and not sure what stores in my area would even do it. I'm in Westchester, NY. There are like 16 of those badboys in there. How many you think I should keep?
 

Blue Space

Well-Known Member
That's up to you but I never needed more than one for my needs. In fact, I re-homed mine since my clowns actually preferred to take up residence in my branching hammer coral. ;)
 

Blue Space

Well-Known Member
plus, it kept killing my nice yumas and 1 of my 2 ultra rainbow mushrooms I got at macna because it wanted to sprawl out on the rocks under the Kessil. I pointed the powerhead at it for a few days but it did not move from the spot it had always been. I returned the powerhead to its original direction and before I knew it one shroom was gone (nice size too, big and fat) and the remaining one was all shrunken and eventually it fell off into the sand. It has sat in the front in the sand for a couple years now but has never regained size or its spectacular color. I moved it to my frag rack couple weeks back because I was afraid I was going to lose it. I've been trying to nurse it back by target feeding. I have not seen a huge improvement but at least it has stopped shrinking though so that's good. hoping it bounces back and starts to multiply again. So yeah... I guess that I finally came to the decision to open up more room in my tank by eliminating the ba... rbta. I had my fun so I'll let all the rest of you keep the anemones. :)
 
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