Galileo LED system Good?

[BengBear]

Hi,
I happened to read about the Galileo LED light system for coral, planted and fish only tank.

Is it good like metal halide which they claim?

Is it as bright as the Solaris or Aquaillumination LED system.

[charlie]

Never heard of the Galileo LED system. I know of a couple people using the Solaris, which I believe is a PFO system. They are happy with it so far. One of the people I buy zooanthids from uses the Solaris, and he has been happy so far.
Sorry, can't help much more than that.

[reefer69]

I am not that impressed by LED lighting. From the ones I have seen, they don't cover corners in bow front tanks - you get dark spots - and they are way over priced IMO. I would go with either MH or T5 or a combination. Right now on my 55 gallon, I have 2 x 175 watt halide + VHO that works great and I can keep soft or hard corals with it. Nice shimmer effect also.

[BengBear]

Thank you for the advice.

I have not used the Galileo, Solaris or Aqualillumination LED system, yet. However, from the review of their sites, it seems there are varying sizes which i think may be catered for different sizes (IMO). Have not seen actual LED system in action.

I have seen some metal halide lights (luminac 150 watts) which do not provide bright light coverage in areas around the fronts of the tank. Seems to be darker in those areas. However, when the LFS switch on to 250 watts the coverage improve, lesser dark area.

Yes, I witness the same thing where LFS suppliment the metal halides with VHO lights the tank lights up much better.

Coming back to LED system, if the suppliers improve their design by providing more LEDs I think they can match or better the metal halides system. What is your opinion?

[charlie]

I really think they have a long way to go. Last summer, Sanjay Joshi equated the 400w LED to a 175w MH. That being said, I think you could do a softie tank with them, but I don't think the lights themselves are ready for an sps tank. JMHO

[BengBear]

Hi Charlie,
Thank you for the input.

About 2 weeks ago, I spoke to the LFS who market Solaris. He claims Solaris is improving their range of product with more LEDs. Something like increasing from current 50 LEDs to around 80 LEDs, and they are matching it with the metal halides 400 watts. Benefits, less heating to water in the tank, less power consumption But cost is much higher, something like 2.5K USD.

I am not sure what type of LEDs are they using. Or is there any less expensive LED system near to those produce by Solaris (light intensity, less the other feature summer lights and etc).

Please let me know for consideration.

[charlie]

To me, the price is the thing that is keeping people away from purchasing them. Sure, the savings on down the road may make up for it, but my gosh, I know I don't have the initial cash layout just hanging around!!!!!

[BengBear]

Yes, keep telling me your opinion. I am assessing LED systems.

I have been using a few LEDs in my sump tank for some weeks. At first the red Gracillaria growing from the rock with mushrooms, which I purchased, broke off from the rock. I thought thats it. However, some weeks later, I realised a small shoot of 4 or 5 'petals' of orange color gracillaria emerged from the same spot where the parent broke off.

Some 2 weeks later there are about 19 petals and they are growing longer. The rest of the Gracillaria are free floating around the sump tank and they red color, some orange (which is a good color. read from some other reefland threads)

I did that at a cost of about under 70 USD.

Having done all these, explained why I am assessing LED systems.

Just trying to be on board of the technological change. We missed the switch from incandecent to fluorescent lights exciting moments. Just trying to experience the fun of switching fast and don't miss the boat again.

By the way, I don't live in US. Is there some less expensive alternatives to Solaris, aquaillumination in the States, or even from China?

[charlie]

Ya know, I haven't really even looked around, to be honest with you. Right now, I have been content to stick with the MH, I always have had good luck with what I have.
From what I have gathered the Solaris are the best out there right now. Do you have pictures of the LED on your sump? It sounds like you could grow macro pretty good!!!!
I knew you didn't live in the US, it is interesting to hear what is going on from across the big water

[BengBear]

ok,
I will get hold of a camera for the picture of the LEDs. Please PM me your email address.

[charlie]

ok,
I will get hold of a camera for the picture of the LEDs. Please PM me your email address.

Heck, just post them here, I am sure I am not the only one who would like to see a good example!!!!

[Lucid]

ditto! I would like to see pics too. LEDS seem like a great idea, but ya the cost. :/

[BengBear]

Hi guys here are the pictures that i mention the last time

Fig 1: The Red Gracillaria is Orange colour which is about 19 Petals. The interesting is that it is not growing out from a single shoot but rather from multiple shoots.

Fig 2: the bigger bunch of Red Gracillaria at the foreground is the parent plant, which broke off from the rock.

Fig 3: These are the LED's that is hanging above the sump tank.

[charlie]

So you have 6 LED's over your sump, or is there another row? It looks like they are providing you ample enough light to grow the Gracilaria!!!

Thanx for the pics, I knew you could provide with some popcorn munching material.

I don't know if you already mentioned this, and if you did, I'm sorry, but what lights are you running over your system now?

[BengBear]

Yes, there are 6 LEDs in the sump tank set up. The pity is that there isn't enough space to mount them up higher to spread the light wider. Hence, reduced the light intensity to avoid burning the Red Gracillaria.

Not sure, you noticed there are some hitch hiker 'Yellow Sun' corals which came along with the rock of Bryopsis in the 1st Fig. I bought the bryopsis plants in 2 rocks not realising that there are some sun corals, small crab, other purple color corals until I decided to pull them out of the rocks some 2 weeks ago. They were not visible then. Only realised their existence some 1 weeks ago.

since then the tank gone through some high nitrate transitions. Started with 140ppm down to 100 after 2 days and stay at 60 to 50 ppm for about 1 week.
Things seems to be ok. Trying to bring is down with AZ-NO3 and water change.

For the past 2 weeks, there aren't growth or return of bryopsis. Not sure whether the LED is helping or the high nitrate doing the trick. BTW there are no fish in the sump tank, just 3 scarlet hermits. Any comments.

[charlie]

Why the high nitrates????

Gracilaria looks to be a fairly slow grower, have you tried caulerpa or chaeto to help?

What is AZ-NO3????

I try not to battle stuff like nitrates with more chemicals, there has to be a reason that your nitrates spiked like that. I usually do more water changes and search for the reason, too much feeding?????

[BengBear]

The high nitrates could be due to dosing Kent Marine ZooPlex about 2 weeks ago. Dosed about 10ml for 50 gallon tank and the next day, I realised the high nitrates crossing the 100ppm mark, which never happen to my tank. Did some 25% water change twice and adding AZ-NO3 to try bring down the nitrates. AZ-NO3 was recommended by someone from Reefland.

Now, the nitrates hover around 60ppm (Salifert test kit).

Caulerpa will work in my tank but I am concern with sex... things. Had tried chaeto but don't seems to grow. May be i could not get it tumbling under the bright light.

Having say so much, I like the red and orange color of Gracillaria. On close examination of the small shoots of gracillaria, I noticed that their leaves are beginning to be zigzag and some smaller shot is coming off the leaves.

Thank you for the advice and concern.

[charlie]

Hey there, I was just wondering about the ability of the Gracillaria to suck up the bad stuff. I really keep an eye on the caulerpa I have, if I see any white at all, it must be time to harvest!!!!

Be a little more careful with the zooplex, and I think you'll be ok I would get the "trates" lowered before you dosed again.

On another note, my chaeto doesn't tumble, is only under a couple of 3' VHO lites, and it grows to the point that I have to harvest it every 2 weeks. I know they say that it has to tumble and really likes high light. Oh well!!!!

[BengBear]

Hi,
Actually, I tried growing caulerpa, the resmonsa (hope spelling is correct) type and it grow well even away from the LED. But, give it up after hearing the sexing problem and witnessing the turning white things. Tried plucking out the white branches but it seems a lot of work.

I believe trying cheato with flourescent light(4 two ft tubes) but it just refused to grow. not sure what will turn it on. But, back then NO3 was low, below 20 ppm somewhere 10ppm.

That is another reason, I turn to Red Gracillaria. There was beauty to admire at no or at the least little work to put in. Besides, Gracillaria can be harvest sold or feed the fish. For caulerpa, there is words spreading around that it is toxic to fishes. Cheato fed to fishes? I seen how the emperor angel responded. Unpleasant reaction.

[charlie]

I believe you mean racemosa, on the caulerpa. It is a pain removing it when it goes sexual, but just another part of regular maintenance, I think. I have had 2 different types go sexual on me, and I just remove it and start over. I also tend to run carbon when that happens to help remove the toxins that are created.
Don't get me wrong, I love the Gracillaria, very pretty!!!

I have fed caulerpa to my tangs before and they eat it like spaghetti, kind of funny to watch. I haven't heard anything bad about feeding caulerpa to fish being bad, I will ask around tho.
Do you have a pic of your display that you would like to post?