Thinking about switching from Metal halides to LED's need advice!!!

[PISTOL SHRIMP PETE]

Hey, so I recently bought a 75gal acrylic tank (47.5in x 18.5 tall x 15in) I'm about to set up once i have all the right lighting and such. I want to know what LEDs I should get and how I should set them up and what recommendations do you have? also what companies are the best for LED lighting. or, my friend is selling me 2 250watt metal halides with housing and built in fan and brand new bulbs plus ballasts for 300 bucks should i just go with that?

[Reefing Madness]

$300 is to much for used Halides. I wouldn't do it. Chris will chime in about the LED's.

[chrisfont23]

Agreed on the MH. You will also add heat further increasing the propensity you will need a chiller during the summer months. I just outfitted my 90g canopy with LEDs. I researched the hell out of everything and landed on Ecoxotic. The strips I went with are called "Panorama Pro" modules and are use approximately 20w each, or what amounts to a little less than what is hanging on your Christmas tree per strand. I have 3 Panorama Pro 12K / 453 nm modules on either side of the canopy for a total of 6 fixtures. They run about $90 a piece and require a splitter and a transformer per 3 modules. I then added an Ecoxotic 24 inch Stunner Strip for each side to add some deeper blue and a hint of magenta to the tank. These are about $100 a piece and require a transformer and a splitter. And I believe the same amount of wattage is consumed. The one thing I lack from this setup is moon light. I will be adding a few True Lumen modules to compensate, rather than another stunner strip.

All of these are LEDs and can be added to the tank as you need. Since they are basically modular components, you will have to get a transformer and splitter to start with your first module so you can get rolling. I ran into a deal on Amazon that landed me everything I needed for about $900, with 12 months financing. So it made sense to do it all at once.

This setup is adequate for a SPS or LPS tank, depending of course on your needs. I was in contact with Ecoxotic a few times about the types of lights, number and of course luminosity as I didn't want to under fit - or overdo - the setup. Since I don't have a PAR meter, I will gradually add to my tank to make sure these estimates are on.

HTH.

- Chris

[PISTOL SHRIMP PETE]

Thanks for your help! How far from the water do you have your LEDs? What is the transformer used for? Do LED fixtures that I can buy from my LFS have transformers already? or do I need to get them when I buy a fixture? For the proper lighting he said I need 2 of them sitting 2 feet and you can come closer once everything gets adjusted. Which is gonna require me to build a new canopy. Im done with metal halides to much money and use to much energy and all I've heard about LEDs is good stuff so in definitely going to be making that change.

[chrisfont23]

Thanks for your help! How far from the water do you have your LEDs? What is the transformer used for? Do LED fixtures that I can buy from my LFS have transformers already? or do I need to get them when I buy a fixture? For the proper lighting he said I need 2 of them sitting 2 feet and you can come closer once everything gets adjusted. Which is gonna require me to build a new canopy. Im done with metal halides to much money and use to much energy and all I've heard about LEDs is good stuff so in definitely going to be making that change.

The main LEDs are against the top of the canopy - think of it as blinding yourself if you lifted them. So what's that - 6 inches or so from the water line. The transformer supplies power from the circuit (ie. your plug) to the device. You need to get the right transformer for the device. So if the kit or unit does not come with one - and one is not sold separately for the unit you buy - that research falls on you.

There is no proper lighting regimen. For example, my corals are used to my T5 actinics and 12ks. I could wind up burning them once I switch. Or the converse, there may not be enough light (highly unlikely IMO). You can invest in a PAR meter which will measure the amt of luminosity your corals receive. I didn't / don't plan on going that crazy. So I am not sure how he arrived at that number or distance.

Make sense?

[dufybug]

seems like you have made a good choice to use the LED's. to be honest, the technology is still new. there will have to be more time involved before anyone can really say just how many, how far, what colors. i can attest to seeing some good results with a pair of current led pads that i run on my cardiff. i have watched some sps and plate coral grow and thrive under them. they are all white, but have an expansion port on the transformer that allows the easy addition of another led strip. i added one blue right off, but it wasnt cheap. each of the pads ran me 100 and the blue strip was another 50, and that was for a 26gal cardiff.

[FoMoCo Master Tech]

Hey, so I recently bought a 75gal acrylic tank (47.5in x 18.5 tall x 15in)

A little off topic but those dimensions don't equate to 75 gallons. My 75 gal tank measures 48x18x20. A 75g tall would Be around 48x15x24. Th dimensions you listed would put your tank around 57 gallons of volume.