Lighting
 

I currently have a 4bulb t5 set up that needs new bulbs. Looking to get into a marineland reef capable led. I just keep softies, mushrooms, anemone, etc.
1. Are LEDs enough light?
2. What is the cost of bulb replacement/ how often do you have to replace them?
3. What are people running for light schedule? (Actinic times, daylight times?)
The advice is appreciated. Cheers and happy holidays.

Lighting
 

Is anyone running light throughout the night? If so what?

The marineland led sucks I had wayyyyy back when I started your t5 are way more powerful I wouldn't reccomend the light, if your looking for cheap led check out the evergrow ones

Marineland "Reef-capable" LEDs are CRAP!!!

Maybe good for refugium or sump light. Not enough power for the long-term health of corals and anemones.

Keep your t5s! LEDs just aren't as great as there made out to be
Bulb replacement ranges from 18-30 bucks a bulb

You probably aren't going to have to change an individual bulb with an LED setup. But like others have said, I would stick with t5 lights until you can afford a more substantial LED light such as something from AI or a radion (or something similar).

I don't agree that Led's are not as great as they are made out to be, "BUT" when your talking about Marineland Leds, 3 words of advice "DON'T BUY THEM". Keep your T-5's until you can afford higher end Led's , you will be glad you waited. :nono:

And when you have larger tanks, or multiple tanks, that adds up

Like the 300$ it's going to cost me to replace the bulbs on my wife's tank and my hybrid fixture.... Every 8-12 months... Forever....

Marineland sucks

cheers
 

Good advice is good, even when it is bad to hear.

Current USA led?
 

Hello all, thanks for all the advice. Still looking for a budget priced led.
Current USA orbit marine saltwater led?
Anyone have anything good to say about this light?

J&L has this LED manufacturer.
http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/418/A...+Fixtures.html

Great reviews of led fixtures
http://aquarium-digest.com/2010/06/3...t-more/#radion

This site explains alot to look for in LED lighting etc
http://www.americanaquariumproducts....ng.html#energy


Not sure if I am allowed to post this link, but it is where the "best" lights are sold

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/LEDLights.html

Moonlights on at 9, off at 11. No lights till my t5s come on at 7 am and stay on till 7 PM. At 11:30am the metal halides come on and off at 5:30.

Thank you all for your input. I am still searching for a affordable led. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience about the
current USA orbit marine saltwater led?
Is it any good?

Look into evergrow if your looking for cheep it's still a good light

For sale by canreef member in Calgary. EcoTech Radion for a very good price, maybe not real cheap but a very good deal for the price and you can keep pretty well any coral/nem you wish.

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=111221

Light reading
 

Thanks for all the info shared. Honestly I have never used LEDs and did not know they were so different from each other. I will continue with my t5 system until I can afford something a little different. Mike, maybe I will catch you in the mountains sometime. Is that a backcountry pic? I am skiing whitewater and area right now. Anyway, thanks again everyone

Backcountry avatar pic indeed! Taken 19 Feb 2011 in the vicinity of Mt. Levesque in the Boulder Hut Adventures tenure by Kirsten Knechtel, one of our guides. I've been making an annual 7 day trip into the hut since 2009. Have also been to quite a few other huts/lodges over the years.

Been to Whitewater once and really enjoyed it. Great atmosphere as well as the terrain & a strong group of telemark folks. There are some good backcountry opportunities there that may be accessed from inbounds if not mistaken. Also some Yurts in the area, Ymir I think. Heck since you live in Nelson, no doubt you know more about that than me!

Here's a photoshare link to some of my trips, should work, galleries are public. Most of the photos are taken by me, but there are some taken by others in the groups. I've given the photo credit to them where applicable. I've kind of lumped all the Boulder Hut trips into a single gallery.

http://photoshare.shaw.ca/gallery/msieme/