[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

1. Successful fixtures haven't been out very long, so haven't been tested by actual reefers over the long haul. Will they stand up?

Sucessfull LED fixtures have been out for almost 7 years now.. don't know where you are getting that impression from.

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

2. Do bulbs actually last 50,000 hours and remain effective? Or will they be very ineffective after 25,000 hours? My MH's, PC's and T5's don't burn out after a year, but I change them for good reason anyway.

at 50,000 hrs the LEDs are said to have lost 15 to 25% of there intensity, with no color shift, so you can look at this as yes you can use them for the full rated life. will some burn out befor then.. probably, incorect use can burn them out pretty quick, but as long as you keep them cool then you should be fine.

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

3. The cost for fixtures compared to MH's and T5's is way higher right now. I can buy a decent MH or T5 fixture for less than a DIY LED kit. Are you really going to save that much on energy bills and bulb replacements to make that up?

I don't understand what you using for pricing.. to buy a new 2 bulb MH fixture or for me to build a DIY LED is about the same price and in some cases the LED is cheeper to build. I agree that pre-made systems are still expensive but are you adding the 10 years of bulb changes to the MH system that you wont have with the LED system... LEDs get a lot cheeper then.

Originally Posted by ponokareefer

5. I don't own a unit, but are there instructions on how to remove and replace bulbs for a pre-made unit? Aren't they soldered in and together? Personally, I'm not messing with soldering a pre-made unit or I would have just gone with a DIY unit.

why do you want to remove and replace bulbs?

I don't think your getting the idea behind LED set ups.

I don't know how big your tank is but to need 100 LEDs it must be pretty big. also what do you have in it?

so you can get a 96 LED kit for about 700 to 800 bucks, add say 150 for hanging stuff and heat sink well say 1000.00 finnished.

so now I got to J&Ls and buy a set up for a 48" long tank. two MH bulbs two T5's and a hanging kit. 1050.00 now that is the marinstar fixture with two giseman 13K bulbs, digital ballast, and two Uri super actinic t% bulbs. now add the bulb cost for 10 years at 240 per year total cost of this fixture is 3090.00 so three times the cost of the LED fixture. and this is not including the savings in power from both the fixture and the reduction on the load of chillers and such.

so after 10 years you buy a new LED fixture.. and good chance after 10 years you'll be buying a new MH fixture also. so worst case you save 2K.

Steve