What would you do for lighting? 150w? 250w? LED?

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by Milad

but im still replacing $500 worth of bulbs a year!

It would be about $350/yr, based on the MH, I buy (Ushio)... The new unit comes with your choice of Hamilton bulbs with the new unit, so you don't have to worry about the new bulbs if buying the new fixture for the first year of it.

You are still going to have a yearly cost on bulbs, if you want good bulbs, then more money. but the light fixture is one of the most important things if you want coral like SPS. I would just budget for that yearly cost.

If you don't want to worry about yearly bulb costs, then LED may be your solution, but they are not cheap. So you need to work it all out, spend it up front on the LED, or average out the cost by doing MH or some sort of combo and replace the bulbs each year. Either way, you will have to pay something.

[ScubaSteve]

Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that switch and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.

[Milad]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that sworn and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.

true, i havent seen an LED setup that I actually like yet. i do like the fixture but the corals never look "colorful".

im reading this might have to do with UV rays or something that the LEDs dont have. still doing a bunch of reading.

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Milad, go take a look at someones LED fixture to see if you like it. I'm still not too sure how I feel about them. Sure they are efficient and can be cheaper in the long run but I find the light from them to be weird at times (ugly)... Kinda like a Toyota Prius. It probably due to the separation of colours with different LEDs. I'm probably gonna be ripped a new one by LED advocates for those comments but just my opinion. I was wanting to make that sworn and was actually disappointed when I actually saw them on a set up.

x2!
Take a look at J&L's LED set up... corals DO NOT like it or maybe their staff still cant find proper setting either way i agree with many ppl who say that MH is still best for SPS.

[ScubaSteve]

Personally, I'm curious to see what the switch to the 250W takes and I think MH are the way to go. I say do it!