Are you happy with your LED's???

[sphelps]

Yeap seen them and the price tag to match makes them out of the average budget. Like I said for the MOST part fixtures don't offer such options.

Also lets not get into specific examples of return as this will vary greatly for each idividual and therefore should be left up to them to decide if it's worth while. They certainly do have pay back periods but it will vary and the individual needs to decide if it will pay off or not, this was my only point but as an average I would say 5 years is fair.

Also I don't doubt the LED fixtures will last but my comments were more based on if people would still be happy with the purchase after several years as aspose to several months.

As for ballasts failing after 3 years, that's total BS and you know it.

[parkinsn]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Yeap seen them and the price tag to match makes them out of the average budget. Like I said for the MOST part fixtures don't offer such options.

Also lets not get into specific examples of return as this will vary greatly for each idividual and therefore should be left up to them to decide if it's worth while. They certainly do have pay back periods but it will vary and the individual needs to decide if it will pay off or not, this was my only point but as an average I would say 5 years is fair.

Also I don't doubt the LED fixtures will last but my comments were more based on if people would still be happy with the purchase after several years as aspose to several months.

As for ballasts failing after 3 years, that's total BS and you know it.

I dont think that the genisis is that out to lunch. All dependent on your application and budget of course. When you look at this model it is far less than the equvelant all in one or pendant.

http://www.aquaticselite.com/Product...ode=GE-LED-348

Or look at the Pacific Sun, more than likely your going to need a master and a slave to get the proper coverage and par on your tank. Depending on depth you may have to step up to the next wattage of these pendants.(based on a 48" tank)

http://www.conceptaquatics.ca/index....rp-master.html

Absolutly It will be up to the consumer to justify the upfront cost and if it will work for them or not. Is anyone really happy with their fixture in 5 years? Seeing all the technology change so rapidly from T12 to MH to T5 to LED, dont discount plasma as well, its hard to keep up. There will always be something newer and better that you will want to have.

Im not here to argue your point, I see what your saying. I'm on the fence still with LED. I would like to look in my crystal ball and see how they work and customer satisfaction in 5 years, but its broken right now. However that was not the point of this thread. Are you happy with your current store bought or DIY LED or not? I would like to hear on this thread or in PM from the few people that voted unhappy, as to why they are unhappy fixture type, system etc.

(I guess the ballast that I have seen fail were in my dreams... lol but that's not the point here)

[lastlight]

Scott I'd like to just chime in and say the banged-up old PFO you sold me is still rocking hard lol =)

I'm also still on the fence with LED. I enjoy the thread as I enjoy the other 10 new threads that are started daily. It should be noted that LED thread generation still lags new LED company generation. It's the gold rush!

[parkinsn]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Scott I'd like to just chime in and say the banged-up old PFO you sold me is still rocking hard lol =)

I'm also still on the fence with LED. I enjoy the thread as I enjoy the other 10 new threads that are started daily. It should be noted that LED thread generation still lags new LED company generation. It's the gold rush!

I will show you banged up!! That thing is the exception, its built like a tank.

[sphelps]

Kind of my point regarding people not being happy in general with equipment after so many years with new and better stuff always coming out. Since LEDs in general require you to keep them for about 5 years for the efficiency to pay off and the fact this specific technology continues to advance more rapidly than anything else it's something you really need to consider. It's also why I mentioned resale as continuously upgrading LED fixtures will not likely pay off financially.

As for the price of the fixture we discussed it is certainly cheaper than I expected as when they came out I recall pricing one out for around $4K. The price you linked is much more reasonable at $1600 however this is only a 120W fixture which I don't believe is ideal for sps in a 48" tank. The 240W verson is probably a better match for the average reef application which will cost you over $3K with the RGB option. If compared to other fixtures like the vertex in terms of wattage you'll see a bigger premium involved in going this route.

Also didn't mean to suggest products don't fail as pretty much anything can including LEDs. But to suggest ballasts will begin to fail after 3 years isn't accurate.