should I go back to halides?

jason I think there have been too many variables in with your system this past year to diagnose LED's as a source of your distaste for the growth and color of your corals. It will take a good 3-4 months of stability (and lowered nitrates) for corals to really recover and start doing what they are suppose to. Other factors come into play too. dKh is vitally important as well as ca/mg.

The other thing to think about is spending 70 bucks per metal halide each year to replace a bulb. That's steep! I'm very pleased that my annual operating expenses have dropped by 2/3 since going to LEDs. Not to mention the electrical cost.

Give it some time man!

 

Yeah what Andy said! But if you sell one of the AI's, look me up!!

 

I'm still full on halides.....It's going to take alot more to get me to switch to LED's....just my ho

 

I don't see why when all tangible and scientific evidence points to the fact that LEDs aren't just the more economic option but the also more efficient.
I have a slide show with comparative graphs and 10 year analysis which clearly shows LEDs pay for themselves during the course of their lifetime.
I understand that ponying up the cash up front is a little rough, but that's the hobby we all chose!

 

The uv, green, and red LEDs, while there is little concrete evidence that they're effective in actually stimulating chloroplasts, do reciprocate colors that are quite pleasing to the eye.

 

/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif No offense Andy!!! Its really a matter of personal preference. Just sayin I love the look of my halides !! Like you say, it's not a cheap hobby... Im not looking for something to pay for itself... I love my 400watt MH and I really don't see it on my electric bill../DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif peace....

 

I'm all for metal halides, but I've seen how tall that tank is in person and I wouldn't put 175w halides over it even if using the highest par bulb (Iwaski 14k). Either put 400w halides on it or stick with the LED's.

 

Yah no offense taken, I just want every dot to be clear, there's no mystery about the effectiveness of LEDs. If you're talking about a matter of personal preference then by all means, draw your own conclusions.
At midamerican's rate a 400 wart metal halide operated for 8 hrs a day costs 12$ a month!

 

Love the full spectrum on my vegas. Look so much more crisp and realistic. I do still love the sols too tho. I have 4 sols and 3 vegas i aint never going back haha!

 

I have 4 ais on my 125 and am not sold on them and I've had them 18 months. It's gotten better just not what I expected. I think I like the mh with t5s better. The growth was better. The omly reason I haven't switched is I'm gone alot of times for a week and I trust the leds while I'm gone but I don't have the trust for mhs. I live in the country bfe so I don't have someone knowledgeable around to help.

 

spurrious conclusion! (either way) lol I'm hopelessly objective!

 

I still have them I guess after 18 months,,,Maybe too lazy to change but pros outweighed cons I guess, The hardest part is figuring out how much light to power upto.

 

use a PAR meter and find light with comparable PAR.

 

I love my LED’s (Evo150) but a few weeks ago I got a wild hair and decided to put a
Coralife Aqualight 250w MH over my 45 cube.
My tank sprang to life right before my eyes. After running LED’s over this tank for about 2 years I have never seen polyp extension like this before.
I did get good growth and coloration with my LED’s but I’m excited to see what will happen in the next 6 months under my MH.

Each light has its pros and cons.

old light- http://reefkoi.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=3776

New light- http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-metal-halide-light-fixtures/11442-526813/coralife-aqualight-advanced-series-pendant-hqi-lamp.html?utm_source=googleproductads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term={keyword}&gclid=CIGig_3VybgCFa87MgodqSIABQ

 

I have the new AI Hydras I can't believe the difference in only a few days corals and clams never looked better I also had sol blues and had great luck with them also but nothing compared to my Hydras. I would look into them before going back to MH.

 

I really like them so far I don't think you can go wrong.