Keep What I Have Or Upgrade Lighting?

[Ced]

I have a 180 gallon tank with a four foot tek light with 6 bulbs, and two three foot two bulb Hagen glo fixtures. I am considering either upgrading the lighting to three echo tech radion LEDs (not pro), 5 foot 8 bulbs ati sunspower, or keep what I have and buy an ato and doser.

I'm wondering if what I have for lighting adequate? It's time to replace the bulbs, so I'm trying to make a decision to upgrade or not. If so, to what. with the ati I'm concerned about the light spilling into the room since the tank is in our main room. Right now the glo fixtures block the spillage from the tek light. Is the ati light more aimed down or will the led have less spillage?

Led hasn't been proven yet... Should I keep with what I have and wait a few years to upgrade? Maybe go ahead and Buy the doser instead since kalkwaser doesn't keep my calcium above 325ppm....and replace my bulbs

Thank you for your input in advance!!!

 

[EricTMah]

I'm a firm believer in LED'S. So that gets my vote.

But lets start with. What corals do you have or are planning on getting eventually?

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[TORX]

I love LED's and wish I could afford a proper LED set up for my tank. I used them in the past with smaller tanks and had nothing but great results. Plus the lower hydro bill was great. It really is a lot lower, not sure the actual $$$ as my wife has it under budget billing, but I can see it in the usage.

 

[Ced]

Montipora, lps, softies for now. More sps over time, once I am able to maintain higher calcium levels...

 

[barebottomcouple]

personally I would replace bulbs and get calcium under control... remember more coral growth=more calcium uptake...once calcium is under control then consider other lighting .....I am also one of the ones that is not sold on led's I've seen them go both ways good and bad... I run t5's and halides a little on my power bill is ok with me. but again that is just my personal opinion.

 

[reef keeper]

I just dumped 3 radions. They were useless on my 6 ft tank for sps. I switched to halides.

For LPS they are good and softies and zoos. If you think you need 2 radions buy 4. They are really spotlights. I will never buy them again

 

[Kman]

I have a 180 and 3 hydra 52 LED on a mixed reef tank. My sps and lps love them and both sps and lps have never looked better. For growth rates they are on par with MH. But for some corals it is faster then MH.

Most people that fail at LED or just don't like them is because they don't set them properly or they tinker with them to much. I used MH for over 20 years and since I switched to LED I will not go back. So I would say I am pretty familiar with growth rates of MH.
People tend to over estimate how much light they think they need. Light is only one factor in coral growth and by far not the only factor that influence color or growth.

But really it breaks down to personal preference and what you want out of a light. Do you want a easy to use light that is set it and forget it. Something that has been around a long time and proven itself. Then MH/supplemental T5. If you want power saving, lower operation cost, no bulb replacement for years, more control over dimming and color spectrum then led.

Lighting is a tricky subject for refers. Many of us find a light they like and stick to it and are not open to new technology. They will defend it to their last breath if needed. Till I got the led I was die hard MH. Now I prefer the features that Led has to offer that MH doesn't.

 

[reef keeper]

I know too many people and too many coral suppliers that dumped led to go back to MH. Brown corals. Dying corals etc. I liked the lower heat and the control but my corals have never looked better than under MH. I agree to disagree

 

[Kman]

I also know a lot of people that caused their problems with led. For me a people I know the

 

[Kman]

For me and the people I know they work. But yes I agree to disagree as well. Lol

 

[Thanh]

Hello Ced. For what you got now I wouldn't worry about the light too much. First thing first go get your self a nice set of ATI bulbs for your tek light. Correct all parameters cal/alk/mag make sure it's in check and try to keep it stable. Corals will thrive and color up nice in good stable water conditions.

 

[Ced]

Thank you everyone for the ideas and opinions! I do like the idea of getting rid of all the clutter by buying an ati fixture instead of having three fixtures on top of my tank. But prob best to get a doser to keep my calc and mag up... Kalkwasser isn't cutting it. I'll dream about the ati sunbeam as the next big purchase. Any suggestions where and what foster to get?

 

[saltyair]

Look into ai hydras - and an ato for kalkwater


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[Ced]

I ordered the 8 bulb sunpower a few days ago... Thank for the input everyone