how much light is too much for 10 gal MH vs LED

[chocodile]

I have a regular AGA 10 gallon reef that I am just now setting up. I have a 150 W metal halide but am interested in the Ecoxotic panorama or Stunner. I mostly want to have softies, LPS, and maybe a clam in the future. I also want to get a light that I could eventually transfer to a 30 gallon reef in the future.

There seems to be a lot of different opinions on using the panoramas vs the stunners. I also find that when people talk about the panoramas vs stunners they usually don't state which one they are using and just sya LED or exoxotics. I am guessing getting 1 white/blue panorama and 1 blue stunner with reflector would be a good start for my 10 gallon.

Any thoughts?

[ganjero]

For that tank size go with LEDs, less heat and less electricity with plenty of PAR to grow all you want. The stunners are pretty much supplemental to the panorama modules, if I remember well the stunners are only ¼ of a watt per LED while the panorama modules are 1 watt per LED. Watts are usually not a good measure but in this case the panorama will give you more PAR. You can use the modules for main lighting and the stunner for supplemental (dusk and dawn), if you would like that effect. If you like a blue tank, LEDs give the same PAR whether they are blue or white, so you can just get a blue module.

[chocodile]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I want the dusk/dawn effect and moonlights. Would a blue stunner be too bright for a moonlight on a 10g? Would one blue/white panorama overpower one blue stunner? Would 2 panoramas be too much light if I did a white/blue and an all blue?

I thought I understood light until these darn LEDs came out and now too many options!

[chocodile]

Is there another brand that is around the same price as the ecoxotics that would give same outcome?

[kevlow]

I bought an LED strip that had six 3w cree emitters. This is much stronger then the ecoxotic products. I think that I got it from ReefLedLights. It was approximately $35.00 plus the purchase of a driver. I know that they are available from several different e- venders. I have one of these with an ecoxtic module and 4 stunners all on one 10g tank. That is a total of 54 watts but only the crees are really strong. the tank is doing very well. If I were to have only ecoxotic products I would have a minimum of 2-3 modules plus a stunner or two. I am interested in the new color combos that I understand they are coming out with.

[chocodile]

Kevlow those sound interesting. I've never heard of them. How many would you use on a 10 g? Do you have any tank shots? Do you know what driver you used and did you need to have a heatsink?

[kevlow]

If I were to start over on that tank I would do three of those strips; either 1 cool white and two royal blues, or the 50/50 mix and royal blues. The driver is a meanwell and I cannot remember which model. I believe I can run up to 12- 14 crees. If you e- correspond with the e-store that you purchase from they will set you up with the right driver. Also these will need a heatsink. I use a sheet of diamond plate that a machine shop pressed into shape to function as my light stand/hood/heatsink. I would set this up on two drivers, blues and whites for dusk / dawn effect. My cree and ecoxotic set up is all running on one timer.

I am at work currently from 3:30 am to aprox. 4-6pm and cannot shoot pics. My wife is the one that has the camera and is IT savy enough to down load the pics for me. I will see if I can get her to do that this evening.

[chocodile]

Do you need to run a fan on the crees? Are the cree strips dimmable? I am still trying to figure what the benefit of dimming is but it seems that dimmable LEDs are a good thing.

[RocketSurgeon]

just following along on this one...

[chocodile]

I emailed reefledlights last night and got a quick response this AM. I got this response back:

"you would need a controller to control the LEDs, something like an Apex or Digital aquatics reefkeeper.
you can do 12 to 24 LEDs kits
you would need dimmable drivers either the 60-48d or the inventronics40w700Ma,
Heatsink size you will have to figure out what goes over your tank best. "

Helpful but not really helpful. I asked to get a list of items to order for a 10 gallon to do moonlights, dawn dusk, and regular daylights to have softies and LPS. I guess I'll have to cruise around their site and try to figure it out what the items are that were mentioned. I am tempted to buy 2 panoramas from Drsfostersmith and call it good. I think they have a 60 day return satisfaction policy.

[chocodile]

BTW does the email response make sense to anyone. I am still trying to figure out LEDs and maybe it is my problem that I didn't find the email as helpful as I had hoped. Maybe I will call them later today.

[chocodile]

I sent an email to ecoxotic and here are the replies:
Me:
I have a standard 10 gallon tank that I have been
>> using a 20 inch Sunpod with a 150 w 14k bulb plus the moon lights. What
>> should I get to replace the sunpod? I still have the hood and would want to
>> put the hood back on with the LEDs. I have mostly soft and LPS corals but
>> may get SPS and a clam in the future. My guess is 1 white/actinic panorama
>> and 1 blue panorama. Or 1 panorama and a stunner?

Ecoxotic:
> Thank you so much for contacting Ecoxotic and showing interest in our products.
>
> Wow, you have ALOT of light on a 10 gallon aquarium! Definitely use
> one of the White/Blue Panorama Modules and one all blue Panorama
> Module - this will provide plenty of light for your SPS corals and
> clam!"

I wrote: > Thank you for your response. What would be the appropriate mix of stunner vs panorama for a 10 gallon that could support SPS? I don't want to over kill the tank with too much light. Thanks.Here is an email response from ecoxotic:

Ecoxotic: "For SPS, we would recommend one of each module. The Stunners work
better for color accenting and LPS corals, not so much for SPS corals.

Sincerely,
The Ecoxotic Team

So I have 5 questions:
1. Is 150 W MH too much on a 10 gallon?
2. If so then should I get an equivalent of say 70W LEDs?
3. Sounds like he is recommending 2 panoramas?
4. Do 2 panoramas relace a 150W MH?
5. Any one want to buy a Sunpod? HaHa.

I think I will stay away from SPS for now so as to not complicate matters.

[chocodile]

Just found on reefledlights a lot of helpful posts, videos and instructions on assembly of their products. Under "How to DIY LED"

[kevlow]

The driver on my 6 cree strip is LPC 35-700. It does not have dimmer capability. I watched the video of the kid setting up the strip and figured that i should be able to do this also. I do not use a controller only a $5.00 timer from Home Depot. This operates the entire lighting for the tank. With only the ecoxotics I had great color but slow growth on the sps. With only CW and RB crees I had good growth but faded the Reds to orange and purples to blue. I am enjoying the two mixed together. What I would consider optimum in my tank would be two of the strips with a driver and add a pair of stunners to bring out more colors. This would cost about the same as two modules.

[chocodile]

I just called reefledlights. Guy was very helpful. Said I could get 2 of the prewired, get a heatsink, get a driver, led water resistant spray, and some conductive adhesive. Good to go for a no drilling and no soldering led light. Should be somewhere around $150-$200 depending on tweaks.

[kevlow]

I should post pics in morning.

[kevlow]

sorry. I seem to be stuck. I sent the pics from my kid's phone to my e-mail. Now I can not send them to photobucket or post them here. I appear to be stuck in the 20th century or possibly the 19th.

[RocketSurgeon]

1 way is:

Open ur pics n ur email and save individually to ur desktop. Then upload from desktop to photobucket .

[chocodile]

Was out of town thurs and away from computer. I'll be interested to see pictures. I did call reefledlights guy and he called back within an hour. They have great turnaround. I asked about the need for fans on a 12 LED setup and he said only if they get hot.

Also got an email return from ecoxotic and they said that if I am only keeping LPS and softies then I would need 2-3 stunners with reflectors.

Seems like a huge difference in light output for about same cost.

[kevlow]

Hopefully this prints. I am happy with the color and growth with this combo. I have more pics if this goes through. Taken with my son's phone, no editing or photoshop.

[kevlow]

1 way is:

Open ur pics n ur email and save individually to ur desktop. Then upload from desktop to photobucket .

Thank you.

[kevlow]

I want to post a pic of the underside of the canopy / heatsink to show the arrangement and difference in strength. When I try to attatch it says "invalid file". I will email anyone directly who would like this.

[chocodile]

Kevlow I would be interested. BTW are you using a fan on the LED strip you got?

[kevlow]

No fan. Just a six led strip, one 12w eco module Blue and white, one blue white stunner, one violet 403nm stunner, and two blue stunners. The metal is only warm to the touch.

PM me your email address and I will shoot you the other pics.

[kevlow]

Sorry I took so long to get a response for you.This is the same pic just one is closer then the other. The bottom light is the 12w module. Next is UV stunner. Next is the 18w six emitter cree strip. You can see how much more strength this has then the module. after this is a mixed stunner followed by two blue 453nm stunners. I am happy with this mix for growth and color. A good idea and less expensive would be two of the cree strips and a couple of stunners.

[chocodile]

Ok that helps a lot. May do the cree strips. Seems simple enough and overall less expensive than panoramas if I got 2 or 3 with heatsink and drivers.