LED SPS Growth pics?

[jtrasap]

"A picture is worth a thousand words"!!

I'm interested in SPS growth for the most part.

I don't want this thread to turn into a MH vs. LED vs. T5 argument, all I'm asking for here are:

1. Pics of your tank around the time you added LED's and pics now.

2. Info regarding the length of time the LED's have been over the tank.

3. The specifics of your LED fixture such as number of diodes of what color, DIY/Brand, driver, etc...etc.

[infamous_6969]

Unfortunately I do not have pics before this was before my tank crashed due to a chiller fire.

I had 2 AI Sol Blue fixtures mounted 8 inches above a 72 gallon bow and experienced good growth on my monti cap. Over the course of about 3 months my quarter saved frag doubled in size.

[jtrasap]

Nobody has pics?

[Tater11]

I have some old halide growth pics lol

[bhazard451]

I have a 3 month growth shot of one of my acros i will post tomorrow.

Its my reference to track growth with my led lights. Basically, it has encrusted a vast amount of rock, and spawned over 8 new tips within that time.

A pic of it from 2 weeks ago is over in the Chinese or reef breeders led thread, and it has grown two more tips since.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[mr. pluto]

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/pluto123/temp_net/IMG_0617_zpsecd6102e.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/pluto123/temp_net/100_8895_zpsfe2fa585.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/pluto123/temp_net/b0af2214-77ce-4de5-b96f-b80959e7c83b_zps4e537e12.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e6/pluto123/temp_net/819ceb34-bbd4-4bcc-b3a1-2def830b114c_zps6c5ae283.jpg



11.5 months with old style Apollo Reef LED 20k

[Ron Reefman]

I don't have before because I didn't expect such spectacular growth but below is the after. I ran 1000W of MH over a 180g for 3 years and it was doing very well. But I'm in SW Florida and the heat is an issue I wanted to address. I've considered some of the new full spectrum leds to be all the improvement I wanted, so I waited for prices to go down (I did get 1 Eco Tech Radion... but they just aren't worth $750 IMHO).

Then I found out about EverGrow and their IT series of led fixtures. I ended getting their leds for all 4 of my tanks due to a super deal in a big group buy. I couldn't be happier with the lights, the deal and the customer service (from China!).

Here's the coral story. A 1" tiny frag broke off a birdsnest. The growth end was just 3 very small branch starts. I tied it up with mono-filament and hung it about 8" below the surface. In 3-4 weeks the broken end had healed over and the branching end had a small amount of grown (that was 3-4 weeks under MH). Then I got the new leds and started them at a very low power to acclimate the corals. In 2 months the frag is now 3" in diameter and I can't even tell which end was the broken stalk and which was the growing branches!

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/P2270009_zps0e77ef73.jpg

Info you asked for: 2 EverGrow IT2080 fixtures. Each is 32" long and has 99 (3W) Bridgelux leds run at 2.4W. It's a full spectrum light since you get to do the full led layout. They currently sell for $450-$75 each. I paid $340 as part of a $5000+ group buy.

[CHSUB]

sorry no pics of my pale, gray, stn, little pe, sps's under leds after 9 months; however all other corals are fine. :confused:

[Wereami881]

Hey guys. New here my name is Rob ahh Hello lol I picked up a JBJ 28 HQI complete system. Chiller hang on skimmer and about 600 worth of coral and fish. All for $500. I have been reading all I can about the tank (thats how I found you guys). It currently has a MH fixture (reason for chiller) but see JBJ came out with a "Professional" LED system, going for about $500. I found a site RapidLED and they have retrofit kits for my 28 less than half the new lid. Figured I'd give it a try. I should have it all this week, they also sell APEX systems so got one of those and Vortec 10mp pump. I guess it would have been cheaper to just buy the JBJ lid. lol I was worried about the LED's knowing the MH light is a proven way to go and since I am new to the "sport" sticking with proven way would have kept me safe. But I have been reading on here LED are the SH*&. So after reading this I am feeling better. Check out the site RapidLED (I have noting to do with them at all) Mike helped me and couldnt be nicer and more helpful!

[SimonSKL]

This is a FTS of my 125g in April of 2012, shortly after I started my tank. I am running two Eshine 48x3W CREE with 24 white, 20 blue and 4 red in each light. The Eshine lights are controlled by what they call solar simulator which simulates sun rise and sun down. My photo period is about 14 hours a day with about 4 hours of max intensity for all LEDs. For flow I have two Vortech MP40WESs.

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/125%20gallon%20build/003-11.jpg

June 2012
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/006-13.jpg

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/007-9.jpg

Sep 2012
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/125%20gallon%20build/025.jpg

Jan 2013
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/024-2_zps8472f62e.jpg

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/photo1_zps0a3f76d9.jpg

http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv38/SimonSKL/photo2_zps9f8ec4f5.jpg

[Solov]

Nice tank Simon!

Which also proves the point that as long as light is sufficient it's not about type of light, it's about water quality!

[chadfarmer]

Nice tank Simon!

Which also proves the point that as long as light is sufficient it's not about type of light, it's about water quality!

wrong blue light can grow corals but if you spend money u want corals to atleast look good

[mikeatjac]

Here are a few shot of corals in my tank that have grown a lot. Sorry I am not a photographer. I even have a picture my finger in one.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m260/Mikeatjax/Coral2_zpse6b83830.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m260/Mikeatjax/Coral1_zpsdea2398a.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m260/Mikeatjax/coral3_zps8b04f7bc.jpg

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m260/Mikeatjax/Coral4_zpse5d84296.jpg

[jtrasap]

Thanks for the progressive growth pics and fixture info Simon, that's really what I'm looking for out of this thread, your tank is looking great!

And thanks everyone else, some great looking corals!

From researching and word on the street there seem to be a whole lot of mixed results regarding LED's. I know of two people whom have given them a shot and not had as good of results as with there previous non-led setups so I'm a bit on the fence as far as what to use on my upcoming tank. I already have a 4x400w mh/t5 setup but I'm still toying with the idea of giving LED's one more shot.

Surely there are more people out there with progressive pics such as Simon or at least a pic when LED's were added and a pic now with some time frame info and fixture info?

[Ron Reefman]

You already have the MH set up. So get off the fence and get the led fixture you want to try. If you like it, great. If you don't like it, put the MH back up and sell the leds. As long as it's full spectrum leds and at least dimmable (better with a controller or able to be controlled) it will sell easier than your old MH (which I'm having issues trying to give away!)

[jtrasap]

That's the point of the thread; to get a good idea what is/isn't working out for people and see how well things are working. I want to see with my two eyes and be my own judge as well as allow others on the forum to see these pics and judge for themselves as to what is or isn't good growth and/or color. I really came into this thinking more people would have some pics tracking growth.

[fixmgood]

I just purchased 7 AI sol blues and 3 whites,in the process of building a light rack.New tank has been up and running just over 4 months so as soon as I get my act together I will start taking pics and document coral growth progress.I realize that this does not really help you at the moment.I bought the AI's as I got an amazing deal.

[nystang]

Birdsnest under different leds since April 2012 till January 2013

[edsreef]

That's the point of the thread; to get a good idea what is/isn't working out for people and see how well things are working. I want to see with my two eyes and be my own judge as well as allow others on the forum to see these pics and judge for themselves as to what is or isn't good growth and/or color. I really came into this thinking more people would have some pics tracking growth.

There have been tons of threads covering this over the last few years. Do some searching and you'll find what you're after.

[jtrasap]

I've done a whole lot of searching and researching, nonetheless, anybody else have pics showing SPS growth under LED's from the time they were installed to now along with info regarding your LED setup? Good growth, bad growth, really doesn't matter it's just really nice to compare.

[sahin]

There have been tons of threads covering this over the last few years. Do some searching and you'll find what you're after.

I'd like to see more photos as well. Even though there are a few threads, since LED's are evolving with new units coming on the market with better spectrums every 6 months or so, having a fresh thread is useful IMO because of that reason.

[Ron Reefman]

Jason,

It's not a long period of time, just one month, but you can see the growth in this coral.

Here is the birdsnet I posted a month ago (3/4/2013 post#7):

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/P2270009_zps0e77ef73.jpg

Here are 2 pics of the same frag now (one with flash and one with out):

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/P4070050_zps5cd41bb9.jpg

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/P4070051_zps9e811dfb.jpg

[tbryan]

Ron are you trying to make a christmas ornament or something out of this birdsnest is it hanging from a string?

[Squidmotron]

I'm not really a picture taker and have never really taken any pictures.

But I was worried about "color" more than growth, as I had a Metal Halide/T5 combo system that brought out (I thought) really nice colors. But I really wanted LEDs for my tank upgrade, for a couple of alternate reasons. I bought radion pros, which in my opinion were the fullest spectrum of the Radions that I wanted, and hoped that the colors would at least be not too bad.

It's only been two months, but already there have already been color shifts. The color is absolutely dazzling under Radion Pros. I would actually say it is even better than Metal Halides.

I just read these threads all the time here about how full-spectrum LEDs just don't get the colors of MHs, and I am in disbelief.

As for growth, I have little concern about that. Everything grows fine.

[thallone]

it looks like it's starting to grow up the string. Better question is : do you plan on placing it before it grows so much the string breaks?

[jerpa]

Ron are you trying to make a christmas ornament or something out of this birdsnest is it hanging from a string?

Thats actually becoming a very popular way to mariculture corals and is gaining a foothold in aquaculture as well. Your supposed to get up to 30% faster growth because the corals grow 360 degrees and get more even flow and light. Does look strange though.

That coral won't break monofilament, even 2lb, until it outgrows the tank.

[Ron Reefman]

Ron are you trying to make a christmas ornament or something out of this birdsnest is it hanging from a string?

it looks like it's starting to grow up the string. Better question is : do you plan on placing it before it grows so much the string breaks?

Thats actually becoming a very popular way to mariculture corals and is gaining a foothold in aquaculture as well. Your supposed to get up to 30% faster growth because the corals grow 360 degrees and get more even flow and light. Does look strange though.

That coral won't break monofilament, even 2lb, until it outgrows the tank.

They do this with corals they are growing in the Keys to repopulate the reefs. A friend who does coral farming was doing it a couple of years ago and I thought it was kind of cool. He had one the size of a softball.

I've never been one to pay much attention to coral growth as I have almost exclusively bigger colonies in my tank and a half inch here or there doesn't mean much to me. But in mid December I ordered my new EverGrow leds and at the same time my wife broke off this tiny tip. I would have just tossed it, but decided to try this and see how it did. It was more for seeing the rate of growth than for testing leds. I know leds work as I have too many friends that are crazy successful using them. But in 3 months it was 2.5" or more and now at 4 months it's over 3".

It could be a christmas gift to another reefer... or the cover of my christmas card with a little ceramic santa scuba diving past it. :thumbsup:

[BigAl2007]

Ron can you tell us more about the "process" of suspending the coral frags? I've seen it a couple of times in magazines etc but never really had anyone talk much about the process.


What type of line?

How is it suspended?

At time of relocating how do you mount the colony?

Any known limitation to this process?

[Ron Reefman]

Ron can you tell us more about the "process" of suspending the coral frags? I've seen it a couple of times in magazines etc but never really had anyone talk much about the process.

Al, I wish I could give you lots of cool science here, but it's just this simple... I saw it done and I copied it!


What type of line? I've used mono-filament (fishing line) and nylon string. They both have worked just fine. Mono-filament looks a bit 'cleaner' and is less prone to any algae startup.

How is it suspended? I just tie a loop around the coral, give it some lenght (4"-8" in my tank), tie the other end to an all plastic clip (some snack bag clips and some clothes hanging clips are all plastic) because metal springs rust, and clip it on my center brace. It's that simple.

At time of relocating how do you mount the colony? Good question. I've never gotten that far. LOL! I just started a couple of these back in Dec and Jan. I expect that I'll take a pair of dikes (wire cutters) or fraging bone cutters, and get into the middle as best I can. Of course another option is just glue a few tips down on a rock and let it grow. Or keep it as a frag nursery and just break off small branches and mount them on frag plugs and let the hanging colony just keep on growing.

Any known limitation to this process? Not to the best of my knowledge. I've only tried a couple of sps branching corals. Now you've inspired me to consider other corals! I have a very cool little blue zoa that a few people have found in the Keys (legally harvesting just 5 polyps/person/day). I wonder what it attached to a small rock with a hole drilled thru it? Or a hunk of a branching leather coral? Or any lps, like a nuclear candycane, or a cool hammer or frog spawn? Hmmm... now see what you've started? :beer:


I just know it has benefits from better flow thru and around the coral, it can grow in 360 degrees rather than 180 (about the best you can hope for on a rock) and it's closer to the lights (an issue that can be good or bad depending on your lights and the type of coral). There are quite a few people doing reef restoration doing this in the ocean. They build big pipe trees and hang 10, 20 even 30 corals and let them grow. At the very least you have doubled the growth rate by letting it grow 360 degrees. I know there are You-tube videos and googling reef restoration will probably net you some good info as well... I'm sure it will be WAY better than I've done here.

I'm just glad some people have enjoyed it. And I'm serious about the christmas card with santa scuba diving past it.

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/RonReefman/PC250053R2.jpg (http://s395.photobucket.com/user/RonReefman/media/PC250053R2.jpg.html)

[BigAl2007]

Well said Ron :)

I did find a few articles and stuff online but not any videos of a reef tank showing details.

Here's the best article I've found so far:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/ac/feature/index.php


Here's a link from here on RC which shows a pregression shot...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1835303

Ron I think I found my next "experiment" when I get the room to try it . . .

[WillM]

A little late in response, but I had to dig for before pics. I got into SW last January. Got into SPS in July. Got D120 LEDs in September. Before that I had 2 65W PCs and 2 T5s (from July to September). I did not see any growth with the old lighting (no surprises there). I found out two weeks ago (when a fellow reefer graciously let me borrow his PAR meter) that I had been blasting the tank with up to 800 PAR at the top of the tank and reduced the lighting intensity. So, the colors aren't the greatest but the growth is undeniable.

Before Shots:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8v_aZa7eMr4/UW4T7_hxBNI/AAAAAAAAAW0/Brl7xbnJPy0/s640/DSC01187.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2vLPLZ5746o/UW4UfApQeXI/AAAAAAAAAW8/fgKuQmskZk0/s640/DSC01345.JPG

[WillM]

The first shot is my monti confusa as it was when I bought it or there abouts. The second pic shows a rock with green birdsnest, green digi, and purple stylo.

Now the after shots:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_v7sOquvlKE/UW8cvEgBkSI/AAAAAAAAAXU/hiVMU3bRttQ/s640/DSC01638.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t3OnczWljug/UW8ckV2OjaI/AAAAAAAAAXM/c41dBO18jeM/s640/DSC01637.JPG

[WillM]

This is about 6 months growth under cheap Chinese lights. LEDs (even cheap ones) will definitely grow SPS.