please make suggestions on which way would be the best way to go on my lighting!!

So before i do the order for my light set up i want to make sure im not going to make a mistake.

so i have put together my build list to diy my own led light system for my 180 main tank and 125gallon refugium, i plan on using:
72 cree royal blue 3 watt leds with 80 degree optics
72 cree cool white 3 watt led with 80 degree optics
6 60 40d dimmable drivers running 24 leds per driver in parrallel with quick blow fuses,
6 fans on top of my custom heat sink

my question is i have a chance to buy 2 36" tek 6 bulb fixtures with dd giesman bulbs,

right now im running 1 48" 8 bulb t5 fixture, 1 slimline 48" 2 bulb fixture and 3 175 watt metal halide fixtures

i dont like having all of the different fixtures in my canopy and so im in need of a change what would you guys suggest? which way is best to go?

i have ups and downs on which way to go i love the growth i got on my old tank set up with the t5s but i think the technology is there to go with leds which would cost more to start but i think in the long run would definately pay for themselfs,

anyone have long term experiance with the cree led?

 

If you have the money I say go with the LED.

 

do you have any experiance with the cree led?

 

I'm planning on using leds supplemented with T5s for color when I can. I will only have a few T5s with warm color and they won't run for very long in the day, so I know I'm getting the odd light that leds don't put out. I also will get more viewing colors this way.

 

What LEDs are you using and where did you end ip getting them? What ratio are you going with 1 blue to 1 white or?

 

You haven't touched on the most important aspect of lighting: what you're going to be lighting! It's much better to plan the lighting around the inhabitants, rather than vice-versa. More info on the proposed stock list would be helpful!

T-5's are neat because of the color/bulb customization, but the bulbs have to be replaced at least annually, and they emit more heat per lumen than do MH's.

LED tech is definitely promising, but I'm not a huge fan of the current Cree LEDs, so I dunno if I'd go that route either, personally.

I'm a big fan of MH lighting (bulbs only need to be replaced every ~3-5 years, high electricalutput efficiency) but they do emit a lot of IR into the water, and increase temps.

Have you considered Orphek's fixture if you're set on the LED route? Their Power LED diode is really nice.

For more info on lighting type comparison, check out my article in Marine Habitat Magazine! ^ ^

 

I have not got them yet, I'll get a kit when I do. I will go with 60% or 70% blue to white because I'll have the T5s for white/color too. I like rapid led because from what I can tell by looking at their threads they have really good customer service and I may really wan that, but reefledlights has just a little cheaper prices last time I looked.

 

How do you figure that you only have to replace a meta halide light every 3-5 years I have never heard that? What's your reasoning for not liking Cree led?

 

Read this, it seems they use FULL spectrum diodes.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/orphek-led-lighting/bit-about-us-101843.html

 

i personally would just stick with what you have, in my experience that is the best lighting combination and looks great and grows everything. i had a led setup on my display tank, but it was quite a dissapointment and i lost 2 acro colonies. now it is over my 8 gallon nano tank exclusively for lighting as that just has some soft coral. quite a dissapointment as it was quite expensive. i believe you would even be better off with just t5's or pc's than exclusively led's