Recommendation and advice

This maybe under the wrong topic but not sure...

I have 125gal tank and wanting to invest a little money in upgrading/adding to what I have.. My problem is I am not sure what to purchase next. I want a lot of corals of most types and some fish.

Things I already Have
Heater
Octopus protein skimmer
mag 18 mag main pump
2 250w mh 12k
3 cheap led light strips to provide moonlight (really sub-par)
wave maker pro
TDS digital meter
RO with dual DI with all new cartridges and membrane from spectrapure
Auto top off
water test kits and etc.. brother has a refractometer we share
4400 to gph powerheads (with older maxijet 900 that works but not in the tank as its unattractive)

Items looking into
Led lighting to replace the mh and cheep moonlight leds
reactor
reefkeeper (elite or lite - no idea which)
digital ph meter (if dont get the reefkeeper)
Anything else that might be needed that I have not mentioned

Suggestions/Advice??
I really want some LEDS - problem is I would like to keep the spending around 1000.00 if possible and dont think there is much chance in that. If you give me LED suggestion, keep in mind I dont have to have the latest and greatest with useless bells and whistles but something that looks nice and works great to not over limit my growth potential.

Note: I really dont just love my lights especially the moonlight leds. I also like the thoughts of lower heat and cheaper power consumption over the long haul and bulb replacement cost savings

 

Your led budget is highly attainable and easy!

Easiest, 3 AI sold with controller prob $1100 or so
ro rapiled plug and play 48 and 24 kit, get mean well p drivers, 60 degree optics, black anodized heatsinks, and a boostled typon controller, should be about $850

 

Carbon and GFO reactors

 

Very interested in the 850.00 route as I could do other things and that and stay in budget...

However, I am a fairly good handyman but LED lighting I have no experience with.. If it is assembly or etc I can get it doen without worry.. What I dont know is what to order exactly as I tried to research the items you listed without much luck... Can you explain them or send me a link? also, will that amount of light properly grow any coral or in my entire tank or would it limit me? Sorry for my ignorance...

 

Aside from the heat, what is it that you don't like about your MHs?

I've got LEDs, but prefer MHs if possible - power, heat and size are the issues for me in my current set up.

 

Good questions.. And trying to figure that out as well.. I dont have the newer style they are retro fit with the big screww in bulbs and HUGE ballasts.. Seriously like 20 pounds each...
The way I understand the MH bulbs that I have are aproximately 80.00 each to change and need changed every 6 months.. At 160.00 a pop that would add up quick, even if they last up to a year the cost eventually offsets.. Combined with the monthly power consumption would offset quicker...

I also dont have that pretty of a overall color as I dont have any T5's, just the MH and cheap leds blues.. WIth that said I could probably change the 12k bulb to something different?? I thought about trying to add t5's, from what i understand, and enhance the actinic?????? But would have to figure out how to work around the big reflectors in my canopy.

I would then have to figure out how to add decent moonlight leds...

I have no heat issues so far my tank stays a constant 78 degrees weather the lights are on or off..

I am definitely not opposed of saving the money on the leds I just thought that was the best way out for me.. Thoughts? Opinions??

 

This is what I would suggest for you. And I lied, prob gonna run ya $950, but this is the plug and play kit, so if ya wanna get to $850, and you don't mind soldering, just get the regular kit to save some cash.
And this is pretty easy to do, rapid has awesome instructions with pics.
http://www.vinnymarini.com/pictures/rapid_docs/Plug-N-Play Retrofit Kit.pdfa

rapidled 72 Cree led system plug and play(no soldering and easy to swap out lights later)

3 X 24 LED Plug-n-Play Retrofit Kit Dimmable - Rapid LED
get the thermal adhesive or thermal pads
meanwell P dimmable drivers
60 degree optics
each kit is 24 leds, I'd do 18 rb(royal blue) and 6 blue, and 18 cw(cool white) and 6 nw(neutral white)

3 X Drilled/tapped 6" x 20" Black Anodized Aluminum Heat Sink - Rapid LED

20 x http://www.rapidled.com/led-extension-wire-3-5/ just so you can space some leds out farther on your heatsinks

and then a fan kit.

And then this controller with 4 extra connections so you can have a sunset and sunrise effect and control your lights to customize your tanks look!

Typhon LED Controller Kit by BoostLED

Then down the road, add on some uv's for about $130 or so.

 

First off, changing MH bulbs every six months is overkill. If you get electronic ballasts you should be able to get over a year in bulb life (a lot depends on the bulb, of course).

As for color, I find 10ks to be too yellow - but that's my taste. There are two bulbs that I really like and have had great results with.

I've used the Hamilton 14ks in the past and they provide a nice, crisp, slightly blue, white light. I've also used Radium 20ks and they are really cool too and corals seem to like them a lot - they get a lot more blue, though, so you have to like that color temp.

If you are otherwise happy with the MHs then I would keep what you've got, get either the 14k or 20k bulb and supplement with LEDs. You could put in some bright LED strips (like Stunners or even brighter) to provide supplemental lighting and color to taste. Put in a couple whites, a few blues. Turn on a couple blues early followed by more blues followed by whites followed by MHs to give a nice ramp up (then reverse at end of the day).

If you have enough supplemental lighting then you could run the MHs for less time and further save on bulb life.

This would be a lot less than buying LEDs and I think would give you better results.

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/led-aqu...ctrical-rookie-now-blind-boot-lol-129782.html

http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/diy-dimmable-rapidled-kit-converting-mhs-96138.html
http://www.3reef.com/forums/led-aqu...tep-install-biocube-updated-video-128277.html