Neptune SKY LED

[BZOFIQ]

Depend on your point of view. I've been using T5s for long enough to know what needs to be done for it's optimal performance in many ways. 12 months should be the norm in most cases IMO.

The final choice is ultimately yours.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

I was referring to those who change fixtures like their cell phones.

I have friends who tell me that changing T5 bulbs blah, blah, blah, expensive blah blah blah even....

They are on their 7th set of LED fixtures!

Ecotech, AI, 3rd gen, 5th gen, panel type, puck type, block box, cheap, expensive you name it they had it. Willing to wager that some here have probably spent 5-10K on swapping fixtures....all because changing T5 bulbs was expensive.

Can't make this stuff up.

And at the end of the day, a decade in we are still chasing output we already had from MH and/or T5s....

That said, do buy the SKY. Besides the fact that Neptune needs your money, these lights will take your tank to the next level.

I agree about the T5 bulbs. Folks need to defend their purchases. I will say one thing for sure. Of all the things good or bad LEDs have done, one is not being less expensive than changing bulbs. When i replace the AIO in my living room, with a 120, im really considering grabbing the reflectors out of my garage and just doing halides. Id actually say its close to definite.

Im sure the SKy will do well over a tank, but Ive been doing this long enough to know one thing. We went from something that worked without debate to something that is truly more expensive, and filled with compromises.

 

[flourishofmediocrity]

Tullio have also said that the average time to change any of the LEDs is 4 to 5 years. That alone is more than if you run an ATI fixture changing all bulbs every 12 months, in most cases, if you buy enough LEDs to apply accordingly. The initial cost of LED is for every 4 or 5 years.

True. For me, it is not so much about the cost (within reason), I just prefer the look of the smaller fixtures of LEDs over having large reflectors, but that is just my personal preference for overall looks.

 

[oreo54]

We went from something that worked without debate to something that is truly more expensive, and filled with compromises.

Really?
history:

Max2000, thanks. Don't let the HALIDE only crowd make you think that halides are the ONLY option, they're not. Halides do work, no question. It is just a pet peeve of mine when people post that halides are the only way to keep a reef tank, clearly that is not the case. I happen to prefer T5 over halides, and yes, I have had both, and I have had PC, and VHO too... You might say I have been around the lighting block, with the exception of LED, but that will happen too eventually I am sure.

1/4/2009

What are you basing this on? I have excellent growth AND color under just T5. I switched from MH to T5 last summer, and couldn't be happier!

Go back farther it gets uglier..

 

[A. grandis]

The final choice is ultimately yours.

True. For me, it is not so much about the cost (within reason), I just prefer the look of the smaller fixtures of LEDs over having large reflectors, but that is just my personal preference for overall looks.

Yes, agreed. No questions about it.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

I must say, i do like how Neptune made their lights compatible with the Ecotech RMS. They dont have to come u with a mounting system and you get to use the most attractive mounting system out there

 

[mech0522]

seen sky light sat at reef palazzo it is one the clearest lights ive seen i think will be good light but think price tag is up there

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Really?
history:

1/4/2009


Go back farther it gets uglier..

By what worked, i meant both T5 and halide. And T5 only looks like $h**.

Not sure of the point of those posts quoted are, but ive run halides, T5s, and 4 brands of LEDs, and as a matter of fact, the only one of those im not currently running is halides, so i dont need opinions to know what each does or doesnt do well.

Its a fact that halides grow coral, and quite well at that, and i know its subject to preference, but ive never seen anyone look at a halide tank and say anything other than it looks amazing.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

seen sky light sat at reef palazzo it is one the clearest lights ive seen i think will be good light but think price tag is up there

dang it. I keep missing Reefapalozza

 

[hart24601]

By what worked, i meant both T5 and halide. And T5 only looks like $h**.

Not sure of the point of those posts quoted are, but ive run halides, T5s, and 4 brands of LEDs, and as a matter of fact, the only one of those im not currently running is halides, so i dont need opinions to know what each does or doesnt do well.

Its a fact that halides grow coral, and quite well at that, and i know its subject to preference, but ive never seen anyone look at a halide tank and say anything other than it looks amazing.

Shows how it’s good we have options. I ran halides, t5, PC, vho, and few types of led over past 20+ years. I absolutely hated MH. I honestly wouldn’t run a tank with them, just never liked the heat and fixture size.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Why is the capability of being able to control these thru the Apex such a huge advantage?

no need to use controlled outlet is what i saw in video--just plug into apex

 

[zalick]

He had strips w/ the MH's as well

Right, but that’s not the point. He had an infomercial for these, puts them up without a strip, but then has a strip at the end. Seems disingenuous to not discuss the need for the strip with $2,700 of new cutting edge lights.

 

[oreo54]

Right, but that’s not the point. He had an infomercial for these, puts them up without a strip, but then has a strip at the end. Seems disingenuous to not discuss the need for the strip with $2,700 of new cutting edge lights.

but then at the end you can see an added strip

Seems an unnecessary comment then. Who said he "needed" them?

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

True. For me, it is not so much about the cost (within reason), I just prefer the look of the smaller fixtures of LEDs over having large reflectors, but that is just my personal preference for overall looks.

I have tanks with Kessils, AIs and Radions over them, and it is a good look. Im just not happy about having to go one per foot or foot and a half to reduce shadowing. I even have one with Kessil and T5s. But hate how it looks all Frankenstined together. Someday a unicorn will show up. My wish is Kessil will do a fixture with their single point in the middle and smaller lights in the corners or strips along the edge to eliminate the need for overlap or fill lighting. A 120 with 2 lights would be awesome. The panels like the coral care are a little flat for me. Not sure how the sky will look , but without that center puck for shimmer, i think it will be kind of the same.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Shows how it’s good we have options. I ran halides, t5, PC, vho, and few types of led over past 20+ years. I absolutely hated MH. I honestly wouldn’t run a tank with them, just never liked the heat and fixture size.

Agree about the options. Although I don’t have a big issue with the heat or fixture size.

 

[zalick]

Seems an unnecessary comment then. Who said he "needed" them?

Basic logic.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Right, but that’s not the point. He had an infomercial for these, puts them up without a strip, but then has a strip at the end. Seems disingenuous to not discuss the need for the strip with $2,700 of new cutting edge lights.

in the video he mentions a couple times that he has reefbrites, both with halides and now with the sky. He says the reefbrites add pop that the sky does not and that he will keep them. he did turn off the reefbrites for his review but did not take them down.

I agree the infomercial was tacky as hell, but nonetheless got his point across. I came across with that he would switch to leds if someone gave them to him.... And seems he got that wish... lol. At this point, most LEDs work fine, some great.... But its not like the growth i got in the 2000's with t5's... not even close... my buddy has t5's and we bought the same corals last summer... my nano runs LED's (kessil and strips)--his tank runs t5's... his frags are multiple sizes larger now... just saying.... Specifically acros and monte and LPS.

My new 200 gallon DEFITATELY has T5's lined up as the main lighting source!

.... (and led's too for pop and shimmer).

 

[Montiman]

I am a huge Kessil Fan but excited for the sky. I currently have 1 tank lit with 5 kessils and 1 with a 6 lamp t5 fixture.

t5s and halides grow corals awesomely but I just can't tolerate them. I used to have 3 kessils and 2 400watt halides but it would blind those sitting on the couch, you could feel the heat from 3-4 feet away, The room is about 2 degrees warmer than the rest of the house, and I had to have an electrician install new dedicated circuits so that I could run the chiller and halides at the same time. With the 5 kessils there is no noticeable heat, the chiller runs less, my family agrees that the tank is more visually appealing and no one gets blinded on the couch. Replacing the halides with AP9Xs was expensive but it is more than just a cost improvement it is a quality of life improvement. I don't think I would do halides again. Some things are just worth paying for.

It would be great to not have to use 5 lights on a 6 ft tank and I think the Sky is the first light where I feel I could get good results with 1 per 2 feet.

 

[zalick]

in the video he mentions a couple times that he has reefbrites, both with halides and now with the sky. He says the reefbrites add pop that the sky does not and that he will keep them. he did turn off the reefbrites for his review but did not take them down.

I agree the infomercial was tacky as hell, but nonetheless got his point across. I came across with that he would switch to leds if someone gave them to him.... And seems he got that wish... lol. At this point, most LEDs work fine, some great.... But its not like the growth i got in the 2000's with t5's... not even close... my buddy has t5's and we bought the same corals last summer... my nano runs LED's (kessil and strips)--his tank runs t5's... his frags are multiple sizes larger now... just saying.... Specifically acros and monte and LPS.

My new 200 gallon DEFITATELY has T5's lined up as the main lighting source!

.... (and led's too for pop and shimmer).

I missed that part of the video but admittedly was hard to pay attention to it...

I’m definitely not an LED hater. I’ve had the same experience as you. I’ve been successful growing coral with PC, T5, halide and LED. I found T5 and halides grew it the easiest and promoted the fastest growth. Although fast growth isn’t always a goal or desirable.

I have kessils over a frag tank and they grow coral just fine.

my mitras LX7 also grow coral just fine.

ultimately I switched back to halides with LX7 as supplements for color because I prefer the set and forget aspect and knowing I can grow anything without question or thought.

 

[oreo54]

Basic logic.

So he "needed" them for the mh's?