Future plans, suggestions welcome

2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome#post_3510726
Hmmmm and we all know the neutrals cover a little different spectrum the the cool whites......
Just curious why all the manufacturers have shifted away from that regimen of white/blue combination if that's all that was totally needed......
I'm not knocking the classic combo. Neutral is only marginally much better on the high end of the spectrum vs cool. But they are slightly closer to being a full spectrum bulb equivalent.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome#post_3510726
Hmmmm and we all know the neutrals cover a little different spectrum the the cool whites......
Just curious why all the manufacturers have shifted away from that regimen of white/blue combination if that's all that was totally needed......
I honestly believe that a large part of it is simply because they'll sell.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I
I honestly believe that a large part of it is simply because they'll sell.
I believe that too. But i also believe its in an effort to fil in the spectrum and have the option to fine tune the color balance anf help growth.
Would anyone else here agree that a 10k halide bulb is better for growth than 20k? Why?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome/20#post_3510772
I
I believe that too. But i also believe its in an effort to fil in the spectrum and have the option to fine tune the color balance anf help growth.
Would anyone else here agree that a 10k halide bulb is better for growth than 20k? Why?
With only my whites on, I basically get a "10K" look. I believe that's how I get the growth that I get. But my royal blues give the tank color, while the whites give the growth. It took some time but we found the right percentages to run the whites and the blues at for the best color on the tank without sacrificing growth. That was one of the things I really liked about LEDs vs halides. I can have the "blue" color of a 20K and the growth of a 10K.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome/20#post_3510837
With only my whites on, I basically get a "10K" look. I believe that's how I get the growth that I get. But my royal blues give the tank color, while the whites give the growth. It took some time but we found the right percentages to run the whites and the blues at for the best color on the tank without sacrificing growth. That was one of the things I really liked about LEDs vs halides. I can have the "blue" color of a 20K and the growth of a 10K.
Yeah, a lot of it is all about balancing the correct wavelengths at the right strengths. In the halide days there were a handful of popular ballasts,bulbs and reflector combos. The market is now flooded with a vast array of led technology and much of what is considered common (like cool white leds) can actually vary quite a bit between manufacturers in regards to the wavelegths that they produce. It thus becomes harder and harder to generalize them all in the same category.
Your cool white leds are rated somewhere between 5000-8,300K. So there has always been growth potential there with them. A lot of folks started taking information gathered from the horticultural industry and their development with led technology for grow lights and have been trying to apply some of that with this hobby. The benefit of targeting peaks in the upper red range I think is fairly documented. But again, I feel that applying these wavelengths properly is the key (correct ratio's at their proper intensities). And once we can do that reliably then we could say goodnight to the competition and really start to achieve fixtures that give the best of both worlds (growth & color) in ways we've never seen, muahahaha!
 
superman

superman

Member
Oh my, I got away from my own thread. I didn't get my email updates. I'm excited that it's possible to run solely from LEDs. I have a few ideas for complete ballast design as well as a programmable dimmer from sunrise to sunset. I will need to do a bit of research into colors and ratios, but this is great news. I have a 38 gal now and I'm going to design a ballast in it for practice.
I found a nice acrylic tank recently. It's 260 gallons and, depending on the area have to work with, will be my first choice. It's 36" high which is what we really want for both viewing, and open swimming space.
@acrylic I don't mind if its a finished basement, I'll just rip out the area I need, and install a wall.
 
superman

superman

Member
Additionally, I'm rocking a Nikon 5100 DSLR so I hope to have some amazing photos and video. Cart before the horse, but I'm excited.
Lighting question. So for a 260 gal tank, how many LEDs. I haven't really done the research on the lights, but this information will help a lot. Thank you.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Additionally, I'm rocking a Nikon 5100 DSLR so I hope to have some amazing photos and video. Cart before the horse, but I'm excited.
Lighting question. So for a 260 gal tank, how many LEDs. I haven't really done the research on the lights, but this information will help a lot. Thank you.
I have 120 over my 180 with excellent SPS growth. 60 blue 60 white
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I forget the equation they use to determine rough number of LEDs, but if you google it I know you'll find it.....Kcress posted it in a thread over on the other forum.....Can't remember which LED thread I was in......
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
The rewlofthumb for Cree style LEDs when lighting tanks of 24" depth or less is all about area. Length x Width
Your tank 72" x 24" = 1728 sqin.
Now for:
FO tanks. (Fish Only)
Area/20 = number of LEDs
Soft Coral tanks
Area/18 = number of LEDs
For SPS tanks, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(235, 235, 235);" />
Area/16 = number of LEDs.
Your case 1728/16 = 108 LEDs
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Hmmmm if we looked at what I posted the end answer wasn't for Superman's setup!!!! It's obvious I pasted and copied the formula I had referred to over here.... It just merely shows the calculation process!!!!
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I wasn't even referring to the OP's tank size. I was going by those calculations, which is my tank size. It's not enough.
 
manners

manners

Member

I have 120 over my 180 with excellent SPS growth. 60 blue 60 white
How does the 50/50 mix look?? I'm looking into getting another led strip and losing all my T5s . I currently have a strip with blues and royal blues and I may want to go all led and put a white led strip on my tank to replace the t5s but I'm worried it won't have as much "pop" if I put the same amount of whites.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator

How does the 50/50 mix look?? I'm looking into getting another led strip and losing all my T5s . I currently have a strip with blues and royal blues and I may want to go all led and put a white led strip on my tank to replace the t5s but I'm worried it won't have as much "pop" if I put the same amount of whites.I absolutely love it, if you search for my tank thread "Btldreef's 180" the thread will come up. I update pics earlier in January
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Alright, TL...it's time to spill it. You seem to be the only one on any of these sights still toughting the classic combo at a 50/50 mix. Even those who's started out with wight and royal blue and then tried the Radion's all say they are much happier. So if you've stumbled upon the holy grail of excellent color and growth in a simplistic form then we want to know...led type, count, drive currents, lenses, fixture height and duration.
The o.p. is asking about strips, if they aren't dimmable then he may not find the same happiness with your ratios as you have if he doesn't have the same capabilities fine tuning his outputs, no?
Inquiring minds like to know this stuff. :)
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome/20#post_3511434
I absolutely love it, if you search for my tank thread "Btldreef's 180" the thread will come up. I update pics earlier in January
Pics mean very little when it comes to photographs of LED systems.....I won't dispute growth, but there's a bit more to growth and that's aesthetics of a tank......And we all know a camera doesn't truly capture the look of a system regardless how good your are with a camera.......
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/394359/future-plans-suggestions-welcome/20#post_3511395
I wasn't even referring to the OP's tank size. I was going by those calculations, which is my tank size. It's not enough.
Your opinion again and I beg to differ, since you really haven't posted any specs on "your" magical scheme.....These again are ball park figures, and you have to keep in mind the LEDs your claiming to run aren't the same as how the formula was spec'd out with the new higher wattage LEDs......I still would put my faith a little deeper onto more indepth guru's on the subject.....You've offered nothing to very little to prove the white/blue combo meets all needs.....When you look at a spectral graph your theory wouldn't prove totally correct.......
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Again if I was allowed to link the entire thread here, I'm sure others would see where I'm coming from, but I'll follow the rules, but let others search it out......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top