xandrew25xs DIY led build

[xandrew245x]

Hmm...proven to be better in what regard?
Well, by what I have read, its 50/50, some people say they have seen a lot better growth, and other says they haven't. Also I have heard that coraline algae does not like to grow under leds, unless they are ran very dim. I have just seen that they arn't much better than T5 other than they last longer, and use less electric.

 

[2quills]

Yeah you might want to wait then, or keep reading. The only people i still hear saying things like that are the ones still running the classic cool white and royal blue combo. Perhaps some other folks here who are running leds will chime in. Youre not covering very much of the spectrum with that combination. The ones who have figured it out though usually cant say enough good things about em. But to each is own. We have to do whats right by us.

 

[xandrew245x]

Its just a lot of money to experiement with them, and I don't have that money right now, if I knew I would like them for sure, and they would work better than my T5, then I would willingly spend the money, if you get what I'm saying.

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/40#post_3460105
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cipher43 http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/40#post_3460100
You can control 4 separate channels. In other words you can have multiple drivers on each channel so you can have your blues on one, whites on another, moonlights, and another channel for other colors or running fans.
Hope things work out for ya so you can do it sometime.
Thanks, I just did a little more research and talked to a friend about them, and i'm honestly not to impressed with them anymore, maybe down the road when they are proven to be better, i'll take the plunge and spend the money on it.
What lights have you looked at? Did they just have cool whites and royal blues cause i must say i wasnt happy with that color mix either. Find someone with a set of radions over their tank and you will be sold on them again. The LFS I like to go to got them on their 2 220 gallon tanks and they have had great growth and beautiful colors. They have cool whites, royal blues, blues and some reds and greens. The added color types add alot to the tank which is why im putting the cool whites, neutral whites, royal blues, blues, reds, and greens. also may throw a violet in or two.
Also interested what type of lights your friend uses right now and what he has seen also

 

[xandrew245x]

I have looked on various threads on reef central debating the pros and cons of them. I think most of the people against them were ones that had experience with only the blue/coolwhite combo, but i'm not sure. I would just really hate to spend $500 on something i'm unsure about, especially when I have a T5 light with new bulbs in it.

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460131
Yeah you might want to wait then, or keep reading. The only people i still hear saying things like that are the ones still running the classic cool white and royal blue combo. Perhaps some other folks here who are running leds will chime in. Youre not covering very much of the spectrum with that combination. The ones who have figured it out though usually cant say enough good things about em. But to each is own. We have to do whats right by us.
Ditto on the cool whites and royal blues

 

[xandrew245x]

I was planning on splitting the whites in half with cool/neutral, I have heard that coraline algae doesn't grow to well under leds, true or false? Anyone have any experience with that?
I was really set on these leds, I just want to be 100% sure before I spend all this money on them.

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460137
I have looked on various threads on reef central debating the pros and cons of them. I think most of the people against them were ones that had experience with only the blue/coolwhite combo, but i'm not sure. I would just really hate to spend $500 on something i'm unsure about, especially when I have a T5 light with new bulbs in it.
I understand where you are comming from especially if you have new bulbs in the light you have already. I would have a hard time spending the cash if I wasnt doing the upgrade in the first place. And yes most of the people that disliked leds are most likely the ones that only have the 2 colors or didnt research what they were doing before they started.
It also depends on who you talk to. Some people will tell you that halides are the only way to go if you want a great tank or others swear by T5s. Also if its a fish store they can be one sided. A LFS we USED to go to kept telling me I would hate LEDs so I needed to buy one of the halide/T5 fixtures he sold and wouldnt you know it that when he started selling AI led fixtures he started telling me that leds were the new great thing so i told him i was planning on building my own. He told me that 99% of the people that came in his store that made led lights hated them and came in and bought the AI from him anyways so I "just as well buy it from him in the first place". Thats one reason I said we USED to go there because he just tried to boost sales on everything he sold
.
Now you can also say that im bias to the LEDs cause if im gonna spend the money on them and Ive never had halides but after seeing those Radions over a tank Im sold LOL.

 

[2quills]

A photon is a photon. Photosynthetic organisms dont care where they get thier light from as long as they get it in the spectrums that they need. If having coraline is important to you then figure out what range of light it requires and add it to your fixture. Thats really all it comes down to. But theres more to coraline then the type of light you give it.

 

[xandrew245x]

Okay, I will take a look at radions, I just want whats best for my tank, and I'm not to fond of the T5 that came with the tank, its a crappy hood, with crappy bulbs, that's part of the reasons I wanted to go to LEDs, considering by the time I bought a new T5 fixture and lights it would probably be over 300 dollars.
I'm just iffy with spending this money, I'm getting married in September, and need to save money for that, so its a tough decision to make.
Also, I'm going to start adding live stock to my tank now, which with shipping can get really expensive.

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460139
I was planning on splitting the whites in half with cool/neutral, I have heard that coraline algae doesn't grow to well under leds, true or false? Anyone have any experience with that?
I was really set on these leds, I just want to be 100% sure before I spend all this money on them.
I dont know on the coraline algae thing. Have not had anyone say they cant get it to grow that ive seen. I know some types of coraline does not like high lighting and some does not like low lighting. I have some super deep red stuff that only seems to grow on the undersides of my rocks where just alittle light can get to it. Of course my 30 gallon only has a PC on it right now so it is relatively low lighting anyways. Hopefully BTLDreef or her hubby will chime in here on this matter.

 

[xandrew245x]

A photon is a photon. Photosynthetic organisms dont care where they get thier light from as long as they get it in the spectrums that they need. If having coraline is important to you then figure out what range of light it requires and add it to your fixture. Thats really all it comes down to. But theres more to coraline then the type of light you give it.
I plan on using 12 whites, 6 cool and 6 neutral, the rest will be royal blue, I think thats a decent spectrum, or maybe I should add a couple regular blues in?

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460157
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Quills http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460151
A photon is a photon. Photosynthetic organisms dont care where they get thier light from as long as they get it in the spectrums that they need. If having coraline is important to you then figure out what range of light it requires and add it to your fixture. Thats really all it comes down to. But theres more to coraline then the type of light you give it.
I plan on using 12 whites, 6 cool and 6 neutral, the rest will be royal blue, I think thats a decent spectrum, or maybe I should add a couple regular blues in?
I know a few have told me to do a 2:1 on each color so for 12 whites you could have 9 cool whites and 3 neutrals and the same 2:1 mix for the royal blues and blues. everyone is different on what color they like on a tank. I know Corey said he likes a tank that is more blue where I like a lighter blue tank for a more shallow water look. So what color do you like on your tank?

 

[xandrew245x]

I like a deeper blue color, the T5 I have no give a nice deep blue color, and I love it, so that's what I would really like to replicate.

 

[xandrew245x]

I was told to split the whites so you don't get a washed out look from all the cool whites, you need enough neutrals to help add in some red to your spectrum.

 

[cipher43]

So you will probably want atleast a 2:1 on the amount of blues to whites also.

 

[xandrew245x]

I was going to do a 3:1 ratio, 36 blues 12 whites, guys on reef central said that would be the best for 48 leds.

 

[cipher43]

Quote:
Originally Posted by xandrew245x http:///t/390400/xandrew25xs-diy-led-build/60#post_3460166
I was told to split the whites so you don't get a washed out look from all the cool whites, you need enough neutrals to help add in some red to your spectrum.
Ah see im adding a string on a separate driver that has reds and greens so on my build I wont need as many neutral whites. How many leds are you planning on for a total for your build?

 

[xandrew245x]

I was going to use a total of 48 leds, and then maybe moonlights.

 

[2quills]

After further consideration i dont plan to use any cool whites over my display. The nuetrals are plenty bright white enough for me. I ran just the nuetral whites over my 50g and was suprised how white and crisp the light still was. But if your water has any yellowish tinge to it then they will accentuate that color of the water.