AI Sol Blue Color Modification

[bvoss]

I bought a set of 5 Sol Blues for my 60" 150 gal tank. To be honest I was disappointed with color rendition compared to the T5s I replaced. After reading all the posts on LED color aesthetics, I decided to add 12 XPG Neutral Whites to the fixture.

I used 4 12" by 1" heat sinks from Rapid LED. I mounted the heat sinks with aluminum standoffs that I bought at Lowe's. The LEDs are driven by a Meanwell 60-48D controlled along with the AI fixture using an Apex VDM.

Here is my tank with the AI Sol Blues with all three channels at 100%:

Here is my tank with the extra 12 Neutral Whites turned on:

I think the greens, reds, and yellows pop much better. At least I am happy, and changing the mix was far easier than I expected.

 

[reefjunkie42]

maybe a side my side comparison of 1 or 2 corals might showcase it a little better..

 

[bvoss]

That is the trouble with LEDs. It is tough to photograph the real color. It made a big difference to the naked eye. Enough to make me a believer in mixing LED spectrums.

Look at the yellow acro in the middle long with the sunset montis to get a sense of the difference. I couldn't get that by adjusting intensities.

 

[jtma508]

Personally, after doing alot of research over several months I couldn't figure out why manufacturers are using cool instead of neutral whites. With the B/RB mix it seems we should be getting more than enough of the ~450-480nm range. What we need more of is the cyan area around ~500nm. There's a decided 'trough' in the spectrum there for all of the whites and it happens to be a region related to high spectral use in zooxanthellae.

 

[bvoss]

Exactly. A little neutral white made a huge difference. I think the Cree blues and cool whites are too close.

 

[snorvich]

Careful about running those LED at 100% to start. They may burn/bleach your corals.

 

[hkgar]

Where did you get the LED's? I have a 2 module AI blue set up with the AI controller. Would I be able to control the led's with the AI controller?

 

[125mph]

Where did you get the LED's? I have a 2 module AI blue set up with the AI controller. Would I be able to control the led's with the AI controller?

He made them. It's a diy project. And no the AI controller cannot control them.

 

[kmu]

I bought a set of 5 Sol Blues for my 60" 150 gal tank. To be honest I was disappointed with color rendition compared to the T5s I replaced. After reading all the posts on LED color aesthetics, I decided to add 12 XPG Neutral Whites to the fixture.

I used 4 12" by 1" heat sinks from Rapid LED. I mounted the heat sinks with aluminum standoffs that I bought at Lowe's. The LEDs are driven by a Meanwell 60-48D controlled along with the AI fixture using an Apex VDM.

Here is my tank with the AI Sol Blues with all three channels at 100%:

Here is my tank with the extra 12 Neutral Whites turned on:

I think the greens, reds, and yellows pop much better. At least I am happy, and changing the mix was far easier than I expected.

Did you order everything from rapidled and also what optics are you using on those retros?

THX

 

[hkgar]

He made them. It's a diy project. And no the AI controller cannot control them.

He had to buy the bulbs somewhere. I doubt he made them.

 

[ehren78]

He had to buy the bulbs somewhere. I doubt he made them.

look in his 1st post there from RapidLed.

I too have an AI Sol Blue and yes it's too blue for me too. I just ordered another unit to cover the entire tank. I like what you did, your tank is awesome!

 

[bvoss]

Sorry,

I have been off line. Responding today from Cyprus. All the major parts are from Rapid LED. Neutral white XPGs, 12" x 1" heatsinks and a Meanwell 60 48D.

I use my Apex to control my system, so all I had to do was plug the mean well driver into one of the VDM channels. I control the DIY LEDs seamlessly just like the other 3 color channels.

I eas shocked how easy it was to DIY these into the factory fixture. The heatsinks come in the perfect size, and the attach to the rails with 1 1/4" aluminum standoffs bought from Lowes.

BTW the optics are 60 degrees from Rapid Led

 

[Texsun]

Bvoss, thanks for sharing! I too recently upgraded to AI Sol Blues and have been discouraged by the color rendition. This looks like a good alternative. I only have a 30" tank a running 2xAIs. Do you think one heatsink with 3x of the neutral whites with 60 degree optics will provide enough balance or should I go with 6?

I hope AI comes out with a neutral white swap for the cool whites soon.

 

[Gomojoe]

Just want to say thanks for the post. I will be building 3 rows of these for my 120g. So have you started to see any difference in the colors of your corals? Are the colors changing under these lights? Also, probably too early for notable growth but I would be interested if there is a difference.

 

[jcolletteiii]

I'd like to get ahold of a couple of blank/dead pucks to play around with reflowing a few different emitters on. I'd like to replace one emitter per module with a UV or near-UV, possibly a deep red, and a few neutral whites. Might be fun.

 

[pmrossetti]

Do you think you would have liked the sol whites colors better?

 

[bvoss]

I am glad some are finding this post useful. I think there is a lot to be said for some color depth in the LED selection. I have not noticed any long-term change in coral coloration, but the tank is sure a lot nicer to look at with some more wavelengths mixed in.

If I were AI, I would try a neutral white or warm white LED with every puck associated with a 70 degree lense. I think that would really hit the sweet spot. IMHO the colors are just too "thin" with the standard set up.

 

[NatureNerd]

Good idea and nice mod.

I think yellow corals might look better with this mod. I will do some experimentation to see if adding some NW cree's gives me better yellows.

That said, I am very happy with the color rendition of the AI SuperBlue. It is probably worth noting that I run a far higher white value (relative to blue or RBlue) than some people do. I use 80W, 65B, 70RB. It looks "crisp" white to me. I am glad I didn't go with the Sol Whites. I like to have strong blue at dawn/dusk and I think that, at peak light, the RB LED's fill in the blue part of the spectrum nicely. I think that might be better for coral growth but, this is just speculation.

By the way, nice tank bvoss.

 

[tor101898]

This is a great idea, keep posting.

 

[NyReefNoob]

i have the sol whites and i am in the opposite boat as i am use to a more 18-20k appearance and these at best are a 14k with blue all the way up and whites 20-30 less, planned on ordering the antic strips from rapid myself, if was closer to the price of the antic strips id just replace hald the pucks with sol blues so that i would be able to go a little bluer but with a decent amount of white, hint hint anyone wanna swap some of there blue pucks for some white pucks