Chinese LED Lights

[Fish_Freek]

I'd start about 30-40% and ramp up as needed. You shouldn't really need to go over 50% for your current corals. I have a birdsnest and I would place it lower to mid-level in your tank. Mine started to bleach at the top and did much better after I moved it lower. HTH.

 

[sushi4u]

Can anyone list the LED spectrum that are required in each fixture to reach full spectrum.

420nm, 440nm, 630nm, 660nm and etc.

Want to get a list going for what LEDS should be needed in all fixtures to produce full spectrum and promote healthy growing corals.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Want to get a list going for what LEDS should be needed in all fixtures to produce full spectrum and promote healthy growing corals.

A full spectrum isn’t what corals need to be healthy and grow.

The light we provide is for the photosynthesis that goes on inside the zooanthellia that lives inside the coral polyp. The coral polyp then uses the zooanthellia as food. We really don’t know much about what colors the coral polyps like.

Zooanthellia only have chlorophyll A which uses a slightly different spectrum than chlorophyll B (plants have both A&B). Here is a graph that shows how the various colors in the ‘full spectrum’ are used by the zooanthellia. You want anything in the 400nm – 460nm range and anything in the 630nm – 670nm range and what ever you like in whites (they are close to full spectrum, but if that was all you needed, you wouldn’t be adding the blues and reds).

Colors like UV, green and yellow don’t get used by the zooanthellia. So why do people add them? For the look. You have 2 sides to play against each other. What is good for the zooanthellia (and therefore the coral) and what you want the tank to look like. Trust me, if you take the time to read this thread, you’ll learn a lot!

Good luck.

 

[YoungREEFA]

Ron, doesnt the graph show that uv and violet are needed? They are just as high as the red led absortion rate

 

[Saltydrip]

Way cool graph. If that doesn't clear things up.. Nothing will.

I will say though.. I have cyan and violet in my array and it makes a big difference in the appearance of the tank. I like the look much better. I do intend to add more blues though. By the time I get my whites to a brightness I prefer the blue is washed out. I'm 1:1 right now and I would say not quite a 10,000k appearance.

 

[bhazard451]

Got an email from Greensun today. They can make Apex dimmable versions of these lights now.

 

[sushi4u]

Thanks Ron for clearing that up. Graph does clear up a lot of what is necessary vs appearance.

 

[monkiboy]

Got an email from Greensun today. They can make Apex dimmable versions of these lights now.

yes! i'm not famliar with greensun. are they a different manufacturer? or do they modify/sell the same evergrow units with apex dimming? i'd love my next lights to work with an apex. can you provide some additional information or contact information, anythign that is safe to post up?

 

[bhazard451]

yes! i'm not famliar with greensun. are they a different manufacturer? or do they modify/sell the same evergrow units with apex dimming? i'd love my next lights to work with an apex. can you provide some additional information or contact information, anythign that is safe to post up?

Shenzhen Greensun Optoelectronic

 

[blur456]

Has reefbreeders replied to anyone lately? I ordered on the 21st and still have no exact eta on a custom it2040 that was scheduled for 2-3 weeks.

bump to see if anyone has had timely/recent contact with reefbreeders? Emailed them over a week ago with no response, sure would like to order from them but not if something's up....

 

[nikesb]

bump to see if anyone has had timely/recent contact with reefbreeders? Emailed them over a week ago with no response, sure would like to order from them but not if something's up....

They finally responded back to me yesterday. I ordered on the 18th, confirmed on the 21st. He told me it would be less than two weeks from yesterday. Originally supposed to be 2-3 weeks for an it2040 but seems its now 3-4 weeks. Its no problem for me right now since im restarting an old tank with no corals atm, I am getting a bit impatient not being able to watch the fishes

 

[monkiboy]

Shenzhen Greensun Optoelectronic

thanks. who contacted you from greensun? i'd like to pick up a few sets that are apex compatible/adjustable. are you able to post the email address here or is that not allowed either? did your PM privledges get reinstated yet?

did sunny ever mention getting this functionality added any time soon to you? i know you used/or do work with her quite a bit.

 

[monkiboy]

ok went on aliexpress and posed my question about the apex-controlled units and GB pricing and it said it got sent to "lisa zhou". hopefully that's your contact, too?

 

[Fish_Freek]

Bhazard,
Got a question for you. I have two d120 units over my 75 gallon with 32-460nm and 19- 12-14k and 4- 420nm. I ordered extra LEDs from EG to supplement my current led layout. (12)440nm,(10) 6.5k and (8)3.5k. What and how many leds should I swap out to get a "full spectrum" style effect with the new LEDs I received?
Thanks

Bump

 

[monkiboy]

check out ron reefman's post above. that pretty much answers your question completely.

 

[Fish_Freek]

Yes and no. The graph helps a lot, but I am unsure the actual red spectrum that the 65k and the 35k use. I'm thinking replace 6 of my current whites with 3 each 35k and 65k and go from there. Also going to swap out 4-460nm for some 440nm.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Yes and no. The graph helps a lot, but I am unsure the actual red spectrum that the 65k and the 35k use. I'm thinking replace 6 of my current whites with 3 each 35k and 65k and go from there. Also going to swap out 4-460nm for some 440nm.

I assume by the 35K and 65K you are talking about the white leds? Think about it, white light is made up all the colors in the spectrum. ALL the colors. Warm whites (35K) lean a bit to the yellow side of white, neutral whites (65K) are real white and cool whites (14K) lean just a bit to the blue side of white. The shading of those whites is a very small change against all the blue only leds. If you run only the whites you'd see a difference, but with the blues on the difference gets pretty small. bhazard and some others may see the difference, but with the 'gross' control you have with the 2 channel dimmers you can get pretty much what you want. IMHO.

 

[Fish_Freek]

In your opinion is it better to add say, a few 660nm or add the 65k and 35k to my current color scheam? I am looking for just a little less washed out look and a little more pop.
Thanks

 

[bhazard451]

In your opinion is it better to add say, a few 660nm or add the 65k and 35k to my current color scheam? I am looking for just a little less washed out look and a little more pop.
Thanks

If you want more color replace most of the cool whites with 3500, 6500, and 660, along with 420, 440, and 520. Use as many different colors as you can, and keep red, green, and blue close together.

 

[Revmedia]

A full spectrum isn't what corals need to be healthy and grow.

The light we provide is for the photosynthesis that goes on inside the zooanthellia that lives inside the coral polyp. The coral polyp then uses the zooanthellia as food. We really don't know much about what colors the coral polyps like.

Zooanthellia only have chlorophyll A which uses a slightly different spectrum than chlorophyll B (plants have both A&B). Here is a graph that shows how the various colors in the "˜full spectrum' are used by the zooanthellia. You want anything in the 400nm "“ 460nm range and anything in the 630nm "“ 670nm range and what ever you like in whites (they are close to full spectrum, but if that was all you needed, you wouldn't be adding the blues and reds).

Colors like UV, green and yellow don't get used by the zooanthellia. So why do people add them? For the look. You have 2 sides to play against each other. What is good for the zooanthellia (and therefore the coral) and what you want the tank to look like. Trust me, if you take the time to read this thread, you'll learn a lot!

Good luck.

So, since royal blue is ~450nm, wouldn't it make more sense to use LEDs that are closer to 420-430nm? It looks like the graph tapers quite a bit by the time it hits 450nm. Maybe the graph isn't quite to scale.

Anyone have any resources I can read to learn more about wavelength and coral growth? Remember I'm not quite a biologist, but I'd love to read more about this. Surprised at how high the spike around 650-660nm is.

I've learned a lot for this thread, but I'd like to dig a bit deeper.

Jon