saltwaterpicaso
New member
has anyone made one is there a big difference than the normal RB and CW.
full spectrum led
- Thread starter saltwaterpicaso
- Start date
What do you mean by full spectrum?
I used 3 different white (cool, neutral, warm) and 2 Royal blue (XT-E and XP-E) in my build.
I used 3 different white (cool, neutral, warm) and 2 Royal blue (XT-E and XP-E) in my build.
S2minute
New member
S2minute
New member
saltwaterpicaso
New member
ive been reading about full spectrum led lighting im looking to built onto what i already have built its pretty much your normal neutral whites and royal blues with the addition of regular blue, violet uv, cyan and deep red. seen a video on youtube and it looked really impressive
XT-E is just a specific model of LED that is made by CREE. There is XP-E, XP-G, XM-L, XT-E etc.
XP-E and XT-E Royal Blue have slightly different specs. If you look VERY closely, you can tell the difference, but they're very similar.
If anyone is interested in making a DIY LED fixture, I would highly recommend going to see a couple in person. They do make the light look a little different than the "normal" metal halide or tube bulbs give off. There are plenty of us in the URS that have them. The Salty Dog had one the last time I was there as well.
saltwaterpicaso
New member
i made my fixture out of nuetral white and royal blue bridgelux leds. this time around im going with the cree leds with the colors i just mentioned just wondering if anyone else has used this color combo
I think ReefBoarder may have added something besides the RB and white LEDs, but I can't remember. It's been months since we built his fixture.
saltwaterpicaso
New member
if you google dyi full spectrum led aquarium light there is a youtube video of one that i am coping it looks like its the the light i want to build. another question i have is this is my first dimming light if i buy this DDC-01 PWM Controller w/ remote control. do i still need to get an apex controller or anything like that
magdelan
Fish?
Stair stepping nano system with "full spectrum LEDs"
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2060358&page=7
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2060358&page=7
saltwaterpicaso
New member
the pwm controller says it does sunset and sunrise operation does that mean the lights will slowely come on and off or is it just like a timer where it is instant on and off just curious
I believe that the DDC-01 PWM controller from RapidLED will do sunrise and sunset effects (brighten and dim according to schedule). However, if you already have the Apex, you should be able to buy the PWM LED drivers and just use your Apex.
Jacwil
New member
This is interesting to me.
Having Radions, I can tweak the amount of red and greens too my aesthetic liking. The thing is, I've heard that those can help promote algae growth...I've also heard others say that's hogwash.
I keep mine at a relatively low intensity for a minimal part of the day.
It would be helpful to have some hard evidence one way or another.
Having Radions, I can tweak the amount of red and greens too my aesthetic liking. The thing is, I've heard that those can help promote algae growth...I've also heard others say that's hogwash.
I keep mine at a relatively low intensity for a minimal part of the day.
It would be helpful to have some hard evidence one way or another.
Eastamherstbias
New member
I get great growth when I put the radions on a 20k cycle and not even tweaking the reds/greens. I have been treating the tank like how a MH works. Basic cycle with not a ton of spectrum change throughout the day. I am getting better color and growth over the last few months since I settled on a 20k format.
Eastamherstbias
New member
I was too but in the end, I just hit 20k no adjustments and I have improved my color dramatically and my wife actually commented that the tank had good color.
I've actually wanted to do some tests with various LEDs, but I haven't had the time. There are a couple different kinds of chlorophyll. Each one of them (A & B) absorb a slightly different peak spectrum of light. I'm not sure of any way to test to see what each of the desirable alga has though.
My plan was to test out green, red, warm white, royal blue, and other various LEDs. Use 2 LEDs of each color, run off the same driver at the same mA. Cultures would be inoculated with the same amount of phyto. I was going to use Nanno, but I don't even culture it anymore.
Unfortunately, I don't really have the spare time right now to run a whole bunch of experiments. Maybe when things calm down after the new year. I've been putting this off for a long time though. Buying all the LEDs will be a decent amount of money as well.
This would help people that want to use LEDs to grow algae for turf scrubbers, chaeto, phyto, etc. Maybe I'll get around to it eventually.
My plan was to test out green, red, warm white, royal blue, and other various LEDs. Use 2 LEDs of each color, run off the same driver at the same mA. Cultures would be inoculated with the same amount of phyto. I was going to use Nanno, but I don't even culture it anymore.
Unfortunately, I don't really have the spare time right now to run a whole bunch of experiments. Maybe when things calm down after the new year. I've been putting this off for a long time though. Buying all the LEDs will be a decent amount of money as well.
This would help people that want to use LEDs to grow algae for turf scrubbers, chaeto, phyto, etc. Maybe I'll get around to it eventually.
Veganbrian
New member
Wheres ZooMan72 when you need him... 
I'd consider asking him as he knows alot about full spectrum LEDs and runs them on his tanks.
I'd consider asking him as he knows alot about full spectrum LEDs and runs them on his tanks.
zooman72
New member
Hey Brian - I am still around, just been a little busy! Hope the tank has continued to progress well for you, will have to check in over at NR to see...
As for "full spectrum" LED fixtures, either DIY or manufactured, we need to keep a couple of things in mind:
1) They are not really "full spectrum", but they are better than the "old standard" RB:CW mix...maybe they should be called "fuller spectrum"?! Don't believe me, take a look at a spectral curve for unfiltered sunlight.
2) The trend towards using additional colors first came about to improve color rendering or aesthetics - i.e. to make the coral colors (such as oranges and reds) look better to our eyes.
3) Lately, we have been trying to match specific colors (cool blue, cyan, violet, deep red, etc.) to specific photosynthetic peaks for zooxanthellae, trying to provide the spectra to maximize growth. It has been noted that many corals (but not all) will often grow well with just the RB:CW mix, but others did not grow as well as they might under T5's or MH.
4) The big difference between LED and T5 or MH is that each LED emitter color tends to have a much more narrow spectrum than does a T5 of MH bulb. This is why you see the use of multiple colors in LED fixtures - to gain additional color "spread".
I have found that, just as in other lighting forms, that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and what looks good to one aquarist may not look good to another. I tend to prefer "a look" between 10K and 14K, but many others like a 20K appearance. I have liked combos of RB, CB, CW and either NW or WW - it depends on the ratio of the various emitters and the spectral curves of the individual whites.
I created a PAR38 color combo for Ledtric about a year ago, and it has since been copied by other companies, but I feel that it is still lacking just a bit of warmth. The trend to using neutral whites instead of/ in combination with cool whites is now quite popular, but if the neutrals are inferior in spectral distribution they often don't look right, at least to me. Violets (~420nm) have also become quite popular (and rightly so) as their price has come down and their availability has gone up.
I find that a 2CW: 1WW ration works to improve color rendition if not using additional reds or greens; and a 4NW:1WW works well without additional reds and greens, but only if the neutrals are 5000-5500K and the warm whites are below 3000K. I also like to include cyan (aka turquoise, ~495nm) instead of true green, and my ratio of royal blue to cool blue depends on the emitter used. I really like Luxeons, and Epistar and Edixeon make nice, less expensive emitters.
As I have no large tanks, only nanos, I am a big fan of PAR fixtures, and like Ledtric's (of course it has my name on it, so I admit bias on that one), but also BoostLED's 2RB:1CB:1CW:1NW PAR30 fixture. I also liked RapidLED's older style PAR38 with 3RB:1CB:2CW:1WW, but it is no longer made, and I have not tried their new style.
As for larger manufactured fixtures, I like the EcoTech Radion and the MaxSpect Razor, and am not a big fan of the AI Vega. These are the only ones I have seen in person, but I would really like to see the latest GLH Mitra, although it is gawd-awful expensive...
...not sure I helped any, more of a recounted rambling...and of course, with DIY, the options have become much more readily available (and nice!) - take a look at the Maker's heatsink at RapidLED for example.
As for "full spectrum" LED fixtures, either DIY or manufactured, we need to keep a couple of things in mind:
1) They are not really "full spectrum", but they are better than the "old standard" RB:CW mix...maybe they should be called "fuller spectrum"?! Don't believe me, take a look at a spectral curve for unfiltered sunlight.
2) The trend towards using additional colors first came about to improve color rendering or aesthetics - i.e. to make the coral colors (such as oranges and reds) look better to our eyes.
3) Lately, we have been trying to match specific colors (cool blue, cyan, violet, deep red, etc.) to specific photosynthetic peaks for zooxanthellae, trying to provide the spectra to maximize growth. It has been noted that many corals (but not all) will often grow well with just the RB:CW mix, but others did not grow as well as they might under T5's or MH.
4) The big difference between LED and T5 or MH is that each LED emitter color tends to have a much more narrow spectrum than does a T5 of MH bulb. This is why you see the use of multiple colors in LED fixtures - to gain additional color "spread".
I have found that, just as in other lighting forms, that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and what looks good to one aquarist may not look good to another. I tend to prefer "a look" between 10K and 14K, but many others like a 20K appearance. I have liked combos of RB, CB, CW and either NW or WW - it depends on the ratio of the various emitters and the spectral curves of the individual whites.
I created a PAR38 color combo for Ledtric about a year ago, and it has since been copied by other companies, but I feel that it is still lacking just a bit of warmth. The trend to using neutral whites instead of/ in combination with cool whites is now quite popular, but if the neutrals are inferior in spectral distribution they often don't look right, at least to me. Violets (~420nm) have also become quite popular (and rightly so) as their price has come down and their availability has gone up.
I find that a 2CW: 1WW ration works to improve color rendition if not using additional reds or greens; and a 4NW:1WW works well without additional reds and greens, but only if the neutrals are 5000-5500K and the warm whites are below 3000K. I also like to include cyan (aka turquoise, ~495nm) instead of true green, and my ratio of royal blue to cool blue depends on the emitter used. I really like Luxeons, and Epistar and Edixeon make nice, less expensive emitters.
As I have no large tanks, only nanos, I am a big fan of PAR fixtures, and like Ledtric's (of course it has my name on it, so I admit bias on that one), but also BoostLED's 2RB:1CB:1CW:1NW PAR30 fixture. I also liked RapidLED's older style PAR38 with 3RB:1CB:2CW:1WW, but it is no longer made, and I have not tried their new style.
As for larger manufactured fixtures, I like the EcoTech Radion and the MaxSpect Razor, and am not a big fan of the AI Vega. These are the only ones I have seen in person, but I would really like to see the latest GLH Mitra, although it is gawd-awful expensive...
...not sure I helped any, more of a recounted rambling...and of course, with DIY, the options have become much more readily available (and nice!) - take a look at the Maker's heatsink at RapidLED for example.
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