LED Lighting

[azhunter]

i was in reef culture today (awesome shop!!) and i like the LED lighting they use. i think im going to get 3 of the LED strips and mount them in the hood of my biocube. obviously the LED is capable of growing nice coral since thats what they are using in the store. and the heat is low...and there are no bulbs...seems like a winning combination. has anyone here used them and how do you like them?
thanks,
Mike

 

[newhere]

I am using 3 of the stunner strips in a 29 gallon biocube. They work good and almost no heat at all added to the tank. I took everything out of the hood but the reflector and used the factory screw holes to mount the lights. Pics were taken before I added the reflectors.

 

[azhunter]

are you growing sps? lps?

 

[Kalakuhan]

What's the price of these stunner strips??

 

[Xgame2k]

if you want to do any sps, you are going to need at least 4 Panorama LED Modules.

 

[newhere]

No sps yet, but I was told I can grow sps with the stunner strips no problem since my tank isn't that deep. With the stunner reflector I am getting alot more light in the tank than the original lighting. Each strip was 49.99 and the reflector was 6.95 for each strip. I have 1 of the 453nm Blue and 2 of the 18-8000K 6-453nm.

 

[Xgame2k]

haha. idk about that.

 

[0rbital]

I added a 50/50 Panorama module (same 12 LED 13 watt modules RC uses made by EcoExotic) to my 70 corner tank to supplement the PC lights in it. It fit right between the PCs and gives a good amount of extra light and adds a great halide type shimmer to the tank. Eventually I'll ditch the PCs and have 3 or 4 Panorama modules in there and a stunner for blue.

 

[jimlundborg]

I have had one of the modules over a 15 gallon to supplement the PCs for a while and I love how it looks. I just bought a aquapod 24 and am trying to figure out how I can get it in the hood. Maybe I'll replace one of the PCs with it? I really like how you added your stunners.

 

[newhere]

I have a bigger pic if you need to see it close up. I tried to go with 1 50/50 and 1 453nm Blue and it was very blue, so I had t add 1 more 50/50. Not sure you can get away with 4 and not have it really blue or white.

 

[Pyrrhus]

haha. idk about that.

My PAR meter would beg to differ...

 

[jerryz]

No lighting will work but the sun itself we all know that. So why ven try

 

[jimlundborg]

What kind of par readings did you get. I'm thinking of trading my Module for a couple of stunners (just so I can fit them in my aquapod easier.)

My PAR meter would beg to differ...

 

[Xgame2k]

My PAR meter would beg to differ...

prove it.

 

[AZSW]

The reflector for the stunner just about doubles the PAR. Not sure on the exact numbers, but it turns them from a nightlight/accent lighting novelty into a viable option for lighting nanos and picos.

I am sure Skip can give us hard numbers, but he isn't lying, that's for sure!

 

[Pyrrhus]

What kind of par readings did you get. I'm thinking of trading my Module for a couple of stunners (just so I can fit them in my aquapod easier.)

85 PAR at the bottom of a 17" deep tank, 3 stunners (1 blue, 1 white, 1 mixed) no reflectors. Reflectors should easily push that over 150 at the bottom.

SPS are happy at roughly 150 PAR or higher. My old SPS growout system used MH 250w Radium that gave out PAR readings of 180-240 PAR, LED's are easily capable of pushing that kind of output.

 

[Garage1217]

Hey Skip, Just curious but what leds are the stunners using? I thought I saw some strips in the shop using plcc-6 / 5050 leds. Not sure if those are the "stunners" or not. I use the same units to light my kitchen *LOL* I swear I need to go into the reef LED biz rather than auto leds haha.

 

[MargieInAZ]

prove it.

Yeah, Skip probably doesn't know what he's talking about...
Bah, ha, ha, ha!!!

LMAO

If you want proof, just stop in at Reef Culture.

 

[Garage1217]

I got a chuckle out of that as well. Skip is a wealth of knowledge!

 

[ToolmanRR]

I would be interested in seeing a long term display tank at Reef Culture that is not a tank where SPS corals are taken out and sold. This tank should have nothing but LEDs to see the long term effect of LEDs. I bet LEDs would sell like hotcakes if we all saw long term data proving LEDs work well on SPS.
I know lighting is not the only factor in successful coral growth, but that is not my point.

(BTW: Where did the term "sell like hot cakes" come from anyway. I don't buy many hot cakes and I don't know anyone else that does either. Just curious.)