LED lighting

I would stress that Steve's LEDs has 2 for the price of 1 CREE led. You can run them at 700mA versus 1500mA of the crees. BUT, if you can get two for the price of one you're looking at 1400mA combined versus 1500mA of a cree. Steve's LEDs also has 10,000k and Crees are "up to" 8,XXXk. I would, however, use Rapid LED's drivers are they are easy to "tune" in to what mA you want to use.
 
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These are rapidled all ran from meanwells at 750mA. My phone camera reall doesn't do the blues very much justice. I'm pretty happy with it and they're service is amazing. But 2 for 1 the choice is pretty easy for steves.
 
Looks NICE! Don't get me wrong...I have 16 crees from Rapid LED...they are great, but then I found Steve's LEDs...and I've been sold ever since, the 10,000k 2-chip is an AMAZING LED...I would give one a try!...also, they are 90 degree approx..so no optics and better coverage STOCK..
 
Before T5 HO
<a href="http://s690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/DrewPalmer04/?action=view&current=IMG_20110227_113540.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/DrewPalmer04/IMG_20110227_113540.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
After, LED (as you can tell, the new intense lights really made a few corals MAD)
<a href="http://s690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/DrewPalmer04/?action=view&current=tank.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/vv268/DrewPalmer04/tank.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid690.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fvv268%2FDrewPalmer04%2Ftankvid.mp4">
 

Ya I saw this controller and would have liked to use it, but the drivers I will be using are the 60-48D so it won't work :(
Bill at ReefLed's has told me that they are currently in the works for a cheaper controller, so I will be on the lookout for that. I got the dimmable driver's in hopes of being able to dim my fixture but am not sure I know how to hook up a pot to them?
 
That controller was so cheap that it was cost effective for me to buy new drivers. I still have the other 4 in a box
 
I would stress that Steve's LEDs has 2 for the price of 1 CREE led. You can run them at 700mA versus 1500mA of the crees. BUT, if you can get two for the price of one you're looking at 1400mA combined versus 1500mA of a cree. Steve's LEDs also has 10,000k and Crees are "up to" 8,XXXk. I would, however, use Rapid LED's drivers are they are easy to "tune" in to what mA you want to use.


There is a lot more to it than that... When Steve has a real data sheet, and bins them post a link.. There could be a 20% difference in output between one cree xpg and another.. It just depends what bin you get.
 
I would agree, however, Crees @ 1500mA (full power) tend to bleach corals 90% of the time, unless you have a super deep tank. Thus, generally speaking, I'm very happy with the lumen output of Steve's LEDs even at 700mA. I've also noticed that quite a few people keep mixed reef. Now an sps dom. tank the 20% could really matter for bins.
 
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I chose 750mA because of the "LEDs a write up" thread in the DIY forum. It said for sacrificing a little intensity you gain a lot of longevity.
 
LOVE IT! I just did an even amount of blues and whites. I just added Steve's LEDs inline with the CREEs...and lowered to 700mA...Crees will last longer and the Steve's are 10,000k...I can tell a BIG difference! :bounce1:
 
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