Lighting questions

[AliciaP]

I love the LED lights and would love to go that route, but I just can't put that kind of money into lights not being sure if it will work for my tank. And of course, sellers don't let you try it for 2-3 months first My husband and I built a multichip LED light, but it just isn't a nice looking color. It really washes the color right off the corals.

So, I'm coming to the community with a need for suggestions for a T5 fixture of some sort. I have a canopy over my tank we can hopefully fix the lighting to. The tank is 4ft long.

TIA!

 

[Reef Noob]

It sounds like your LED light could use more blues and/or some greens. If the whites are over powering, the light normally doesn't do well with bringing out the colors.

If your light has room for more LED stars, I'd recommend adding more blues but shoot for full spectrum lighting if you can. At SatisLED, you can get a spread of wavelengths that will cover the whole blue spectrum (four wavelength ranges to cover the entire blue spectrum. Best of all, the prices of LED's has come way down. 3W stars are now under two dollars.

 

[Reef Noob]

By the way, your baby is just adorable!

 

[sirreal63]

Before throwing more money into LEDs, take a look at the LET retro T5 from ReefGeek.com it will do what you want nicely, and you won't have to guess if it is right, it simply works.

 

[AliciaP]

I could add blues to it, but since it's a multichip and not single LED lights, I would have to get more LED chips. My husband and I thought that the 20k LED would be bluer like a MH 20k light. Very wrong, it's not blue at all. I will look at the reefgeek one if I can find it.

 

[AliciaP]

By the way, your baby is just adorable!

Thanks, she's a handful that's for sure!

 

[sirreal63]

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/t5-fluorescent/let-lighting/miro-4-retrofit-kits.html

You could also use these to supplement your led. I really like the multi-chips and there are some better overall spectrum ones available now or you can use the T5's which you will not any of the same issues with that you have with the led.

 

[AliciaP]

What does "retrofit" mean?

 

[sirreal63]

Retrofit goes into your existing canopy as opposed to a fixture like the ATI but at a greatly reduced price

 

[AliciaP]

Okay, that's what I thought. Do I need a reflector thing? How do I attach it to my canopy?