Maxspect LED owners!!!
- Thread starter gambitcobra
- Start date
I got a good bit of replacement LEDs coming to me this week...
Cree blue, Cree white..
I might add 2 red to the mix also..
I was thinking of going for a more tri puck look
1blue 1 royal blue 1 white.
But I'm sticking with the semi for rb and most of the white will be semi only a hand full will be Cree
Cree blue, Cree white..
I might add 2 red to the mix also..
I was thinking of going for a more tri puck look
1blue 1 royal blue 1 white.
But I'm sticking with the semi for rb and most of the white will be semi only a hand full will be Cree
I have 3 G2 110's on my 72". Yours is 60? Then definitely two. Get two because one wouldnt be nearly enough.
So after a few talks I've changed my order..
Rather then going for a 1 to 2 ratio of white to blue and royal blue.
I've changed it to
2 red
6 Cree royal blue
4 Cree blue
4 Cree white
------------------
What I plan to do is take away 6 of the violet and replace those with royal blue leaving 2 violet.
2 red will be evenly spaced in the fixture middle row
I will be removing 4 white and replacing them with 4 Cree blue. Even spacing over the fixture
I will also be removing 4 white and replacing them with 4 cree white. Even spacing over the fixture.
Hopefully I can get these in to replace before Wednesday so I can swap them out, in the meantime I will work on the mapping of the lights in the 3 modes.
Rather then going for a 1 to 2 ratio of white to blue and royal blue.
I've changed it to
2 red
6 Cree royal blue
4 Cree blue
4 Cree white
------------------
What I plan to do is take away 6 of the violet and replace those with royal blue leaving 2 violet.
2 red will be evenly spaced in the fixture middle row
I will be removing 4 white and replacing them with 4 Cree blue. Even spacing over the fixture
I will also be removing 4 white and replacing them with 4 cree white. Even spacing over the fixture.
Hopefully I can get these in to replace before Wednesday so I can swap them out, in the meantime I will work on the mapping of the lights in the 3 modes.
DaveG99
New member
are you on the local forums here in Dallas?
Acrotrdco
New member
Jeff,
You can refer to my post here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17830765&postcount=457
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17830813&postcount=458
.
CaminDFW2
New member
Hey man.. I locked out my original account.. Canceled mobile me email. I am a member of DFWMAS is that the board you were referencing.
Received my optics and LED's yesterday, but I'm a little confused about the optics and the best way to use them.
Here are two shots just a few inches below the fixture, one with just the 90 deg reflector kit, the other where I've added a 60 deg clear optic to the red LED (sorry the pictures are not at the same distance, use the circles for scale).
Reflector kit only ("90 deg"):
Reflector kit with 60 deg optic on red LED:
The base kit does not have optics, rather just a reflector and a flat glass cover. So rather than evenly narrowing the original 120 spread to a smaller cone through an optic, it is primarily reflecting the edges back towards the center. This creates a hotspot where most of the light goes that is more like 45-50 deg, with a diffuse spill out to 90 deg.
The 60 deg optic is flat on one side, convex on the other. I hope I'm installing it correctly with the convex side down as that's how the Maxspect photos show it. With the optic in most of the light does seem to be within 60 deg, but the distinct outer circle is more like at 90 deg.
Net result is the "90 deg" reflector created a visible red hotspot at the bottom of the tank 20" below the fixture, the 60 deg optic spread the light more broadly where it blended with the white and blue.
So I'm actually treating the reflector kit more like 50 deg optics, and the 60 deg optic more like 90 deg optic. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'll post full tank before and after shots later to see the full effect.
Here are two shots just a few inches below the fixture, one with just the 90 deg reflector kit, the other where I've added a 60 deg clear optic to the red LED (sorry the pictures are not at the same distance, use the circles for scale).
Reflector kit only ("90 deg"):
Reflector kit with 60 deg optic on red LED:
The base kit does not have optics, rather just a reflector and a flat glass cover. So rather than evenly narrowing the original 120 spread to a smaller cone through an optic, it is primarily reflecting the edges back towards the center. This creates a hotspot where most of the light goes that is more like 45-50 deg, with a diffuse spill out to 90 deg.
The 60 deg optic is flat on one side, convex on the other. I hope I'm installing it correctly with the convex side down as that's how the Maxspect photos show it. With the optic in most of the light does seem to be within 60 deg, but the distinct outer circle is more like at 90 deg.
Net result is the "90 deg" reflector created a visible red hotspot at the bottom of the tank 20" below the fixture, the 60 deg optic spread the light more broadly where it blended with the white and blue.
So I'm actually treating the reflector kit more like 50 deg optics, and the 60 deg optic more like 90 deg optic. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I'll post full tank before and after shots later to see the full effect.
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ayckorea
New member
Here is a better way to compare the two pictures
I couldn't find this comparison in reef.hk........ just missed it...
Thanks Simon CHING...
I got my replacements today and swapped out my leds!
So far the look is much better i have achieved what i was hoping. At full power 14k to 18k maybe that is all 3 banks on. at mid power 2 banks on more around a 18k -20k.
I've added 2 red into the total mix at first i had them on the all blue setting but to me that looked odd so i added it to the white.
I should have took before and after pictures but i didn't..
So far the look is much better i have achieved what i was hoping. At full power 14k to 18k maybe that is all 3 banks on. at mid power 2 banks on more around a 18k -20k.
I've added 2 red into the total mix at first i had them on the all blue setting but to me that looked odd so i added it to the white.
I should have took before and after pictures but i didn't..
Jeff
Premium Member
How many did you change?
Here's mine. G2 160W running at 110W (3W blue and white only):
Upper left - original
Bottom left - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red
Top right - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red, 2 violet-> 2 Cree blue
Bottom right - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red, 2 violet -> 2 Cree blue, fixture raised 2.5"
Upper left - original
Bottom left - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red
Top right - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red, 2 violet-> 2 Cree blue
Bottom right - 90 deg reflectors, 1 white -> red, 2 violet -> 2 Cree blue, fixture raised 2.5"
Last edited:
My impressions on my before vs after.
Pros:
-Less wasted light and spill (used to be a lot of spill through the glass to the floor, now almost none)
-More PAR into the tank itself
-More PAR deeper into the center of the tank
-Accentuates the rimless look by raising the fixture
-Opens up the top of the cube for top-down viewing (seeing a lot of different colors when viewed from above)
-More dramatic light and shadow
-Water looks clearer - less horizontal scatter off particles in the water
-Deeper contrast of the negative space (less reflection off the back wall and the glass sides
-Removed two violets that added very little visible light, replaced with more blue, no negative effect on color (if anything, tank looks more purple maybe because of the red LED)
-Slightly more pop on the oranges and reds with the red LED?
Cons:
-Reflectors without optics create hotspots, challenging to blend colors (seeing little bits of color banding)
-Seems like bit more light spill out of the top, reflecting off the sand on the bottom
-The front of my island is a tad darker than I'd like, even with the fixture raised - previously a lot of light was reflecting off the front glass. If I could move my fixture forward an inch, it would improve dramatically, but my hanging method doesn't allow it.
Overall I like the new look, it's got more of the AI LED narrow spotlight effect. The island is also not as dim in person as the photos appear, though I can only put softies in the front.
With all three channels on, the look is still a bit on the yellow side (though I swear it gets more balanced out after it warms up - or is that just my eyes adjusting?). I may still subtract a bit more white or add more blue, either:
-replace one more white with a violet;
-replace two SemiLED RB's with two Cree RB's (will require a bit of soldering)
Pros:
-Less wasted light and spill (used to be a lot of spill through the glass to the floor, now almost none)
-More PAR into the tank itself
-More PAR deeper into the center of the tank
-Accentuates the rimless look by raising the fixture
-Opens up the top of the cube for top-down viewing (seeing a lot of different colors when viewed from above)
-More dramatic light and shadow
-Water looks clearer - less horizontal scatter off particles in the water
-Deeper contrast of the negative space (less reflection off the back wall and the glass sides
-Removed two violets that added very little visible light, replaced with more blue, no negative effect on color (if anything, tank looks more purple maybe because of the red LED)
-Slightly more pop on the oranges and reds with the red LED?
Cons:
-Reflectors without optics create hotspots, challenging to blend colors (seeing little bits of color banding)
-Seems like bit more light spill out of the top, reflecting off the sand on the bottom
-The front of my island is a tad darker than I'd like, even with the fixture raised - previously a lot of light was reflecting off the front glass. If I could move my fixture forward an inch, it would improve dramatically, but my hanging method doesn't allow it.
Overall I like the new look, it's got more of the AI LED narrow spotlight effect. The island is also not as dim in person as the photos appear, though I can only put softies in the front.
With all three channels on, the look is still a bit on the yellow side (though I swear it gets more balanced out after it warms up - or is that just my eyes adjusting?). I may still subtract a bit more white or add more blue, either:
-replace one more white with a violet;
-replace two SemiLED RB's with two Cree RB's (will require a bit of soldering)
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