Novices need LED lighting questions answered.

[Ron Reefman]

If I'm building a 5' long by 2' wide 2' tall tank, most of these "black box" fixtures like the Mars Aqua suggest a 2'x2' footprint. Would I need 2 or 3 fixtures to ensure adequate lighting (assuming I eventually get a few corals)?

If you do corals that need a bit less light, zoas, softies, mushrooms, and can hang them a bit higher off the water (12" to 18"), 2 of the 16" fixtures will be fine.

If you are considering sps corals or an anemone or a clam that like more light, then 3 is the answer and you can mount them at any height off the water.

If you look around you may find a 4' fixture (Reef Breeders Photon and Aquasanrise, EverGrow and maybe others) 1 fixture will do. I have a 5'x2'x20" tank and I use a 50" Reef Breeder Photon V2. They aren't cheap, but for all the features you get (assuming you'd want them) it's a good deal. Other brands with the same features cost considerably more.

Also several brands offer 24" fixtures and you'd only need 2 of those.

ReeFi-Lab offers a pendant with an adjustable glass lens and each one can cover from a 2'x2' to a 3'x3' square. So 2 of them would work as well. And like the high end fixtures, they are fully controllable and like the Reef Breeders, reasonably priced. I have one over my frag tank for a couple of months now and it seems to be better than the Ocean Revive I had there before... but it could just be better water parameters...

 

[DIYReeferNewb]

I'm planning on building a 10gal reef tank with a 10 gal sump. The problem is im new to all of this and I'm on a budget so most of it will be diy. After some research ive found the lighting setup I would like to build and was hoping to get some input as to wether or not you guys think it will work. I plan to do mostly lps with some hardier sps. Here is the parts I plan to purchase

http://www.stevesleds.com/view_cart.asp

 

[DIYReeferNewb]

So it was brought to my attention that no one can view the cart. Sorry about that, basically its 3 royal blues 2 cayans and 2 5k neutral whites. All 3watt 1000ma with a dimmable driver, power supply and hd heatsink.

 

[Ron Reefman]

So it was brought to my attention that no one can view the cart. Sorry about that, basically its 3 royal blues 2 cayans and 2 5k neutral whites. All 3watt 1000ma with a dimmable driver, power supply and hd heatsink.

I've been using leds fixtures for 5 or 6 years now and I've never built one. If you don't mind my asking, when you are all done with the light and buying all the parts you'll need, how much money will you have in it?

 

[Thornbreaker]

Thanks for the info Ron. I'll look into some of the other options you mentioned. I can always start with two and add a 3rd or upgrade when I get to corals.

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[DIYReeferNewb]

60 without shipping 75 with, but the driver, heat sink, and power supply should be able to support 2 more rows of 7 in case I decide to go with a little larger of a tank and for 7 leds its about 20. Want to have the option to customize my lighting system and keep it pretty cheap.

 

[Ron Reefman]

At $75 you are so close to the sub $100 Mars Aqua fixture that has 55 leds, is 120 watts , has 2 channels of color control, manual dimmers and a decent looking case. Why build? Unless the DIY thing is what you really want to do? The Mars Aqua could work over much bigger tanks if you ever up grade and it would have resale value if you decided to get out of the hobby (a LOT of people do... I'm just say'n).

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Pdisner]

I'm not that familiar with AI fixtures. Does yours have fans? Do the run... ever? If you have fans, and they run, you shouldn't have heat issues. Have you ever vacuumed or blown out the inside of the fixture through the vent holes? It's unlikely, but it could be clogged with dust?



IMHO, if you are having a heat issue with your leds, you need to have a conversation with AI... or is it Eco Tech now? I'd give their customer service a call ASAP.

They're out of warranty. I have to send them in for out of warranty repair. I was in the hospital for a very long time. Two of my AI Hydra 52 and my Apex shorted out and / or shutting off because of heat? Idk. Just seems like for 250+ a piece you would think that one would get more than just a couple years out of them.


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[Ron Reefman]

They're out of warranty. I have to send them in for out of warranty repair. I was in the hospital for a very long time. Two of my AI Hydra 52 and my Apex shorted out and / or shutting off because of heat? Idk. Just seems like for 250+ a piece you would think that one would get more than just a couple years out of them.

I think most people led fixtures do work more than a couple of years!

I have black box leds made in China back in Dec of 2012 and they still work fine. The cases are a bit rusty because they switched to aluminum long after I bought. But they still work.

 

[Thornbreaker]

If you do corals that need a bit less light, zoas, softies, mushrooms, and can hang them a bit higher off the water (12" to 18"), 2 of the 16" fixtures will be fine.

If you are considering sps corals or an anemone or a clam that like more light, then 3 is the answer and you can mount them at any height off the water.

If you look around you may find a 4' fixture (Reef Breeders Photon and Aquasanrise, EverGrow and maybe others) 1 fixture will do. I have a 5'x2'x20" tank and I use a 50" Reef Breeder Photon V2. They aren't cheap, but for all the features you get (assuming you'd want them) it's a good deal. Other brands with the same features cost considerably more.

Also several brands offer 24" fixtures and you'd only need 2 of those.

ReeFi-Lab offers a pendant with an adjustable glass lens and each one can cover from a 2'x2' to a 3'x3' square. So 2 of them would work as well. And like the high end fixtures, they are fully controllable and like the Reef Breeders, reasonably priced. I have one over my frag tank for a couple of months now and it seems to be better than the Ocean Revive I had there before... but it could just be better water parameters...

Hey Ron, follow up questions. It looks like Mars Aqua has a 300 Watt that does a 3'x2' spread. Think 1 of those and 1, 165 Watt would handle a 5' tank? Getting one of each saves about 50 to 60 bucks compared to 3, 165 Watt.

I'll be hanging these from a 10' ceiling, do you or anyone else have any recommendations on what hanging kit to use? (Since I'll need about 3.5' to 4' of length, I imagine this is longer than Mars Aqua's hanging kit provides).

 

[Ron Reefman]

Hey Ron, follow up questions. It looks like Mars Aqua has a 300 Watt that does a 3'x2' spread. Think 1 of those and 1, 165 Watt would handle a 5' tank? Getting one of each saves about 50 to 60 bucks compared to 3, 165 Watt.

I'll be hanging these from a 10' ceiling, do you or anyone else have any recommendations on what hanging kit to use? (Since I'll need about 3.5' to 4' of length, I imagine this is longer than Mars Aqua's hanging kit provides).

Yes the 165 and a 300 should work good and give you light for anything. Always good to save money. My old 180g was 6' and I had 2 like the MA 300 and they covered just fine.

You can use the hanging kit they provide and modify it by changing out their short wire for a longer wire you can buy at Lowes, HD or Ace. It's just stainless wire.

Have fun. If you ever have questions, feel free to ask. I can't begin to tell you how many questions I asked during my first 3 or 4 years!

Ron

 

[Pdisner]

Leds do have some issues, like shadowing under overhangs and ledges and even under dense branching coral like a pocillopora or birdsnest. They can also have red or green shadow edges or disco effect in the shimmer. MH have far less shadowing and no disco effect at all.

However, leds offer instant color control, the ability to ramp up and down for sunrise & sunset, the ability to do moonlights, the heavy blue lighting that make fluorescing corals glow, they run cooler and they use less electricity. Some of the newer led fixtures are even getting better looking than MH or t5 fixtures.

Leds used to be a lot more expensive than t5 or MH, but that's not true anymore. There are good, basic led fixtures out there for under $100.

Personally, I don't ever see myself switching back to MH. The new t5 that can be dimmed is interesting, but it's as expensive as anled fixture that can do 6 channel color control with a remote rather than buying and changing bulbs. Until something new AND better comes along, I think leds will just gain more and more popularity.

I agree. I've had my Hydra 52s for about 4years now and just had to buy a hydra 26 HD because of some random board problem that AI was having. I didn't meet the warranty, but they upgraded to the 26 because of this.
I won't go back either but I may add t5s somewhere down the line to even out the color


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[Ron Reefman]

I agree. I've had my Hydra 52s for about 4years now and just had to buy a hydra 26 HD because of some random board problem that AI was having. I didn't meet the warranty, but they upgraded to the 26 because of this.
I won't go back either but I may add t5s somewhere down the line to even out the color

I tried adding a t5 to the front of my tank and I didn't care for the look at all. It reduced the shimmer and was too warm a white and over powered the cool white and blue of the leds.

I've since added an 12K white and 445nm blue led strip to the front of my tank and an all 445nm blue strip to the back of my tank. I like the look MUCH better. You can see photos in my build thread. BTW, the photos don't do the new look justice as the camera doesn't do the blue very well. It akin to trying to get good photos of corals fluorescing under all blue leds, the photos just don't hold a candle to seeing it in person. The tank looks much deeper front to back now and it's way better in person.

 

[Pdisner]

That's what the 26HD did for my Tank. It's like more 3D now. Little different leds than previous.


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[Ranchhand02]

I have a JBJ nano cube 28 gallon with a CF quad light in it. I have had this tank set up since October. I have gotten little or no growth out of the tank, and I am wanting to do a DIY light kit from Rapid LED. I have small children so I want to leave the top on the tank so they are not tempted to go fishing. I am looking at this kit, but I am unsure on the color mix I should get? Should I get the full spectrum or should I get a half blue and half white? Thanks.

http://www.rapidled.com/jbj-nanocube-28-cf-quad-dimmable-retrofit-kit/

 

[Ron Reefman]

I have a JBJ nano cube 28 gallon with a CF quad light in it. I have had this tank set up since October. I have gotten little or no growth out of the tank, and I am wanting to do a DIY light kit from Rapid LED. I have small children so I want to leave the top on the tank so they are not tempted to go fishing. I am looking at this kit, but I am unsure on the color mix I should get? Should I get the full spectrum or should I get a half blue and half white? Thanks.

http://www.rapidled.com/jbj-nanocube-28-cf-quad-dimmable-retrofit-kit/

I don't know the specifics of either one of those kits, but my best guess is that either one will work. The half blue & half white actually gets full spectrum from the white leds. White light is a mix of red, green and blue. The 'full spectrum' kit probably adds some red and green leds to the display. Do you need them? Probably not. Will they help your corals grow? Maybe just a tiny bit... but probably not.

I've run a mixed reef tank that is mostly sps and zoas with a couple softies and a couple of lps corals for 6+ years. The last 4+ years has been with all leds and I do not use the red or green leds. In my old fixture I covered them with black electrical tape, in my new fixture I can just turn them off.

Why do I do that? Because with my fixture the red and green leds are far apart and they create red and green shadow edges under rocks and coral. They also create red and green lines in the shimmer which many call the 'disco' effect. Over a nano tank with a fixture that keeps all the leds close together, you may not have the issues I have.

In short, flip a coin!:headwally:

 

[Pdisner]

I'm not that familiar with AI fixtures. Does yours have fans? Do the run... ever? If you have fans, and they run, you shouldn't have heat issues. Have you ever vacuumed or blown out the inside of the fixture through the vent holes? It's unlikely, but it could be clogged with dust?



IMHO, if you are having a heat issue with your leds, you need to have a conversation with AI... or is it Eco Tech now? I'd give their customer service a call ASAP.

Yes the AI LEDs all have fans. I think it's a problem that a lot of owners are having. Unfortunately it's all out of warranty.


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[Ron Reefman]

Yes the AI LEDs all have fans. I think it's a problem that a lot of owners are having. Unfortunately it's all out of warranty.

Too bad. I have what many consider the high end of the cheap led fixtures, Reef Breeders Photon V2 and it has fans that are thermally controlled. I run at about 75% power overall and not only do my fans not come on, the fixture is hardly more than room temp.

Now I recently bought two led strips from 21ledusa and they have no fans and claim they aren't needed. But they almost get to hot to pick up in my hands!

 

[Rani]

Advice needed. I have an Aquaone reef 120 running with T5's. I'm upgrading to an aquaone 300 with fixed LED lights. How can I acclimate my corals or do you recommend changing my lights to adjustable leds. I have LPS, SPS and softies doing really well with clowns, a bangaii and a yellow tang. Thanks


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[Ron Reefman]

Advice needed. I have an Aquaone reef 120 running with T5's. I'm upgrading to an aquaone 300 with fixed LED lights. How can I acclimate my corals or do you recommend changing my lights to adjustable leds. I have LPS, SPS and softies doing really well with clowns, a bangaii and a yellow tang. Thanks

I assume the new 300L can come with either the t5's or the leds?

Either will work. Both are able to grow colorful, healthy corals of all types. The t5's give a nice even light that covers the tank and gets into shadows under rocks and corals better than the more focused light of leds can. But leds offer shimmer, overall intensity dimming, easy color control (without buying and changing bulbs) and the end of buying new bulbs every year.

I have a 125g (500L) mixed reef tank that is more sps, quite a few zoas and a few softies and lps corals. I use only led because I like the control, being in SW Florida I like the lack of heat the fixture produces (although t5's aren't too hot either) and I love my sunrise and sunset when so many of my corals fluoresce like a 60's hippi poster under a black light!

If you can't find a PAR meter you can borrow or rent (fellow club members, an LFS or online) then consider this; the 'canary in a coalmine' solution. Get a small frag of a red cap monti or any other inexpensive plating coral, and set it in your tank as high or higher than all the other corals. Start your acclimatization at a low number (but 2 to 3 times more blue than white) and raise it every week. You can raise it a bit faster early on, but get much more careful as you get up to higher power levels. When you raise the light intensity too high, the red cap will start to bleach before any other corals. At that point, dial the power back a bit (5% to 10%) and you should be good to go. Just as an example I run my fixture at 40% white and 90% blue. Just remember every led fixture is different. I have a new fixture that has 5 times as many blue leds as white (a 50:50 split is much more common) and I run it at 70% blue and 60% white.