Par 38 LED spotlights

[zygote2k]

They are spotlights, so you'll need lots of them about 20"-30" off the water to get coverage. Using wider optics will help also, with the loss of par being the downside.

This quote coming from the guy who has MH lighting in his signature...

Here's my latest creation-

9) PAR 38's over a 90. A combination of 12k, 20k with 40 and 60 degree optics. They are about 6" off the water and can be positioned into infinite combinations.

Here's the frontside-

 

[MIOR6485]

LED completed

LED completed

Just finished my LED set up. I used 16 bulbs in 12K and 20K combo to light my 200 BB (7x2x2). Love the look.

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Below is my dawn / dusk look using 3 20k w/80degree optics.

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[b16drag]

I've been eyeing the PAR38 for a long time but came across the PAR30 Reef Lamps from BoostLED Any thoughts?

 

[khaosinc]

Keep in mind that par 38/par 30 etc lamps are only a designations of the physical size of the bulb. I'm not familiar with the bulbs in question or their color spectrum.

 

[BennyFrank]

I've been eyeing the PAR38 for a long time but came across the PAR30 Reef Lamps from BoostLED Any thoughts?

RapidLED also has a similar PAR30 bulb out. I don't think a single shipment has been sent out by either supplier yet so you'd definitely be on the early adopter train. Both are ran at 2W per bulb (vs. 3W+ for the PAR38) due to the smaller heatsink. THe BoostLED lamps use Edixeon LEDs and the RapidLED use CREE. RapidLED also has a 7 bulb PAR38 available.

 

[agsansoo]

This quote coming from the guy who has MH lighting in his signature...

Yes I still run MH . Not sold on LED lighting yet. Had my PAR 38 light for four months over a small frag tank. Zero growth. All frags were moved back to the display tank under MH, growth has taken off once again.

 

[bill.garrett]

Yes I still run MH . Not sold on LED lighting yet. Had my PAR 38 light for four months over a small frag tank. Zero growth. All frags were moved back to the display tank under MH, growth has taken off once again.

Out of curiosity, what was the setup on your PAR 38, and what kind of MH are you using? From what I've heard, the 12,000K PAR 38 is the one preferable for growth v the 20,000K which is more for looks.

 

[agsansoo]

I have the Evilc66's PAR 38 20K w/80 deg optics. They have the same PAR as the 12K's. The only difference is PAR is with the optic used. 40 deg being the highest, 80 is the lowest. I had these 5" above my coral frags ... zero growth !

In my display tank I run two 250w DE Hamilton 14k's on Galaxy selectable ballasts 8" above the water.

 

[bill.garrett]

I have the Evilc66's PAR 38 20K w/80 deg optics. They have the same PAR as the 12K's. The only difference is PAR is with the optic used. 40 deg being the highest, 80 is the lowest. I had these 5" above my coral frags ... zero growth !

In my display tank I run two 250w DE Hamilton 14k's on Galaxy selectable ballasts 8" above the water.

I'm not referring to the PAR, since it is all the same with the exception of optics, but I'm saying that several people who like LEDs and have experimented with Evilc66's have noted that the white to blue ratio seems to have an effect on growth, and the sweet spot for growth was with the whiter (12,000K) ratio rather than the bluer one. Your 14k's, though MH, may or may not support that.

Anybody with 20,000K MH, having used 12 or 14 before, have any input?

 

[beeker]

i get good growth under my PAR38 setup and my PAR numbers that i've taken show that the LED bulbs are more than capable enough to grow corals

the only issue i've had on my setup is getting my sps colors to be 100% correct

But i've been playing with Cool blue/neutral white and soon i'll have some more royal blue over the tank to see how that improves the coloration, so far cool blue and neutral white have both had a positive effect on sps color, now it just comes down to getting the sps colors to pop

Hopefully i'll get my set of royal blue bulbs in the next week or two so i can start figuring out wether or not i need more royal blue or more cool blue over the tank, so far things have been going good, just been a trial and error process and a lot of reading trying to figure out what Leds are needs to keep all sps colors correct

 

[agsansoo]

Anybody with 20,000K MH, having used 12 or 14 before, have any input?

I've used all of the above. The fastest and best for growth were Reeflux 20k's. Best for color were Reeflux 12K's. Might try Radium 20K's next. Though I would have to change my fixtures (DE to SE).

Back OT:
I will be placing a order for 60 and 40 degree optics today. I also think beeker is on the right track with the cool blue/neutral white colors. I will also like to state again, "I would love to replace my MH with LED's". I so hate paying the high electric bills here in SoCal.

 

[beeker]

New pics of my 200g DD PAR38 setup...not sure why you couldn't grow corals in your frag tank, all my sps seem to be doing great under these leds

 

[beeker]

 

[beeker]

EnJOI!!!!!

 

[MarineGirl411]

I was thinking of getting one of these for my future biocube. Beeker, did you replace your MH in your biocube with any of this? If so, how many did you use? I will be getting the 29 gallon biocube.

 

[SDguy]

I'd like to use the Ecoxotic 12K version of these over an 18" cube for a pair of clowns with an RBTA. I'd like to use the Neo Arm fixture. Will one be enough, or do I need two (one in each corner, like this)?

 

[beeker]

2 bulbs would be enough to light a 29g BC 4 if you want to light the whole tank and have 100% flexability to added colored PAR38's over the tank as well as a 12k and 20k to have all the color you'd want

if you use the PAR38's from nanocustoms i know that they put out enough PAR to keep sps and anemones

the only thing you have to take into consideration is height of the tank and spread of the bulb

the short the tank the wider the optics you can get away with and still get good PAR

if your tank is over 24 inches tall then i'd only use the 40 optic bulbs because 80 or 60 optics won't focus the light enough to keep the PAR high

 

[Crab Rangoon]

I'd like to use the Ecoxotic 12K version of these over an 18" cube for a pair of clowns with an RBTA. I'd like to use the Neo Arm fixture. Will one be enough, or do I need two (one in each corner, like this)?

I would suggest starting with one arm & bulb over the tank in the event that your only animal needing the PAR was the anemone. You're in luck, since you'd be able to scape the tank and position the light however you find it most attractive, and the anemone will move to the spot it likes best for the lighting. If you were planning for more inverts that would need the light, you will definitely want TWO of the lamps. This way you can introduce the anemone to the tank and let it settle / pick it's place, and then position your corals and adjust the second lamp accordingly. If you only had one bulb, the anemone would occupy the well lit area enough that corals would be in danger of getting stung.

 

[imisky]

heres my system with the new OC ICE CooL.E.D XPE spotlights driven at 750ma (9 emitters, 5RB, 4CW) with 60degree optics and it is plenty bright compared to my MH i had before. The only thing now i need to do is borrow a PAR meter to check out the levels.

 

[SDguy]

I would suggest starting with one arm & bulb over the tank in the event that your only animal needing the PAR was the anemone. You're in luck, since you'd be able to scape the tank and position the light however you find it most attractive, and the anemone will move to the spot it likes best for the lighting. If you were planning for more inverts that would need the light, you will definitely want TWO of the lamps. This way you can introduce the anemone to the tank and let it settle / pick it's place, and then position your corals and adjust the second lamp accordingly. If you only had one bulb, the anemone would occupy the well lit area enough that corals would be in danger of getting stung.

Thanks for the feedback!