Rapid LED PAR38 bulbs?

I can get better pics with my real camera versus my phone. I'll work on that later. The pics are kinda washed out. I ordered the 14K and it's def. really blue! It is similar to the 20K MH I was running. The corals so far are LOVING the bulb. They are really starting to pop. Today was only the second day I had the bulb on, and I can already tell a difference. I'm running a little experiment with a Tyree purple birdsnest that was pretty bleached. I'm going to see how it will color up and if it will grow. I'll try and take/post better pics tomorrow.
 
I am now debating orginally I want to build a t5 led retro and looks like the Par38 bulb might do the trick then wiring out a unit. How many would you suggest for a 36x36x27 cube? I am on the wire of using 4-6 T5s spread out
 
Galantra said:
I am now debating orginally I want to build a t5 led retro and looks like the Par38 bulb might do the trick then wiring out a unit. How many would you suggest for a 36x36x27 cube? I am on the wire of using 4-6 T5s spread out
Click to expand...

Four would be ok, but five like a die would be best.
 
Great, thanks for the suggestion was thinking the same having them like a dice image would work well. Now let me create this fixture
 
Yay! This means I can afford to get LED's! If I was to use these on a 40B, do you think I should downgrade to a PAR 30 since it's more shallow and I mostly want to keep softies and a clam?
 
Anemonebuff said:
The tank is a 72"x18"x22"(lxwxh), 125 gallons. The use of different bulb types made for some spotlighting from the Rapid LEDs(they are brighter than the BoostLEDs). I did replace the BoostLEDs in the center with the new Rapids and it is more uniform and the spotlighting is not noticable. I will, in the future, replace 2 of the the Boosts on the outer ends closer to the center for even more uniform coverage/color. The Boosts are also bluer(14K-20K). The Rapids are 12K in appearance to my eye. The perfect balance of blue to white light IMO and for my taste.
Click to expand...

I'm about to set up the same size tank. I need help with this LED stuff. I had decided on halides 3 - 250watt lights, but now I really want LED's. Can they sustain sps corals as well as softies? I need suggestions on which lights, how many, etc... I love some of the features on the more expensive units such as being completely controllable, dimmable, moon phases, etc... However, I can pretty much wire anything so DIY may be the way to go for me. I need help! :confused:
 
Hmm. I think we need some more outside opinions here.

Your tank is 13x19, to grow sps you should have roughly 1 LED per 13 square inches which means you need around 19 LEDs. The 2 par38 bulbs only gives you 10. Considering how tightly focused they are, that may be enough though.

The other side of the coin, you can get a 6 LED DIY kit from Rapid for less than you can get the par bulbs, $72 vs $99.
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-143/06-LED-Actinic-Supplement/Detail
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-141/(New)-7-LED-PAR38/Detail
 
LOL. First it said just "Reef Central" now it says "Looks good". I must have partially blinded myself looking at my new lights.
 
DownwardDawg said:
I'm about to set up the same size tank. I need help with this LED stuff. I had decided on halides 3 - 250watt lights, but now I really want LED's. Can they sustain sps corals as well as softies? I need suggestions on which lights, how many, etc... I love some of the features on the more expensive units such as being completely controllable, dimmable, moon phases, etc... However, I can pretty much wire anything so DIY may be the way to go for me. I need help! :confused:
Click to expand...

If you are good a DIYer then I would go with Rapid LED retros or even look into the unibody from nanotuners. It will be the cheapest and easiest to use on a 125.
 
okay while we are asking question's I just came up with the thought of going this route on my 100 gallon tank, 60"Lx18"Wx22H". I originally was thinking 5 of the RapidLED's and set them roughly 12" above the water...now reading this I could actually mount them inside my 12" tall canopy. I would be caring for a mixed reef. What do you guys think?
 
Very nice thanks for helping me decide on which way to go with the lighting over my new tank.
 
gpkozmp said:
okay while we are asking question's I just came up with the thought of going this route on my 100 gallon tank, 60"Lx18"Wx22H". I originally was thinking 5 of the RapidLED's and set them roughly 12" above the water...now reading this I could actually mount them inside my 12" tall canopy. I would be caring for a mixed reef. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Beware that the PAR38s stick out of the socket about 4". Using a track lighting unit you now add another 5-6". This will put the bottom of the bulb 2-3" above the waterline. That will be too close for proper spread and the splash factor.

I am planning on changing my track lighting into a triple outdoor fixture(security lighting fixture). It will be better protected from the elements and will allow me to raise my lights up 2-3".
 
Thanks for the advice, I was planning on having them 6-8 inchees above the water line if I went this way. Does anybody have any pictures of their growth or anything like that?
 
I was curious I wanted to add some leds to my 125. I would leave a 4 bulb t5 fixture and add 3 bost leds. Eventually I would add more I only keep softys and lps would this e ok. Right now I have 6 t5's retro over the tank.
 
I know this is an older thread, but I have a question, since you guys have the bulbs on your tanks, you might be able to give me some first hand experience, do you think 2 rapid led par38's would be enough on a 36"x8"x6" high softie reef? zoas, mushrooms, leathers ect. or should I go with 3? I'm planning on having 2 main rock structures on either side of the tank, with 1 bulb over each rock formation. I'm going for a minimalistic set up.


Since ive been reading about these lights melting sps in 15" of water, and being the tank is only 6" deep and will be stocked with only softies, I THINK 2 will be okay, but what do you guys think?
 
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