Yes!!!!!!!!! SPS Success with Leds! Come in and Share your Story!

I have the exact same issue with my reefbreeders and I have even removed the optics. I don't think we can get around this. The lights are too direct. Tubular lights definitely spread a lot more due to their shape and there reflectors. Only thing I can think of, as in my case, would be to raise the lights a bit more to get more spread. I only have mine about 8 inches above water so I think I will try 12-14 inches next.
 
I have the exact same issue with my reefbreeders and I have even removed the optics. I don't think we can get around this. The lights are too direct. Tubular lights definitely spread a lot more due to their shape and there reflectors. Only thing I can think of, as in my case, would be to raise the lights a bit more to get more spread. I only have mine about 8 inches above water so I think I will try 12-14 inches next.
Mine are at 10" with the problem...
 
I kinda on the fence with leds and thinking of trying a mh setup (probably 250w x3 running either radiums or Phoenix 14k on m80 ballasts) here if things don't get better. Really my main issue with led is the die off on the base of corals and the slower growth vs mh. A little more in electricity and paying for new bulbs won't bother me if the growth improves dramatically...
 
I kinda on the fence with leds and thinking of trying a mh setup (probably 250w x3 running either radiums or Phoenix 14k on m80 ballasts) here if things don't get better. Really my main issue with led is the die off on the base of corals and the slower growth vs mh. A little more in electricity and paying for new bulbs won't bother me if the growth improves dramatically...
Isn't your die off due to shadowing?
 
I,d imagine shadowing is even worse with radion and such led units where the LEDs are close together. IMO the best way to overcome shadowing is to not use optics and spread the LEDs out over the surfice as much as possible.
Your better off using multiple units run at lower intensity rather than one or two at high intensity.
If you have a 4" tank and running a 32" reef reeder on it your going to get shadowing and a lot of low light areas all around the edge. Your better off having 3 or 4 18" reef breeders mounted sideways.
 
I,d imagine shadowing is even worse with radion and such led units where the LEDs are close together. IMO the best way to overcome shadowing is to not use optics and spread the LEDs out over the surfice as much as possible.
Your better off using multiple units run at lower intensity rather than one or two at high intensity.
If you have a 4" tank and running a 32" reef reeder on it your going to get shadowing and a lot of low light areas all around the edge. Your better off having 3 or 4 18" reef breeders mounted sideways.
I have to disagree with everything you just said.
 
I'm surprised nobody has linked to the August TOTM yet. Its a beautiful tank using only cool white and royal blue LEDs.


FTSsm.jpg

I hope my 60 cube grows in that well.
 
My friend recently won the brs reefers challenge. Here's his tank off their website, lit up with only radions. uploadfromtaptalk1410525038897.jpg
And one I took of the monti. uploadfromtaptalk1410525068713.jpg
 
Thank you. My mandarin has kept me from treating the tank or adding any fish to help with the bugs. I have to say the growth and color is good so I'm in no rush. This tank is pushing the 5 year mark and I'll likely be upgrading within the next year or two. I'll likely deal with the RBs when the upgrade comes.

Just an FYI, I had red bugs and a fat Mandarin. I treated three weeks in a row, and while my Mandarin had a harder time finding food, three months later now he is getting fatter, and finding more food. once you nuke, throw in a fresh clump up chaeto from a local reefer, and watch those pods reproduce like mad. Don't let a Mandarin hold you back, they will be fine.

The outcome from killing RB was HUGE almost overnight on all of my SPS.
 
I have to disagree with everything you just said.[/QUOTE

Fine, but can you explain how a single point light source (Radion, kessil) can overcome shadowing???

They are basically wide angled spotlights or torches.

Shine a torch on an object at night and everything behind the object will be in shadow. Place two torches some distance apart, but both pointing at the object and the shadow cause by each torch get illuminated by the other. Simple physics! Scale this up to multiple light sources and you virtually remove any shadow.

Thats why T5 tubes give very little shadow. They basically have an infinite number of points of light.
 
Just an FYI, I had red bugs and a fat Mandarin. I treated three weeks in a row, and while my Mandarin had a harder time finding food, three months later now he is getting fatter, and finding more food. once you nuke, throw in a fresh clump up chaeto from a local reefer, and watch those pods reproduce like mad. Don't let a Mandarin hold you back, they will be fine.

The outcome from killing RB was HUGE almost overnight on all of my SPS.

Thanks. Since I posted this I got AEFW too so I broke the whole thing down and dipped everything in Bayer. I QT'd all the sps and let the tank go fallow. I've eliminated red bugs and aefw. I got some residual Bayer in my tank and killed off my pod population and had to re-seed. My mandarin got thin but I've restocked the tank will amphipods and copepods and he's gaining some weight.

I'm restarting with sps frags but they all look better than ever and are growing fast. In a few months I'll be on my 4th year with these leds.


FTS 9/6/14 by ritter6788, on Flickr
IMG_7852 by ritter6788, on Flickr
Tyree Bali Tricolor Acro by ritter6788, on Flickr
IMG_7765 by ritter6788, on Flickr
Garf Bonsai by ritter6788, on Flickr
Montipora Capitata by ritter6788, on Flickr
Orange Cap by ritter6788, on Flickr
 
Back
Top