FAQs about Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lights,
Fiber Optics,
and Lighting for Marine Systems 3
FAQs on:
LED Lighting 1,
LED Lighting 2,
LED Lighting 4,
FAQs on:
LED Lighting Science/Rationale
LED Lighting for Small Systems (< 40 gal.s),
LED Lighting for Large/r Systems,
LED Lighting Installations,
LED Lighting Troubles/Repairs,
LED Lighting Manufacturers,
Related FAQs:
Metal Halides 1,
Compact Fluorescents,
Regular Fluorescents,
Lighting Marine Invertebrates,
LR Lighting,
Tridacnid Lighting,
Small System Lighting,
Related Articles:
TMC's AquaRay MultiControl, AquaBeam 1000 HD Ultra, and AquaBeam 600 Ultra on test. Review By James Gasta,
LED Lighting, the New Horizon in Aquarium Lighting? by James Gasta,
Switching from Metal Halides to LEDs by Michael Maddox,
Orphek's Pr-156 Power Reef LED Pendant, reviewed by James Gasta,
Coral System Lighting,
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Led lighting 7/23/18
Hello WWM Crew,
I've been away from the hobby for awhile and getting back into it. Of course I
turned to WWM for great reading and info as always, thanks to the men and women
of the crew. I've tried to search for a specific fixture but couldn't find any
FAQ on the fixture.
<Mmm; there is, are... try "LED Fixture" in the WWM search tool; found on every
page>
Possibly it's a new item and wondering if you have any info. It's the Current
USA Orbit Marine IC Pro led 72". It comes with 2x72" fixtures for a total of 288
led's, 144 watts.
<Ah yes; a very nice unit; and made in the town I live in>
The graph on the Current website shows the par values at 24" to be 100-70.
Would this be good enough for corals requiring high intensity lighting or just
for medium to low.
<PAR readings of 100 or more are my basic limit for SPS... LPS, soft corals et
al. do fine at the range you list. You could, might just place Acroporids,
Pocilloporids, Poritids... higher up in the water column... on rock>
I have a chance to get a good deal on this fixture but would like to know if you
have any knowledge of this item. Reviews seem to be favorable.
Thanks in advance for your expertise.
Brian
<Thank you for the prompting. I would buy, use this fixture. Bob Fenner>
Metal Halide to LED 7/20/18
Hi! Just wondering if you can point me in the right direction…I have
been running 3 250 watt halides (14000k) over my reef for about 12 years
and am thinking of switching 1 of them over to an LED just to see if I
would prefer the change…less heat…lower cost to run…with all the options
out there can you give me advice as to what I would need from an LED to
replace the 250 watt Hamilton's I am running now? Which brand should I
be looking at? How many watts?
Thank you,
Steve
<I hear you re saving costs of operation by switching from MH to LED
technology. There are some "general rules of thumb" re LED application.
Rather than elaborating re all possibilities, would like to narrow down
the response here by asking 1) how deep your system is... the water
depth to the photosynthetic life, and 2) what sorts of photosynthates
you have, intend to have. I'll assume you're shooting for moderate
growth, color.
Bob Fenner>
Re: Metal Halide to LED 7/20/18
The system is 2 feet deep X 2 feet wide X 6 feet long…have mostly soft
corals, a couple of crocea clams, and some LPS.
<Mmm; okay... well; do make sure to investigate means for directing,
concentrating the LED light (reflectors, lenses)... Depending on the
make/model of fixture/s employed, you're likely looking at 3-5 watts per
gallon here. Fixtures are variously reviewed on WWM. On the lower cost
end ZooMed and Current USA are faves of mine; higher end include Current
USA Pro line, Koval, Orphek and several others. None are going to appear
as bright as your MHs... and you will need to photo-acclimate your
livestock to the new lighting. See WWM re this process:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PhotoAcclimGasta.htm
Bob Fenner>
Re: Metal Halide to LED 7/20/18
Very Helpful!!! Thank you Bob!
<Welcome! Do write back w/ your decisions, input. BobF>
LED lighting 12/21/15
Hello WWM Crew,
Thanks for all the great reading so helpful. I have a question about lighting
and would like your opinion, I’m not sure if my LFS is just trying to sell
something 3 times the price. On a 72”tank 26”deep would 2x36” Current USA Orbit
LED lighting with 144 led’s, 72 daylight and 72 actinic on each fixture total of
36 watts each, and 4x36” T5 HO 10,000K daylight be enough for various soft
corals. My LFS said I would have to go up to the USA Orbit Dual Pro for corals.
I value your expert opinion. Thanks is advance.
Brian
<Mmm; well.... depends (as usual...) on what you mean by "corals"; where they're
placed, and what you want them to do mostly (there are a few other more minor
considerations). Allow me to expand. There are some "low/er light intensity"
stinging-celled groups; like Alcyoniids/soft corals, Pennatulaceans/sea pens....
and even amongst stony corals; typically the fleshier so-called large polyp
corals are less light demanding (not all) than the small/er polyp species;
notably the Pocilloporids, Poritids and Acroporids.... then again, not all of
these share the same light-adaptability/use/tolerance.
Re the placement; of course one can "mount" their organisms "up higher" in the
water column; adjust the PAR/PUR exposure therein.
And the note concerning "what you want"; refers to whether you'll be happy w/ a
slower boat under wind power, or that you prefer the fast motor boat of high
energy input; along w/ the necessities of current/circulation, alkaline earth
and other nutrient application.
To sum up: You COULD get by easily with the first fixture here; and IF you
wanted more color, growth (with the concurrent maintenance mentioned); you could
use the second.
Understanzee? Bob Fenner>
Acclimate New Corals to Leds
My current tank specifics are a 65 gallon mixed reef
(eventually) tank currently cycled with a 2-3 inch sandbed and about 50 pounds
of live rock. I have a hob reef octopus 1000, a hob, and multiple powerheads.
There is a very modest cleanup crew, I am aware these few snails and crabs do
ultimately add bioload so numbers will remain sparse. My parameters are ammonia
0, nitrites 0, nitrates under 10 ppm, alkalinity 8.0, temperature 79 F. I am
writing because after much deliberation I purchased two Kessil 160s to
serve as primary lighting for a range of soft corals and perhaps, conditions
permitting, a few lps. Specifically I am looking for advice on how to allow
newly acquired specimens to adjust properly to the lighting.
<Ahh; thank you for providing such detail. The Kessil Pendants will work well
here; including for light acclimation. IF you have available (perhaps a fish
store or club will lend you) a PAR or PUR meter... to measure out the useful
light arrangement in your system. I would place new "corals" of most any species
on the edges, borders.... at depths... that yield some values in the 50's... in
weeks time if they're hermatypic types that require/appreciate intense
illumination (e.g. Acroporids, Poritids, Pocilloporids...) moving them to areas
with PAR/PUR values higher than 100>
Most will be arriving from a lfs that uses a mixture of metal halides and some
tanks with t-5's. I know this would have to be a broad generalization
<Yes>
but, for instance, how long do I run the Kessils per day and or at what
intensity?
<Can only be determined with a meter; your using a probe at depths, making a
detailed drawing of values you measure>
Is there a standard or this primarily a try and troubleshoot method?
<The latter; empirical is best>
Is there an order of addition of coral to the tank by estimating the individual
light requirements?
<Oh yes indeed.... and more to this... You want to be studying, placing the less
allelopathogenic species first....>
I know I will be starting with polyps, xenia, and mushrooms, unless you suggest
otherwise?
<Depends on what you intend to add later... Also; I would isolate all incoming
for a couple, plus weeks (in another system) to give them a chance to rest up
(treat w/ Iodide-ate here), allow you to examine for possible hitchhikers,
pests... and to see if the colonies are going to live>
Future success might lead to the addition of a hammer, torch, or bubble coral.
<Oh! Am currently writing a series for the UK mag. UltraMarine on this family...
can be rough on other Cnidarians... need to be placed distal... with several
inches gap twixt others>
As is usually the case, I don't have the financial means to stock the tank to
capacity from the onset of suitable conditions so much thought will be given to
adding them in a way which doesn't stress previous inhabitants while considering
the needs of potential newbies.
<Best to take your time period.... look into buying, trading frags....>
I have searched and researched and I may be more confused than I was prior to
internet surfing. I realize there isn't a hard and fast answer but any advice or
knowledge or even steering in the direction of factual information would be so
appreciated and well received. Thank you in advance.
<Oh! There's a bunch of avenues for knowledge, inspiration. DO consider joining
a club or more... and chatting w/ other like-minded folks on the Net, or better,
face to face... DO develop good relations with local stores. Mmm; and do remain
a bit skeptical (even of my spiels) re what you experience other than
first-hand. There is also much disinformation and phony products to be had.
When, where you can, read w/ a discerning mind. Bob Fenner>
LED System for Salt Water Tanks
7/2/15
Hello,
<Daniel>
A friend of mine highly recommended your page for information and I can see why.
So much awesome information. I have enjoyed reading your FAQ sections quite a
bit however I am on a bit of a time crunch unfortunately. I work at a college
with a Nature Lab and I have to order a light fixture in time before our grant
window expires.
<Ok>
SO! We have two 165 gallon saltwater tanks. We would
like to get lighting fixtures for both. LED seems to be the way to go in terms
of cost, heat, future benefits. We change out what wild caught fish we keep in
there from time to time. The tanks are by some large windows. Not sure how much
supplemental lighting is needed if any.
<Depends on the type of life; your wanting to boost its physiology, and capacity
for providing for this additionally (use of foods, supplements)>
We sometimes keep Kreisels above the tanks for smaller fish set ups. Attached is
an image of our tanks with only one Kreisel over one tank.
<Very nice>
My big question is what models or specifications would you recommend for these
tanks? The tanks are 80x30x14 and we were hoping to suspend the lights.
<Good; I would... for function, flexibility and safety's sake>
Our goal is to try and have some macro algae or maybe some soft corals. Someone
recommended the AI Hydra 52 LED system? But it seems that that may only light
half of the tank?
<Mmm; wouldn't be my choice, no>
I'm new to salt water systems and am trying to do the best that I can. I feel
really bad emailing this question rather than doing the research myself but
again I'm on a time crunch and am really hoping for a hail Mary touchdown pass.
Thank you so much,
Dan
<T'were they mine... on the lower cost side I'd just get/use four four foot
ZooMed units; if more funds are available, I'd look to the Orphek line... same
number and length of fixtures. Bob Fenner>
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Led lights; effect/s on stony corals
1/1/15
This may be a strange question. I have 140 reef set up lots of Lps and
some sps. I was running vertex illuminlux led lights and recently switch
to 2 Kessil 360w lights. The color to my eye is a little different but I
have probably 5x more shimmery then before. My corals seem much happier
now. My question is: Have the corals improved due to more shimmer or is
it only dependent the spectrum of light???
<It will/would take a few weeks for the corals to change... so my guess
the difference is primarily the lighting. Bob Fenner> Re: LED lighting 5/18/14
Hi Bob,
I'll take care of this tomorrow morning. Thanks.
<Real good. B>
James
Re: LED lighting 5/19/14
<Hello Bruce,
There are many LED fixtures on the market now but just a few that would
really do the job in a 30" deep tank. As you mentioned, the pros
of LED are low operating cost both in energy
and metal halide lamp replacement costs. In
your location I'm guessing a chiller is also used. The
first thing you must look for when shopping is a good spectrum that
corals respond to like the one in the photo below. The second is
the PAR generated from the light in this
spectrum. A PAR reading of 175-200 in the
spectrum below is enough to grow most any SPS coral.
There are companies that use green and yellow lamps in their fixtures.
The use of these LEDs increases the PAR reading in the visible
wavelength but represents only a small portion of the light
corals require. Never buy an LED fixture
unless the company can provide a
spectrograph (above) and furnish you with PAR readings at different
depths.
I will also respond to your last email which Mr. Fenner has sent me
regarding Chinese LED lamps. You are correct in your statement.
In most cases the lights are the same but just
rebranded with a different
companies name on them. Always keep in mind that you get what you pay
for. There are no bargains. In these type fixtures you will
generally find cheap LED drivers with a very
poor lifespan. Another item to check is ease
of serviceability, can the unit be service by the owner, is it
modular in design to facilitate this. James (Salty Dog)>
---
Warm regards,
JAMES
sales-3@orphek.com
LED lighting 5/19/14
Hi Bruce here, I have found your web site very helpful over the years.
With my new tank setup I am debating on staying with MH 10,000K with T5
actinic and led moon lights or switching over to all led. Tank is 72” x
30” x 30” plan on mainly SPS. current lighting is 3-250 watt double
ended HQI 10,000 K, 8-39 watts actinic T5 and 12 blue and 12 white
moonlights. I have always had great growth and color with Acro under
10,000 K MH with actinic supplement. but I am looking to reduce heat so
I can reduce electric bill from lights and chiller here in SoCal. I know
LED can grow SPS but leds are changing so fast. I was wondering if you
have any recommendations based on the height and depth of tank of 30”
from what I have been able to make sense of, if I was at 24 x 24 it
would be 3--4 fixtures but at 30 x 30 is where I am not sure. if I were
to go with many more led Fixtures the initial cost would cover a lot of
bulb replacements and electrical cost. at that point the savings would
be the cost of running the chiller.
I have reviewed your website and others there is good info out there but
also much misinformation.
T5 and MH are such proven performers it is hard to make the change to
LED on a large scale without some good input.
Thanks Bruce
Re: LED lighting 5/19/14
What can you tell me about the fixture that is all over the net
especially EBay.
They all look like Evergrow but everyone seems to rename them. I know
this is common for items made in China. I read good and bad reviews on
them. Are they adequate they are called 120 watt or 165 watt depending
on who’s website you are on. I can buy 6 of them for $630. no they do
not have all the features of some of the others but they are priced so
low they can be called disposable.
I do like the Apollo Reef SolarBlast UV-6000 that can be hooked to
controller
Thanks Bruce
Re: LED lighting 5/19/14
Hello James,
I assume you are recommending the Atlantik, what is the price and how
many will be needed. AI told me it would be 3 of their Hydra 52. What
are the dimensions of the fixture? Yes I have always used a chiller and
obviously the less heat transfer the less the chiller will have to run.
Because I live in Riverside, Ca and they have their own power plants we
have pretty good rates. I keep our house about 72 all year so during the
summer we hit the top tier which is about 18 cents a kilowatt.
I will probably start with the fixture I have and then is the heat
transfer is too much then change.
Thanks Bruce
Re: LED lighting 5/19/14
Hello Bruce,
Although I do sell Orphek products, the purpose of WWM is not to sell
you something but to answer your questions.
So, to answer your questions, only two
Atlantiks are required for your tank. Two units shipped to you is
1750.00 (WWM discount). The specifications can be found near the
bottom of this page.
http://orphek.com/orphek-atlantik-v2-wifi/
Regards,
James
Re: Fwd: LED lighting
5/20/14
<Hello Bruce,
There are many LED fixtures on the market now but just a few that would
really do the job in a 30" deep tank. As you mentioned, the pros
of LED are low operating cost both in energy
and metal halide lamp replacement costs. In
your location I'm guessing a chiller is also used.
The first thing you must look for when shopping is a good spectrum that
corals respond to like the one in the photo below. The second is
the PAR generated from the light in this
spectrum. A PAR reading of 175-200 in the
spectrum below is enough to grow most any SPS coral.
There are companies that use green and yellow lamps in their fixtures.
The use of these LEDs increases the PAR reading in the visible
wavelength but represents only a small portion of the light
corals require. Never buy an LED fixture
unless the company can provide a spectrograph
(above) and furnish you with PAR readings at different
depths.
I will also respond to your last email which Mr. Fenner has sent me
regarding Chinese LED lamps. You are correct in your statement.
In most cases the lights are the same but just
rebranded with a different
companies name on them. Always keep in mind that you get what you pay
for. There are no bargains. In these type fixtures you will
generally find cheap LED drivers with a very
poor lifespan. Another item to check is ease
of serviceability, can the unit be service by the owner, is it
modular in design to facilitate this. James (Salty Dog)>
---
Warm regards,
JAMES
sales-3@orphek.com
Re: Pls see your WWM infolder\
5/20/14
Hi Bob, I took care of this yesterday. Thanks
<Ah, thank you James. B>
James
sales-3@orphek.com
LED lights for car on fish tank
8/24/13
Hello:
<Hi Judy>
I bought two white LED 12 inch strips from an auto shop containing 30
LED lights. There was no info about wattage or light color on
the package. The lights are extremely bright, as in blinding. I taped
them to the fluorescent light strip and turned them on. The tank is only
half as bright as it is with the usual 10,000K fluorescent light. I did
get the blue light strip from the auto shop and that works great as it
needs to be dimmer. The tank is a fish-only 75 gallon.
I saw someone do what I did on YouTube with a 55 gallon with white sand
at the bottom and it worked fine for them.
<Should be fine for fish only systems...>
I tried the lights at different angles and it is the same. Would you have
any ideas on this? Thank you
<Ideas? As in...? If there's enough light for your enjoyment,
appreciation... Bob Fenner>
LED lighting reef tank
5/28/13
Hi,
<Hey Susan>
I am so glad you are available. I have inherited a 75 gallon salt water
reef tank from 2 of my kids who set this up as teens working for a LFS.
These kids have moved on, and are in college rather far away. The tank
has been set up for the past 12 years using the sand/live rock principle
for filtration and a protein skimmer. I have had compact
fluorescent lighting on this tank-Coralife with 2 10 K and 2 actinic 65
watt light bulbs. I have 2 tank bred Ocellaris Clowns that are
living in a bed of branching Frogspawn. A Midas Blenny, a Banggai
Cardinal, a Blue Spotted Goby, 2 serpent starfish, about 12
Nassarius Snails.
I have 3 different types of mushrooms for color and lower down in the
tank.
On one corner end I have Pulsing Xenia, the middle of the tank I have
the Frogspawn bed, and then I have some small stony polyp coral I was
given by a neighbor who shut down her tank, I think these are in the
Montipora encrusting coral class, a hammer coral with the opposite
coloring than my frogspawn and 2 other corals I am not familiar with.
<Send their images on for ID if so desired>
I also had a open brain coral on the sand. I do have some polyp coral
that grew 5 years into owning the tank from a live rock that do well at
the bottom of the tank.
Everything in the tank was just wonderful and doing very well. At that
time I also had a sweet Yellow Tang who passed away about 3 months ago
after a water change. We had this fish for 6-7 years and I miss the
fish. Who would have known I would be attached to a fish but I am.
<I understand>
In any case, since last fall I have been noticing my Brain coral
receding, my Xenia declining in number and some of the Frogspawn losing
color. I had been testing the water, checking the flow, and providing
nutrients, feeding bits of food, but nothing seemed to work. I ordered
new lights for the compact fluorescent and put those in which really
seemed to help my Brain Coral ( I am very attached to this one as well
as the Xenia and my fish).
Unfortunately, the lights were up but the fixture was not working
correctly and my husband felt it has become a fire hazard.
<Mmm, DO wire this and all other 110-120 volt gear through a GFCI to
avoid>
I had the fixture for 12 years also.
I went to the fish store after reading much and talking with Fosters and
Smith, Marineland over the phone trying to learn about T5's and LED
lightening. Initially, I thought to purchase another compact fluorescent
fixture but both online stores told me this would not be a good idea.
<Am wondering why. CF's are still available; would work>
I felt my coral were used to this and would do better with what they had
been used to. I thought the problem with the receding brain coral and
color loss in a small amount of the frogspawn might be the Zooxanthellae
and that the coral symbiosis was not as it should be.
<This might be due to a few other influences (other than light);
nutrition, aspects of water quality chiefly>
I went to the life fish store I have been going to as it is associated
with the reef society in my city. I was looking at T5's ready to make
the purchase. In going to the store, I was trusting the staff as I was
not able to grasp the best understanding of PAR or what my coral were
actually receiving for their health from my old lamp we just used the
wattage.
<Mmm, do they have a PAR, or PUR meter to lend? Wattage is a poor
indicator of available useful light/photonic energy>
In any case, I don't think I made the best decision, in fact, it was
probably the worst decision I have ever made. I actually purchased based
on the recommendation of this store who also provided a warranty for a
year 2 high power LED lights.
<Oh! These can (not necessarily implied) provide sufficient
illumination... w/ adjustability, lower energy consumption....>
When I got home and unpacked these lights, my husband and I put them up
on the newly adapted canopy of the tank. I set these at 50% white light
and 50% blue light.
<Mmmm, I'd look over the mix here>
Then I went to read the brochure. What I had was photo copy of 3 pages
telling me how to program the lights. That was it. I called the
store to ask if I could get the name of the company who made these
lights as often times one can find the manual online. I was told there
is no name, no phone number and that these are Chinese LED lights.
<Not uncommon>
I kept these lights as I am working a 7 day stretch I did not have the
time to return them which is probably a costly mistake. But, if these
lights last 2-3 years, actually function well to provide the correct
lighting for the coral and I can learn to adjust these I will have broke
even.
I am looking for some guidance. I hope I have provided enough
information.
1. Do you feel that the reason my coral were not doing as well is the
lighting and Zooxanthellae? This is my thought.
<Could well be light related, but I would not discount other factors
without their testing... IF you're happy with the results of "just"
switching out the lighting... so be it. Otherwise, I'd look into
ORP/RedOx, trial the use of other foods for a few weeks each, try
changing up your supplement practice>
2. Will LPS coral such as my Frogspawn and Hammer do well under the LED
lighting?
<Can, sure>
3. How do I adjust the corals from the lower lighting, then the short
time under the newly changed 10K lights from the compact fluorescent
lighting to these new LED lights.
<Mmm, well; better to have had measures for PAR... but now, just adjust
for lower intensity... maybe 50% and grade up a few percent every few
days>
4. How do you adjust or know how much blue light, how much white light
to provide?
<Either by direct measure (PAR, PUR) or better, careful observation of
your livestock>
5. How long do you leave the LED lights on for? Is it similar time say
of 10 hours white light (10K) and 12 hours blue light (Actinic)?
<This is fine. Can be adjusted, even turned on/off more than once per
day to accommodate your viewing/pleasure>
6. How is the placement of the existing coral life? If you feel I should
change the depth of these corals please feel free to let me know.
<Is fine. I would not move>
I have been hesitant to purchase another yellow tang as I don't see they
can be tank raised.
<Not yet. Acanthurids/Tangs have long developmental phases... not yet
marketable at cultured small sizes, higher cost. This will change years
hence>
I am concerned the tank may grow algae without one. Any suggestions or do
you know if they have started tank raised yellow tangs?
<Look into an algae eating blenny; read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeblensart.htm
Very industrious; and will add a good deal of activity, enjoyment for
you>
I really would love any help you can provide. I very much appreciate
your service for this group.
<A pleasure to serve>
I don't want to admit it but it is harder to understand the newer
technologies as I am getting older and without the kids to help.
<Oh, this I really understand>
Thank you for your time,
Susie
<And you for your sharing. Bob Fenner>
LED Lighting (fixture sel.; JamesL chimes in)
5/29/13
Hello Susie,
I'm going to chime in with my opinion on your LED purchase. The
first mistake you made is not researching enough on LED lighting before
making your purchase. You should never buy a LED lighting
system without knowing its PAR capabilities and most importantly,
viewing a spectrograph of the spectrum it produces.
Intensity means nothing if the unit can not provide the spectrum corals
best respond to. There are a handful of LED lighting systems that are
not capable of providing enough intensity for growing SPS/LPS corals.
It doesn't surprise me that no instructions came with your unit but what
is more surprising is that there is no website or no one you can contact
for programming information. Without instructions, programming a
LED fixture can be very intimidating at the least. As to some of
the Chinese fixtures; many are manufactured by the same company but
rebranded and changed slightly so they look different but are basically
the same fixture dressed in different clothes and are sold to other
companies with their logo on it. I sell LED lighting systems for a very
well known and reputable company and we pride ourselves on customer care
and service. So with this being said, I can certainly understand
what you are going through now as far as programming and knowing your
unit's capabilities. If it were me, I would demand instructions on
how to program the unit or return it.
Better yet, return it and buy a quality LED fixture from a company that
CAN provide PAR ratings and spectrographs of their LED systems, and most
importantly, customer service. James (Salty Dog)
<Thank you James. B>
LED lighting and Acropora/Reef Lighting 2/25/13
Hello gang.
<Hello Larry>
I bought a Kessil 90 watt fixture the other day to use over metal
halides.
The tank is a 29 gallon and I have a few Acropora in there. I
don't know why the polyps are half way out. Perhaps it's too much
or too little light?
<Is likely the change of spectrum and/or an increase in intensity.
Corals should always be acclimated to different lighting technologies.
Please read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PhotoAcclimGasta.htm>
I've never had LEDs before. The tank is relatively new, all of the
water parameters are fine except for the nitrate is at 5.0 and the KH is
around 5.0.
<I would try to get the nitrate down to about 1-2ppm.>
I've noticed the KH on another tank of mine was high in the beginning
but came down through time. I think the reason is that I bought
Florida base rock, which is not the live rock that is typically sold for
reef aquariums.
This base rock is dry, chalky and white. Would a KH of 5.0 be
harmful to Acropora?
<dKH is a measure of buffers present in seawater and buffers are mostly
made up of carbonates which the corals need to build their skeleton.
Without the presence of carbonates, corals cannot grow or build their
skeletons.
I would keep your dKH higher than this. A minimum of 7dKH and a
maximum of 12 should work very well. It's best to monitor the dKH
on a weekly basis, especially if there are many SPS/LPS corals present
in the system.>
I also have some Zoanthids, Halimeda plant and a gorgonian.
Thank You
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
L. Splitter
Re LED lighting and Acropora/Reef Lighting 2/25/13
Thanks James.
<You're welcome.>
I had meant to say that the alkalinity was around 5.0 not the KH.
Would this still be too high for a wild Acropora specimen?
<What kit are you using to measure alkalinity? Are you measuring
meq/l?
If you are, and I believe you are, you then multiply the meq/l reading
by 2.8 to give you dKH. In your case it is 14dKH, a bit on the
high side but not harmful to Acropora or other stony corals. Do
not dose any buffers in the system until the level drops to around 8 or
9 dKH.>
Thanks
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
T5 lighting/Reef Lighting 2/12/13
Hi crew!
<Hello Jennifer.>
I recently upgraded to an 80 gallon frag tank (48x24x18). Currently I am
running AquaticLife 4 bulb T5 fixture.
<Not enough lighting for a two foot wide tank.>
I have mostly softies in the tank but I have a couple of Montis that have
lost color but are growing.
I am looking at upgrading the lighting. My question is should I add
another 4 bulb T5 fixture (there is room) or go metal halide with 4 T5s? My
goal is to get color back into the Montis and I don't know if the additional
T5s will be as effective in achieving that goal.
<No guarantee the additional lighting will get the color back in the Montis
but you will need more coverage. The color is created by the
Zooxanthellae algae that reside in the corals and a difference in intensity
and/or spectrum can have an profound effect on color.>
Also I have been reading about the difference in T5 bulb brands and am
understanding that ATI is top of the line. I am using UVL and am
wondering if just switching to ATI bulbs will help to increase the color.
<It's best to look a spectrum charts of the lamps and look for a spectrum
that closely matches the PUR spectrum corals require which is 400-550nm and
620-700nm. The UVL's produce sharp spectrum peaks in many of their
models but none have what I would call a good spectrograph. Their
Actinic White and Aquasun are the better choices of all their models as far
as covering the PUR spectrum but not great. Follow this link
which will show the spectrographs for UVL lamps.
http://www.uvlco.com/AquariumT5.html
Now look at the attachment which shows a spectrograph of a well known
LED fixture. Can you see the difference in the PUR spectrum coverage,
the smoothness of spectrum transition? It is much better for coral
growth.
Before I would invest in metal halide lamps I would strongly consider LEDs
and eliminate the heat, power consumption, and lamp replacement costs.>
Currently I am running 2 Aquasuns, 1 indigo sun, one actinic blue. Thank you
for your help! I have been researching this for over a week and can't a lot
of information.
<As far as ATI lamps, there doesn't seem to be a big difference in overall
spectral quality over UVL lamps but if I were to use ATI lamps I would
choose their 12K Aqua Blue as they do peak in the right places. James
(Salty Dog)>
Jennifer
|
|
Re Reef Alkalinity, pH, 2-Part Calcium, and Extra- Strength
Tylenol and now LED Lighting 1/21/13
How-do, James?
<Hello Mike>
Just wanted to give you an update and the satisfaction of knowing your
suggestions worked like a charm.
<That is great!>
Following your advice, since last we spoke, I've used unbuffered ro/di
for both top-offs and water changes.
<Good.>
All 3 of my systems have been treated to two ~20% water changes in the
past week, and since my rookie season back in middle-school, I've never
performed a water change without vacuuming out the substrate, so no
worries there.
<Great!>
dKH is down to around 8-9 and the pH in the 3 systems have only dropped
slightly: now hovering between 7.90 and 8.08. With the dKH
presently low enough so I'd expect it to not inhibit raising Ca, Mg, and
K.
<Should not affect K, potassium and sodium are chemically similar.>
I've been dosing the maximum recommended daily infusions of Brightwell's
potions and I'm happy to report that the independent systems are now
registering uniform numbers of 420, 1220, and 420 ppm, respectively.
<Another great.>
If the pattern continues, tonight's testing (24 hours after the last
dose) should show nearly 500 ppm each for Ca and K, and Mg somewhere
around 1300. Hopefully, it will now be a simple matter of
dosing/adjusting calc-reactor to keep these levels appropriate and
steady.
<See, not as difficult as you thought.>
Thank you.
You haven't steered me wrong yet, so I wanted to ask for your blessing
to begin adding (Seachem Reef) buffer back into the systems now.
<You have my blessing but do monitor and do not test for dKH the same
day you buffer.>
I would like to stop seeing my pH dip below 8.0. But so I don't
fall back into the you-can't-overdose-it-so-just-chuck-some-in mentality
that caused me so much grief in the first place, I was thinking that I
should make it a new rule to add a teaspoon or two to the 32-gallon
garbage can which stores my ro/di for both refilling top-off reservoirs
and mixing new seawater. Good
amount to start with?
<Sounds like a plan. But as I mentioned earlier, good dKH levels
do not necessarily bring the pH up. The capability is just
present. Any acids or CO2 generated by the system can lower the pH
regardless of what level of alkalinity is present. Good water
surface movement should rid the system of any CO2.>
LED...
And since I'm graced with an audience with James "Helios Brings Me
Coffee" Gasta, may I pick your brain about another topic that gives many
of us fits? It's safe to say that LED reef lighting has officially
graduated from the risky realm of early adopters to solidly mainstream.
Unfortunately, the relative novelty and explosive evolution of the
technology means that there seem to be few hard-and-fast rules such as
the old watts-per-gallon gospels which made selection and installation
of halides and T5s (the laserdiscs of the hobby, in my opinion...
brilliant for about 20 minutes before they were supplanted by slicker
technology) fairly simple.
<The technology is here to stay and is a good one. I also work for
Orphek LED lighting so I am pretty knowledgeable about LED lighting.>
Again, I've combed through WWM and can't seem to find the end-all
diagram that explains the approximate PAR requirements for different
families of photosynthetic cnidarians. I've done a fair share of
reading about PUR (lots of it written by some dude named Salty
something),
<Hah.>
but since many manufacturers either don't make these specs known, or
perhaps alter design too fast to keep up with documentation, is there an
accurate way to use conventional PAR readings to make an educated guess
as to PUR at the spot in question?
<Good LED lighting manufacturers will tune the spectrum to the PUR
range, the range corals best respond to. This range is 400-550nm
and 620-700nm. Halides produce some of the PUR range but they also
produce light in spectrums not needed by the corals so a good LED system
that has a PAR of 200 in the PUR spectrum is very close to a halide lamp
with a PAR of 400. Some companies use a certain brand of white
diodes that measure high in terms of PAR, but these particular diodes
also emit some green and green light does produce a high amount of PAR
so PAR readings can be misleading. Corals do not use light in the
green spectrum.
A good LED manufacturer will have spectrographs available so the buyer can
readily see what the PAR distribution is in the spectrum the LED fixture
emits.>
I have an Acan 800 series (sorry, Mr. Orphek... Acans were talked up to
many of us here in the NYC area. If I had it to do all over again,
and more importantly... had the money back... but if you can't be with
the one you (now) love... you understand I'm sure...)
<Certainly, the LED business is highly competitive.>
suspended over my water surface from 8" to 2' as I've tried to find the
ideal height. I can't find a spectrum chart for my fixture, but
the manufacturer claims the blue LEDs are 460 nm, and the whites are
12000k.
<Doesn't mean too much without viewing a spectrograph. I would
never buy a LED fixture if I could not see a spectrograph of the light
it emits.>
I understand that the blue is primarily for my enjoyment,
<Nope, blue falls into the 400-480nm range and is useful for coral
growth.>
not so much for photosynthetic purposes and so they're nearly always
cranked to the limit for maximum coral-color-pop, but I've dialed the
whites from 80% all the way down to 16% (with at least 48 hours between
adjustments) and can't seem to find a sweet spot. Most of my
corals: sps, lps, and softies are all colorful and growing like weeds.
<Then you must have found the sweet spot. Best to check your
lighting with a PAR meter if you want to be sure they are receiving
enough light in the location they are in.>
But too often for my satisfaction, I'll invest in an exquisite and
expensive
frag which will then either brown or bleach within days of arrival.
Sometimes two corals with identical requirements will brown and bleach
within a few inches of each other in the display.
<Depending on the lighting used where they came from, they are reacting
to the new lighting and/or increased intensity.
New corals should be light acclimated to LED lighting. Always
remember, the lighting corals utilize does not appear as intense to us
as it does to the corals. Our eyes are much more sensitive to the
light spectrum not required by corals to photosynthesize. I'll
attach an article for you to read.>
According to a PAR meter, and with an oversimplified description of
strata, with about a 20-80 split (with blue dominating white LEDs) I
read ~60 on the substrate, ~90 at mid-level, and ~150 in the nosebleeds.
My coral placement is informed by expected species-specific light
requirements, and I often relocate animals if they seem unhappy. 8
out of 10 wind up settling in and taking off. With respect to my
lighting equipment, do my PAR readings indicate an obvious error/course
for correction? Is there such an animal as a PUR-meter?
<A PAR of 60 on the substrate would be sufficient for Ricordea and other
soft corals but not enough
light for SPS/LPS. The PAR meter should not be set on "sunlight",
use the other setting as the corrective
calculations are programmed in the software for artificial light.>
I've taken to using freshly clipped
sps frags as pass/fail PUR detectors. Is there a better way?
<With a PAR meter that you know is calibrated correctly. Remember
that PAR meters measure all light
from 400-700nm and an LED's light may measure what you believe is low
but the PAR meter is actually measuring only the light being emitted by
the fixture. So if the LED light is emitting light covering most
of the PUR range, than a PAR reading of 100+ should be sufficient for
most corals although 125+ would be much better for SPS corals.>
You're 2 helpful emails away from me naming all my future children
James.
<Even if they are girls? Well I guess you could name them Jamie.
:-)>
6 more, and you get a rent-free room in my house.
I would prefer monthly shipments of Jack Daniels. :-) In the
future, and when changing the subject, please send in a separate email.
Makes it much easier for Bob to archive in the FAQs.
Have fun. James (Salty Dog)>
Mike
Dimmable remote control LED grow light 10/8/12
Hello Payne,
Is this LED for freshwater planted tank use or for growing corals? Do
you have any PAR measurements on
this pendant and/or a spectrograph of the spectrum it produces?
Thank you,
James Gasta
|
"Phantom..." Re:
Dimmable remote control LED grow light 10/10/12
Dear Sir,
How are you !
Thanks for you reply.
1. 5000-6000K for fresh water tank Plant Tank.
12000-20000K for saltwater Tank Coral Reef, Fish.
450-470nm for saltwater Tank Coral Reef,
Fish.
You can choose the red or green LEDs for your light to made your
saltwater
Tank Coral Reef more beautiful.
2.we can supply the LED Aquarium light according you requirement.
3.Now i am ready to made parameter and parameter and send to you next
time.
4.The Dimmable Phantom LED aquarium light have lens to gathered light
source , as follow:
Best regards
Payne
Thank you for the information Payne. Please keep in mind that we do
not sell products. We are an informational site only.
Regards,
James
|
Re: Custom Aquariums, LED art. f'
8/9/12
Hi,
I emailed you a couple weeks ago about a blog I manage, Okeanos Group,
that recently posted an article on turtles, too! Our blog is full of
info on caring for many types of fish, both saltwater and freshwater. We
also deal in custom aquariums. I believe that the information we cover
in our blog would also be a great fit for your readers,
especially this article about
LED lighting
<http://www.okeanosgroup.com/blog/tank-maintenance/let-there-be-light-5-reasons-why-leds-are-a-ok/
>for
aquariums.
I wondered if you had a chance to share us with your readers and if I
could get a link to it if you have.
Kind Regards,
Bradley
I posted a fresh and marine link to your website as prev. stated... on
our links pages. B
Your valued opinions, please, LED fixture choices for a 24"
deep sys., mixed Cnid.s 6/15/12
Hello...I have used your site for several years; it has helped me
through multiple concerns with my tanks. My showpiece is a 180
Gallon, 24" deep marine environment, currently FOWLR. It has been
up and running for 3 years, and I want to make the leap into soft
corals, leathers, Zoanthids, mushrooms - no super difficult species yet
- start slow is my motto.
<A good one>
So here is my question - my lighting right now is T5's - only around 360
watts worth. I would like to upgrade to LED's, since it seems they are
the coming trend. I have read multiple reviews of AquaBeam,
Orphek, Radion, and AL - many conflicting opinions, especially
concerning the newer full spectrum systems. There is quite a price
discrepancy between the AquaBeam and Radion - the two which I am
leaning towards. What do you think? I value your
opinions. Thanks! Barbara
<Am going to refer, defer you to James Gasta, as he not only is a
bonafide electrician, but also a study of such technologies. Cheers, Bob
Fenner>
Your valued opinions, please
6/16/12
Hello Barbra,
Bob has asked me to comment on your query. Yes, there is a big
difference in price among different LED systems and it generally
boils down to power output.
A full spectrum system is not what I would be looking for. The
full light spectrum is all light visible to the human eye. This
falls into a nanometer range between 400 to 700 which
is called PAR (Photosynthetic Available Radiation).
Corals do not require the full spectrum but do best at nanometer ranges
from 400-550, and 620-700. This is the range of which corals
respond best to and is called PUR (Photosynthetic Useable Radiation).
Since power output is at a premium with LED systems, reputable companies
will not waste the energy providing light in spectrums that are not
required for photosynthetic growth. Some companies may also provide a
little high range UV and some red for added color pop but very few LEDs
are used here. When shopping for LED fixtures look at their
spectrograph of their LED pendant. The closer it falls within the
PUR range, the better the unit will be for growing corals provided the
PAR level is good (See attachment). I would not buy a LED system
without looking at a spectrograph or PAR testing results. In your 24"
deep tank, I would look for a PAR level of at least 100 at 24".
This will provide enough of an upward gradient to grow most corals with
less light loving corals being placed on the bottom and the most light
demanding corals will be placed near the surface. A PAR reading of
100 in the PUR spectrum may sound low, but it is effective for
growing most Mushrooms, Ricordea, and some polyps. Regardless of
which brand or style of pendant you choose to light your 180, more than
one will be required and expect to pay somewhere in the $2,000-2,400
range for an entire system. There are a handful of LED fixtures
available at very reasonable prices but they aren't of much use in
deeper aquariums like yours, at least not for LPS/SPS corals. You
stated the coming trend, well it's been around a while and not so much a
trend anymore, but a very efficient technology to grow our corals and
clams. Good LED systems will typically last 50,000 hours or more.
That's about 17 years on a daily 8 hour cycle. Not only will it
save you money on energy costs, but also on lamp replacement. If
you have any more concerns/questions, just shoot us an email.
James (Salty Dog)>
Re Your valued opinions, please/LED/Selection 6/20/12
Hello again, and thank you for your informative, yet additional
question-creating reply!
<Hello Barbara>
So eliminating full spectrum brings me back to Orphek 156 or
AquaBeam tiles.
<This all depends on what the manufacturer calls full spectrum.
Only a spectrograph can display that.>
Yes, I am aware of the rather large cost I am looking at...no one has
said this is an inexpensive hobby...actually, I don't think there is
such a thing as an inexpensive hobby...
<Collecting bottle caps. :-)>
I have read your (Mr. Gasta's) reviews, as well an article by Sanjay
Joshi, and perused to the best of my ability (and with the help of a
science teacher for better interpretation) the spectrographs of these
units. So now two additional questions: 1) what is the
rationale for the relatively large price discrepancy between the TMC
AquaBeam and Orphek units when their power output as evidenced by the
spectrographs is reasonably similar.
<Actually, the Orphek PR156 is the better buy. The Orphek fixture
has 60, two watt LEDs which equal 120 watts of LED power. You
would have to buy three of the AquaBeam Tiles to equal that. Then
take into consideration that the Orphek comes with two programmable
timers where the AquaBeam has none. It must be purchased
separately. The Orphek PR156 runs around 700.00 while three
AquaBeam tiles and a programmable timer would cost you 1350.00.
The Orphek pendant will also penetrate deeper than the AquaBeam Tiles.
The AquaBeam Tiles are a little more versatile as far as mounting
options go and require no fans if mounted properly. The Orphek has
two cooling fans in the pendant.>
And 2) have you seen/reviewed the Geisemann Teszla LED unit...I am a fan
of German-made quality....interested in your opinions of this relative
newcomer...
<This is a relatively new fixture on the market and I do not believe
anyone has reviewed this fixture yet. It does come with 120 degree
lenses which tells me it may not be ideal for deeper tanks. I
really couldn't comment on it at this time as I have yet to see a
spectrograph or PAR charts on this unit.>
Of course what I would really like is for someone to say, "Gee, this
configuration from (insert brand) would be just splendid for your 180,"
.... but I know that is not the nature of your advice...understandably!
<On the contrary, if I was asked for my opinion, I would freely give it.
In fairness to manufacturers, I could not recommend one product without
knowing what other product choices the buyer has decided on, and that I
knew something about the other LED systems a buyer has in mind.
I'd be a little wary of the few "RGB" LED systems available. It's
difficult to produce 18K white with red, green, and blue without
sacrificing some intensity loss. Until I see PAR charts and a
spectrograph on these systems I'll hold my ground.>
Thanks again for your help and information.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Barbara
Re Your valued opinions, please/LED/Selection
6/20/12
Hello Barbara,
I made a mistake in my reply to you. You would need four tiles to
equal the output of the PR156. I stated three. Also add
another 343.00 to the comparison price. Sorry.
James (Salty Dog)>
Re Your valued opinions, please/LED/Selection
6/21/12
"On the contrary, if I was asked for my opinion, I would freely give
it."
So ok...I am asking for your opinion...what would you install over a 180
Gal, 24" deep tank?
<This would all depend on whether you plan on using a custom wood hood
or planned on hanging them over the tank. They can be hung inside
the hood providing the hood is high enough The PR156 models do
come with hanging hardware if you would want to hang them. I would
need to know your mounting preference before I could suggest a unit(s)
for you.>
I see now too that Orphek has expanded the line to include a 156PRW -
with 120 Degree lenses -
<Yes. Is meant to be used for shallower tanks but offers more
light spread.>
It seems from your previous comment you would stick with the 90 degree
lens because of the PUR levels -
<PUR has nothing to do with intensity, it relates to the light spectrum
that is the most desirable for coral growth. The PUR would be the
same regardless of which lens you chose. The wide angle lens was
developed for tanks 28 inches deep or less and gives a wider spread
which can mean less pendants needed for a given size tank. A new
version has recently been released and is called the PR156W+. This
new model offers quieter cooling fans, a new Mean Well driver, and newly
designed LEDs. You can get away with just two PR156 pendants if
you remove the lenses. If you don't feel
comfortable with that, Orphek has told me recently that when ordering
direct from Orphek, ask for that option (no lenses) and they will remove
the lenses for you for no charge and ship the lenses with the unit
should you decide you want to use them at a later date.>
Thank you very much for taking the time to respond to my questions.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
LED Lighting/Reef Lighting 5/10/12
|
Hi,
|
wwm: Hello
Braiden
|
I am just starting my first saltwater aquarium and would like some
recommendations on LED lighting for my setup. I have a 90 gallon reef ready with
a store bought (Classic Mission in cherry finish) stand and matching hood. It is
in the living room where there is window light coming from the left, right, and
front, although there is never a direct beam of light on the aquarium (only
ambient light). I am still working on building the sump out of a used 30L
aquarium, and it will have a filter pad with bio balls,
|
wwm: With
live rock the bio balls aren't necessary nor recommended.
|
the partitions to reduce micro bubbles, and about 1/4 of it will be a refugium.
I am using a Pond Master mag 9.5 pump for the return and am planning to purchase
the AquaC Remora Pro protein skimmer with magnetic drive 3 pump. I am still
working on the sump and don't have the skimmer or lighting yet, so I don't have
anything in the tank yet, but I would like a good all around LED lighting system
that is very low work.
|
wwm: Most if
not all are.
|
I travel for work and my wife doesn't want to do more than feeding. I would like
something with timers or timer capable so I can have night lighting. I don't
know exactly what reef items I will be getting yet and I'm assuming my lighting
choice should be based somewhat on my purchases, but I would like something that
will work for most items I would place in my tank. I was also told by a
co-worker that if I can stand it, get everything running and only place the live
rock and sand in the aquarium with no fish or reef items for a few months and
add calcium often to build up a heavy base of good algae and copepods. He said
to keep the glass covered on the outside to block all lighting other than the
aquarium lighting.
|
wwm: The
last statement makes no sense. Why block external ambient light and then run the
lights. If using live uncured rock, I would not run the lights until the rock is
cured and ammonia levels drop to 0. At that time you can introduce a couple of
fish.
|
If I can get the stock of good algae and copepods up, I shouldn't have a big
issue with bad algae and the copepods should be plentiful enough to feed my
aquarium for a few days if I am on a short vacation. What do you think about
this?
|
wwm: I would
supplement with an automatic feeder.
|
If this process is recommended, are there any changes you would make?
|
wwm: Other
than what I stated above....no. As far as LEDs with the features you want, check
out Aquabeam. They have LED tiles that will mount in your hood and they also
have optional timers which can control both the blue and white LEDs for the
night time effect. You can learn more at www.tropicalmarinecentre.com. Ecoxotic
has LED modules that will also mount to the canopy. www.ecoxotic.com. There are
other LED fixtures available but most require suspending over the tank and you
will not be able to use the matching canopy.
|
Thanks for your feedback.
|
wwm: You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)
|
Lighting/LED
Lighting/Selection 3/20/12
Hi Crew,
<Hello Dave>
I am looking at lighting for my new 135 gallon FOWLR. It is
24" high, 60" long x 20" deep. I may upgrade to a tank
that is 30" high.
I see a few Marineland LED options - standard (800 lumens), double
(1800), or reef capable 3400).
<Lumens is not a realistic number as most inexpensive Lumens meters
only read up to 560nm. It will give you an idea of the relative
brightness of the system but we are interested in the PAR reading in
the desired wavelength necessary to grow corals. The PAR reading
of the Reef Capable LED light is 130 at 12" and 64 at
24". You would have to place light loving SPS corals near
the top and LPS corals in the mid area to provide enough light and that
may not be enough. As a comparison, the Marineland Reef Capable
LED Lighting System 48-60" has the equivalent output of a 48"
2 lamp T5 HO fixture which would be better suited for keeping soft
corals only in a tank the size of yours. Also keep in mind their
PAR figures are likely taken in open air and will be somewhat less if
measured at these same distances in water.>
What would you suggest?
<All depends on what you want to grow and your budget. This
fixture wouldn't be of much use in a 30" deep tank and at that
depth you would be needing a few 100 watt pendants with a 45 degree
lens, or a couple of Orphek PR156 fixtures or similar fixtures that
provide a high PAR reading.
Be aware that the Orphek PR156W has wider dispersion lenses and more
suited for shallow tanks. Do your research before buying any LED
fixture to be sure it will meet your needs. As a guideline, a PAR
reading of 100 at a depth of 22" will provide enough upward
vertical gradient to satisfy most light loving corals and corals will
have to be placed appropriately according to their light
demands.>
Thanks!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Dave
Re Lighting/LED Lighting/Selection 3/20/12
Salty Dog,
<Yo>
Thanks much for the feedback.
<You're welcome.>
The LED lighting I get would be for a FOWLR tank without coral. Do you
think the Marineland standard or double LED would be suitable? Would
that be roughly comparable to a 54W T5 and actinic?
<The double bright fixture would probably equal one T5 HO and is
likely the one I'd go with.
Should you decide to add a few softies down the road, this light would
not serve you well and you
would be starting all over.
James (Salty Dog)>
LED for coral growth?
2/25/12
Dear WWM,
<Hello Scott>
I have a question that I can't seem to make sense of.
When I look up PAR per watt, or Lumens per watt, T5's, MH,
and LED's all come out in a very similar range. Older
LED's were much lower, but the new ones are catching
up. The question I have is: when people switch from T5 or
MH to LED, they use 3 or 4 times less watts of LED's than
they used with T5 or MH. It doesn't make sense to me if
the Lumens per watt are the same, then they should use the same
wattage of LED's. I've come up with various
answers, but none seem right to me. Do any of you know the
answer to this riddle?
<Because of the LEDs low wattage, manufacturers do not
waste energy producing spectrums that are of no use to
corals. Instead, the spectrum is focused on the nanometer
range most beneficial to corals which is called PUR
(Photosynthetically useable radiation). PUR differs from
PAR because the basic definition of PAR is any light in a
specific frequency range which is 400nm-700nm. PUR is the
usable portion of PAR and falls between two ranges, 400nm-550nm,
and 620nm-700nm.
Different photosynthetic species will have a different PUR range
to which they respond and this has much to do with the depth they
are found at in nature. Attached is a spectrograph of
what a well designed LED fixture should look like. It's
a very good idea to view spectrographs of LED fixtures before
buying to insure the least amount of wasted energy. If a
manufacturer cannot provide one then beware.
Thank you for your time,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Scott Tomko
Re: LED for coral
growth? 2/25/12
Scott,
Sorry, I forgot to attach the graph, I got sidetracked by our pup
coming in the house with muddy feet. What a mess.
James (Salty Dog)>
|
|
120 Gallon Deep Ocean Tank and 2
Kessil 15K LED Lights 2/1/12
Hi Guys,
<Hello Adam and Emily>
How much more lighting should we add to our tank and what
kind? We currently are running two 15K Kessil LED Lights on
our 120 Gallon Tank.
<I have no idea what you intend to grow or the dimensions of your
tank.
From what I know about this product is that one light for every 24
inches of tank length is needed for growing corals. This will also
depend on how high the fixtures are above the surface of the water. I
recall reading somewhere that 8 inches from the diffuser to water
surface was recommended.
Might want to contact Kessil for their recommendation.
http://www.kessil.com/about/spectral_revolution.php>
Thanks
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Adam and Emily
Lighting and IDs 1/27/12
Hi Crew,
<Hello Rick>
I am after your opinion about my Lighting - currently I have 3 x
120W banks of LEDs as in the picture attached (LED Current).
The tank seems happy enough although it has only been set up for
a few months. All the stock in it are out of several nanos
I've had scattered around the house for about 5 years.
I've very good coralline growth in the new tank and bulk live
Pods and Mysis shrimp due to the 300Lt fishless sump.
<Nice.>
The tank contains a full reef with Live Rock, Fish, SPS and LPS
corals.
The water level from where the lights are mounted to the top of
the aragonite bed is approx 600mm.
I am a bit concerned I've mucked up the ratios of the LED
banks and was after your opinion on light spectrum.
The new banks I'm thinking of building will look like the
picture "LED New"
Can I ask your opinion on the light spectrum and ratios I'm
considering?
<Sure. The 20K LEDs are not much use for growing corals, at
least the corals we commonly keep in our aquaria. I would not
waste the energy on these LEDs but direct it toward the usable
spectrum need by corals (420-700nm). I would not use any LEDs
below 400nm as you are then getting into the UV range which
could/can cause molecular damage to some animals in
your system.>
In addition to the lighting configuration I'm considering , I
am also planning on building 2 x Black Light bars at 18 Watt each
to help fluoresce the tank.
<Would not use this as well as they are well into the UV range
and will be hard on the eyes with extended viewing of your
aquarium. Depending on the intensity, the black light may even
damage your eyes if looking directly at them.
At what Wave length will I be exposing the live stock / bacteria
to dangerous levels of U/V radiation?
<Anything below 400nm. UV is in the range of 10-400nm. Below
10nm is the X-Ray spectrum.
Do you think 360nm would be ok, would the 400nm be just as
effective, or could I go lower?
<I personally would not use anything below 420nm.>
Two more questions regarding an ID. See picture
"ID".
This animal has gotten into my sump obviously through live rock,
it doesn't do any damage (except eating the occasional baby
Bristle Worm}. The animal lays flat on the aragonite and very
quickly closes up as food touches or floats over it. It is an
Omnivore as I've seen it eat anything from bits of algae to
shrimp. It's had a few goes at larger Bristle worms but lets
them go after closing around a portion of them, however, it has
no problem chomping up the babies.
<Appears to be a Rock/Flower Anemone, an Actinia of
some type. Bob may input here with a more accurate
ID.>
The next one is a coral that I haven't found conclusively
what it is, It may be some type of brain but the closest pictures
I can find suggest a moon coral. I'm unsure where to place
it, whether on the aragonite bed or on the live rock. The coral
fluoresces beautifully at night under the moon lights and
exceptionally with a jigged up 360nm LED.
<Appears to be a Faviid species, possibly a Moon
Coral. May want to peruse here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/faviididfaqs.htm>
As always your advise is appreciated.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Cheers
Rick (who just got his open water license and is about to dive
the GBR J )
<Lucky you!>
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