LED Colors

[OldReefer]

I have been having some challenges with my transition to LED. I wasn't very happy with the washed-out blue look the AI Sol Blues gave my tanks. My corals really hated the change and browned out badly from lack of light. The AI Sols produced quite a bit less PAR that the 8 X 80 Powermodule it replaced. I lost quite a few colonies.

 

I have been trying to improve the color rendition an increase the spectrum to make my corals a bit happier. To do that I have been hanging 1x12" heatsinks with additional LEDs between the AI modules (really easy if anybody wants the details). I control all the LEDs through the APEX, so the LEDs I add are treated just like another lighting channel on the AIs. I took these pictures to show the subtle, but to me, important changes you see when you add additional spectrum.

 

My tank is 5' long and I have 5 AI modules. That means the baseline is 40 XPG Cool Whites. 40 XPE Blue and 40 XPE Royal Blue First here is the tank with AI Sol Blues only running 100% on all three channels (CW, Blue, and RB)

 

 

Now I add 12 XPG Warm White CRI-90 LEDs driven at 1300 ma with 60 degree optics.

 

 

To that configuration I add 8 XPE Greens driven at 700ma with 55 degree optics. Green fills a big gap in the spectra charts between blues and Warm White,

 

 

Finally to brighten it up in general I add another 12 XPG Neutral whites driven at 1300 ma with 60 degree optics

 

 

I left the auto exposure on for the photos to cancel out the increase in brightness. The color shift is obvious in person. The end-result looks more like XM 10Ks with Actinic. Even with 152 LEDs running wide open with optics, I am still getting less PAR than my Powermodule.

 

I guess my advice for those building fixtures is to not be afraid of the Warm White and Green LEDs. They blend in nicely (except for that one yellow splotch on the big green stylo). More continuous spectrum is better on the eyes, and hopefully better for the corals.

[Coral Hind]

Nice job Bill. I really like the bright white 10K look of the tank and I think the growth rates will be very nice.

[Chad]

^I fully agree.

 

I hope the warm whites help with the issues you have been having!

[zygote2k]

I can't tell a difference between any of the pictures.

[OldReefer]

Zygote2k

 

Stop by sometime on your rounds. It jumps out at you in person. It might change the mix you are using on some of your builds. Besides, I need a maintenance guy when I am gone on long trips.

[Ryan S]

Bill, how is the LED situation for you now? I was following your thread on RC a ways back. What are you running now, and how are your corals doing?