Color LEDs

Blue Tang

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
louisiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What benefits does the color LEDs has? Should I install red, green, uv, etc. Also how many would I need for a standard 90 gallon tank.
 

bigfoot86

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
308
Reaction score
7
Location
PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
There's no need for green. I know Ecotech Radions put a multitude of colors in their light spectrum but its only for effects and could actually disturb your corals quite a bit.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Tang

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
louisiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
There's no need for green. I know Ecotech Radions put a multitude of colors in their light spectrum but its only for effects and could actually disturb your corals quite a bit.

So it's ok just to have royal blue and whites? I was looking into adding some color LEDs if it was beneficial like making the corals pop a little more.
 

tidus10

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Messages
327
Reaction score
6
Location
Oswego, Ny
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
reds and yellows are being played with to make the tank "pop" more but would make it look goofy if overdone... i dont think we will ever see yellow strips or red strips like we see blue.
 

saltyair

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 19, 2013
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Location
ontario canada
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i run only whites 7500k and 50/50 blue - I don't realy see the need for any other color since white light fractures once it hits the water. the only reason to add colors for your enjoyment - but some testing is showing negitive effects to red.
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Tang

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
louisiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
i run only whites 7500k and 50/50 blue - I don't realy see the need for any other color since white light fractures once it hits the water. the only reason to add colors for your enjoyment - but some testing is showing negitive effects to red.

Yeah, I was wondering because I see all these new fixture coming out with all kind of color just wondering if the color is better than just the blue and white.
 

Liquid360

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
1,216
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The color is a marketing thing. White light is made up of all colors in equal measure. Intensity means a great deal more than color when speaking of photosynthetic lighting.


N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bigfoot86

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
308
Reaction score
7
Location
PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I agree with liquid360, the colors other than the whites and blues are definitely a marketing scheme. Its should be more than satisfactory with blues and whites. There is some research done on the color spectrum needed for corals.
 

GHill762

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
18
Location
Illinois/Midwest
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
While many colors may be unnecessary, violet seems to be popular now for hitting certain photosynthetic peaks and getting more florescent effect. A mix of rb, cb, nw, and tv would be pretty good.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP
 
OP
OP
B

Blue Tang

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
louisiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I agree with liquid360, the colors other than the whites and blues are definitely a marketing scheme. Its should be more than satisfactory with blues and whites. There is some research done on the color spectrum needed for corals.

Well sound great, I guess I'll save the money and do something else with it. Thanks.
 

Swine

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
501
Reaction score
3
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The color is a marketing thing. White light is made up of all colors in equal measure. Intensity means a great deal more than color when speaking of photosynthetic lighting.


N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd agree to a degree. but if you have a red LED then you will get more intensity of that wavelength. now the real question is what wavelengths are beneficial or damaging. I wish everything looked amazing under just whitelight but find that the blue really does make things pop.

I've ordered some red and green less to try in my kit. I've got a bank of royal blue, cool white and will have another dimmer channel with UV along with one or two red and greens if it looks nice.

I will also put in 4 moon light LEDs so I can see some things in my tank when I'm up late partying haha

sent from my phone.
 

GHill762

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
18
Location
Illinois/Midwest
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'd agree to a degree. but if you have a red LED then you will get more intensity of that wavelength. now the real question is what wavelengths are beneficial or damaging. I wish everything looked amazing under just whitelight but find that the blue really does make things pop.

I've ordered some red and green less to try in my kit. I've got a bank of royal blue, cool white and will have another dimmer channel with UV along with one or two red and greens if it looks nice.

I will also put in 4 moon light LEDs so I can see some things in my tank when I'm up late partying haha

sent from my phone.

make the greens cyan
make the red deep red
toss some neutral white in there (either in place of or mixed with cw)
 

Liquid360

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
1,216
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Whenever there's a question I believe in a perfect world we're trying to imitate Mother Nature. Until I see other suns in the sky I'll have faith in white lights and the spectrum it covers. Agree to disagree

make the greens cyan
make the red deep red
toss some neutral white in there (either in place of or mixed with cw)




N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Swine

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2013
Messages
501
Reaction score
3
Location
San Jose
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Whenever there's a question I believe in a perfect world we're trying to imitate Mother Nature. Until I see other suns in the sky I'll have faith in white lights and the spectrum it covers. Agree to disagree






N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Totally agree! But my LEDs won't make a mini sun :(

sent from my phone.
 

jeffblly

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Location
Manteca, CA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Half my tank is lit by a full spectrum DIY led fixture and half is cool white rb with a few exotics thrown in. I like my full spectrum DIY led fixture better as I can easily adjust the color to my liking. The exotics add a little more pop to the colors but both fixtures have no problem growing sps. If I only have white on, the corals look ugly. The nice thing about full spectrum leds is that with the turn of a few dials you can change the look of the tank instantly.
 

gmoney243

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
4,400
Reaction score
107
Location
Lavergne
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Corals will grow undet rb/cw just fine. But they will not.look as good as a full spectrum led fixture. I have seen many fixtures in person from diy to radion pros. I have rb/cw and i run with t5 because they just dont have as good looking of a light nor do the corals look as good. I can tell u from seeing in person the new radion pros have a much more pleasent look to the light and the corals look fabulous. Its the only fixture ive seen that i wouldnt use t5 with. So yea the colors do matter for looks dont let anyone tell you different.
 
Last edited:

Liquid360

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
2,966
Reaction score
1,216
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
And you'll find equal number who say don't. Kessil would explain it you in detail. Maxspect and kessil have STELLER results! I've got razor that par'd with 400w halide. Please answer my question concerning the make up of white light and then explain why the need for the colors.... please?


N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Pappy

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
2,076
Reaction score
20
Location
Sebastian florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 4 red and 4 green along with cool white, blue, and royal blue over my 120. I can tell u they make $1,000,000 difference in color. Every fixture I've seen with blue/white only doesn't hold a candle to the DIY I had built over my tank. You wouldn't know it until u saw one with and one without. The store I go to was selling ai sols and was trying to convince me to go that route but I just wasn't seeing the colors in his corals the guy that built mine did. He came over to pick up some coral and a setup I traded for mp40.....he then had dude that built mine build a few for his store. Like I said b4 you don't know til u see but huges difference adding red and green!
 

GHill762

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
18
Location
Illinois/Midwest
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
And you'll find equal number who say don't. Kessil would explain it you in detail. Maxspect and kessil have STELLER results! I've got razor that par'd with 400w halide. Please answer my question concerning the make up of white light and then explain why the need for the colors.... please?


N8/Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

the razor utilizes a good mix of cw, ww, tv, cb, rb... granted it doesn't have the cy or dr, but it's also not just the same old cb and cw.. that's pretty close to what I was just recommending.. not sure what is all in the kessil so I can't really comment on that.

The only reason I was recommending the dr and cy is they are better choices than red and green..

edit: cw and ww together will cover a lof of the spectrum.. cw without nw or ww will look anemic..
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
B

Blue Tang

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
Location
louisiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 4 red and 4 green along with cool white, blue, and royal blue over my 120. I can tell u they make $1,000,000 difference in color. Every fixture I've seen with blue/white only doesn't hold a candle to the DIY I had built over my tank. You wouldn't know it until u saw one with and one without. The store I go to was selling ai sols and was trying to convince me to go that route but I just wasn't seeing the colors in his corals the guy that built mine did. He came over to pick up some coral and a setup I traded for mp40.....he then had dude that built mine build a few for his store. Like I said b4 you don't know til u see but huges difference adding red and green!

Do you think 2 red and 2 green for a 90 gallon would be ok? I'm using cw, nw rb and blue at the moment. Thanks.
 

Caring for your picky eaters: What do you feed your finicky fish?

  • Live foods

    Votes: 23 31.1%
  • Frozen meaty foods

    Votes: 59 79.7%
  • Soft pellets

    Votes: 12 16.2%
  • Masstick (or comparable)

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Other

    Votes: 4 5.4%
Back
Top