LED Reflection on Sandbed?

M3ace9

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Hey guys,
so Im setting up my canopy on my new build and wondering if I want to add the T5 element. Now I currently run Radion Gen3 Pros with t5 sups to take care of the shading from the Leds. The reason I am pondering is because I will be running 4 Gen4 Pros on a 48x30x21 and the spread on those is way better. I heard t5 supplies light underneath acros becuase of the light reflected off the sandbed. Do leds do this aslo? Im thinking with the 4 radions there will be a great deal of angular light so the only disadvantage with these new lenses is the lack of reflection off the sandbed. What are your thoughts and observations. Thanks in advance
 

mcarroll

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spread on those is way better.

Shadows are more about the space between fixtures and/or emitters and mounting height than about lenses.

Lenses are about shaping the light from each emitter, which to an extent can impact coverage, but not really shadows. Not so much,

Mostly, lenses dictate the coverage area and the new G4 lenses spread the photos more or less evenly across the coverage area vs creating the wicked hot spots of the G3's. ;) Not more photons, just less photons pointing straight down and more pointing in other directions.

Like anything else, this is probably has both good and bad aspects, depending on your needs and perspective.

Do leds do this aslo?

Light is light, so yes of course! :)

The question - whether you run T5's, halide, LED's or a caveman torch – is how much is reaching the sand bed. That's what dictates potential reflectance.

If your G3's equalled a reflectance of X, your G3's plus T5's equalled a reflectance of X+Y. More light = more light. Pretty straightforward – it's additive.

Also, if you have a light meter (which you should), you should simply measure the light coming off your sand bed instead of guessing or assuming some numbers off of someone else's setup. Just turn the sensor upside down.

A PAR meter or a cheap lux meter (minimum – don't go without!!!) can work fine, just put it in a plastic ziplock bag before submerging it. :)

The reason I am pondering is because I will be running 4 Gen4 Pros on a 48x30x21 and the spread on those is way better.

"Better" is a relative term, and nothing is ever all-good.

G4's spread that light more evenly across the coverage area, so the peak PAR you're delivering – especially how much reaches the bottom – is going to be less with the new fixtures than the old ones.

I'm obviously guessing on this since I don't know much about your old tank, but it's guessing based on a lot of real other cases: To do without the T5's you probably would have needed at least one more G3 on the old tank.

It's hard to imagine you needing T5's with the G4's especially if you had that number of units over the tank. (Or it begs the question as to what all the fuss and expense over the G4's is about??)

Last, assuming this (21"H) is the same depth of tank as before, you don't/didn't need the G3's for depth, you really need more pucks/emitters for coverage. Keeping with Ecotech solutions, a set of XR15 Pro's might technically have been a better choice from this standpoint. Especially vs the added T5's. (Not sure Ecotech let's the dollars and cents work out on this angle though....last I looked they charge more per puck with their smaller light. Guessing based on your setup that maybe that's not a huge deal.)

Just some thoughts! :)
 
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M3ace9

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Shadows are more about the space between fixtures and/or emitters and mounting height than about lenses.

Lenses are about shaping the light from each emitter, which to an extent can impact coverage, but not really shadows. Not so much,

Mostly, lenses dictate the coverage area and the new G4 lenses spread the photos more or less evenly across the coverage area vs creating the wicked hot spots of the G3's. ;) Not more photons, just less photons pointing straight down and more pointing in other directions.

Like anything else, this is probably has both good and bad aspects, depending on your needs and perspective.



Light is light, so yes of course! :)

The question - whether you run T5's, halide, LED's or a caveman torch – is how much is reaching the sand bed. That's what dictates potential reflectance.

If your G3's equalled a reflectance of X, your G3's plus T5's equalled a reflectance of X+Y. More light = more light. Pretty straightforward – it's additive.

Also, if you have a light meter (which you should), you should simply measure the light coming off your sand bed instead of guessing or assuming some numbers off of someone else's setup. Just turn the sensor upside down.

A PAR meter or a cheap lux meter (minimum – don't go without!!!) can work fine, just put it in a plastic ziplock bag before submerging it. :)



"Better" is a relative term, and nothing is ever all-good.

G4's spread that light more evenly across the coverage area, so the peak PAR you're delivering – especially how much reaches the bottom – is going to be less with the new fixtures than the old ones.

I'm obviously guessing on this since I don't know much about your old tank, but it's guessing based on a lot of real other cases: To do without the T5's you probably would have needed at least one more G3 on the old tank.

It's hard to imagine you needing T5's with the G4's especially if you had that number of units over the tank. (Or it begs the question as to what all the fuss and expense over the G4's is about??)

Last, assuming this (21"H) is the same depth of tank as before, you don't/didn't need the G3's for depth, you really need more pucks/emitters for coverage. Keeping with Ecotech solutions, a set of XR15 Pro's might technically have been a better choice from this standpoint. Especially vs the added T5's. (Not sure Ecotech let's the dollars and cents work out on this angle though....last I looked they charge more per puck with their smaller light. Guessing based on your setup that maybe that's not a huge deal.)

Just some thoughts! :)
Great write up!!!!
 

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