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How many of these LED's?


mmelnick

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It's a standard 2.5 gallon tank. I have a few cool white and a few RB LED bulbs off of Ebay. They are the 12 watt ones with 4 LED's each. No optics.

 

Plan to keep a little bit of everything in this tank. Mostly going to be stocked with really colorful zoas but also a few SPS and maybe an LPS or 2...

 

How many of these 12 watt bulbs would you recommend? Is 3-4 enough?

 

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Do you happen to have a link to the RB ones? I'm looking for a cheap supplemental RB light until I can get a new fixture for my 20L.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191264740412?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&var=490389489917&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

 

Here you go. They also have a 3 LED version, but you have to have optics in the 3 LED one. You can remove the optics from the 4 LED version. The coral really pops under these too.

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If you are using 12 watt LED lamps (4x 3 watts each) over a 2.5 gallon tank, then quite honestly, you'll probably only need 1 lamp (2 at the very most).

 

I had an 18 watt (12x 1.5 watts per LED) LEDtric PAR38 bulb with 90 degree optics hanging nice and high (12-14 inches above the rim) over my 7.5 gallon tank, and it absolutely shredded most of my corals! They were either closed or bleached out.

 

I ended up borrowing a club Par meter and took some readings. You can see my results here:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/322746-am-i-too-stupid-for-leds/?p=4243560

 

This is just my experience though. Try one lamp first and see how the coral do. If they are stretching up toward the light, then add a second lamp. If they are closed for a long time, try raising the lamp higher.

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Awesome, do you know if they're supposed to be royal blues or just blue? Thanks. As for you original question, I would think that 2-3 of those would be enough coverage for a 2.5 gal. Start with 2 to acclimate the corals and add another if they're responding well.

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Awesome, do you know if they're supposed to be royal blues or just blue? Thanks. As for you original question, I would think that 2-3 of those would be enough coverage for a 2.5 gal. Start with 2 to acclimate the corals and add another if they're responding well.

Royal blue. It's even right in the description. And I can vouch for the actinic pop factor. They do quite well at making the coral fluoresce.

 

If you are using 12 watt LED lamps (4x 3 watts each) over a 2.5 gallon tank, then quite honestly, you'll probably only need 1 lamp (2 at the very most).

 

I had an 18 watt (12x 1.5 watts per LED) LEDtric PAR38 bulb with 90 degree optics hanging nice and high (12-14 inches above the rim) over my 7.5 gallon tank, and it absolutely shredded most of my corals! They were either closed or bleached out.

 

I ended up borrowing a club Par meter and took some readings. You can see my results here:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/322746-am-i-too-stupid-for-leds/?p=4243560

 

This is just my experience though. Try one lamp first and see how the coral do. If they are stretching up toward the light, then add a second lamp. If they are closed for a long time, try raising the lamp higher.

 

 

If they actually ran at 12 watts I'd probably be comfortable starting with just one, but I was thinking of starting with 3 since these cheapo Chinese ones are run at really low current. I think they are like 1/2 of the current that most people run their DIY projects at.

 

Maybe I'm wrong though...

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Put one on a KillAWatt and find out what current they run at.

 

With LED, more is better. Not for intensity, for coverage.

 

Put 6 over it, what harm can it do. If its too intense, raise the light. Your corals will tell you if its too intense.

 

We cant (youve asked the board twice). Its an unknown, you are using lights no one else uses. You get to be the guinea pig.

 

How would we know how many you should use?

 

Hmm, I think I'll try a pair out. Any idea if they would work with a dimmer?

Buy one and find out.

 

Worst that can happen is you blow a 5 dollar light. Or 10 dollar dimmer.

 

Or start a house fire, and kill everyone in their sleep.

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