LED Aesthetics: What do you really think of your color?

[jfarabaugh]

That red gonni looks great under the LEDs. Mine actually looks metallic, but I can never get the polyps to extend long like yours. A topic for a different discussion.

 

 

Another one that I find funny: "LEDs are only usefull in shallow tanks. You can't use them on deep tanks." Wonder how many RC members have run across my latest creation? I'm tempted to post it, but I have "commercial ties" to some of the parts used, according to RC mods. Don't feel like getting another slap on the wrist.

 

Approval from the Master! I Like it!

 

The growth I have got just out of the past 2 weeks have been very impressive.

[rhawnk]

You are going to get color shadowing with so many colors unless you run a diffuser or get those colors pretty much on top of each other.

 

I really like my color right now, but they are spaced too far apart. My 10x16 heatsink is cold as a rock at 100% on all channels.

 

Genj, What is the spacing on yours? I was planning on a 2" spacing in each direction. I suppose i can test out one of those diamond sheets from Lowes as a diffuser.

[jfarabaugh]

Genj, What is the spacing on yours? I was planning on a 2" spacing in each direction. I suppose i can test out one of those diamond sheets from Lowes as a diffuser.

 

2" is pushing even with the diffuser IMHO. You can try moving the diffuser farther away from the LEDs and see what that does.

 

I would be interested to see what results you would get by doing that.

[jfarabaugh]

I keep on adjusting the camera to capture what I am actually seeing.

 

[Genj]

2" is pushing even with the diffuser IMHO. You can try moving the diffuser farther away from the LEDs and see what that does.

 

I would be interested to see what results you would get by doing that.

 

I agree with jf. I'm at 1.5 and I'd like to move mine so that the stars nearly touch each other, thus making the LEDs about .5 apart.

[DaveFason]

JF maybe on to something. I went to Lowes to pick up a light diffuser and it worked great. I'll run some more numbers but it makes it look wonderful. Shimmer like a halide and no disco dancing.

 

Check out my new heatsink toy

 

 

-Dave

[jfarabaugh]

JF maybe on to something. I went to Lowes to pick up a light diffuser and it worked great. I'll run some more numbers but it makes it look wonderful. Shimmer like a halide and no disco dancing.

 

-Dave

 

It looks like the diffuser idea for LEDs is catching on as I did not see this before in my google searches.

 

http://www.s-pro.com.tw/led-lighting.html

[Genj]

I'm thinking about toying with some cut patterns in the diffuser to see if I can increase shimmer without getting shadows.

 

I've also send those sun pro people an e-mail. Hopefully I'll get something back in English!

[joelsaxton]

I'm thinking about toying with some cut patterns in the diffuser to see if I can increase shimmer without getting shadows.

 

I've also send those sun pro people an e-mail. Hopefully I'll get something back in English!

 

Excellent! I'm definitely interested.

[skymastre]

I think this is an appropriate post, as it deals with the aesthetics of an LED build by an average hobbyist. I’ve tried to read all 32 pages of this beast, but have seen some conflicting evidence. I’m happy to start a new thread if inappropriate here.

 

Situation: before I'd found this post, I'd ordered LEDs for my AP 24g. Since then I've added a few more. I have a nanotunners heatsink, 2 meanwells (still need to purchase one driver for the TVs), and the following Cree XRE LEDs from rapidLED and nanotuners to choose from (no optics)

 

10 NW

8 CW

8 WW

 

14 RB

 

4 TV

 

1. Originally i had planned on using the CW and WW in a 2:1 ratio. From reading this thread, I learned that I shouldn’t go this route. Should I use just a NW blend? Is there a role for WW at all in the picture? I think the consensus on this thread would be something like the following

 

This is a 30 LED build, planned to be arranged in 5 columns / 6 rows of LEDs

 

Channel 1: 12 RB Running at 750 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

Channel 2: 8 CW, 4 NW Running at 950 ma RKL ALC dimm 2

Channel 3: 2RB, 4TV Running at 450 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

 

 

I was planning on the following formation (see below for color image), but now am very worried about not having proper rendering / unnatural coloring.

 

RB CW RB CW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB RB RB CW

 

 

 

2. I am worried about shadows and disco ball, though this doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem with the AIOs. Should I have the LEDs touching or being very close to one another on the heatsink? Can the nanotuners heatsink handle this load?

LED_layout.bmp

[jfarabaugh]

I think this is an appropriate post, as it deals with the aesthetics of an LED build by an average hobbyist. I’ve tried to read all 32 pages of this beast, but have seen some conflicting evidence. I’m happy to start a new thread if inappropriate here.

 

Situation: before I'd found this post, I'd ordered LEDs for my AP 24g. Since then I've added a few more. I have a nanotunners heatsink, 2 meanwells (still need to purchase one driver for the TVs), and the following Cree XRE LEDs from rapidLED and nanotuners to choose from (no optics)

 

10 NW

8 CW

8 WW

 

14 RB

 

4 TV

 

1. Originally i had planned on using the CW and WW in a 2:1 ratio. From reading this thread, I learned that I shouldn’t go this route. Should I use just a NW blend? Is there a role for WW at all in the picture? I think the consensus on this thread would be something like the following

 

This is a 30 LED build, planned to be arranged in 5 columns / 6 rows of LEDs

 

Channel 1: 12 RB Running at 750 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

Channel 2: 8 CW, 4 NW Running at 950 ma RKL ALC dimm 2

Channel 3: 2RB, 4TV Running at 450 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

 

 

I was planning on the following formation (see below for color image), but now am very worried about not having proper rendering / unnatural coloring.

 

RB CW RB CW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB RB RB CW

 

 

 

2. I am worried about shadows and disco ball, though this doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem with the AIOs. Should I have the LEDs touching or being very close to one another on the heatsink? Can the nanotuners heatsink handle this load?

 

I will add more later but quickly I would IMHO

Channel 2 - 8 NW - 4 CW

channel 3 - 2 B - 4TV

 

shadows and disco ball effects are just as much of an issue with AIO

[Genj]

I will add more later but quickly I would IMHO

Channel 2 - 8 NW - 4 CW

channel 3 - 2 B - 4TV

 

shadows and disco ball effects are just as much of an issue with AIO

 

One step further. Drop the 2B on channel 3 and utilize it only as a TV channel. I'm about to take out my 2 Cyan. Not that they are really noticeable in the grand scene, but just because I want to keep that channel at a clean 420.

 

Utilize a Meanwell 30-48D for this channel.

[skymastre]

Thanks guys. This forum is always incredibly helpful

 

I'll go with the NW switch for certain.

 

The ELN 30-48D is a great idea; it looks like the 30-48D is at .63A; can this be turned down to x<500ma (as with the 60-48D?

 

 

I've read through the posts. Is the B strictly a preference thing? How hard are the thermal pads from nanotuners to get off once they are on?

 

is the layout for my LEDs ok? It seems the consensus is to cluster the LED array tight on the sink

LED_array_2__with_optional_Blues.bmp

[jfarabaugh]

Thanks guys. This forum is always incredibly helpful

 

I'll go with the NW switch for certain.

 

The ELN 30-48D is a great idea; do you remember where you got yours? DOes this driver put out a 450 ma or is there a way to manually turn it down (like with the 60-48?).

 

 

I've read through the posts. Is the B strictly a preference thing? How hard are the thermal pads from nanotuners to get off once they are on?

 

is the layout for my LEDs ok? It seems the consensus is to cluster the LED array tight on the sink

 

I think the blues make a difference in my tank. i can tell when they are off and on

 

that layout is not going to work IMHO.

 

here is the layout I used to give you a better example as you need to mix them up some more

 

[skymastre]

I think the blues make a difference in my tank. i can tell when they are off and on

 

that layout is not going to work IMHO.

 

here is the layout I used to give you a better example as you need to mix them up some more

 

 

Does it matter if the outside rows are RB/NW alternating? can they have TV thrown in like so? I tried to make this a little more random, with the count being as follows

 

RB 12

B 2; would go in the '--' spaces

 

NW 8

CW 4

 

TV 4

LED_array_3.bmp

[Genj]

The ELN-30-48D can be secured from Mouser. I have my range as low as 60ma on it. The great thing about the 30 series is that you can have as little as 1 LED on it, since it operates from 3v-48v

[Trick]

when do the TV specific drivers come in if they havn't already?

[Machupicchu]

Maybe someone could come up with a ratio caculator, you type in how many leds you need and it will spit out the correct ratio of colors for 10k, 14k, 16k, etc...

[joelsaxton]

Maybe someone could come up with a ratio caculator, you type in how many leds you need and it will spit out the correct ratio of colors for 10k, 14k, 16k, etc...

 

That would be very useful.

 

It would also be useful to test out different diffusers for PAR and appearance. I may check out Home Depot this weekend (unless anyone here has suggestions to a better place to look) to see if they have anything which might work to prevent my slight "disco ball" effect.

[JSVAND5]

I think this is an appropriate post, as it deals with the aesthetics of an LED build by an average hobbyist. I’ve tried to read all 32 pages of this beast, but have seen some conflicting evidence. I’m happy to start a new thread if inappropriate here.

 

Situation: before I'd found this post, I'd ordered LEDs for my AP 24g. Since then I've added a few more. I have a nanotunners heatsink, 2 meanwells (still need to purchase one driver for the TVs), and the following Cree XRE LEDs from rapidLED and nanotuners to choose from (no optics)

 

10 NW

8 CW

8 WW

 

14 RB

 

4 TV

 

1. Originally i had planned on using the CW and WW in a 2:1 ratio. From reading this thread, I learned that I shouldn’t go this route. Should I use just a NW blend? Is there a role for WW at all in the picture? I think the consensus on this thread would be something like the following

 

This is a 30 LED build, planned to be arranged in 5 columns / 6 rows of LEDs

 

Channel 1: 12 RB Running at 750 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

Channel 2: 8 CW, 4 NW Running at 950 ma RKL ALC dimm 2

Channel 3: 2RB, 4TV Running at 450 ma RKL ALC dimm 1

 

 

I was planning on the following formation (see below for color image), but now am very worried about not having proper rendering / unnatural coloring.

 

RB CW RB CW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB TV RB CW

RB NW TV NW RB

CW RB RB RB CW

 

 

 

2. I am worried about shadows and disco ball, though this doesn’t seem to be as much of a problem with the AIOs. Should I have the LEDs touching or being very close to one another on the heatsink? Can the nanotuners heatsink handle this load?

 

I'd reverse the amount of NW's and CW's.

[joelsaxton]

I'd reverse the amount of NW's and CW's.

 

Is there any need to run CW's at all? If you have NW and RB then you should be covered. I don't know enough about the violets to comment.

[skymastre]

Is there any need to run CW's at all? If you have NW and RB then you should be covered. I don't know enough about the violets to comment.

Someplace I had read that someone was getting higher PAR with CW...though I can't remember where and honestly wouldn't want to stake my life to the claim

[joelsaxton]

Someplace I had read that someone was getting higher PAR with CW...though I can't remember where and honestly wouldn't want to stake my life to the claim

 

I think CW's do put out more lumens - and probably more PAR too, but I am not certain.

[jfarabaugh]

Is there any need to run CW's at all? If you have NW and RB then you should be covered. I don't know enough about the violets to comment.

 

I like the look of the NW and CW mixed.

 

I was saying to reverse them so that you can get more yellow and red light. I still like the look of the white light hence why I am running some CW in my build.

[Lingwendil]

Ok guys, I'm making a fixture for my 10 gallon high (same footprint as a5.5g) and was looking for advice. I like the 15~20k look to my tank, and will be into softies mostly, maybe stonies up high. Would five each of stevesleds midday ultra white and royal actinic blue be good for this tank? Are there other similarly priced LEDs that would do as well? my budget is around 30 dollars for LEDs (before shipping) and I have heatsinks and drivers already taken care of.