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


Machupicchu

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Im setting up a 90g for someone who is has to have the project done for a certain amount of money. I was going to make 2 42 LED fixtures for the tank but was just informed the price is too high. I did try to push a 6 bulb T5 retro but they want LEDs. Do you guys think If I ran 12 LED "clusters" using 1 Cree XML NW in the center, 1 Blue and 3 RBs I would be ok if I had them 8" or so off the water with no optics? I can run one large dimmable ballast for the 48 blues and one MeanWell 60-48D for the XMLs? Would that be sufficient for LPS and soft corals?

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Is that a standard 90, or something else?

 

If it's a standard 90, you're going to have a hard time without optics because it's such a deep tank. You'd need to run the LED's no higher than 4-6" and run them down the middle of the sink.

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Is that a standard 90, or something else?

 

If it's a standard 90, you're going to have a hard time without optics because it's such a deep tank. You'd need to run the LED's no higher than 4-6" and run them down the middle of the sink.

 

Yes standard 90g. If I put optics on it you think itd be enough light? I could go 16 clusters maybe. 2 rows of 8?

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I read the first 18 pages and the last 3. I've learned alot (I think) and really appreciate the effort everyone has put into this. I've been researching LED's to upgrade my BC14 from stock. Looking at getting 2 dimmable buckpucks and from what I have read on here this seems to be the approved ratio:

 

4 -RB

2 - "CB"

3 - NW

 

Is that a fair assumption? Also, would there been any problems running the 3 NW on a 1000ma buckpuck?

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If I put optics on it you think itd be enough light?

 

Plenty.

 

Is that a fair assumption?

 

I would do no more than 1 "CB" because I can guarantee you that two CB's and four RB's will put you in the windex category.

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I would do no more than 1 "CB" because I can guarantee you that two CB's and four RB's will put you in the windex category.

 

Thanks blasterman.

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Im setting up a 90g for someone who is has to have the project done for a certain amount of money. I was going to make 2 42 LED fixtures for the tank but was just informed the price is too high. I did try to push a 6 bulb T5 retro but they want LEDs. Do you guys think If I ran 12 LED "clusters" using 1 Cree XML NW in the center, 1 Blue and 3 RBs I would be ok if I had them 8" or so off the water with no optics? I can run one large dimmable ballast for the 48 blues and one MeanWell 60-48D for the XMLs? Would that be sufficient for LPS and soft corals?

 

I can't speak much to be "enough Light", but I run my LEDs with no optics at just 2-3" off the water. The light still hits the sides of my tank just a few inches below the water line on a 15" cube.

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Im setting up a 90g for someone who is has to have the project done for a certain amount of money. I was going to make 2 42 LED fixtures for the tank but was just informed the price is too high. I did try to push a 6 bulb T5 retro but they want LEDs. Do you guys think If I ran 12 LED "clusters" using 1 Cree XML NW in the center, 1 Blue and 3 RBs I would be ok if I had them 8" or so off the water with no optics? I can run one large dimmable ballast for the 48 blues and one MeanWell 60-48D for the XMLs? Would that be sufficient for LPS and soft corals?

 

If you are going to run the LEDs in that configuration, then I think you are going to need something with higher current than the ELN driver to balance things out. The ELN-60-48 tops out at about 1.3A reliably. I would think to use them in a cluster like that with 4 blue LEDs, you would need to run up to about 2A.

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I decided on the 7rb, 4nw, 1cb config. Should I go with 1cb and 1rb on the NW puck or two RB? The power supply I was recommended is on back order until the middle of may. Any suggestions on one?

 

Also, is there a certain configuration to go with? I was told I should be fine running all colors in a row since I won't be going with optics.

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I don't think it's going to matter a lot as to what color goes on which driver. You can always change it around if it doesn't work the way you want it to.

 

MPJA has smaller 24v power supplies. The 6.5A one is great, but overkill. You only need a little over 2A if you are running 2 1000mA Buckpucks.

 

As for layout, always mix up the colors. Lenses or not, you can still get some odd color banding when running single colors in a row.

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want to build led fixture for my standard 125. have been thinking about 24-28 leds per section on heat sinks, for a total of 3units. was wondering if i should use xpg's and xpe's or xpe w xml's. plan on using meanwell eln6048d's. everyone seems to recommend neutral whites w a ratio of 2b to 1 white, what kind of color pattern would i run them in on the heatsinks 16x 4.25 that are drilled for 8 rows of there i believe. mounting hight w be about 6" above tank, 60 or 80degree lenses?. what would be the cheapest way to dim these independantly. thanks for the great info thread. sam

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  • 2 weeks later...

So I decided to just upgrade tanks instead of retroing my 28 gal Nanocube -

I'm going to a 75g, standard dimension

 

I already have 4 of the 25W Thomas Research drivers and have a local source for the other 2 drivers I'd need - how does this setup sound?

 

Channel 1: 10RB @ 700mA Cree XP-E TRC-025S070DS

Channel 2: 10RB @ 700mA Cree XP-E TRC-025S070DS

Channel 3: 10RB @ 700mA Cree XP-E TRC-025S070DS

Channel 4: 10RB@ 700mA Cree XP-E TRC-025S070DS

Channel 5: 12NW @ 1050mA Cree XM-L TRC-040S105DS

Channel 6: 12NW @ 1050mA Cree XM-L TRC-040S105DS

Totals: 64 leds, 40 RB, 12 NW

 

I might change out the XM-L's for XP-G's; it doesn't look like the XM-L gets you that much more for your $$

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Wow, what a good thread.

 

I was reading a couple of pages back that someone was saying that UV pics are hard to photograph.

 

Here is a site that was mentioned early on in this thread by Mike Maddox.

 

Good LED technology and the UV pics in the ML7 are awesome

 

Orphek LEDs

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Be prepared to reach deep into your pockets. The cheapest source so far in the US for a quality 365nm LED is LEDEngin. Last I checked, the 5W version was about $45 each at Mouser.

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I've always said that good UV LEDs were expensive. The lower down the wavelength ladder you go, the quicker the price rises.

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I knew they'd be pricy I'd looked into them a little but I apparently I didn't dig that far lol. how many would you think would be "enough" for a 40beater? surly there can't be much visible light coming out of these is. it more for the reaction from the coral as far as the pop is concerned? or is there benefit to deeper uv light in the hobby?

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Good LED technology and the UV pics in the ML7 are awesome

 

Not seeing anything different here than a typical RB/cool-white combo.

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Hey Evil, a few pages back you posted "add a 365 uv and see what it does to your oranges and reds." What will it do?

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Major fluorescence. You need to have a pretty serious UV LED to make it noticable over normal lighting though. Looks killer with the lights off. Near impossible to take a picture of.

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