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

[DaveFason]

For me, yep. Try it out with a smaller set up. 2:1 RB to NW.

 

-Dave

[blasterman]

blaster - I wonder when the RC people will figure this out.

 

Going to be hard given that anybody who disagrees with he_who_rules the DIY forums over there gets a warning from a mod and then banned. You do it they the way they've dictated in their DIY tutorials, or you leave, and that's not an exageration. What a rational way to handle technological discourse in an otherwise open and friendly hobby, eh? Gets a little heated here sometimes, but NR is open to new ideas.

 

So, you think no more cool whites anymore? Too yellow/wash out color?

 

Not at all. A lot of people running CW/RB lights and love them. It's a solid platform that started all this. However, CW+RB does lead to some aethestic complaints from time to time, and this in an attempt to solve it. Using 2:1 RB and neutral-white produces a light much heavier in purples and red, and is a totally different look than standard CW/RB. Like, comparing a 10-12k halide or T5's to a 20k XM - different horses..... Adding a bit of cyan is just icing on the cake. I just tell everybody to try both CW/RB and 2xRB/NW in small scale before building the light full scale. It costs one extra emitter, and gives them two good color schemes to choose. That way we see threads like this with people liking and discussing their color combos rather than threads where somebody built a big DIY light and can't put his finger on why the color is wrong. Everybody wins.

[Mr. Microscope]

Gets a little heated here sometimes, but NR is open to new ideas.

Agreed! NR Rules! This is an amazing conversation. Been watching this thread like a hawk. Seems like a new phase in LED lighting being born before my eyes. I guess these are the new innovations and advances that everyone has been talking about waiting for before taking the plunge.

 

Not at all. A lot of people running CW/RB lights and love them. It's a solid platform that started all this. However, CW+RB does lead to some aethestic complaints from time to time, and this in an attempt to solve it. Using 2:1 RB and neutral-white produces a light much heavier in purples and red, and is a totally different look than standard CW/RB. Like, comparing a 10-12k halide or T5's to a 20k XM - different horses..... Adding a bit of cyan is just icing on the cake. I just tell everybody to try both CW/RB and 2xRB/NW in small scale before building the light full scale. It costs one extra emitter, and gives them two good color schemes to choose. That way we see threads like this with people liking and discussing their color combos rather than threads where somebody built a big DIY light and can't put his finger on why the color is wrong. Everybody wins.

Thanks for clarifying this.

[mrg02d]

Any way to get before and after pictures from those that started with CW+RB and then went to NW+RB? Alos, where to get NW leds?

 

Ive got a 12 led (6 cree xre 6500k and 6 cree xre RB) leds over my 12in cube. I am wondering how it would look if I swapped some 6500k for these NW leds?

 

Matt

[MDreefer]

LEDsupply has them.

[Mr. Microscope]

+1 to comparison shots of CW+RB VS. NW+RB.

 

Blasterman posted some awesome shots of some zoas comparing different blues on page 5 though. Great images!

[blasterman]

I have a lot going on, but in a month or so I should be able to shoot some comparison shots at the local reef shop. We really need some SPS for comparison as well, but I gave all mine away a few months ago. I'm just too lazy to keep the water params.

 

For LPS and softies though the NW/RB combo drives color like Walt Disney on LSD.

 

LEDsupply carries both Rebel and Cree neutrals if you want to experiment.

[Mr. Microscope]

I think the orange in just some plain old whammin' watermelons would work well for comparison. Why do you recommend 2RB to 1 NW VS. 1:1? Or do you mean more of how they are driven (50%:25%, etc.)?

[blasterman]

Neutrals white LEDs require a far greater proportion of RB's to offset their lower color temp. I found 2:1 was a good basis, and it seems Dave found the same ratio to work as well.

 

1:1 works fine for CW's, but it's pretty orange-yellow if you try this with NW's.

[DaveFason]

If I have time this week I will try and do a CW:RB and a NW:RB photo shoot. I have a good variety of corals that I could do it over too.

 

-Dave

[Genj]

I'll volunteer to purchase any colors you guys like and take pictures galore if you like. But go tear my build thread apart so I can place an order today!

[Mr. Microscope]

Neutrals white LEDs require a far greater proportion of RB's to offset their lower color temp. I found 2:1 was a good basis, and it seems Dave found the same ratio to work as well.

 

1:1 works fine for CW's, but it's pretty orange-yellow if you try this with NW's.

So, if one were to add regular blues to the mix it would be RB:NW:Blue = 2:1:1 or maybe 2:1.5:1 (with the blues driven low)?

[beeker]

a 3w cool blue a 3 watt royal blue and a 3 watt cool white look good together

 

with my PAR38's i'm mixxing all Royal blue 60 optic bulbs with 12k 40 optic bulbs and 20k 40 optic bulbs i'm also mixxing my 4 custom 4 cool blue and 1 neutral white bulbs with the other PAR38's i have and color is fantastic, honestly you don't see the royal blue or cool blue at all it blends very well

[blasterman]

What's a 'cool blue' ? Seen it referred to a few times......Thought you guys were talking about cool white (CW).

 

Is this a standard blue Cree?

 

I know we have bin variances, but a typical blue Cree is a lot brighter and more cyan than an RB. I found it to be easily over-powering, but maybe it's just me. The hyper expensive Vertex Illumina uses two flavors of blue as well.

[evilc66]

Cool blue has been coined recently just as an easier way to identify blue from royal blue. Nothing more than that.

[beeker]

cool blue is a standard Cree led in the 470nm wavelength

 

Royal blue is 450nm wavelength

 

they are 2 different types of blue led though

 

In my opinion both Royal blue and Cool blue should be used if one is looking for more color in there led setup, i have both over my 200g and they bring out sps colors that the standard RB/CW combo isn't able to bring out

[jfarabaugh]

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=249728

 

[blasterman]

I just ordered a standard blue rebel (470nm) and a cyan (505nm).

 

I'll do the same tests as above and see if either color does a better job.

[beeker]

i know cool blue works to pull out the green base on ORA red planet, as well as pull out highlights on some other corals

 

I'm interested to see how cyan reacts to purple and blue sps

[Machupicchu]

So do you guys with CB experience think it would be safe to do a fixture of 6NW 6CW 8RB and 4CB? Would the blues blend well and not overpower the royal blues if driven on the same channel? If not could i add resistors in order to still run them on the same channel?

[Mr. Microscope]

In my opinion both Royal blue and Cool blue should be used if one is looking for more color in there led setup, i have both over my 200g and they bring out sps colors that the standard RB/CW combo isn't able to bring out

What is your ratio of CB to RB?

[sammy113]

So now that you guys have played with spectrums I feel like I want to change all my CW to NW's. I already swapped 4 CW for NW's in my 23 LEDs setup. I still have the Red LED in the center but could try a warm white.

 

Since I don't want to go with a bigger lamp, just swap some Cool whites, do you guys think going 11 NW, 12 RB (will change some for CB and probably 420 when nanotuners have them) will look like a 2:1 RB, NW mix if I had the whites dimmed down to about 30%? I don't have room neither want to buy more Blues to make a 2:1 ratio.

 

I'm currently running Royal Blues at 50%

Whites at 30% with 6 Cool whites, 4 Neutrals and one Red.

[blasterman]

I already swapped 4 CW for NW's in my 23 LEDs setup.

 

And? How do you like the results?

 

I really don't want to steer anybody to swap out CWs for NWs, but urge them to test small scale first. It's a big change in color and neither is right or wrong.

[sammy113]

And? How do you like the results?

 

I really don't want to steer anybody to swap out CWs for NWs, but urge them to test small scale first. It's a big change in color and neither is right or wrong.

To be honest, I didn't saw a big difference. The mayor change came when I installed the red which was before the NW's. I still see the washed white from the CW's so that's why I'm thinking to swap for a more natural warmer color. The Red looks nice but the mix is maybe too purple.

[CausticGuy]

Any real difference in using XRE or XPE when using the regular blues? I have a XRE 10 royal blues and XPG 11 cool whites currently and its too lavender looking to me. My wife says the tank looks periwinkle. Im thinking of adding 8 regular blues. They will all have their own dimmable ballast so I can further play with the color. Im running no optics, 2.5" above water and I want to avoud spot lighting.