Changing Your LED Spectrum?

[texhorns98]

I've been reading a lot about the benefits of some of the high end fixtures having red and green in them. Would it not be possible to change out some whites and blues in an existing fixture? Sure, you void your warranty...

 

[reeferman]

absolutely possible with a little soldering

 

[lilrobb]

One thing to be careful about is the forward voltage of these chips.
Check the specs before you burn anything...

 

[jbadd99]

LilRobb;784776 wrote: One thing to be careful about is the forward voltage of these chips.
Check the specs before you burn anything...

I was gonna say the same thing. I've thought about doing two additions to my PacSun units with Red/Cyan/Green/UV as well to supplement the spectrum - I just am trying to work out the details - and have been for quite some time.

Ideally, I'd just like one (or two) unit(s) with 6 different spectrums in it, but I've not been able to work out the controllability/power consumption details with it yet - not that I've been trying very hard.

 

[falos]

Why not just build color strips and place them behind your curent system out of sight

 

[texhorns98]

falos;785514 wrote: Why not just build color strips and place them behind your curent system out of sight

I don't run a canopy...

 

[jbdreefs]

Are the benefits you mention in regards to the "pop" certain colored coral will produce under the reds and greens? Is there any other benefit? Just curious. It's been a while since I read about led color spectrums.

 

[snowmansnow]

JBDreefs;785524 wrote: Are the benefits you mention in regards to the "pop" certain colored coral will produce under the reds and greens? Is there any other benefit? Just curious. It's been a while since I read about led color spectrums.

basically the whole gripe against LEDs at the time is that they are basically "blue and white"... yes there are variations of these... but thats pretty much it.

For a coral to be healthy and grow over the long term it needs a fuller spectrum of light..

That's why folks are starting to put other colors in the arrays. It isn't just for the color or the "pop", but it benefits the coral's efforts in protein synthesis and other means of energy production.

b

 

[texhorns98]

Yeah, what he said...

 

[jbdreefs]

Thanks for the executive summary!

Edit: I love LEDs, but it's hard to ignore the short comings. That being said, I wonder if LEDs supplemented with T5's is the best way to go? Would be unsightly in canopy-less systems, but I think it would be a win for the others...

 

[falos]

JBDreefs;785524 wrote: Are the benefits you mention in regards to the "pop" certain colored coral will produce under the reds and greens? Is there any other benefit? Just curious. It's been a while since I read about led color spectrums.

Par is low on the green red and uv chips its mainly just for viewing and for color as you can dial in a spectrum closer to 18-20k I'm not shure if it has eny effect on the corals besides what the human eye can tell
Check out rapid led git a heat sink a inch smaller then your curent fixture paint it to match and put it on the back side of the fixture at the same height

 

[lilrobb]

falos;785578 wrote: Par is low on the green red and uv chips its mainly just for viewing and for color as you can dial in a spectrum closer to 18-20k I'm not shure if it has eny effect on the corals besides what the human eye can tell
Check out rapid led git a heat sink a inch smaller then your curent fixture paint it to match and put it on the back side of the fixture at the same height

Red has an exceptional PAR value - green no to much...

 

[snowmansnow]

LilRobb;785582 wrote: Red has an exceptional PAR value - green no to much...

I think the issue we are STILL having as marine aquarists is that even with being able to measure PAR.. we aren't CERTAIN of what that actually MEANS to the coral... I mean... yes we try to reach a certain number, but .... thats about it..

we're still learning what wavelengths and colors do what to which corals..

b

Edit: on a side note .. mostly unrelated.. I read something in CORAL mag yesterday that blew my mind haha.. "color doesn't really exist"... it is completely fabricated in our mind.. PUT THAT IN YA CHEEK N CHEW ON IT!

 

[texhorns98]

JBD, if you have a really low profile T5, it's not that bad. I'll see if I can throw mine up and take a picture or two of the configurations.