LED Spectrum Assistance and Discussion - Moding existing units

[kirkwood]

On my 120 I have two MM Boxes and an eshine 4G 60x3w bridgelux. Each unit has 3 UVs, blues are 450nm, and whites I assume are 10K on the MM Box and the eshine is 12K (according to an email from Peter).

Today I read this article
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/aafeature">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012/10/aafeature</a>

I want to increase my spectral diversity specifically targeting more light in the 420nm, 480nm, 520nm, and 660nm range.

I am going to buy 3w bridgelux leds from Reefbreeders. I am thinking to add 7 Red 660nm, 6-7 green 520nm, 10~14 Blue 480nm, 8-10 20K cool whites, and 6-8 UV Purple 420nm.

I've got various questions I'm hoping to get some feedback on so here goes:

1) Years ago people were saying to add only a few UVs to the array because too much in the 400nm range could hurt corals. The article I posted shows a lot of benefit in the 420nm range and since that isn't true UV I didn't see any ill effects. It could also help purple corals show stronger purple coloration. Does anyone even know if the MM boxes are true 400nm UV chips or if they are 420nm? I already have 9 UVs so am I overdoing it with too many 420's?

2) Some say UV chips beneficial spectral emittance has a much shorter life span than other wavelenghts. Any truth to this? Should I be replacing my existing UV chips with new ones every couple years?

2) According to the article it seems like a mix of 450nm and 480nm blue/royal blue chips will be more beneficial than just all 450nm blues. Any disagreement there?

3) Are 7x3W chips of Red and Green too much over a 120? I thought adding some green would compensate for not having any warm white LEDs by covering for the 520nm spectrum.

4) I opted on 20K cool white chips just to try and diversify the white spectrum I already have. If I already have a bunch of 10K and 12K whites I would think the 20K would be beneficial. Plus I always read so many good review about 20K metal halides. Thoughts on 10K, 14K, and 20K LED chips?

Thanks for reading and hope to hear some good conversation... Our understanding of LEDs and their application in reef aquaria has come a long way the past few years so show me what you've learned... thanks

 

[jbadd99]

I put 9 UVs on each side if my 120 and five "Ocean Coral Whites", which are a RGB Chip, on each side, along with 18 Royal Blues and 9 Whites.

I haven't done more than a test run with them but the coloration was fantastic!

Now that I've gotten my tank moved and mostly settled in the new house I'll be looking to get this finished up. Keep an eye on my build thread in the DIY section.

 

[kirkwood]

jbadd99;907000 wrote: I put 9 UVs on each side if my 120 .

What spectrum is your UV? Is it a 400nm?

 

[ringo®]

2) Not sure about the lifespan of the output. They do seem to croak before everything else though
2a) No disagreement here
3) 7 of each or 7 total? I haven't been a huge fan of the green LEDs in the fixtures i've seen.
4) I see nothing wrong with trying to get a variety of lighting. Worst case scenario is you swap them back out if you don't like them

I think UVish is a better term when talking about LEDs

 

[jbadd99]

Kirkwood;907001 wrote: What spectrum is your UV? Is it a 400nm?

I stand corrected... it's a hyper violet - 430nm

 

[brandonmason]

Following

Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2

 

[kirkwood]

Ringo®;907014 wrote: 2)
3) 7 of each or 7 total? I haven't been a huge fan of the green LEDs in the fixtures i've seen.

7 of each. How did the green change the look of the light in the fixtures youve seen? I'm partly just trying to match what I'm seeing from high end units like radions etc.

 

[ringo®]

Kirkwood;907100 wrote: 7 of each. How did the green change the look of the light in the fixtures youve seen? I'm partly just trying to match what I'm seeing from high end units like radions etc.

Just personal preference and I'm mostly basing it off the hydra. To me, it kind of makes the tank look like it was run through some funky instagram filter. Different strokes for different folks though. They certainly aren't going to hurt anything.

 

[kirkwood]

Anybody else?? Was hoping to get more feedback on this. But here is some more info on where i'm headed.

I did some more research and spoke with eshine and Reefbreeders and the UV chips that we were all adding to the MM boxes are true UVs in the 400nm range or lower.

So I definitely want to add some 420nm Purple LEDs. Additionally because my blues are all 450nm I want to add some 480nm chips. I want to maintain the actinic quality when my tank is in ALL BLUE mode so I think I will add the 480nm blues to my WHITE LINE.

I will also add some 660nm Red to the WHITE LINE. I'm undecided if I will add any 520nm Greens.

 

[mastrreefdvr]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IKEA-DIODER-LED-LED-4-piece-light-strip-set-multicolor-cabinets-entertainment-/171164461833?pt=US_String_Lights_Fairy_Lights&hash=item27da326b09">IKEA Dioder LED LED 4 Piece Light Strip Set Multicolor Cabinets Entertainment | eBay</a>


[IMG]http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/">http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50192365/</a>

Anyone ever tried one of these for making adjustments to the spectrum? They are my moon lights, but seem to adjust the lighting color quite a bit.

 

[darrrenjmartin]

I just bought a half broken MM, I need to figure if its going to supplement halide or be primary.
Either way, if you add different type leds eg violets and indigo they need to be on their own channel and driver. I want to buy a couple of 400 430nm leds and drivers and see how they look. I saw a MM' type unit and there were a few lens here and there.
he stated he left some len's off for shimmer effect. it seems we need to buy some different optics and leds and experiment.

 

[dylpik27]

I did something similar and noticed better coloration and especially faster growth. I had a 50/50 fixture with 12K whites and 460 blues. I added only 2 greens (just for color- it's my understanding they don't help growth) and 4 reds. I also added 7 violets and switched out 6 of my whites for 6500 or 7500K. I ordered all my bulbs from reefbreeders. I wanted to maintain my actinic look as well, so I added the reds and greens to my white channel and I think I added a couple of the violet to the blue channel (they don't wash out the blue).

 

[darrrenjmartin]

Right on. Witness to that . Glad you spoke up , I didn't want to presume to speak for you big d.
I really like what you did.
I now have three MM type fixtures and an empty 135 tank with all the fixings. Thanks Chris, Brandon.


MM LEDs type are 11x 5 array 3w LEDs.


I'm looking to etch my Circuit board Assemblies that way I can all the channel and arrays I want.
Hi jack
Now that I have my eyeball on these MM. What now.........
You heard it hear first.
I'm going to set it up much like traditional halide and supplemental.
Main lighting. I going to drop a high power bright white full spectrum( 1 or 2 20w-100w) smack in the center. I will waller out a spot for the HP chip in the main C.B.A. just large enough for the HP chip to poke thru add . optics heat sync and install on its on own CPU type cooling poking up thru the top.
Current technology leds have had nice intensity and high spectrum band width spread 500nm and above+. All the led material used to make cool whites, bright white nuetral white, Have similar heat management and voltage characteristics. The whole array can be run together as one giant bugger.

Supplement high energy( VIOLET, INDIGO, BLUE ) 500nm wave length and below:
at current technology:single Blue led light bandwidth outputs are behind other parts of the spectrum though it actually take a higher technology chemistry to produce blues.
High frequency Blues have exponentially high energy at less lumens. Because of this, the energy concentrates in narrow band width iindicated by sharp spectrum peaks . You need more diode types to smooth the bandwidth. This leads to more diode types that are not the same and can't be run together.
That's why the three LEDs burned out in the MM units.
What are the requirements.
All I can do is use 430 actinic Fl apectrum and bandwidth as a bench mark. Mabe I'll get more ideas later.
Once I set that, I can add the extra LEDs and channels that are tuned to flourescent proteins in the animals. The idea is to switch the lights to 1. a balanced florescence with the more natural color reflection or 2. Lighting to just pop.

The fun parts.. what frequencies Cause the fluorescence.
I'm going to purchase a bunch of different 1 or 3watters 395-500nm from all the main guys and obscure manufactures. Once I identify some good frequencies I can move on.

Some of the LEDs producer are gaurding thier bins colors. Hogwash! No secrets.

I have a chemist friend that actually makes his own blue LEDs in his home lab. He buys blank LED dies and fills them up. What ever color he whats ,he just mixes them up. He can build and tune leds

Disclaimer: a wealth of B.S smattered on a bed of misinformation... maybe

 

[darrrenjmartin]

I'm starting to get in some Leds.

I think in need to make these dimmable, becausse of the chatter about burning corals with optics.
I think i can mod drivers and make them PWM dimmable. i tend to want PWM. not sure I need this if it is only temporary for acclimation. if it is only for acclimation then I can use easily use the drivers I have now,me thinks.

 

[ringo®]

darrrenjmartin;912075 wrote:
I think in need to make these dimmable, becausse of the chatter about burning corals with optics.

How deep is the tank and what are you planning on keeping?

 

[indecloudzua]

Whats the abbreviation MM stand for??ive been trying to search for the MM Box and havent been able to pull up anything..besides people saying they have an MM box..im in the market for some new lighting.

 

[ringo®]

Member modified.....as in former member of ARC

 

[indecloudzua]

Ahhhh.. gotcha. Guess it's why I only found posts on arc.org..lol..thanks..any other members building fixtures?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[jbadd99]

indecloudzua;912168 wrote: Ahhhh.. gotcha. Guess it's why I only found posts on arc.org..lol..thanks..any other members building fixtures?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Not entire fixtures... But lights, yes -- and not commercially...

 

[kirkwood]

darrrenjmartin;912075 wrote: I'm starting to get in some Leds.

I think in need to make these dimmable, becausse of the chatter about burning corals with optics.
I think i can mod drivers and make them PWM dimmable. i tend to want PWM. not sure I need this if it is only temporary for acclimation. if it is only for acclimation then I can use easily use the drivers I have now,me thinks.

I'd be interested in looking into dimmable PWM drivers. My Reefangel controller can handle the PWM drivers giving me customizable control. I just don't know anything about drivers, compatability, and above all making sure they fit inside my existing LED boxes. I do know it would be a lot cheaper than buying new controllable LED units.