Separate variable channels for blue and royal blue?

[morganatlanta]

I've got a DIY LED setup with 42 cool white and 42 royal blue CREE XREs. I've got them running off my Apex using two variable speed channels for dimming. I'm in the process of adding another 42 regular blues. My question is whether I should put the blues on a separate dimming channel than the royal blues, or if having them together on one is okay. Seems like everyone I see on here who posts the settings for their AI units end up running the blue and royal at the same strength anyway. Any thoughts?

 

[cjsparky]

I'd run them separate just for the functionality. I think it would all depend on what your corals looked like under each color, but yeah...seems everyone is ramping the 2 up at the same level/pace on the AI units. Is having separate dimmers a huge cost concern, or is it nominal?

CJ

 

[morganatlanta]

I've got four variable channels on the Apex, so I could put them on different channels. However, before too long, I'm going to build another set of LEDs for another tank, and I'm planning to them run off the same controller. In that case, having only two channels on each set of lights would be better.

 

[cjsparky]

MorganAtlanta;656867 wrote: I've got four variable channels on the Apex, so I could put them on different channels. However, before too long, I'm going to build another set of LEDs for another tank, and I'm planning to them run off the same controller. In that case, having only two channels on each set of lights would be better.

Would it be possible to run 2 different tanks on only 3 channels if you were to run the same settings and photoperiod on both tanks? May be worth looking at.

CJ

 

[morganatlanta]

The new tank will be in a kids bedroom, so it will have to be lights out at 8:30. The main tank is sunrise at 12:00, final sunset at 11:00 PM.