AquaticEngineer Posted August 6, 2010 Share Posted August 6, 2010 I keep going back and forth wondering if I should buy one of these cheap LED panels off of ebay since I wont need the crazy output that a DIY Cree LED setup would give. Or if I should just make my own with the Crees and just space the LEDs more liberally than what would be needed for a standard reef. It might be worth a shot for $25 ish shipped. Especially with just macros under it, couldn't be any worse or cost more then going with a T5 setup or a florescent setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC-k3v Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 I'm trying to light a tank that is only 12 inches deep and will only have temperate macro algaes in it from the Oregon coast, almost all from tidepools. Think one of these lights would do the job? I'm mostly concerned with having a broad spectrum light since the algae will be coming from less than 12 inches of water on average. What do you think? What worries me is that you mentioned tide pool organisms. I know i am a bit closer to the equator than you are, but you would be surprised what PAR levels the sun puts out. There was an old report done on the Waikiki Aquarium outdoor tank. All readings were taken at 24" of depth. (A lot deeper than your average tide pool) Mid day this tank peaks at just over 2500 PAR! Even at noon when the tank is shaded by a large palm tree the tank runs around 750 PAR. (source: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/feature.htm) Lets say your sun puts out half that... You will be pulling algae from a 1250 PAR range and putting them into a 50-60 PAR range. We will never put out PAR numbers like the sun... I think your algae will have a tough time with the acclimation. I do collect zoas from these 2500 PAR waters and acclimate them fine in 350 -500 range, but i know they would be hurting under even 100 PAR. Check out www.reefledlights.com This is where i just bout my set-up for my 6 foot tank. Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 The crazy thing is that the algae that I collected on my first trip about a month ago is growing in the main display tank with only ambient sun light from a side window in my garage. I'll have to see if anyone has ever gathered similar information on par levels here in oregon. I figured I would give it a shot and worse case scenario I am out $30 and some macro algae, and I just make it a non-photosynthetic tank with smaller inhabitants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolwaves Posted August 7, 2010 Share Posted August 7, 2010 (especially at that price) LEDs would be well worth trying on a temperate aquarium, at least on account of their low heat output Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC-k3v Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 LED light panel?? I figured I would can give it a shot and worse case scenario I am out $30 That's exactly why I bought them. Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 That's exactly why I bought them. What did u end up using yours for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC-k3v Posted August 8, 2010 Share Posted August 8, 2010 I use the Blue and White when taking pictures of fish. I distribute for Mr. Aqua Rimless tanks and the panel fits perfectly over the 12" cube. I really have no use for the all Blue one though. k3v Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Old post but I'm working on changing my 300 gallon to all LED now. Just purchased a Ecoray 60D, pretty impressive little unit. Pros, pretty bright, its much more directional than some of the other LED units out. I think thats why its so much brighter. Its easily 2x as bright as my 250W DE halides, its just you need two of them to cover roughly the same area. The blues when they come on before the whites are pretty impressive. Cons, your going to need quite a few. Really Ill be able to get away with 7 of them total. 8 would probably be more ideal but 7 is going to work out fine. Only reason I have to go with so many is to get the same coverage. My tanks 8' long though but the overflows are on each end. Gotta save up my pennies so I can get the rest of them. For now I'm going to run just the 1 I have. Zero heat too. Big benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquaticEngineer Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 .....Just purchased a Ecoray 60D, pretty impressive little unit.... You got a link to the lights you bought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 http://www.ecorayled.com/Ecoray60/Ecoray_60.html The local store down here. http://www.reef-tech.net/catalog_i12920186.html?catId=377961 They have a 24" model coming out, hopefully I'll have the info on it soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Left side is where the LED is, the rest is lit right now with 2 250W DE Phoenix 14k's. Its quite a bit brighter on the left side where the LED's are. Sorry for the Dirty tank, looks pretty dim but its sunny here and pretty bright. I set the camera pretty close to what it actually looks like right now. Closer view of right where the LED is. Ill get a picture later tonight with just the blues on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moto826 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 i dont think leds will keep your corals color with leds i ran the maxpect ones over my tank and all my zoas lost color so i traded it for a chiller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 That's why I'm only doing the one for now. Its a good place to test how they react. However there are guys on Reefcentral with great colors and that's after 2 yrs of having them in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown65 Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Blue LEDs on now. VHO Actinics are running also but they do nothing compared to the LEDs. Kinda hard to get a real accurate picture of it, but they really really glow. Especially the Acans and rics. BTW, they put the new 24" model up on the site now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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