Best lighting for my new nano

[jeffaquarius]

For a hobbiest it is just a trial in error to find out if you have enough PUR for your corals. LEDs are not created equal. Same wattage of LEDs may have different PAR or PUR. Your eyes may deceive you of their brightness since our eyes are more sensitive to yellow, red and green but not with blue which is where most photosynthesis takes place.

 

[mr_X]

For a hobbiest it is just a trial in error to find out if you have enough PUR for your corals. LEDs are not created equal. Same wattage of LEDs may have different PAR or PUR. Your eyes may deceive you of their brightness since our eyes are more sensitive to yellow, red and green but not with blue which is where most photosynthesis takes place.

So, it's a guess? If I'm reading your post correctly, since you haven't tried these, you really have no idea if they will grow corals or not. Epistar, Bridgelux, and Cree LEDs all grow corals. I've even colored up an anemone under a 6000k Home Depot LED lamp. It's certainly not the nicest looking light, but the point is, it worked, as will the lamps in the link. All you need to figure out is what wattage you need for your tank.

 

[nshepler]

So, it's a guess? If I'm reading your post correctly, since you haven't tried these, you really have no idea if they will grow corals or not. Epistar, Bridgelux, and Cree LEDs all grow corals. I've even colored up an anemone under a 6000k Home Depot LED lamp. It's certainly not the nicest looking light, but the point is, it worked, as will the lamps in the link. All you need to figure out is what wattage you need for your tank.

Thank you, could you give me some advice on how to go about figuring out what wattage I need? I'm guessing going higher and moving the lamp farther if needed is smarter than going to low?


Shep

 

[jeffaquarius]

That is why I emphasized that LEDs are not created equal. I do have 4 LED Chinese fixtures which I am not happy with. They are the full spectrum type. I use more blue and tried several combinations with no success. I am leaning to move back to fluorescent tubes which are designed for aquarium and peaks at the right Frequency band.

 

[mr_X]

As I said, you are probably not going to like the color these put out, since the ratio of blues to whites is what it is. See if you can find a lamp that has 2 blues to 1 white. These lamps you linked are going to look crisp white.
What are the dimensions of your nano?

 

[mr_X]

That is why I emphasized that LEDs are not created equal. I do have 4 LED Chinese fixtures which I am not happy with. They are the full spectrum type. I use more blue and tried several combinations with no success. I am leaning to move back to fluorescent tubes which are designed for aquarium and peaks at the right Frequency band.

What is happening? Corals are not growing?

 

[jeffaquarius]

One anemone moved out and got suck by power head and the other is deteriorating. Other corals are just not growing. I tried slowly cranking up light but sps would bleach. Water parameter are steady as they were before when I had them on Fluorescent tubes.

 

[mr_X]

Bleaching sps is not telling me you have a lack of intensity. You think there's a lot of light, but just no useful light? I've been using these things for years now and have had plenty of luck. How long have you had them?

 

[Sniperhank]

Sounds like the issue I had with my Radions until I put them at 60% max during their ramp up... You shouldn't underestimate the power of LEDs when it comes to penetrating water.

 

[nshepler]

My tank is an 11.5 inch square.


Shep

 

[jeffaquarius]

I might have picked the wrong ones. It's those with red, green and amber LEDs. I have them for almost a year now.

 

[nshepler]

Yea I've seen those also, what is the purpose in the different color leds?
Other than the blues of coarse.

Shep

 

[nshepler]

Also the only ones I find with more blue than white are very low in watts.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=370877737938

Shep

 

[mr_X]

Yes, but here is one branded by Aqua medic-
Aqua Medic Aqua Sun Spot 12 - 12 W 16K, PAR38 base, 8 white/4 blue LEDs - AquaCave.com

It's also only 12 watts. You may be able to get away with 12 watts over a 1 foot cube.

Years ago folks started using the blue/white LED panels without knowing enough about them. They saw the intensity as being less than their T5 and metal halides (with the naked eye) and blasted their tanks with these powerful fixtures, resulting in coral loss, bleaching, melting away....etc, so since LEDs have a very narrow spectrum the first thought was, we didn't have a broad enough spectrum. Then the multicolored or "full spectrum" fixtures were born.
The bottom line was that folks were not using their blue and white fixtures properly, and not that red and green such were needed.

 

[nshepler]

So you think the one I listed will be okay?


Shep

 

[mr_X]

I would try the 12 watter. I believe it's enough for your tank. The rapid LED option mentioned earlier is only 19 watts-
12 LED PAR38 Bulb (Actinic) - Rapid LED

How will you suspend it? You could use a desk lamp....

 

[nshepler]

I'm going to use an architect lamp as mentioned before.


Shep

 

[nshepler]

Do you guys think that light is strong enough for a red monti cap?


Shep

 

[Sniperhank]

Can you link that one again?

 

[nanoreefz]

Not sure what your budget is but I love my kessil a160


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