Lighting your reef... Best bang for your buck.

[huma-huma]

I believe PUR is more important than PAR. What good is a ton of PAR if its not useful?

 

[Gregcoyote]

The reason we generalize by using PAR is that PUR for one organism can be different than the PUR for a different organism depending on the specific frequencies its algae will absorb.

 

[huma-huma]

The reason we generalize by using PAR is that PUR for one organism can be different than the PUR for a different organism depending on the specific frequencies its algae will absorb.

A spec sheet for each led fixture with pur values fpr wavelengths would be amazing

 

[jeffaquarius]

A spec sheet for each led fixture with pur values fpr wavelengths would be amazing

The PUR applies only to a group of corals that share the same preference of frequency bandwith. While PAR is the full spectrum available.

 

[huma-huma]

I feel as though PUR would simply be a measurement of a specific wavelength of light. It would be nice to know how much of any given wavelength a light source puts out

 

[jeffaquarius]

I feel as though PUR would simply be a measurement of a specific wavelength of light. It would be nice to know how much of any given wavelength a light source puts out

The spectrograph that is printed on the box of a light bulb can give you an idea what frequency or wavelength it emits. The manufacturer may include the PAR on their specs but the PUR is impossible since the bulb has so many applications and the intensity for each frequency would be so overwhelming.

 

[dezso]

sue me for not reading all 126 pages to check for this, but in regards to the Tao units, wouldn't it be possible to open them up and replace the drivers with ones that would allow for controller use? I mean it couldn't be that hard and the end product would be a controller-enabled tao unit.

The one I got have PWM and analog dimming, 3 pin header inside the controller |GND-PWM-5V|, you can drive it from 5v PWM or with a voltage divider from 10V analogue

 

[Rich42082]

Does anyone have LEDs mounted inside the canopy that can send me some pictures? I'm debating on cutting the top of the canopy and just sitting the LED's right on the canopy.

 

[Spartachris]

I'd be really interested in pictures of canopies too.

 

[JonathanG]

Here is a shot of my two mounted in the canopy, used 4 screw hooks and the supplied hanging kit.

 

[JJ-MIK]

I have mine under a canopy. I'll take pics today when I get home

 

[JJ-MIK]

Ok here is a question for you guys that have ran both and tested.. T5's .. Or led? All around performance on corals coloration growth. All of the above. Which one would corals prefer? Besides intensity. I know led wins that one..

 

[Daniel Fishy]

That's a loaded question, both sides have good results. My friend at lfs loves his t5s and sees great results. My t5s produced good growth but to keep sps or any high light corals I had to upgrade again. So for me leds was a easy choice.i see great growth and good colors on all corals and clams running at 55b/35w. No bulb replacing either. two sides to every story.

 

[manbeast]

Ok here is a question for you guys that have ran both and tested.. T5's .. Or led? All around performance on corals coloration growth. All of the above. Which one would corals prefer? Besides intensity. I know led wins that one..

I've just recently made the switch to LEDs from a 6 bulb t5-ho unit and in my corals opinion the LEDs are much better the open more, there's colors I'm seeing now that we're never really visible under the t5's even when I ran just the actinics and also seeing new polyps starting to pop up in almost every colony, all this after maybe 2 1/2- 3 weeks and I'm still only running the blues at @ 30-35% and the whites @ 25% due to some of my lower light corals still getting acclimated

2 programmable Tao units off amazon $225 each currently over my 65 gallon but will eventually transfer to my 150 if I can ever accumulate all the equipment I want/need

 

[JJ-MIK]

Where at on amazon? All I'm seeing is 175 per unit..

 

[JJ-MIK]

Anyone use the no name brands off eBay? Are they the exact same as taotronics? Or built cheaper stay away from??

 

[Stlrockguy]

I have a taotronic and an off brand. Both are pretty close to the same. I like that dimmer switches better and the finish on the taotronics though

 

[Gregcoyote]

None of mine are "Taotronics" and they have worked fine.

 

[Stlrockguy]

One of the drivers on my off brand went out the other day after just a month as well. But so far they have been very helpful about getting it fixed.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have list two drivers from six fixtures over the past several years. They were relatively easy to replace.