# Question about reef LEDs.



## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

I am thinking to go from T5HO to LED. The technology behind LEDs, now is pretty advanced and they can provide enough light for coral growth. 
I don't know if one Radion XR30w will be enough for my 75g tank. What do you think?
What not so expensive options, I have on the market for 75 gallons?


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

You might get away with one Radion. Supposedly a Radion should be able to cover a minimum of 24/24/24. I have 1 over 30/18/24 and it covers just fine. What are your dimensions? 
If you have Vortech pumps a Radion is a great choice as they talk to each other. My radion puts my pumps into night mode at dusk.


Edit: I just saw that you have a 48" tank. 1 Radion won't really cover that.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

If they are not enough than i might be cheaper with Maxspect R420R Razor LED Lighting Fixture - 16000K from BRS.
Or...? Any ideas? 
I am also considering Onyx by Rapid LED


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

fesso clown said:


> Edit: I just saw that you have a 48" tank. 1 Radion won't really cover that.


I concur. total wattage is only 133 or so. my evergrow is 165wats total and I'd use two on a 75G.

If you are considering buying LED, here's something I have learneds since purchasing LEDs:

Look at the spectrum of the best T5 lamps (not fixtures, the bulbs), then see if the LED lamp you're considering immitates that output. The best T5 lamps I've seen are in Reef Raft, on the frag tank that's from second to the last on the left hand side. EVERYTHING under those lights look AMAZING. And it isn't a mistake that everyone GUSHES about RR corals. they know how to sell their sh!t.

I myself am finding my LEDs doesn't cover the spectrums the best looking T5s cover and so I'm in the process of putting together a supplemental light LED for my DT.

So please don't make the mistake I did - make sure your LED will give you the flourescence you want (i.e. colour of your corals).

Now if you don't care about getting the best colours but want a reliable LED with warranty that will grow SPS, then I don't think you can do better than Evergrow D120 from reef supplies.ca. $200 each, getting two of those should do the job for your tank. I love mine.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

Bayinaung said:


> ...Evergrow D120 from reef supplies.ca. $200 each...


Couldn't find them on reefsupplies.ca, but on youtube, they look similar to Onyx from rapid led.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

TankCla said:


> If they are not enough than i might be cheaper with Maxspect R420R Razor LED Lighting Fixture - 16000K from BRS.
> Or...? Any ideas?
> I am also considering Onyx by Rapid LED


The Onyx looks good EXCEPT it's not dimmable. (Cree brand Leds and looks like a good build quality) At a minimum you need 2 dimmable channels. One blue and one white so you can dial in the color you like. The thing about the Radion is the programability, I can dial in any spectrum I want (10K, 14K, 18K, 20K) with a mouse click for how long I want throughout the day, set it and forget it.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

I have a similar but smaller unit to the D120 on my Nano and I don't like it much....
My advise would be to hold out and find 2 used Gen 1 Radions or AI Sols.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

TankCla said:


> Couldn't find them on reefsupplies.ca, but on youtube, they look similar to Onyx from rapid led.


Oooops! sorry.. it's this: http://www.reefsupplycanada.com/

the names are too similiar.

D120 is here:

http://www.reefsupplycanada.com/d120-v2-dimmable-120-watt-full-spectrum-led-light-16-light/

Sig went with this:

http://www.reefsupplycanada.com/it2040-controllable-full-spectrum-led-16-light/

looking at the specs, I think this light is pretty terriffic!

and this might suit what you're looking for - 32" light, should be perfect for your 75G !!!

http://www.reefsupplycanada.com/it2080-controllable-full-spectrum-led-32-light/

price is amazing. 3 year warranty.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

Maxspect apparently does the disco effect. the one brand that BigAl's is arrying now also has the same issue. I can say that Evergrow doesn't. Ask Sig if he's gotten the IT2080 yet. It has more royal blues than D120 so should have better flourescence.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

Bayinaung said:


> Maxspect apparently does the disco effect. the one brand that BigAl's is arrying now also has the same issue. I can say that Evergrow doesn't. Ask Sig if he's gotten the IT2080 yet. It has more royal blues than D120 so should have better flourescence.


I did not get these, because it does not make sense to pay close to 460 for IT2080, when I can get AI Hydra with frosted lenses for almost the same amount.

and I do not care about specs. I care how It looks like and I did not see yet LED that I like. 
You run blue - corals are nice, but all fishes are black. To run something in the middle - you get algae growing

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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

sig said:


> I did not get these, because it does not make sense to pay close to 460 for IT2080, when I can get AI Hydra with frosted lenses for almost the same amount.


ah ok. Well I like the combination of lights AI Hydra has. but it's got only 20 3W leds as opposed to the I2080 which has 99 3W leds. I think THAT'S a HUGE difference.

Hydra will not have the same par values as the IT2080. IT2080 would be too much for your tank also Sig.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

At this moment I have these T5HO from Giesemann:
*____Pure Actinic_______________________________________________________ Actinic Plus*






























*____Aquablue Plus_______________________________________________________ Lagoon Blue*

plus 2x par38 full spectrum for white light (in testing period now).
The only thing I noticed, all corals have a nice color when par38 are on. That's why I was thinking to go towards LEDs.

.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

well that's awesome! what are the par 38s you got - specifically which LEDs do they have in them, and how many are there for each, and # of geismens for each kind you're running? if you like those color combos you got, that's what you want to replicate in your LED.


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## TankCla (Dec 31, 2010)

I have one of each giesemann. I love pure actinic + actinic plus combination. I get almost the same color as the LEDs I saw in most of LFS.
About par38 I can't tell you the number for each color (12x3w/blue-red-14kwhite-uv), and I believe they are cree. I have to look at them at home, but all the colors are bright under them. A little too bright for my SPS. 2 acro half bleached when I had par38 directed at them.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

the spectrum on geisemen are pretty awesome. you got a lot of UV-A from the first quadrant T5, a lot of violet and royal blues (450-460nm), lots of the 550, 650, and a bit of the red at 700-750nm. the the first two on top would cause quite a bit of flourescence because of the UV-A and violet (and cause flourescent proteins to be built up over time, from my rudimentary understanding of this). 

now we'll figure out which part of the LED is contributing to the flourescence.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

Here are a few of the bulbs RR uses (from my memory of asking this of Jay this past summer):

ATI Blue Plus was on EVERY Fixture he had, as a standard.


















And I think he had either or both of these purple T5s:
Korallen Zucht Fiji Purple 









Also, he was using some bulbs that are no longer manufactured but he had saved a big stock of them.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

In this blog, the guy mentions that ATIs were better at colour rendering than Geisemens. His fav. was the combo of ATI blue plus and ATI aqua blue special

http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/captive_aquatics/2010/11/t5s-spectrums-choosing-whats-right-for-you.html

ATI Aquablue special spectral graph:









What's interesting to note is that while blue plus peaks at 450nm (royal blue) aqua blue special peaks at 420nm area (violet) and both brings a second peak at 550.

I think I would still add something with peaks at 620-700nm like those found in purple plus.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

I found that a 4 bulb combo was best for me with T5's and I mixed ATI with Geissman and KZ to get what I wanted.

My frag tank has a razor over it and I find that the 2 channels isn't enough, although I love what it looks like! Also the growth is pretty good so far.


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