LED fixtures and PAR ratings

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Acro76 said:
4. PAR/Lumens - PAR is often used to evaluate fixtures, but it is not quite as important as you probably think it is! Very low PAR LED fixtures have burned up many a hot coral, so there is clearly some other factors at play. When switching out for LED lighting, go conservative and take your time increasing intensity. Higher PAR is nice for very deep tanks, or for SPS corals, but only if you can control it... Lumens or LUX is not very useful, as it includes light spectra not even utilized by corals.
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I'd like to know where you get this information?
 
I still have about three month before I will have all my equipment necessary for my 75 gal tank build up.

Do you think I should go with the sale (160ma/160sl-$1099/$899) now, or wait....being they may be cheaper then????

I have not been watching LED's for about 3 years. I just got back into it because it is now affordable, and I wasn't going to put up MH then have to upgrade.

5 years is a long time to wait...but I can wait a little longer to save $$ on other areas of the build.

Thanks for your help!

FreakinReefin said:
I'm pretty sure that's what I paid for them. They are great lights(160w m/s combo) and I am really excited to track growth. I ended up making the same mistake originally by ordering the two 75w IO units. They are apparently being fixed right now, however I wouldn't garauntee it. Either way you just want to get LEDs with options to adjust...dim and change color. Otherwise they are little more than just a light. Although LED light is really amazing what show in a very colorful tank.
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When I talked to a well respected reefer I was told LED's are nice for smaller tanks but if you have anything over 50 gallons I would wait until they release the 5W bulbs to the public. Right now they are selling all of them to the Military.

He also said they are evolving so fast right now that if you wait the technology will be that much better in a few years and if for some reason it is not better you will have others selling their lights that are only a couple of years old.

So with his advice I will wait a few more years.
 
TotalVapor said:
When I talked to a well respected reefer I was told LED's are nice for smaller tanks but if you have anything over 50 gallons I would wait until they release the 5W bulbs to the public. Right now they are selling all of them to the Military.

He also said they are evolving so fast right now that if you wait the technology will be that much better in a few years and if for some reason it is not better you will have others selling their lights that are only a couple of years old.

So with his advice I will wait a few more years.
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Thats the same conclusion I came too. I'm going to rock my halides for a few years and when the prices of LED's come down a bit then i'll invest in some. heck I may have made my tank upgrade by then anyways.

Tom
 
Workaholic said:
Thats the same conclusion I came too. I'm going to rock my halides for a few years and when the prices of LED's come down a bit then i'll invest in some. heck I may have made my tank upgrade by then anyways.

Tom
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No waaaaaaayyy...I have a 65 gallon with two 160w LED units and I could EASILY use those lights for a MUCH larger tank. However they cost over $2000, so that's kind of a PITA. Plus if you always waited for things to 'evolve' then you would never make a purchase! Everything is always going to evolve(except the family that lives at the end of my road...)
 
FreakinReefin said:
No waaaaaaayyy...I have a 65 gallon with two 160w LED units and I could EASILY use those lights for a MUCH larger tank. However they cost over $2000, so that's kind of a PITA. Plus if you always waited for things to 'evolve' then you would never make a purchase! Everything is always going to evolve(except the family that lives at the end of my road...)
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you could use them on a much larger tank yes but would they get the spread you would need for such a large tank.........

Givin the price that you listed and that they are 160w units I'm going to guess and say that you have the pacific sun LED's. The build quality is nice but honestly I dont really like them, i've seen them on display at barrier and did not like the color they produced one bit. Which is another reason that i'm going to wait because so far the only LED fixture I've seen in person (which isn't many unfortunately I will admit) that produces produces the kind of light that I like is the AI units which would not be cheap to setup over the next tank I would like to get.

Tom
 
I have 3 of the evolutions (http://www.reef2reef.com/forums/reef-koi/45696-new-299-leds-reefkoi-corals.html ) over my 8' 300 gallon.

IMG_3904Stitch.jpg
 
Does anyone else have any par ratings or spectral plots for any of the other LED's out there?

Here is a plot for Pacific Sun's Black Python 160 Watt LED

bp160par.gif


Height is at 70cm = 27.6 inches
the spread is at 20cm increments = 7.9 inches

I think I read someone state that they did not like the way Pac Sun's looked. The cool thing about them is that you can get what ever temperature you want by using the software/dimming.
 
jx4hansen said:
Does anyone else have any par ratings or spectral plots for any of the other LED's out there?

Here is a plot for Pacific Sun's Black Python 160 Watt LED

bp160par.gif


Height is at 70cm = 27.6 inches
the spread is at 20cm increments = 7.9 inches

I think I read someone state that they did not like the way Pac Sun's looked. The cool thing about them is that you can get what ever temperature you want by using the software/dimming.
Click to expand...

I said I didn't like them, I understand that you can adjust the color but the "10K" that pacific suns software claims looks very rosey pink to me and personally I find really really ugly. Now there are others that have their units and really like them, its just my personal opinion that I dislike the color they produce as well as a few other features they have.

as for those par readings, could you give more details on the conditions that those were taken? was that in the bottom of a tank? was the fixture 27" above the water surface and then it had tank depth or was that total depth. Because honestly if that was total depth at %100 output those are pretty low numbers.

Tom
 
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I just posted what the website had.

http://www.aquariumled.eu/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=32

So you answer your question Workaholic, I am not sure.:cry:

I started this post to try to get as much information about LED's on the market to be able to make a decision the best I can.

As I stated before, this is my first thread and trying to help others as well as myself to make a decision on LED's. I have been waiting for 5 years on lights because they (LED) were too expensive. Then they were $4000, now they are $2000 comparatively. I hope to one day in the near future set up my 75 gallon tank....my goal is 4 months.

I hope that others can share their experience so that those watching this thread can make somewhat of an educated decision on LED's.

So please, anyone that has LED's please chime in so we can hear how you are doing.:D
 
The way they make those plots is by measuring the PAR values, through air, on a grid with the fixture at a given height. They do this to standardize the comparision between various fixtures. In reality, the numbers go way up in water. I measured a BP 160W over my 24" tall 120g tank, the lowest reading I got was about 250 near the bottom front, I think 400-600 halfway up, and 800 - 1000 near the surface.
 
i have the maxpect 110 watt and have had it for a wile it is on a 24 cube tank and the color is good but waiting for it to break so i can make it dim then it will be sweet i would give par numbers but i don't have one do any one have one to see what it puts out ? can i rent one?

since i have been using them my zoas are smaller i think its from the brightness but every thing is doing good and they have been over my tank for like a year
 
Hey All, I just recieved some great news to share for those that would like to make the switch to LED's without the expense of changing out fixtures. I requested some LED T5's to be produced for me some while ago and finally today was sent pics of the proto-type lamps. These LED T5's go right into any std T5 fixture that has an electronic ballast/driver and use less than half the power of thier fluorescent counterparts while producing more light. At first I'll probably only get 24" & 48" lamps in 12K, 15-18K & 460nm, the prototype lamp just produced is a 12K.
I have already shown a few people a 24" LED T8 10w 8K lamp that I was sent and shows great promise to what the LED T5 lamps should do. I'll keep everyone posted and hope to have a handfull to give out for Beta Testing sometime soon (crossing fingers). I also hope to have in hand some Par 20&30 LED lamps in 460nm and a 15-18K mixed blue & white.

Todd
 
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