Will this be enough light???

[fishguy95]

I know that this is probably about the 200th thread about LEDs but mabey it is the first one this year. I would like to know if this LED retro kit from rapid LED will be enough light for my standard 55 gallon reef tank. I want to grow SPS and clams in my tank. I have 2x250 watt metal halides but I don't have proper reflectors and my tank gets WAY to hot in the summer. It also costs to much to run the halides. 36 Ultra Premium LED DIY Kit with Dimmable Drivers
I also need some help deciding what degree lenses to use.

Thanks for the help.

 

[eww]

I think it would be fine but I would probably recommend stepping up the to 48 lamp kit so you can have 24 lamps over each half of your tank. IMO it's better to have too much and dim them down saving on power and heat on the lamps than having just enough and driving them harder and hotter. FYI you can operate 48 LEDs on just 2 drivers if you set it up properly. On the optics I would recommend the 60 or 80 degree lenses as the 55gal tank is rather narrow at 12" front to back (if it's the standard dimension 55). How high are you panning on having the lights over your tank. That will also come into play on the optic degree. The higher the light that higher the degree in optics to keep the light going into the tank and not flooding all over the floor around the tank.

 

[fishguy95]

I was thinking of having them about 10-12 inches off the surface of the water. I was wanting to have multiple drivers so that I can have them come on at different times so that it simulates the sunrise and fall. I have read that the higher the optic degree then the less focused the light is, I was wanting to have it with plenty of intensity.
I also need some help on deciding what colors I need and how many. I would like to make some blue corals realy "pop".
Thanks for your help, I have been following your latest build thread. I am glad that you are using the same kind of LEDs that I want to use.

 

[estanoche]

I think it would be fine but I would probably recommend stepping up the to 48 lamp kit so you can have 24 lamps over each half of your tank. IMO it's better to have too much and dim them down saving on power and heat on the lamps than having just enough and driving them harder and hotter. FYI you can operate 48 LEDs on just 2 drivers if you set it up properly. On the optics I would recommend the 60 or 80 degree lenses as the 55gal tank is rather narrow at 12" front to back (if it's the standard dimension 55). How high are you panning on having the lights over your tank. That will also come into play on the optic degree. The higher the light that higher the degree in optics to keep the light going into the tank and not flooding all over the floor around the tank.

+1 - overkill is best!! I've always been a student of the "put as much light as you can on your tank, it is always easier to dim it down, than to make it brighter!!" - especially with LEDs - haha

 

[Webos]

I was thinking of having them about 10-12 inches off the surface of the water. I was wanting to have multiple drivers so that I can have them come on at different times so that it simulates the sunrise and fall. I have read that the higher the optic degree then the less focused the light is, I was wanting to have it with plenty of intensity.
I also need some help on deciding what colors I need and how many. I would like to make some blue corals realy "pop".
Thanks for your help, I have been following your latest build thread. I am glad that you are using the same kind of LEDs that I want to use.

Fishguy95,

I bought for my setup Cool White Cree XP-G R5 and Royal Blue Cree XP-E. I can't tell you how they worked yet still haven't got the tanked built but what i've read and with talking with other doing a 1:1 ratio will give you good white light and actinic glow you would say.

IMO i'm also building a 55g is go with 48 lights half on each side and then have them off set each other which should give you good ranch through the tank. If you would let me know how they make out i've been wanting to fire mine up but i keep pushing them aside until the tank build is done.

 

[Katchupoy]

I think 36 is ok. But like they say, go for the 48, and buy the dimmable drivers. I started mine exactly 1 year ago and only think i will change is go for the warm white. Cool whites does not give enough yellow/red on it and just a lot of blues. But blues you have plenty already because of your Royal Blues. I actually added red on mine because some of my red pigmented corals suffered under the CW & RB LED lighting.

Dimmable so that you can fine tune your intensity.

If you are running it 12 inches off the water, 65 deg is fine. Are you going to do a "Heat Sink Block" approach or "Linear"?

C