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rfoote 
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 Topic: LED Lighting sufficient?
Posted: August 24 2012 at 9:42am |
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So about 6 months ago I converted completely over to LED lighting with a Vertex 24" Illumina over my 60g cube tank.(phased over a months time) It provides more than ample coverage for the tank.
However, about 3 months in I noticed most of my SPS losing color and going pale. Right off, I focused on other aspects of my tank, thinking there could be no way it would be due to the lighting. Yet it continued for the next two months. A month ago, I added the T5 lights back in use in conjunction with the LED lights. I have changed absolutely nothing else with the tank and all colors have improved dramatically.
Thoughts?
Edited by rfoote - August 24 2012 at 9:43am
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Molli
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Posted: August 24 2012 at 9:48am |
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Just wondering if you also have LPS corals and if they have been OK. I'm working on installing a new tank with primarly LPS (and some softies) and intend to use LED lighting. I won't have any SPS -- I'm too new to this hobby to give that a try yet!
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bur01014
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Posted: August 24 2012 at 1:39pm |
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this is a common trend many reefers have experienced, although not 100% claim to experience this....I am frightened to ever say anything against leds on this forum, because we have a lot of passionate led users, but I haven't been impressed with many of the tanks I have seen that use them as their only source of lighting, or else I would have changed by now.
Keep supplementing with the t5s, many reefers on RC are now doing this and have seen good results like yourself.
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laynframe
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Posted: August 24 2012 at 4:05pm |
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I run aquaillumination leds, 2 modules on a 70 gal cube. Your corals will go through a acclimation period depending on your intensity of the lighting. All my sps faded and so did everything else. I love my AI leds but now im adding 2, t5 bulbs to add the uv i think the leds dont provide. I know of two people on this forum that have done this and it has improved their tanks and saw a huge difference.
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The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!!
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Molli
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Posted: August 24 2012 at 4:32pm |
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Its my understanding that ALL glass blocks UV rays -- so if you have a glass shield beneath the T5 bulbs your UV is blocked. Isn't that correct?
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rfoote
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Posted: August 25 2012 at 9:54am |
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I have a mix of SPS and LPS. I've actually seen an improvement in all LPS since supplementing with the T5's as well. Just my experience though.
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JBeck
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Posted: August 25 2012 at 12:18pm |
 laynframe wrote:
I run aquaillumination leds, 2 modules on a 70 gal cube. Your corals will go through a acclimation period depending on your intensity of the lighting. All my sps faded and so did everything else. I love my AI leds but now im adding 2, t5 bulbs to add the uv i think the leds dont provide. I know of two people on this forum that have done this and it has improved their tanks and saw a huge difference. |
I'm wanting to do the same thing. I have a 93 gallon cube with 2 AI's. I'm trying decide what to add.
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laynframe
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Posted: August 27 2012 at 8:49pm |
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Talk with Ryan at aquatic dreams he did the same thing in his 93 and he said he had seen a improvement. I'm doing two 24" ati actinics on mine.
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The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!!
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VitoAdjei
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Posted: September 03 2012 at 11:08pm |
Will you be using a controller like the Sol Base Controller or something that will automatically adjust the output for a cycle or anything? If not can one of these be built to use a controller? If so how would you do it?
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