Light Colors?

[RocketSapp]

Is there a target range of color temperatures I should be shooting for when building a lighting system for my tank? I want a reef tank and but I am still not sure what my main goal is going to be. (LPS vs SPS vs whatever else)

I have seen some on here with MH shooting for a color temp of 10 to 12K and then the RapidLEDs have three whites that range from 2600K up to 8500K.

Is the color temp of the lights more for our viewing pleasure and not for the growth of the tanks, if they have the correct wave length for providing the frequencies of light best used for photosynthesis?

Tim


Tim

 

[Bifferwine]

Is the color temp of the lights more for our viewing pleasure and not for the growth of the tanks, if they have the correct wave length for providing the frequencies of light best used for photosynthesis?

Both. Lower K values are yellower/whiter. The higher you go, the bluer the color is. For MH and T5 bulbs, you can commonly find 10K, 12K, 14K and 20K. The 10 will be very yellow (corals will look yucky, but will grow better under it), while the 20 will be very blue (colors will pop, but growth will be slower). So most people use a mix of blues and whites to achieve a balance between good growth and looking nice. There are other color varieties of bulbs too -- pinks and purples -- that help improve the looks our our tanks too. First decide on what type of light you want to buy (MH, T5, LED, etc.) then figure out a bulb combination from there.

 

[Smitty]

Biff has you covered.

 

[baeya]

Both. Lower K values are yellower/whiter. The higher you go, the bluer the color is. For MH and T5 bulbs, you can commonly find 10K, 12K, 14K and 20K. The 10 will be very yellow (corals will look yucky, but will grow better under it), while the 20 will be very blue (colors will pop, but growth will be slower). So most people use a mix of blues and whites to achieve a balance between good growth and looking nice. There are other color varieties of bulbs too -- pinks and purples -- that help improve the looks our our tanks too. First decide on what type of light you want to buy (MH, T5, LED, etc.) then figure out a bulb combination from there.

Very nicely explained. I'm going to tuck this information on my desktop....

 

[RocketSapp]

Both. Lower K values are yellower/whiter. The higher you go, the bluer the color is. For MH and T5 bulbs, you can commonly find 10K, 12K, 14K and 20K. The 10 will be very yellow (corals will look yucky, but will grow better under it), while the 20 will be very blue (colors will pop, but growth will be slower). So most people use a mix of blues and whites to achieve a balance between good growth and looking nice. There are other color varieties of bulbs too -- pinks and purples -- that help improve the looks our our tanks too. First decide on what type of light you want to buy (MH, T5, LED, etc.) then figure out a bulb combination from there.

So the lights at RapidLEDs which are up to 8500 are actually a bit low in the color range for looks, but adding the blues will allow them to work well for both growth and looks.


What about something in the 7500K range like this waterproof strip of LEDs

http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flexible-strips-and-bars/wfls-x300x3-series-waterproof-300-high-power-led-flexible-light-strip-reel/936/2293/

And then adding blues in the 470nm range like these

NFLS-X3 series High Power LED Flexible Light Strip | LED Strips | LED Light Strips & Bars | Super Bright LEDs

Would this provide the correct light colors? The top link would provide plenty of lights as far as depth goes, but I would have to check on the blue ones.


Tim

 

[BL1]

That top link won't provide anywhere near the amount of light you'd need to penetrate any depth. The data sheet for those LEDs says they only use 0.24 watt LEDs. Any quality LED fixture you find designed for aquariums use no less than 3 watt LEDs.

 

[RocketSapp]

That top link won't provide anywhere near the amount of light you'd need to penetrate any depth. The data sheet for those LEDs says they only use 0.24 watt LEDs. Any quality LED fixture you find designed for aquariums use no less than 3 watt LEDs.

OK, I moved on from them and I found a source of the 3W 10,000K LEDs on the star heat sinks for .89 cents each (In lots of 10). I have ordered 10 to test with along with 10 blue ones that are around 460 to 465nm.

 

[poksal]

OK, I moved on from them and I found a source of the 3W 10,000K LEDs on the star heat sinks for .89 cents each (In lots of 10). I have ordered 10 to test with along with 10 blue ones that are around 460 to 465nm.

What are you going to power them with??

 

[RocketSapp]

What are you going to power them with??

Well, that is going to be the fun part for me. I think I am going to power it with a PC power supply. I can get them locally at Tanner Electronics for less than $20.00 and they will provide more than enough power. The standard ATX power supply will provide +3.3Vdc, +5Vdc, and 12Vdc at anywhere from 250watts to 750watts depending on how much is spent. The 3.3V side has the ability to push 1.5 amps at full power, and has very little fluctuation.

Additionally, I will use the 5Vdc to power an Arduino Uno microprocessor development board. With this board I plan to build my own LED controller. :D I will be able to use it to control the times that the lights come on and go off, and I think I should be able to control the dimming on them as well. I am probably going to have to add a couple relays and build in the logic for the dimming but I know it can be done.

With the Arduino I can add many options using off the shelf (OTS) equipment, like a touch screen that I can use to change the light settings, and display additional information. The board has 20 inputs (Digital and analog) so I can even add things like the OTS temperature probe so I can bring up an alert of the temperature gets out of range. I might even get it to display the time and temperature :-).

But for now, I will probably just get it to show the time, and an on\off button for the lights, and then upload new programming to it as I get it done.


Tim "Wishing there was a more geeky smile" Sapp

 

[poksal]

Well, that is going to be the fun part for me. I think I am going to power it with a PC power supply. I can get them locally at Tanner Electronics for less than $20.00 and they will provide more than enough power. The standard ATX power supply will provide +3.3Vdc, +5Vdc, and 12Vdc at anywhere from 250watts to 750watts depending on how much is spent. The 3.3V side has the ability to push 1.5 amps at full power, and has very little fluctuation.

Additionally, I will use the 5Vdc to power an Arduino Uno microprocessor development board. With this board I plan to build my own LED controller. :D I will be able to use it to control the times that the lights come on and go off, and I think I should be able to control the dimming on them as well. I am probably going to have to add a couple relays and build in the logic for the dimming but I know it can be done.

With the Arduino I can add many options using off the shelf (OTS) equipment, like a touch screen that I can use to change the light settings, and display additional information. The board has 20 inputs (Digital and analog) so I can even add things like the OTS temperature probe so I can bring up an alert of the temperature gets out of range. I might even get it to display the time and temperature :-).

But for now, I will probably just get it to show the time, and an on\off button for the lights, and then upload new programming to it as I get it done.


Tim "Wishing there was a more geeky smile" Sapp

Cool, you just took me on a tour of my machine design days.. you have it handled... so see to it that each LED chip has the full voltage and current required for peak output per that chip data sheet, they vary. Dropping the voltage to dim from there is a class A control. Series the chips to reach peak power supply voltage, and current is constant through the series circuit.. but you know all that.

 

[Northstar24]

Since you are going the route of creating your own fixture, work in some of the cyan and 'UV' colored LED's for color rendition

 

[RocketSapp]

Cool, you just took me on a tour of my machine design days.. you have it handled... so see to it that each LED chip has the full voltage and current required for peak output per that chip data sheet, they vary. Dropping the voltage to dim from there is a class A control. Series the chips to reach peak power supply voltage, and current is constant through the series circuit.. but you know all that.

Yes, going in series is what I plan on doing, however, after checking out the computer power supplies I figure I am going to have to change to a different power supply. I need something that can provide more voltage and current for what I am wanting to do. I am going to look for a 42Vdc power supply now.

Since you are going the route of creating your own fixture, work in some of the cyan and 'UV' colored LED's for color rendition

That's actually what I was going to do. The 20 LEDs are not going to be near enough light for my tank (48" X 24" X 29") but just a test for the quality of the lights. If they are what they claim to be then I will order another 50 or so lights.

If they are good lights on here then I may post on here for a group purchase since they have another price break at 100 lights (of the same color.) For the white ones in groups of 10 like I just ordered they are ~.90 cents each. At a quantity of 100 they drop to .64 cents each. The blues come in units of 10 or 50 pieces and cost .90 for 10 and drop to .70 cents for 50.

They also have some green and red LEDs on their list as well. Once I get a different email address from them, upon delivery, I will contact them directly for other colors, and maybe even cheaper prices. (Remove eBay as the middle man...)

I'll let everyone know how they come out while I am testing them.


Tim

 

[poksal]

If you haven't ordered yet... many of us have that e-address.

 

[RocketSapp]

If you haven't ordered yet... many of us have that e-address.

I did order the 20 lights for my testing. I am getting them from an ebay company called "string-lights" out of China. Are they the same ones you got your lights from? From another post you made I was under the impression that you got them from RapidLED.com.

No biggie either way, getting them through ebay for my first purchase is not a problem since it is a "protected" purchase with them. Once I know their product then I will try and go direct to them. Anyway, eBay needs to get a cut of something so they can stay in business and keep introducing us to companies like this. :-)

Tim

 

[poksal]

oh.. I may of misunderstood... Yes I used RapidLED's = crees

In fact I need to change my wiring some... I need to change my 18 series of white down two // sets of 9. This is easy as I have 9 whites on each of the two rails in question and only need to change the pigtails from series to //. You would think I'd of done it by now... this posting should remind me well enough..............maybe.