LED Fixture for 55 reef

Bedroomgangsta · 12/16/2010, 02:25 PM

Starting a 55 reef and Im wondering if anyone has input on how many HO LED's would be appropriate for mostly softies. I figured a mixture of cool white and royal blue to get close to a 14000K look and maybe a couple T5 accents as well perhaps a fiji purple and 10000K. I will be building the fixture myself so i figured two heat sinks with 24 HO LEDs would be efficient all with potentiometers for dimming and acclimating corals. Would that be overkill or would 12 on each heat sink be enough?

AquaReeferMan · 12/16/2010, 02:30 PM

What wattage LEDs were you think about using? If you were using 3w Id say 12 on each side would be fine for just softies.

christopher1260 · 12/16/2010, 02:35 PM

I have 48 HO LEDs over a 125 gallon tank and can grow many LPS with them. I would think that 24-36 LEDs over a standard 55 would be sufficient for softies and lower-light LPS. You shouldn't even need T5 supplementation except for color correction, if desired.

Bedroomgangsta · 12/16/2010, 07:54 PM

Thanks a lot guys, I was thinking just 12 on each side would be good but i want to make sure before dumping the money into it. What color mixtures did you guys do to get close to that 14K blueish color. Essentially i love the blue hint because then you dont really need actinics to compensate for other spectrums. I was going for the 3w leds on rapidled.com. Ive heard good feedback from them and etc...mixing the royal blue and whites get me a good color spectrum or would you have other reccomendations
?

Bedroomgangsta · 12/16/2010, 07:57 PM

Also did you go with Cree xp-g or mc-e? There is quite the price difference but if the color spectrum is the same why pay more for the mc-e...?

12/16/2010, 02:25 PM	#1
Bedroomgangsta Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 337	LED Fixture for 55 reef Starting a 55 reef and Im wondering if anyone has input on how many HO LED's would be appropriate for mostly softies. I figured a mixture of cool white and royal blue to get close to a 14000K look and maybe a couple T5 accents as well perhaps a fiji purple and 10000K. I will be building the fixture myself so i figured two heat sinks with 24 HO LEDs would be efficient all with potentiometers for dimming and acclimating corals. Would that be overkill or would 12 on each heat sink be enough?

12/16/2010, 02:30 PM	#2
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	What wattage LEDs were you think about using? If you were using 3w Id say 12 on each side would be fine for just softies. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

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12/16/2010, 02:35 PM	#3
christopher1260 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 20	I have 48 HO LEDs over a 125 gallon tank and can grow many LPS with them. I would think that 24-36 LEDs over a standard 55 would be sufficient for softies and lower-light LPS. You shouldn't even need T5 supplementation except for color correction, if desired.

12/16/2010, 07:54 PM	#4
Bedroomgangsta Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 337	Thanks a lot guys, I was thinking just 12 on each side would be good but i want to make sure before dumping the money into it. What color mixtures did you guys do to get close to that 14K blueish color. Essentially i love the blue hint because then you dont really need actinics to compensate for other spectrums. I was going for the 3w leds on rapidled.com. Ive heard good feedback from them and etc...mixing the royal blue and whites get me a good color spectrum or would you have other reccomendations ?

12/16/2010, 07:57 PM	#5
Bedroomgangsta Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 337	Also did you go with Cree xp-g or mc-e? There is quite the price difference but if the color spectrum is the same why pay more for the mc-e...?