Trying to understand 'K' color values with LEDs regarding (NW)CW:RB ratios...

cet98 · 10/01/2011, 06:12 PM

having a difficult time understanding the 'K' color values as it relates to (NW)CW:RB ratios...

seems that different online vendors vary drastically in their color scales...
for instance, ReefLEDlights states the following:

Quote:

a ratio of one Cool White to Royal Blue is approximately 10-12K
2 Royal Blue for every Cool White is between 12-15K
3 Royal Blue for every Cool White is between 17-20K

yet RapidLED made this statement in a thread in their forum:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rapid LED

Color temperature is more of a personal opinion then a science, so what looks good to you or me may not look good to anybody else. Most of the people who get our kits go with a 50/50 mix of cool white and royal blue, which I think is about a 14k color temperature. When using the neutral whites the color temperature is going to be a bit lower since the Kelvin range of NW's is lower than that of CW's, so to get the same look you would need more RB's in combination with NW's.

Typically a 1 white (whether it be CW or NW) to 2 royal blue ratio is about a 20k (give or take), which some people like since it makes your corals really "pop" and you'll see this a lot over frag tanks and especially at shows where people are selling corals.

seems to me that there is no real science to this....
does anyone have a more definitive answer to my inquiry or is this just a subjective topic based on personal perception?

Gorgok · 10/01/2011, 06:26 PM

There is no real science to it....

cet98 · 10/01/2011, 08:26 PM

thanks....but hoping for a bit more insightful replies

Gorgok · 10/01/2011, 09:23 PM

I don't know why people are so set on 1:2 or 1:3 etc. Most likely they will end up dimming one color until its just right, no matter which they choose. I got enough LEDs, in 1:1, that i could setup anywhere from 1:2 to 2:1 W:B (i have no desire to go 1:3, i fear its just pure blue).

When everything is ready i will first setup 2:3 then see what it looks like, dimming and such to try out more or less blue or white. If i have plenty of dimming going on on either i will remove some of the LEDs and replace them with the others. I'd much rather have the correct number of bulbs at roughly the same dimming setting than have too many of one dimmed way down to get the color i want. With the extra bulbs, i can make a light for a frag tank or a lighted sump or something. I can order just a few more bulbs for that knowing the ratio that worked (lets say a 5:7) if i'm too low or out of one of them.

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10/01/2011, 06:26 PM	#2
Gorgok Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 1,904	There is no real science to it....

10/01/2011, 08:26 PM	#3
cet98 "feed ur reef...feed it!" Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: in a van...down by the river Posts: 3,254	thanks....but hoping for a bit more insightful replies

10/01/2011, 09:23 PM	#4
Gorgok Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cypress, Texas Posts: 1,904	I don't know why people are so set on 1:2 or 1:3 etc. Most likely they will end up dimming one color until its just right, no matter which they choose. I got enough LEDs, in 1:1, that i could setup anywhere from 1:2 to 2:1 W:B (i have no desire to go 1:3, i fear its just pure blue). When everything is ready i will first setup 2:3 then see what it looks like, dimming and such to try out more or less blue or white. If i have plenty of dimming going on on either i will remove some of the LEDs and replace them with the others. I'd much rather have the correct number of bulbs at roughly the same dimming setting than have too many of one dimmed way down to get the color i want. With the extra bulbs, i can make a light for a frag tank or a lighted sump or something. I can order just a few more bulbs for that knowing the ratio that worked (lets say a 5:7) if i'm too low or out of one of them.