New LED Lights question

hessfish125 · 08/27/2013, 08:44 PM

I am still new to the hobby. I have just installed a new LED light on my 125 gal tank. The fish have not been out front as much since installing it. Is this normal? They eat just fine and come out to feed. The light is a 72" Beamworks.

Here are the light specs:
• 3 watt LEDs
• 84x 10000K
• 28x Actinic 460nm
• 17000 lumens
• Total 112 lights
• 4 Cooling fans

I am leaving the white on about 9 hours. The blue at all times.

Any thoughts appreciated. John

Michigan Mike · 08/27/2013, 09:02 PM

Sounds like a ton of white LEDs and not enough blue LEDs. Why are you running blues all the time? I only run lights for 8-10 hours a day (12 hours at most), fish gotta sleep too. I wouldn't even run moonlights all the time.

You have a Aquatraders LED fixture like this, correct?http://www.aquatraders.com/BeamsWork...TR-p/56278.htm

Run the blues & whites for 8 hours a day with only the blues an hour (or two) before and after for a dawn/dusk light, I often run the blue lights for a couple hours so I can enjoy the tank for night-time viewing, but turn the lights off so the fish and coral can sleep and respire.

The light is fine for fish only and low light corals like mushrooms and softies. For a full blown reef I would get a different light altogether, adding more blue light would be a priority to me.

hessfish125 · 08/27/2013, 09:35 PM

This is the type light, yes. Except the size and # of lights. Here is a link to the actual light:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300947942917...84.m1439.l2649

John

asid61 · 08/27/2013, 10:38 PM

Low light corals at best. Don't put high-light LPS on the sandbed.
Clams and SPS are off-limits. Lower-light SPS might work at the top, but I would not risk them IMO. They'll lose a lot of color.

Ron Reefman · 08/28/2013, 03:55 AM

The split you have for blue leds and white leds is about the opposite of what you want. You have 3 to 1 white to blue, you want 3 to 1 blue to white. Corals do better with blue spectrum light. The white leds have a lot of red spectrum in them and will encourage algae growth. It doesn't take much in the way of white leds to make the tank look white even though there is a lot of blue spectrum, and dimmers allow you to fine tune both color and intensity. Unfortunately, yours doesn't even have dimmers.

dinger28 · 08/28/2013, 05:32 AM

If you get a dimmer for your light, then you can dim the white and make it work. The blue will then outweigh the white at least 2 to 1.

hessfish125 · 08/28/2013, 07:17 AM

So these lights shouldn't be making my fish skiddish? Are they just adjusting to the change?

dunc101 · 08/28/2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hessfish125

So these lights shouldn't be making my fish skiddish? Are they just adjusting to the change?

If you leave your lights on for the amount of time Michigan Mike states, then no. If you are leaving 28 Actinic 460nm LED's on 24/7 though I can see where the fish might have issues. How long have you had the lights over your tank? They might be just getting used to the new light if you are running at an appropriate time range.

hessfish125 · 08/28/2013, 08:35 PM

The lights went on this Monday. My gonoporia has also closed up. I have moved it to a lower level but still not coming out.

asid61 · 08/28/2013, 11:43 PM

Again, the light is not good. Return it ASAP and get something else.

Ron Reefman · 08/29/2013, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asid61

Again, the light is not good. Return it ASAP and get something else.

As much as I hate to

, I have to agree with asid on this one. If you can get your money back, do it! Just teasing asid.

Arcadie · 08/29/2013, 07:40 AM

Way to many white,

What i have works great:

55 LED total:

15 White
24 460nm blue
6 420nm
8 480nm
3 520 nm green

The whites are for you/looks everything else is for the reef

08/27/2013, 08:44 PM	#1
hessfish125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Lancaster SC Posts: 73	New LED Lights question I am still new to the hobby. I have just installed a new LED light on my 125 gal tank. The fish have not been out front as much since installing it. Is this normal? They eat just fine and come out to feed. The light is a 72" Beamworks. Here are the light specs: • 3 watt LEDs • 84x 10000K • 28x Actinic 460nm • 17000 lumens • Total 112 lights • 4 Cooling fans I am leaving the white on about 9 hours. The blue at all times. Any thoughts appreciated. John

08/27/2013, 09:02 PM	#2
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Sounds like a ton of white LEDs and not enough blue LEDs. Why are you running blues all the time? I only run lights for 8-10 hours a day (12 hours at most), fish gotta sleep too. I wouldn't even run moonlights all the time. You have a Aquatraders LED fixture like this, correct?http://www.aquatraders.com/BeamsWork...TR-p/56278.htm Run the blues & whites for 8 hours a day with only the blues an hour (or two) before and after for a dawn/dusk light, I often run the blue lights for a couple hours so I can enjoy the tank for night-time viewing, but turn the lights off so the fish and coral can sleep and respire. The light is fine for fish only and low light corals like mushrooms and softies. For a full blown reef I would get a different light altogether, adding more blue light would be a priority to me. Last edited by Michigan Mike; 08/27/2013 at 09:33 PM.

08/28/2013, 03:55 AM	#5
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	The split you have for blue leds and white leds is about the opposite of what you want. You have 3 to 1 white to blue, you want 3 to 1 blue to white. Corals do better with blue spectrum light. The white leds have a lot of red spectrum in them and will encourage algae growth. It doesn't take much in the way of white leds to make the tank look white even though there is a lot of blue spectrum, and dimmers allow you to fine tune both color and intensity. Unfortunately, yours doesn't even have dimmers. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

08/29/2013, 07:40 AM	#12
Arcadie Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: SoFla Posts: 4	Way to many white, What i have works great: 55 LED total: 15 White 24 460nm blue 6 420nm 8 480nm 3 520 nm green The whites are for you/looks everything else is for the reef __________________ The Catalyst Agency

08/27/2013, 09:35 PM	#3
hessfish125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Lancaster SC Posts: 73	This is the type light, yes. Except the size and # of lights. Here is a link to the actual light: http://www.ebay.com/itm/300947942917...84.m1439.l2649 John

08/27/2013, 10:38 PM	#4
asid61 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 1,111	Low light corals at best. Don't put high-light LPS on the sandbed. Clams and SPS are off-limits. Lower-light SPS might work at the top, but I would not risk them IMO. They'll lose a lot of color.

08/28/2013, 05:32 AM	#6
dinger28 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Indian Land, SC Posts: 385	If you get a dimmer for your light, then you can dim the white and make it work. The blue will then outweigh the white at least 2 to 1.

08/28/2013, 07:17 AM	#7
hessfish125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Lancaster SC Posts: 73	So these lights shouldn't be making my fish skiddish? Are they just adjusting to the change?

08/28/2013, 08:35 PM	#9
hessfish125 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Lancaster SC Posts: 73	The lights went on this Monday. My gonoporia has also closed up. I have moved it to a lower level but still not coming out.

08/28/2013, 11:43 PM	#10
asid61 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 1,111	Again, the light is not good. Return it ASAP and get something else.