chinese led lights

[rfequity]

So what D120 do I use to get a whiter look more like a 14k MH? I'm confused with all the options.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by rfequity

So what D120 do I use to get a whiter look more like a 14k MH? I'm confused with all the options.

The ratios I just posted should come pretty close. You can always dim each channel separately to tune it exactly how you want it.

[cmantis]

I made a 16k equivalent layout last night I can post when I get home. I like going 3:2 blue to white. I also designed a different layout that uses red and violet I might post as well. It is still too early for me to tell about the algae but will keep an eye on things and report back.

[Dapg8gt]

I also noticed increased algae. It's almost like a brown hair algae but short patches. It's actually slimy to the touch. Snails/hermits don't really touch the stuff but my Perc's and damsel constantly grub on it. I'm thinking it's turf algae. Tank came from a 175 MH 14k Phoenix and didn't have the issue. Phosphates are zero as for nitrates and nitrite. haven't changed anything in the frag tank and other than that I love the light. I have basically 1:1 RB and CW/ WW mix w/4 violets.. Mine is really white light I have the white dimmer running under half of what the blues are to get a 14k look out of my D120

[nynick]

Opposite experience with algae here. Brought my tank back from being basically a swamp without anything in it for 2 years and still had some hair algae and one small patch of cyano left. I think they have been living a pretty meager life already after an aggressive skimming and water change regiment but changing to the led lights made the cyano shrink in half within 48 hours and the last little hair algae is going yellow and falling off.

P.S. My MH were also 2 years old so.....they might have been crappy enough to grow algae in the most pristine environment

[RiddleEagle18]

Originally Posted by cmantis

Maybe something like this:

do these have to be run on channels


12121212121

or can they be run like this

12112112112

or

1
2
1
2
1

[RiddleEagle18]

If not I was thinking of something like this.

[RiddleEagle18]

or this...



the only thing that concerns me with this setup and the reason I had whites on both ends before is I will be hanging 3 of these and I was worried about having 2 sets of blues basically together when hung side by side.

[cmantis]

They have to be run on the channels like I have them labeled (alternating).

[cmantis]

Here is one I came up with last night that will look ~16k:



(although I might switch around the whites)

[JJIM]

Originally Posted by nynick

Opposite experience with algae here. Brought my tank back from being basically a swamp without anything in it for 2 years and still had some hair algae and one small patch of cyano left. I think they have been living a pretty meager life already after an aggressive skimming and water change regiment but changing to the led lights made the cyano shrink in half within 48 hours and the last little hair algae is going yellow and falling off.

P.S. My MH were also 2 years old so.....they might have been crappy enough to grow algae in the most pristine environment

Nynick- did you get the D120 also, or what light did you get? Also, what ratio did you get on the light you chose?

Thanks Nynick, Dapg8gt, and Bhazard for conveying what is happening to your tanks with these lights. And your right Bhazard, trying to account for all the variables can be difficult unless you only added a new light (one of these LEDs on this thread) to an existing tank while subtracting your old fixture and keeping the same maintenance schedule.

Great info!

[cmantis]

Algae do well in the 665 to 680 nanometer (nm) wavelength range, they are quite active bewteen the 560 and 620 nm range as well. So I am not convinced red or green especially when just a small percentage have that much effect.

[JJIM]

Originally Posted by cmantis

Here is one I came up with last night that will look ~16k:



(although I might switch around the whites)

Cmantis- Was this with the D120 BTO through Evergrow? I see that you have removed all the greens and reds, or was this to help another reefer out that I may have missed in the thread?

[mlott132]

cmantis just wondering how you are figuring out the total equivalent light wavelength? Any reason for not having any reds or greens? I am in the process of re-designing my lights and just want to make sure I am choosing the right colors. The dimmers are going to be setup like yours 12121212121 with three lights on a separate dimmer for moonlights.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by mlott132

cmantis just wondering how you are figuring out the total equivalent light wavelength? Any reason for not having any reds or greens? I am in the process of re-designing my lights and just want to make sure I am choosing the right colors. The dimmers are going to be setup like yours 12121212121 with three lights on a separate dimmer for moonlights.

There's so many possible combinations that haven't been tried yet, not accounting for the differences in different leds themselves from different companies. Even the big name companies haven't played around with color combos (publicly) as much as we have lately.

Even if I used the same exact number and colors of leds in Bridgelux for my Nova that I have in now as Crees, it would look completely different. The only way to really screw things up, is to put all the colors in one area and not spread them around evenly (cough, Twilight)

[rad1687]

Would you recommend the warm and neutral whites over cool whites with reds and greens?

[JJIM]

Take a look and critique the attached BTO for a D120 please. Still playing with colors a bit.

Dispersion, color balance, etc.? Would this be close to a 16k light? I do like it a little more blue, but certainly not a dominant blue.

Shoot, attachment color key is off but diagram is correct. It won't let me alter my attachment. Below is correct number/color key and diagram attached is accurate.

3x- 660 nm Red
4x- 520 nm Green
4x- 410-420 nm UV-Violet
10xx- 450-455nm Blue
16x- 440-445nm Royal Blue
4x- 3000-3500k Warm White
10x- 6000-6500k Pure White
4x- 6500-7000k Cool White

[rad1687]

Also, is there an ETA for when the D120's will have a built in controller?

[cmantis]

That was just one that I came up without red or green just for the hell of it. I made another one with reds included I can post later if you want to see. Like was said earlier this is all still trial and error. They are going to make some of my designs to see how they look. The ones with the controller will probably be out in a month or so.

[cmantis]

Originally Posted by mlott132

cmantis just wondering how you are figuring out the total equivalent light wavelength?

[newe70]

So I have both of the D120 fixtures from Evergrow running for about 4 weeks now. Everything pop in colors and getting quite good growth on the SPS. For those who is skeptical about these LED light fixtures...these lights can growth SPS with no doubts...check out the results. The first pix when I used the Aquaticlife T5 4-lamps 48" with ATI bulbs. Other pictures are the LED fixtures.

[nynick]

here are my lights

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/prod...586828063.html

but with optics

I would say that there is a good chance of having anything get a little messed up when you change anything in your tank, lights or otherwise. Very delicate eco system contained in a small space. If I can give one RAVE review about my fixture and algae though (and this might or might not be because of the optics). The light is fairly directional and I centered it pretty well so unlike the old MH the glass gets zero direct light ie my glass gets next to zero algae growth. One less boring piece of maintenance One week now and so far no visible algae what so ever, used to have to clean them twice a week.

[bhazard451]

Nice. Keep the pics and growth results coming.

[JJIM]

Originally Posted by cmantis

That was just one that I came up without red or green just for the hell of it. I made another one with reds included I can post later if you want to see. Like was said earlier this is all still trial and error. They are going to make some of my designs to see how they look. The ones with the controller will probably be out in a month or so.

CM, what post # were you referring to...3542?

[schulzcm]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the info and work. I've tried to read as much of this thread as possible but it is just way too long!

Anyway I am posting because I am seriously considering purchasing 2 d120s from evergrow. I have come up with a few layouts for my fixture but I am still unsure of how i should handle the white leds. From all the reading i've done, it seems that people are making a shift to neutral whites from cool whites. I would like to incorporate both whites into my led unit but as many have pointed out, evergrow does not offer 4500k bulbs (nw). What mix does everyone recommend since they dont have them. I am concerned about the appearance of the tank, don't want it to be too blue, and the health of my corals. would a mix of ww and cw work?

the first design is what I would ideally like (at least i think I would!) and the second is with cw and ww. Any thoughts and/or critiques? thanks.