Anybody else using the PowerBrite LED's? I just saw them at LFS and was blown away.

[Aqua Keepers]

Do you think I can create a similar look with 4 or 5 over driven T5's and a bunch of the 460nm PowerBrite LED strips. If so, I'm guessing my T5 bulb selection would need to give me the 20k look.

[rtparty]

So I have been looking at these LED's and have really started liking them! That WWC tank is gorgeous! Very well done!

My question is will 4 be enough over a 90? I will have 6 T5's retrofitted into a canopy and am thinking of putting 4 of these in the middle.

Like this:
Front
T5
T5
PB PB PB PB
T5
T5
T5
T5
Back

Do you guys think it will work to get the shimmer with everything on?

Thanks

Ryan

[Ness]

Your probably better off putting them like this, they cover a pretty wide area (close to 2 feet) depending on how high you put them. If you do put them all in a row at the front, try to angle them back slightly. You will notice some shimmer, but mostly you will see the color in your corals pop more. You will still see them with everything on, even with metal halides.

T5
T5
PB PB
T5
T5
PB PB
T5
T5

[rtparty]

Originally posted by Ness
Your probably better off putting them like this, they cover a pretty wide area (close to 2 feet) depending on how high you put them. If you do put them all in a row at the front, try to angle them back slightly. You will notice some shimmer, but mostly you will see the color in your corals pop more. You will still see them with everything on, even with metal halides.

T5
T5
PB PB
T5
T5
PB PB
T5
T5

Has anyone seen how high Current recommends you place them?

My T5's will only be 4 to 6 inches off the water. If I have to place the LED's higher then they may get blocked. I will have to design the canopy with some special areas so these can really shine.

I have thought about doing it how you said but am thinking of going with 6 total doing that. 3 in each row.

Thanks for the response!

[Michael]

well i havent got the leds your talking about myself, but i have 3 12 watt high powered led bars running along side my t5s, the shimming effect is outstanding, i use the tm aquaray bars, good as supplemtry lighting, i think your leds will give a shimming effect, but not much else like mine, although if its just shimming your after then i recon it will work

[96p993]

Michael do you have any pics of your setup or links to the led bars you are using?

[Michael]

Originally posted by 96p993
Michael do you have any pics of your setup or links to the led bars you are using?

yes sure, a link is under this writting, if you scroll down the whole link you will see the different colours they do, as for pics of them on my tank, click my red house, theres 2 or 3 pics with them fitted, HTH

http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/aquarium/aquaray-lighting.asp

[rtparty]

Michael,

Those are really cool but I can't find prices for them and I am not sure if anyone here in the US carries them.

What are the prices on these and how do I get them here in the US?

The PowerBrites are my Christmas list already but I can run both if needed!

Thanks

Ryan

[Michael]

Originally posted by rtparty
Michael,

Those are really cool but I can't find prices for them and I am not sure if anyone here in the US carries them.

What are the prices on these and how do I get them here in the US?

The PowerBrites are my Christmas list already but I can run both if needed!

Thanks

Ryan

hi-ryan tbh im not sure how much they would cost you, our economy ryan is nothing like yours, we pay litrally 3 times as much in fuel and for clothes etc so its a difficult 1, as for where to get them, i can only suggest asking your lfs, they may have an idea, after all they are tmc, the same company that makes the salt you can readily buy in the us, sorry i cant really help more buddy the only other way is to send a e-mail to tmc direct and ask who is the us main retailer, good luck pal

[Michael]

well for those of you who are genrally interested in LEDs heres some shots of mine, which sit in between t5s under my hood

[Snausy]

I'm about to make the call on four of these but I need some help deciding on BLUE, WHITE or BLUE/WHITE...

I have T5s that run across the entire middle of my tank with some room up front and in back.

Yes it's only a FOWLR tank(no corals to pop) but I want the shimmer and would like some nice pop to my fish.

They sell all blue, all white or a bar with two whites and two blues...how would you do this? I'm confused as to which ones I need/want.

I figured I'd get two powerbright strips and then connector-strips for each so a total of four for my 5 foot 100gallon tank. Two across the front and two across the back.

Which colors though? Some of you are going all blue....is there any advantage to having white in there as well?

Thanks for any input.

[Michael]

go for blues, makes the tank look great, if its too much the t5s in white will sort it out, fwiw i think bluer tanks look just great,the reef whites are great as well, perhaps if your buying 4 then get 1 reef white and 2 reef blues and 1 marine blue which is a combination of white/blue mixed

[Snausy]

I think I may just get two all blues for the front and two marine(mixed) for the back...then again my tank is fairly white with the T5s...maybe just all blue. BAH....any other opinions?

I think definately all blue across the front. Just wonder if the whites add shimmer or somthing I need for the backs.

[Snausy]

Wow I just bought 4 all blue and four white/blue. lol out of control. Kinda spendy but I'm thinking it will be worth it. They are on sale at drFosters&Smith so I saved a little bit...still 400 clams though. My fiance thinks I'm crazy.

[Michael]

Originally posted by Snausy
Wow I just bought 4 all blue and four white/blue. lol out of control. Kinda spendy but I'm thinking it will be worth it. They are on sale at drFosters&Smith so I saved a little bit...still 400 clams though. My fiance thinks I'm crazy.

is that 400 bucks for 8 bars?

[Snausy]

Originally posted by Michael
is that 400 bucks for 8 bars?

lol yep, and that's on sale...it'd usually be about 130 for two bars. They aren't cheap that is for sure. From what I've seen here and for the watts they use I've talked myself into thinking it's worth it.

With my tank being FOWLR, I'm not growing coral so I can just run the LED lights and leave my T5s off sometimes(all the time?). It'll have 8 white LEDs so it will have some brightness as well as the blues.

Save me a ton of money(ok at least break even) in the long run using 32 watts instead of 500 or whatever it is. Anyway I think it'll look really cool and I can't wait to see it. If it's not bright enough I'll just get two all white bars for the middle.

FOWLR I don't need to worry about lighting strength and par etc etc. To be honest I always thought that T5 lights were bland...I would like the shimmer effect.

[Michael]

you will get the shimmer effect, glad though your not thinking the par levels will be outstanding, because you understand their strenghs you should be pleased with them

[Snausy]

One more thing I'm trying to do away with is the green hair algae...it's not bad and I don't have much, but man it's persistent!

I'm hoping the lack of lighting strength will starve it away once and for all.

[Megabite]

Originally posted by WWC
it looks at LOT better in person

Yes, I would have to agree.

[Michael]

Originally posted by Snausy
One more thing I'm trying to do away with is the green hair algae...it's not bad and I don't have much, but man it's persistent!

I'm hoping the lack of lighting strength will starve it away once and for all.

excessive nutrients is the algae reason, after seeing megabites pics i dont think the lighting will be dim, it looks very bright, yesterday i raised my LEDs another 6" above the water line just as a trial and the light levels and shimming effect even better

[Megabite]

Originally posted by Michael
excessive nutrients is the algae reason, after seeing megabites pics i don't think the lighting will be dim, it looks very bright, yesterday i raised my LEDs another 6" above the water line just as a trial and the light levels and shimming effect even better

Just a note. Although the LED's are very bright, I only use them as supplements along with T-5's and have 3 250W MH's. My lighting scheme works like this.

Morning:
All off
Moon lights on
PB LED's on
Moon lights off
T-5's on
MH on
T5's off

Then the lights turn off in reverse.

My favorite lighting is when the PW LED's are on by them self. It's eye candy.

[Michael]

Originally posted by Megabite
Just a note. Although the LED's are very bright, I only use them as supplements along with T-5's

yep me too

[Snausy]

Yeah but you guys are growing coral, correct? You need the par...

For someone like me with just a FOWLR tank we can get away from the T5 and MH altogether if it's bright enough. No need for intense lights.

Eye candy is what I'm interested in! I can't wait...if 8 whites and 24 blues aren't bright enough I'm gonna get another white strip. It should be nice though...

go go USPS! Bad time of year to be shipping...hope they get to me intact.

[Megabite]

Originally posted by Snausy
Yeah but you guys are growing coral, correct? You need the par...

For someone like me with just a FOWLR tank we can get away from the T5 and MH altogether if it's bright enough. No need for intense lights.

Eye candy is what I'm interested in! I can't wait...if 8 whites and 24 blues aren't bright enough I'm gonna get another white strip. It should be nice though...

go go USPS! Bad time of year to be shipping...hope they get to me intact.

Let us know when you get them in. I'm curious on your thoughts of using these as your only lighting.

[Snausy]

Will do...they say the 16th is my delivery date.

I'm thinking I'll probably need more whites if I use them as my only lighting. Maybe two more all white strips. We'll see...