LEDs alongside T5s

didz04 · 11/25/2011, 09:06 PM

Hi guys,

I have a light unit with 3 standard T5s 2 white 6500k and 1 blue. I'm looking to change the blue t5 in the middle to a Narva Blue. The tank isn't here yet but it will be over a 24" by 16" by 13" height.

I don't want it to look more yellow than blue. So I thought about adding some other led lights along side it. I'm not sure which I should go for to bring out a better formation colour overall but I thought of purple, blue and pink?
To look for these combinations I guess I will have to build one but I don't know where to look.

Any help or even a link to a thread or site explaining how to put LEDs together and any good sites that sells them?

Thanks

didz04 · 11/25/2011, 10:17 PM

I have found these 420nm 3W True Violet LEDs, are they any good?

didz04 · 11/26/2011, 12:18 AM

any help?

TropTrea · 11/26/2011, 12:53 AM

You basicly have a 20 gallon tank even though it is not the standard 20 gallon deminsions but a litle deeper which is good for a reef tank. While 3 bulbs are seldom enough for a tank you might be able to get away with it your tank considering it is only 13" tall.

Your 6,500K are producing a lot of both red and yellow light compared to the blue light you realy need. In order to get a decient balance My choice for your T-5 HO lighting would be one each of ATI's Blue Plus bulb, Purple Plus bulb, and an Aqua Blue Special Bulb. Each of these bulbs have a strong blue component with the purple adding some red and the Aqua Blue Special adding the green. Keep in mind that the blue is the main component of light for good coral growth as well as for getting corals to give there florescent glow.

Now for LED Lights the 420 nm will barely be visable however they are true atinic bulbs. Some corals need true Atinic lighting however many adapt to the 450 nm blues very well. You can go with 6 of these in the 3 Watt range for suplemental lighting to your HO T-5's however I would use 4 Royal Blues and 2 of the Atinic LED's.

However I think it would look much better if you used them as cross betwen moonlights and dawn dusk suplements with 1 Watt LEDS. You on times being roughloy 1 hour pripr to your T-5's and they would turn off 2 hours after your T-5's. On your T-5's do you two circuits where you can set the times for one bulb seperate than the other two. If so then I would set my timing simular to this.

Start 00.00 hrs LED's on
1:00 Single Blue Plus HO-T-5 on
2:00 The purple Plus and the Aqua Blue Special turn on.
11:00 The the purple plus and Aqua Blue Turn off.
12:00 The Blue Plus HO T-5 turn off
14:00 The LED's Turn off.

This would still give you 10 hours of darkness that the corals also need.

didz04 · 11/26/2011, 03:27 AM

Thanks thats some great advice.

Yes its roughly 20 us g.
I like the idea of the light formation of ATI's Blue Plus bulb, Purple Plus bulb, and an Aqua Blue Special Bulb. Can I get these in 14 watts 22"? My light unit has 2 switches, one controls the 2 side lights and one is the middle, so if I place the Single Blue Plus in the middle I can make your lighting time suggestion work. Only thing is I wouldn't be able to add a timer I think as its all one plug, so I don't think it will work.

TropTrea · 11/26/2011, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by didz04

Thanks thats some great advice.

Yes its roughly 20 us g.
I like the idea of the light formation of ATI's Blue Plus bulb, Purple Plus bulb, and an Aqua Blue Special Bulb. Can I get these in 14 watts 22"? My light unit has 2 switches, one controls the 2 side lights and one is the middle, so if I place the Single Blue Plus in the middle I can make your lighting time suggestion work. Only thing is I wouldn't be able to add a timer I think as its all one plug, so I don't think it will work.

If you cannot use two seperate timers on your T-5 fixture than Id go with just one turning the entire unit on for your mid day cycle of ablout 8 hours. {ick up the LED's then for a 12 hour cycle only go heavier on the led's. Go with actualy 12 LED's then running 4 each of Atinic, Royal Blue, and Blue. Make sure you set these LED's so they are dimmable as you might nt want to be running them at full power. Person tast will be a big determing factor on how bright you may want them.

11/25/2011, 09:06 PM	#1
didz04 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK Posts: 248	LEDs alongside T5s Hi guys, I have a light unit with 3 standard T5s 2 white 6500k and 1 blue. I'm looking to change the blue t5 in the middle to a Narva Blue. The tank isn't here yet but it will be over a 24" by 16" by 13" height. I don't want it to look more yellow than blue. So I thought about adding some other led lights along side it. I'm not sure which I should go for to bring out a better formation colour overall but I thought of purple, blue and pink? To look for these combinations I guess I will have to build one but I don't know where to look. Any help or even a link to a thread or site explaining how to put LEDs together and any good sites that sells them? Thanks

11/26/2011, 12:53 AM	#4
TropTrea Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: SE Suburbia Wisconsin Posts: 2,910	You basicly have a 20 gallon tank even though it is not the standard 20 gallon deminsions but a litle deeper which is good for a reef tank. While 3 bulbs are seldom enough for a tank you might be able to get away with it your tank considering it is only 13" tall. Your 6,500K are producing a lot of both red and yellow light compared to the blue light you realy need. In order to get a decient balance My choice for your T-5 HO lighting would be one each of ATI's Blue Plus bulb, Purple Plus bulb, and an Aqua Blue Special Bulb. Each of these bulbs have a strong blue component with the purple adding some red and the Aqua Blue Special adding the green. Keep in mind that the blue is the main component of light for good coral growth as well as for getting corals to give there florescent glow. Now for LED Lights the 420 nm will barely be visable however they are true atinic bulbs. Some corals need true Atinic lighting however many adapt to the 450 nm blues very well. You can go with 6 of these in the 3 Watt range for suplemental lighting to your HO T-5's however I would use 4 Royal Blues and 2 of the Atinic LED's. However I think it would look much better if you used them as cross betwen moonlights and dawn dusk suplements with 1 Watt LEDS. You on times being roughloy 1 hour pripr to your T-5's and they would turn off 2 hours after your T-5's. On your T-5's do you two circuits where you can set the times for one bulb seperate than the other two. If so then I would set my timing simular to this. Start 00.00 hrs LED's on 1:00 Single Blue Plus HO-T-5 on 2:00 The purple Plus and the Aqua Blue Special turn on. 11:00 The the purple plus and Aqua Blue Turn off. 12:00 The Blue Plus HO T-5 turn off 14:00 The LED's Turn off. This would still give you 10 hours of darkness that the corals also need. __________________ Dennis B. Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons

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11/25/2011, 10:17 PM	#2
didz04 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK Posts: 248	I have found these 420nm 3W True Violet LEDs, are they any good?

11/26/2011, 12:18 AM	#3
didz04 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK Posts: 248	any help?

11/26/2011, 03:27 AM	#5
didz04 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: UK Posts: 248	Thanks thats some great advice. Yes its roughly 20 us g. I like the idea of the light formation of ATI's Blue Plus bulb, Purple Plus bulb, and an Aqua Blue Special Bulb. Can I get these in 14 watts 22"? My light unit has 2 switches, one controls the 2 side lights and one is the middle, so if I place the Single Blue Plus in the middle I can make your lighting time suggestion work. Only thing is I wouldn't be able to add a timer I think as its all one plug, so I don't think it will work.