Possible to switch lighting?

Tempdoom · 06/28/2013, 11:32 PM

I've got the fluorescent bulb version of the jbj nanocube 28gallon which i got a few years ago. I dont want to keep buying new bulbs for this tank and i prefer the look of LED lighting so i was just wondering if anyone had ever replaced the fluorescent lighting in the nano cube to LED or knows how i could do it, what brand of LED, and so on. I've got some established LPS and softies and i would like to have the lighting capacity for SPS and clams.

that Fish Guy · 06/29/2013, 12:37 AM

A lot of people will use Ecoxotic Stunner Strips.

fishkeeper8 · 06/29/2013, 12:42 AM

Ecoxotic Stunner Strips are nice lighting if you have the money for it

zachts · 06/29/2013, 04:29 PM

I believe both Rapid LED and Steves LED sell DIY retrofit kits for that setup.

Tempdoom · 06/29/2013, 07:12 PM

I like the rapidled setups but i just don't know what color ratios are best for SPS to bring out color and encourage growth, some tips would be great

asid61 · 06/29/2013, 08:34 PM

Steves setups are better IMO, as the vanilla setup uses neutral whites over cools, and are both manual dimmable and PWM dimmable at the same time. You can ask him to do something like this:
11 royal blue
6 neutral white
6 violet 420nm
3 blue 375nm
1 deep red 660nm
1 cyan 400nm
You get around 16k, and very good growth and rendition of colors.

zachts · 06/29/2013, 09:16 PM

I'm always fiddling with the color of mine but I've landed on a 3:1:1:1:1 ratio of
Violet : Royal Blue : Blue : 5000k white : 2700k 90CRI white.

I find this mix very crisp with good color rendering and fantastic actinic pop. With all channels on full it's not overly blue.

I would favor Steve's kits simply because they allow for more individual LED channels and better over all control of the color temperature of your lights. Each driver is manually dimable to tweak the color as well as controllable via any reef controller, Apex type or DIY such as the typoon.

asid61 · 06/29/2013, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachts

I'm always fiddling with the color of mine but I've landed on a 3:1:1:1:1 ratio of
Violet : Royal Blue : Blue : 5000k white : 2700k 90CRI white.

I find this mix very crisp with good color rendering and fantastic actinic pop. With all channels on full it's not overly blue.

I would favor Steve's kits simply because they allow for more individual LED channels and better over all control of the color temperature of your lights. Each driver is manually dimable to tweak the color as well as controllable via any reef controller, Apex type or DIY such as the typoon.

That seems like you would get 8k or 9k at full. are you sure you didn't switch violet and royal blue?

zachts · 06/30/2013, 12:15 AM

No, not a typo, not sure what kelvin that would make. kevin ratings are rather subjective and in the eye of the beholder anyway, two brands of 10,000k bulbs held side by side one will look red and one will look blue, try it some time, it's crazy the inconsistency using a kelvin rating to compare bulbs. It's better to look at spectrum graphs.

I would equate the look of this ratio to that of my VHOs on my display tank. (48" 110w VHO, 2 URI/UVL super actinic, 1 aquasun, 1 actinic white) as to what kelvin that amounts to I have no idea.

If your a fan of vho actinics then you can't get enough violet LEDs, if you prefer the look of say an XM 20,000k MH then you'll prefer more royal blue and blue in the mix. white LEDs though provide quite a bit more royal blue than people realize.

there's a whole gigantic thread on the subject of led color aesthetics floating around RC, but it's been quiet for quite some time.

asid61 · 06/30/2013, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zachts

No, not a typo, not sure what kelvin that would make. kevin ratings are rather subjective and in the eye of the beholder anyway, two brands of 10,000k bulbs held side by side one will look red and one will look blue, try it some time, it's crazy the inconsistency using a kelvin rating to compare bulbs. It's better to look at spectrum graphs.

I would equate the look of this ratio to that of my VHOs on my display tank. (48" 110w VHO, 2 URI/UVL super actinic, 1 aquasun, 1 actinic white) as to what kelvin that amounts to I have no idea.

If your a fan of vho actinics then you can't get enough violet LEDs, if you prefer the look of say an XM 20,000k MH then you'll prefer more royal blue and blue in the mix. white LEDs though provide quite a bit more royal blue than people realize.

there's a whole gigantic thread on the subject of led color aesthetics floating around RC, but it's been quiet for quite some time.

Are you absolutely certain? Because when I mixed neutrals and royals in a 1:1, I got a pretty white bordering on yellow look. Adding in warm whites as well would push it over the edge.
But that is an interesting mix of violets. I will make sure to try that out when I make my next cannon.

zachts · 06/30/2013, 10:57 AM

Yes, I am ABSOLUTELY certain, after all I built it my self.

I'ts a 1:1 mix of blue to white, but then you throw in all the violet and get a much different look. the violet really brings out the flourescent colors and adds great PAR but without becoming overly blue (something I personally don't like)

the 5000k luxeon is more like a cool white but with a higher level of yellow and green (different look than the cree NW) combined with the red of the warm white it yields a look that too me resembles a NW but it has the extra red wavelelths from the 90CRI Led so it gives better rendition or reds in the tank.

the fixture is running
6-Steves dual core hyper violets (previoulsy a mix of other vendors to see which could stand up to the torcher of running full power)
2-Luxeon RB
2-Luxeon True Blue
2-5000k white
2-2700k 90CRI white.

I spend the better part of last spring swapping out different LEDs to get to this mix that I liked with everything running on one string. which will be the basis for my pending larger builds.

06/28/2013, 11:32 PM	#1
Tempdoom Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 34	Possible to switch lighting? I've got the fluorescent bulb version of the jbj nanocube 28gallon which i got a few years ago. I dont want to keep buying new bulbs for this tank and i prefer the look of LED lighting so i was just wondering if anyone had ever replaced the fluorescent lighting in the nano cube to LED or knows how i could do it, what brand of LED, and so on. I've got some established LPS and softies and i would like to have the lighting capacity for SPS and clams. __________________ NC28 mixed reef 60 gallon fresh planted 3 gallon cherry shrimp colony

06/29/2013, 12:37 AM	#2
that Fish Guy Frag Swap Crusader! Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,538	A lot of people will use Ecoxotic Stunner Strips. __________________ For a Complete List of all the Frag Swaps in 2018 Click the Link Below. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2655153 You do not want to miss any! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon, 45 Gallon, 29 Gallon, 20 Gallon, 20 Gallon #2, 10 Gallon

06/29/2013, 07:12 PM	#5
Tempdoom Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 34	I like the rapidled setups but i just don't know what color ratios are best for SPS to bring out color and encourage growth, some tips would be great __________________ NC28 mixed reef 60 gallon fresh planted 3 gallon cherry shrimp colony

06/29/2013, 12:42 AM	#3
fishkeeper8 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wyomong Mi Posts: 38	Ecoxotic Stunner Strips are nice lighting if you have the money for it

06/29/2013, 04:29 PM	#4
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	I believe both Rapid LED and Steves LED sell DIY retrofit kits for that setup.

06/29/2013, 08:34 PM	#6
asid61 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 1,111	Steves setups are better IMO, as the vanilla setup uses neutral whites over cools, and are both manual dimmable and PWM dimmable at the same time. You can ask him to do something like this: 11 royal blue 6 neutral white 6 violet 420nm 3 blue 375nm 1 deep red 660nm 1 cyan 400nm You get around 16k, and very good growth and rendition of colors.

06/29/2013, 09:16 PM	#7
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	I'm always fiddling with the color of mine but I've landed on a 3:1:1:1:1 ratio of Violet : Royal Blue : Blue : 5000k white : 2700k 90CRI white. I find this mix very crisp with good color rendering and fantastic actinic pop. With all channels on full it's not overly blue. I would favor Steve's kits simply because they allow for more individual LED channels and better over all control of the color temperature of your lights. Each driver is manually dimable to tweak the color as well as controllable via any reef controller, Apex type or DIY such as the typoon.

06/30/2013, 12:15 AM	#9
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	No, not a typo, not sure what kelvin that would make. kevin ratings are rather subjective and in the eye of the beholder anyway, two brands of 10,000k bulbs held side by side one will look red and one will look blue, try it some time, it's crazy the inconsistency using a kelvin rating to compare bulbs. It's better to look at spectrum graphs. I would equate the look of this ratio to that of my VHOs on my display tank. (48" 110w VHO, 2 URI/UVL super actinic, 1 aquasun, 1 actinic white) as to what kelvin that amounts to I have no idea. If your a fan of vho actinics then you can't get enough violet LEDs, if you prefer the look of say an XM 20,000k MH then you'll prefer more royal blue and blue in the mix. white LEDs though provide quite a bit more royal blue than people realize. there's a whole gigantic thread on the subject of led color aesthetics floating around RC, but it's been quiet for quite some time.

06/30/2013, 10:57 AM	#11
zachts Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO. Posts: 3,259	Yes, I am ABSOLUTELY certain, after all I built it my self. I'ts a 1:1 mix of blue to white, but then you throw in all the violet and get a much different look. the violet really brings out the flourescent colors and adds great PAR but without becoming overly blue (something I personally don't like) the 5000k luxeon is more like a cool white but with a higher level of yellow and green (different look than the cree NW) combined with the red of the warm white it yields a look that too me resembles a NW but it has the extra red wavelelths from the 90CRI Led so it gives better rendition or reds in the tank. the fixture is running 6-Steves dual core hyper violets (previoulsy a mix of other vendors to see which could stand up to the torcher of running full power) 2-Luxeon RB 2-Luxeon True Blue 2-5000k white 2-2700k 90CRI white. I spend the better part of last spring swapping out different LEDs to get to this mix that I liked with everything running on one string. which will be the basis for my pending larger builds.