Awesome SPS Growth with LED's
- Thread starter Alabamareef
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Alabamareef
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This video will give you an idea of your PAR numbers. It's BRS TV demo of the vertex Illumina. I watched Mr Saltwaters video. I have an Apogee PAR meter and have been going around doing PAR readings on local tanks. I'm not sure I agree with the inacruaccy quote of 30%. at most maybe a 10 % differance. Having said that I've also measured Ecotech's light and was almost spot on with his readings. Something to keep in mind, that he did not mention, is the flow in your tank. The water rippling will cause a lot of fluctuation in your numbers. I think this is good as it memics nature. Having said that I have seen great numbers in DIY LEDs, middle of the road priced LEDs, and mine High Dollar LEDs. The differance in inside the electronics, something we can't see. Heat sinks, controllability....
Personally I love to sit on my computer and control every aspect of my fixture, in real time.
Also the longevity of these fixtures is yet to be see. I know the vertex Illumina does not max out its efficiency like other LEDs in order to let them run cooler thus hoping to keep the intensity and longevity equal. Also light spread is so important. Most LED hang high off the water. If its in a canopy that's great. But if not it can distort your view from the brightness. I know my light hangs 6" off the water and gives a very equal spread. Last night I measured the maxspec razors and the light spread was very poor. You get good PAR under the fixture but anything outside of that is poor. The Ecotecs have great light spread but need to hang high to do this.
Having said all that I'm a firm believer you get what you pay for with electronics and whatever is within your budget is the best light for you.
Here I's the video:
In Depth Vertex Illumina Review - Bulk Reef Supply
Personally I love to sit on my computer and control every aspect of my fixture, in real time.
Also the longevity of these fixtures is yet to be see. I know the vertex Illumina does not max out its efficiency like other LEDs in order to let them run cooler thus hoping to keep the intensity and longevity equal. Also light spread is so important. Most LED hang high off the water. If its in a canopy that's great. But if not it can distort your view from the brightness. I know my light hangs 6" off the water and gives a very equal spread. Last night I measured the maxspec razors and the light spread was very poor. You get good PAR under the fixture but anything outside of that is poor. The Ecotecs have great light spread but need to hang high to do this.
Having said all that I'm a firm believer you get what you pay for with electronics and whatever is within your budget is the best light for you.
Here I's the video:
In Depth Vertex Illumina Review - Bulk Reef Supply
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maharsreef
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I would have to disagree with Mark on the intensity. If you notice, his tank is mostly soft coral. I ran my Gen 1 Radions @90% @ 13" off water line. My tank is only 22" deep.
Of course you have to acclimate your SPS to the intensity, and I did start them at 70% and worked my way up. But I think SPS will accept and appreciate as much LED intensity you can give, as long as you slowly acclimate. Chalices on the sand did quite well. Now I have the Pros running at 75% and the only difference is the colors have really increased, and the coral, especially the chalices are showing color they never have before.
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ritter6788
Coral Fraud Private Eye
I'm on my 3rd year of led on an sps tank with no issues. What issues are going to pop up on me?
reefingnoob
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Ditto...
reefingnoob
Active Member
Wait till someone report an issue with LED and it turns out to be a Chinese LED. oh the number of "I told you so" its going to create!!
ifarmer
Valuable Member
I am going to stick with T5 for a few more years, until the LED technology comes even close to what our Corals utilize and need . There is not enough long term experience with these fixtures yet....sure plenty of short term, with success...but almost any light will give you short term success...and no one has used one for over 3 years yet.
JustinFromAL
Active Member
Just got my new tank up in late August. 60x23x18 running 3 x Apollo Reef Solarblast UV 5000+.
Just a common green birdsnest, exactly 60 days growth.
Just a common green birdsnest, exactly 60 days growth.
slayeroftheshadow
Active Member
Amazing growth. Any updates rossco?
I have posted these pictures before on the "other" site in an LED growth thread. I am running 10 x 6 foot Sunbrites over my 210. Main photoperiod is 8 hours. I would take some more current pictures but unfortunatley I am having a major RTN/STN event probably triggered by an alk swing when I missed my CO2 tank for my CA reactor run out. I am going to have to grow quite a few of these back from frags - again.
Red Dragon 1-16-12
Red Dragon 10-15-12
Strawberry Lemonade 11-14-2011
Strawberry Lemonade 8-24-12
Aussie Acro 1-26-2012
Aussie Acro 8-24-12
Garf Bonzai (Lineaged thru Atlantis) and Ora Joe the Coral 11-14-2011
Garf Bonzai 8-24-2012
Joe the Coral 8-24-2012
Unknown acro from Atlantis 11-14-2011, (we just call it Atlantis Fine Branch)
Same coral 8-24-2012
Your Reef's Yellow Stinger 1-19-2012
Yellow Stinger 8-24-2012
Red Acro 1-12-2012
Red Acro 8-24-12
Speciosa 1-26-2012
Speciosa 8-24-2012
Wild acro from Upscales display tank 11-14-2011
same coral 8-24-12
