Clusters or rows help asap!

lizardfish · Jul 3, 2012

building a led light for my 10g
24 bridgelux
8 10k
16 RB
should i cluster the leds into 8 groups of 3
or 6 rows of 4 ?

jtgordon20 · Jul 3, 2012

Did.you order them already?
Reason asking is because I just ordered the same kit and I steered away from the 10k due to them Washing coral Colors out
Clustering would help with blending colors and downing down the disco ball effect.

mcghee33 · Jul 5, 2012

Gordon what do you mean the 10k wash corals out?

mcghee33 · Jul 5, 2012

Lizard.
With such a small footprint like a 10 gallon, you will be hard pressed to find a way just to connect 24 LEDs over the tank. What are the dimensions of your 10 gallon tank?

wysiwyg · Jul 5, 2012

i would also go with clusters. he means on a 10g tank the 10k light spectrum will dull the colors of the corals turning them almost whit if to close

Steelerfan747 · Jul 5, 2012

I think 24 leds will be over kill unless you could dim them

Pappy · Jul 5, 2012

I'm thinking you're gonna toast the corals unless you hang them 6' above the tank

Mike D "like the beastie boys" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

impur · Jul 5, 2012

I am using that same kit and i did rows over my biocube 29gal.

ReefLEDLights · Jul 6, 2012

24 Brideglux should be fine. The Cree are much brighter per watt.

LEDs are stronger than advertised.

Whenever you change lights you should always acclimate your corals....

PC to MH or LED will mean more PAR. More PAR is better for growth but if the corals are not properly acclimated the zooanthellea algae in the coral will grow quicker than planned and produce too much oxygen. This by product of photosynthesis is toxic in large quantities. The result is bleaching...

Bill

lizardfish · Jul 8, 2012

Thanks for the replys, I clustered them, color is almost perfect not as washed out as the same build on a friends tank that is in rows instead of clusters, it could use a hint of warmth, so I'm gonna add a el-cheapo strip of deep red or NW LEDs like 2 watts, or gut a dimable lows led light bulb and add it to the middle dimmed to 1 watt (it's 4 Cree xp-e nw inside $15 at lowes)
It's hung 6" over the tank no optics, I love these 10k LEDs you can have the tank brighter and use less rb than the 2/1 cool whites and there is almost no yellow.
From what I read online I should have 200 par on the sand and 300 up top, so far my coral love it,
So any ideas on cheaply adding a lil warmth so far I'm looking at $20 to do it