LED color combination for nano

[ReeferBill]

Hey all,
I am looking at getting an LED retro kit for my aquapod 24.. This is what I am thinking..
JBJ Nanocube 24 Dimmable Retrofit Kit - Rapid LED
I have read lots on different color combinations, and wanted someones advice. Some people say you need red LEDs to get proper coloration of your LPS, some say that violets are important, and some say blue and white is all you need. Can someone give their opinion and experience on what colors work and dont work. I plan on keeping zoas, SPS, clams, and maybe an LPS or 2 in the low light area.
Thanks,
Bill

 

[Mufasa31]

I use a 3 to 2 ratio of blues to whites.

I like the combination. They are on separate power switches.

Reds were not as popular when I got my leds.

 

[ReeferBill]

Yeah, that is what they come with, but it seems like people are talking about warm whites, neutral whites, violets, cyan, reds. I dont want my red corals turning orange, so I want to get the best color spectrum. Some people say that warm whites give a bit of the red in them.

 

[Jake1]

I have a DIY led light with 10 (10k) 10 blue 2 red and 2 uv. I have seen crazy growth in my favia in less then 2 months. My leathers look amazing they have changed to a great color. I have 60 optics on 22 LEDs and didn't put them on the reds so they won't spot light and would cover more.

 

[ReeferBill]

What are the white and blue? Are they cool white, or warm white, and are the blue royal blue?
THanks

 

[Jake1]

I got an aquastyle kit. 10k white and rb. Love the light. Have not regretted getting it at all. Down the line if I need more power I can upgrade the drivers. But the ones that come with it are doing good work. Getting a par meter soon to find out what the numbers are.

 

[Mufasa31]

Mine are cool white and royal blue.

Zoas, palys and chalices thrive in my led tank.

However, I have had several chalices change colors over time.

 

[ReeferBill]

yeah, I have heard that it can change the coloration of LPS, and I am trying to figure out if the warm whites will prevent that, or if I have to go cyan or red.
Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[jonbar1]

Been doing a lot of research on this myself and there are MANY factors to consider. Even trying to match a baseline look like from metal halide is hard without firsthand experience. There are also a lot of conflicting views to sort through like whether to use cool or neutral whites and whether or not to use colors other than royal blue and white. Most people I've talked to say mix 2 royal blues to 1 neutral white to get the 14-20k look of metal halides. Adding Violet (not UV) gives some added actinic POP from the corals that is usually washed out by having the whites on. A very small amount of regular blues helps add a missing piece to the look of the Royal Blue/White mix. Adding just red or cyan/turquoise is very distracting but if you mix both they blend with the royal blue to make a crisp white with actinic properties. No one so far has recommended green or orange. Some recommend spacing the LEDs for even coverage while others say to cluster them to prevent the disco floor look of all the seperate colors shimmering all over.

I personally want a very full spectrum similar to 20k metal halide with actinics and plan to use 6 royal blue, 3 neutral white, 1 blue, 2 violet, 1 deep red, and one cyan. This is for a 12 gallon nano and I plan to space them closer together to blend and match the spread of the metal halide currently over the tank. I'm still not sure how close it will look in person, but the 50/50 royal blue to cool whites I have seen were a little lacking in spectrum for me.

 

[Jake1]

IMO with my led light at 1:1 blue/white it's almost to much blue I have it turned down more then my white. It has a nice 12k look witch bring out great color in everything but one coral I had.