Led fixture with or without optics?

icemountain · Apr 23, 2013

Is it better to have optics on certain led colors over others? I have taken off all my optics from my fixture and it looks more "dull" and less bright then it did with the optics on. I am thinking of just putting the optics on all my blues and keeping them off all my whites, reds, greens, violets, and uv bulbs. What do you guys think?

impur · Apr 23, 2013

Give it a try and see if you like it, its really a personal preference. I have no optics on my LEDs over my biocube and love the look. But on my other tanks I have the optics, so IME it varies even from tank to tank. Ultimately I think if you just put optics on certain colors, you are going to have a spotlight effect from that color.

icemountain · Apr 23, 2013

I guess its because I was used to the brighter look with the optics on since I have had them on for so long. I was also getting some spot light effect going on from my reds and greens with the optics on.

I have seen some people with optics on over certain colors but was never sure why. Is that personal preference or a reason behind it?

impur · Apr 23, 2013

It must be because I can't think of another reason to do optics on some colors and not on others. Maybe for better light penetration for green/red/purple type wavelengths, or maybe because that color helps compliment the color of the corals below it.

Pappy · Apr 23, 2013

I have optics on all blues and whites and none on reds and greens as they were spotlighting. And blues and whites have 90 degree. And it does depend on height from water. Mine are 10 1/2" from water. Also I found with no optics at all there was a disco light show from surface agitation (too much shimmer).