UV usefulness. .
- Thread starter dewboy1127
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it's important for proper coloration and growth in corals, most of the bright brillant color you see in corals are actual pigments used to protect against UV radiation
imho it helps with fluorescense and photosynthesis in corals
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dewboy1127
Well-Known Member
What lights do you run?
all kinds I work in the industry and seen all types...I use to run Kessils over my own tank
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dewboy1127
Well-Known Member
Cool ...so then it may be worth the upgrade of the pucks. ..i also thought about maybe adding a t5 to achieve this if possible may be cheaper but i dont have much room over bowfront for supplementing
t5 would work well too
dacianb
Active Member
UV means wavelengths under 400nm and are not quite recommended due to secondary effects.
Violet light (400-430 nm) on the other hand is essential for chlorophyll A and partially for B. And everything looks awesome with such LEDs
Violet light (400-430 nm) on the other hand is essential for chlorophyll A and partially for B. And everything looks awesome with such LEDs
mcarroll
10K Club member
Lots of folks marketing LEDs sell 400-430 as "uv".
I suspect this is because we have it confused on our end (like so many things LED) and "uv" has become yet another simple buzzword used to sell.
I suspect this is because we have it confused on our end (like so many things LED) and "uv" has become yet another simple buzzword used to sell.
dacianb
Active Member
I never used those pucks (dont know what a price of upgrade would be) as I am using DIY system, and even if ignoring the Chlorophyll A requirements and such, just the dang look of all corals with only UVs ON is stunning and worth the upgrade. I have Luxeon UVs which I am using at 1% as moon lights and just wait for night to come
. Green corals (LPS) looks like floating ghosts in the dark, zoas - even the ugliest and most common ones become jewelries (this is the reason I keep only cheap zoas).
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dewboy1127
Well-Known Member
The pucks for gen 2to 3 is $150 a set i would need two..for the gen3pro its $250 a set ...so this would cost between 300-500I never used those pucks (dont know what a price of upgrade would be) as I am using DIY system, and even if ignoring the Chlorophyll A requirements and such, just the **** look of all corals with only UVs ON is stunning and worth the upgrade. I have Luxeon UVs which I am using at 1% as moon lights and just wait for night to come
dacianb
Active Member
... I dont know how rich you are, but for me would not worth the money. I am a DIYer, for me any upgrade cost few usd. Lets be honest, any LED on market costs up to 3 USD/ piece for us, common folks- in webshops. A large MCPCB is 5-10 USD at small quantities (I am ordering 5-10 pieces once). Large companies buy such LEDs with >1 USD. Why such a board cost 250? Have no idea. Maybe you can add just some uvs in a separate way?
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dewboy1127
Well-Known Member
Definitely not rich....got wife ,6yr old and one on way and im only breadmaker. ...so any monroe saved is great which why was wondering if pucks would be worth it ...i upgrade or buy something new for my tank every yr and havent been most pleased with way my lights been so was tjinling an upgrade and to het the uv spec in there. .. im thinking now i may just have supplement with a t5 bulb but not sure how to do iy exactly
Maybe you can add just some uvs in a separate way?
mcarroll
10K Club member
Your lights may be worth more to you on the for sale forum than over your tank at that rate.
UV necessity and definition notwithstanding, you could build a whole new fixture for less than the cost of that puck upgrade.
UV is light at or below 400nm. Personally, I have one fixture that goes down to 420nm (The least attenuated frequency in water) and the other only goes down to about 450. Although intensity levels vary by a wide margin between these tanks, both grow SPS equally well.
If I "need" UV (<400), it's not clear how much value it could possibly bring even if I added it. FYI
UV necessity and definition notwithstanding, you could build a whole new fixture for less than the cost of that puck upgrade.
UV is light at or below 400nm. Personally, I have one fixture that goes down to 420nm (The least attenuated frequency in water) and the other only goes down to about 450. Although intensity levels vary by a wide margin between these tanks, both grow SPS equally well.
If I "need" UV (<400), it's not clear how much value it could possibly bring even if I added it. FYI
dacianb
Active Member
Coral grow needs 450 nm (deep blue) and without going to academic level - this is enough for them.
Violet lights "encourage" coloration as corals feels that sun may burn them and create pigments to absorb / reflect this violet range. Look at us, humans, what colors do we have in winter when we stay inside and in summer when we get lot of UV exposure. If you care mainly about coral grow - no you dont need violets. If you care more about coloration and how tank look, yes, it is a great add-on.
UV, on the other hand (bellow 400nm) - is not even measured as PAR, so considered useless for photosynthesis and as low you go under this 400 nm range will start with high risk on retina burns (kids are very sensitive to it), fast ageing of all plastics and paints where this light rech, ending up at lower wavelengths to be a UV sterilizer, killing things in your tank and even for human having high risks of permanent blindness, severe skin burns and even cancers; UV is a killer and should be treated with respect. Where Ultra-Violet ends, start X-Ray range and right after Gamma rays. No, few leds will not turn you in a hulk, for sure 
Violet lights "encourage" coloration as corals feels that sun may burn them and create pigments to absorb / reflect this violet range. Look at us, humans, what colors do we have in winter when we stay inside and in summer when we get lot of UV exposure. If you care mainly about coral grow - no you dont need violets. If you care more about coloration and how tank look, yes, it is a great add-on.
UV, on the other hand (bellow 400nm) - is not even measured as PAR, so considered useless for photosynthesis and as low you go under this 400 nm range will start with high risk on retina burns (kids are very sensitive to it), fast ageing of all plastics and paints where this light rech, ending up at lower wavelengths to be a UV sterilizer, killing things in your tank and even for human having high risks of permanent blindness, severe skin burns and even cancers; UV is a killer and should be treated with respect
. Where Ultra-Violet ends, start X-Ray range and right after Gamma rays. No, few leds will not turn you in a hulk, for sure 
dacianb
Active Member
I dont know the Semileds, but Luxeon UVs yes. They are class 3 LEDs and rather dangerous for human eye if exposed (dont know in US, but in Europe a product with such LEDs on came covered in warning labels and manuals how to use it).
Here is an old picture of my old tank with 2X Luxeon UVs at 1% only. It is rather easy to literally burn corals with them. But if you can handle them, they are great.
