DIY LED fixture help with colors.

mr_z

mr_z

New member
DIY LED fixture help with colors. Or get a PAR bulb

so im a diy kinda guy and for my new tank i want to make my own fixture like i did with my first tank back in 2012. problem is my mind is blank all the research i did and answers i got back then are all gone!!!! So i need help picking my led colors. i will be doing 8-10 leds plus 2 moonlights. tank is a small 20x10x9. I am just going to keep some zoas, mushrooms, and maybe a hammer.
 
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I just made a 14 bulb fixture and used 10 rb and 4 white color is good for what im using it for maybe a 12k look u may want a little more blue if doing 10bulbs try starting with 8 blue 2 whute 10k and add white if needed
 
I think I'm going wig par 30 I was reading that the 38 might be to much for a small tank.
 
mr_z said:
I think I'm going wig par 30 I was reading that the 38 might be to much for a small tank.
Click to expand...

I have a 10 gallon with 2 par 30 bulbs ans although it does work, the corals I have (Zoa and mushrooms) are growing quite slowly and stretching towards the light. If I were to do it again I would definitely go with a pair of Par 38 instead.
 
Yes the par 38 will give u the option to try sps if u want to also. Idk that much about par 38's but I think they make them dimmable if I'm not wrong.
 
My experience with PAR bulbs is they only last a couple years.

I would go with 10 450 nm Royal Blues and 4 Cool Whites for the Grow. To this I would add and RGB Mix to adjust the looks perfectly.

You want a 175 watt MH equivalent for SPS, zoas about 1/2 that

Bill
 
I run a Par 38 over a 12" cube. I removed most of the chips that came on it and replaced them with the spectrum that I prefer and feel is the best for growth and color. I currently use it for anemone's but i ran this spectrum before over my fluval spec with 2x Par30 and it grew SPS extremely well. In my opinion, you want to stay away from any Red/Green as they are useless and will do nothing but grow nuisance algae. Also stay away from any white chips that aren't CREE unless you get the 20k chips from ReefBreeders as any others are way too warm a spectrum and no matter what they say (4000k, 6000k, 12,000k) they always end up looking yellow.:

8x Royal Blue (From Coral Compulsion)
2x 20K Cool White (From ReefBreeders)
2x UV (From ReefBreeders)

IMG_0854_zpsb3bed18b.jpg

IMG_0834_zps9844f1b1.jpg
 
That cube looks better every time I see it Ted!

SkullV said:
I run a Par 38 over a 12" cube. I removed most of the chips that came on it and replaced them with the spectrum that I prefer and feel is the best for growth and color. I currently use it for anemone's but i ran this spectrum before over my fluval spec with 2x Par30 and it grew SPS extremely well. In my opinion, you want to stay away from any Red/Green as they are useless and will do nothing but grow nuisance algae. Also stay away from any white chips that aren't CREE unless you get the 20k chips from ReefBreeders as any others are way too warm a spectrum and no matter what they say (4000k, 6000k, 12,000k) they always end up looking yellow.:

8x Royal Blue (From Coral Compulsion)
2x 20K Cool White (From ReefBreeders)
2x UV (From ReefBreeders)

IMG_0854_zpsb3bed18b.jpg

IMG_0834_zps9844f1b1.jpg
Click to expand...
 
From the pic

8 RB 2 CW/NW & 2 Violet..Good Mix for a Small Reef...

Provided good water chemistry you will have a problem with the SPS on top...

Cheers on the larger tank plan...

Bill
 
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