Led strips/supplemental lighting

[JonnyJ]

So I love bright tanks

I am running a 24" solaris i5 on my tank and love it but I always love extremely bright tanksz

I would have liked to do a diy strip but really want it to look nice and dont want wires showing or anything.

so I was thinking about the reebrite or coralvues

Anyone have any experience? I know there are others out there but I want something that will produce good par as well.

I would be doing a 50/50 because I don't want just blue.

 

[nminunni]

tagging along

 

[rkaragozler]

look them up, i have seen these in a red sea max and look very good
http://www.ecoxotic.com/products/modular-led-lighting/stunner-led-strips.html

 

[JonnyJ]

Trying to stay with powerful LEDs capable of adding par.

Reefbrite and coralvue are using high power LEDs

 

[mbg75]

look them up, i have seen these in a red sea max and look very good
http://www.ecoxotic.com/products/modular-led-lighting/stunner-led-strips.html

Stunner strips

interested in these also...they even sell reflectors for them.

anyone have them?

 

[James983]

Check these out. Just got the email from Aquarium Specialty.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=28_835_541

 

[SaltyFlip]

I've got stunners 453 and panorama 8000k/453. For the size, they pack quite a light especially the stunner strips. As for adding par, I'm not sure if stunners add enough but if you add more of the panoramas they should add par; I spoke to an ecoxotic rep and they said they use Cree LED's on the Panoramas but are only driven to 1w per while their PAR38 LED's are driven to 3w per.

 

[jaa1456]

I have the Reefbrite 36" with 18 blue LEDS at 3 watts apiece. There is no comparison between them and any other strip. The par is more than double any other and the light output is more since they use 3watt and I believe all the others use 1 watt. I have seen the reefbrite next to the panaromic strip and another one can't remember the name but they were the ones hyped up last year 4 leds per strip and linkable. The Reefbrites blow them out of the water both of them.

 

[mbg75]

I have the Reefbrite 36" with 18 blue LEDS at 3 watts apiece. There is no comparison between them and any other strip. The par is more than double any other and the light output is more since they use 3watt and I believe all the others use 1 watt. I have seen the reefbrite next to the panaromic strip and another one can't remember the name but they were the ones hyped up last year 4 leds per strip and linkable. The Reefbrites blow them out of the water both of them.

I remember reading somewhere they are 3w leds, but only driven at 2w's.

 

[mbg75]

I've got stunners 453 and panorama 8000k/453. For the size, they pack quite a light especially the stunner strips. As for adding par, I'm not sure if stunners add enough but if you add more of the panoramas they should add par; I spoke to an ecoxotic rep and they said they use Cree LED's on the Panoramas but are only driven to 1w per while their PAR38 LED's are driven to 3w per.

Salty, can u post a pic of just the blue stunnners on? What to get an idea what the look is on the tank.

 

[ZANYMASTER]

I have the Panorama Module at 1W each 12 bulbs on my RSM to give me that blue punch I need.12.5 inches long and way stronger than those Stunner ones which I replaced them with.Someone can have it for a trade for some SPS.2 bulbs are out but nice for a Moonlight.1/4w each.

 

[Turbovr3six]

My LFS uses the Ecoxotic lights to light all of their tanks. The stunners are good for getting some added color, but the par is weak. The Panorama's but out some pretty decent par, well at least enough to grow SPS. Alot of people out here are running LED's and most are using the Panorama/T5 combo. I'll call them up tomorrow and get exact PAR readings for the Panorama's. I remember them showing me, but I forgot the actual #. I do remember that the Photocannon's(spelling?) were laying down 180 PAR on the sand of a 5'Lx5'Wx4'H tank though. Heres a couple of pics of the store just to give you an idea of the color.

 

[SaltyFlip]

Hey Mbg75,

These were the only ones I could take right now and with my camera phone. The setup is 1 453 stunner right smack center of a 30" long tank; the tank is currently cycling (?) so there's no corals. The sandbed is ~ 11" from the light.

The right side of this image is where the center line would be for the tank, you can somewhat see the distribution of the light.

Here's another from the right side of the tank angled.

 

[SaltyFlip]

Turbo,

did your LFS hook up Panorama modules to light the entire store?!!?

 

[nminunni]

those look aWESOME

 

[Alex]

So I love bright tanks

I am running a 24" solaris i5 on my tank and love it but I always love extremely bright tanksz

I would have liked to do a diy strip but really want it to look nice and dont want wires showing or anything.

so I was thinking about the reebrite or coralvues

Anyone have any experience? I know there are others out there but I want something that will produce good par as well.

I would be doing a 50/50 because I don't want just blue.

How deep is your tank? this will allow you to determine what can give you decent par. Also I see your looking for sufficient par, however if you are running the solaris then maybe you should look for supplemental leds for looks as opposed to leds for par/growth.

 

[jaa1456]

I remember reading somewhere they are 3w leds, but only driven at 2w's.

I can't find anything to say they run at 2watts apiece, Everything says 3 watts on it. One of these strips are equivelent to 2 ATI Blue plus bulbs. But I believe there is a 420nm and a 460nm, the 460 being a more purple color. I think I got a 460 and not a 420 as it was marked 420. I will take some pics later, I need to clean the glass. Also when the LED strip is on my itself the fish bug out and start running into everything, I no longer run it by itself anymore.

 

[JonnyJ]

Tank is 36x18dx 12"h with a 3" sandbed.

So roughly 8 inches.

I would like to mount whatever I go with Around 1 foot above the waterline on an angle facing the tank running parallel with the solaris.

So these lights need to be able to penetrate roughly 20 inches with some decent par so I can light and grow corals in spaces I wouldn't be able to with the solaris because of the cave style scape I am going for.

Considering my tank is so shallow i have options. These are not going to be used as moonlights. I want a 50/50 for additional daytime in dark spaces.

Stunners wont add enough par and those modules will be too small and costly. They are washed out looking to me.. ( I have owned single modules)

So neither will work for me.

Reefbrite is on my list of maybes and now I am happy that the ai tube has been brought to my attention.


I would do a diy strip but I really want it to be aesthetically pleasing with zero worries and a warranty. It's in my bedroom and I don't want it to look home made. If I had a canopy it would be a totally different story.

 

[jaa1456]

My tank is 36" x 18" as well but 24" deep with a 2" sand bed, The Reefbrite lights up the entire tank by itself and there is no comparison between the others. They cost a little more than the other strips but worth it, and the AI tube replacement means you will lose one of your T5 bulbs.

 

[SSV3NOM]

Tank is 36x18dx 12"h with a 3" sandbed.

So roughly 8 inches.

I would like to mount whatever I go with Around 1 foot above the waterline on an angle facing the tank running parallel with the solaris.

So these lights need to be able to penetrate roughly 20 inches with some decent par so I can light and grow corals in spaces I wouldn't be able to with the solaris because of the cave style scape I am going for.

Considering my tank is so shallow i have options. These are not going to be used as moonlights. I want a 50/50 for additional daytime in dark spaces.

Stunners wont add enough par and those modules will be too small and costly. They are washed out looking to me.. ( I have owned single modules)

So neither will work for me.

Reefbrite is on my list of maybes and now I am happy that the ai tube has been brought to my attention.


I would do a diy strip but I really want it to be aesthetically pleasing with zero worries and a warranty. It's in my bedroom and I don't want it to look home made. If I had a canopy it would be a totally different story.

DIY strip can be aesthetically pleasing.. depending on how much effort you actually want to put into making a strip.

If you want a pretty easy, and very effective and cheaper LED strip.. I'd go with a DIY.

You can always construct some kind of LED Strip housing with stuff from home depot, lowes, radioshack, etc.

*Plus with a DIY you can always add LEDs if you want to.. majority of the time.

If you want a quick fix, that is most likely going to aesthetically pleasing to you... just pick up a manufactured strip.