High Power LED vs T5HO

[Ron99]

I haven't has a chance to read the Advance Aquarist article yet but will as soon as I can. Here is what I understand to be the current thinking on LED spacing with various optics to get good blending:

40 degree - 1.5"-2"
60 degree - 2"-2.5"
80 degree - 2.5"-3.5"

With no optics you could probably go 4 or 5 inches apart but won't get much PAR deeper in the tank. Spacing of rows front to back can be a bit wider as the spotlighting effect will not be as noticeable. So maybe 3 to 4 inches between rows. Personally I would only go no optics on a nano or shallow tank (12 inches or less). I am using 60 degree optics for mine (20" deep) and have spaced the LEDs 2.25 inches apart and the rows are 3 inches apart front to back.

I should also add that I have alternated the white and blue in the row rather than go with separate rows of white and blue like the one in the pictures.

[Ron99]

Oh, yeah, forgot to add that the Solaris did use optics but they were using older generation Luxeon emitters. The newer Crees etc. have higher output than the Luxeon III emitters in the Solaris. I do not know what emitters the Eco-Lamps use but they when i emailed them about their KR91 1st Gen products they sounded like generic Chinese emitters so they may be slightly down on output compared to Crees. But even the generic Chinese ones may now outperform the Luxeon emitters used in the Solaris fixtures.

[Ron99]

And one more thing too, the Eco-Lamps fixtures appear to be using 1 watt LEDs rather than 3 watt so that will affect output. 3 watt Crees will put out alot mote PAR than the Eco-Lamps.