These LED's just aren't cutting it. Or - are they?

[neoh]

Originally Posted by waynemah

16" tall water column with 9" between water and light gives you 25" to the sand bed. I ran my lights 15" above my 24" tall tank with great success (39" above sand bed). If you raise the light up a bit, you can continue with your current brightness and get better coverage. I would likely start by raising it about 5".

If you decide to turn the lights down a bit, I would say cut all colors equally. Your LED lit tank will look about 30% duller than your T5 tank. Every time I look at my tank now (with T5) it's like a glowing kick in the face compared to what it was with LED.

I did indeed turn them all down equally. Well, except the white since it's only at 6% anyways.

The lights are definitely duller than when I ran T5's.

I'll try turning the light down as opposed to moving the lights up, as it would illuminate the room a little too much. I'll give it two weeks - if nothing happens, I'll move them up as recommend.

I appreciate everyone's input! And monocus, I'll need to finally put you up on that offer for the PAR meter.

[waynemah]

Originally Posted by neoh

I did indeed turn them all down equally. Well, except the white since it's only at 6% anyways.

The lights are definitely duller than when I ran T5's.

I'll try turning the light down as opposed to moving the lights up, as it would illuminate the room a little too much. I'll give it two weeks - if nothing happens, I'll move them up as recommend.

I appreciate everyone's input! And monocus, I'll need to finally put you up on that offer for the PAR meter.

6% seems quite low! But then again every light is different. Do you have any pictures with white balance to portray the look of the tank? It might be a case of not enough light. Par meter at this point could go a long way!

[neoh]

Originally Posted by waynemah

6% seems quite low! But then again every light is different. Do you have any pictures with white balance to portray the look of the tank? It might be a case of not enough light. Par meter at this point could go a long way!

Certainly couldn't hurt.

May be low, but the whites don't really make the colors pop as well as I like. I've got a lot of green coral.

As far as I know, whites don't do much for coral growth, hence why I've cut them out.

[tang daddy]

Originally Posted by PurpleMonkey

In my experience with LED's (designed and built a full spectrum light for my BC29), if the corals bleach, then its too much light too fast. If they brown out, then probably want more light (or nitrates/phosphates are too high -- or a combo of the two factors).

Believe it not white do some good to the corals since it has some red and green in the light. The blues it believe have some .

The reason why cheaper led fixtures do well is because they're not as intense or strong.

What is the max you run your white and blues.

If you turn blue up too high that can bleach coral aswell....