Custom LED lighting advice. Input please?

[Coasting]

So I am trying to figure out what I want light wise over this new tank.
I haven't even got it yet and I'm spending all my money....

I really like the light I have now over my 65.
Corals grow great.
Size wise it is not enough for a 120 (4x2). I don't think it has the spread from front to back to cover 2feet so ordering a second one likely wouldn't do me any good.

I was thinking of ordering 3 smaller fixtures, and turning them sideways so I have full coverage.

But I need some... advice I guess on what custom LEDs I should pick.
I'm somewhat trying to replicate what I all ready have that is working well for me. It appears I have a roughly 2:1 ratio of Blue to Colour/whites. And I do somewhat enjoy the Listerine look of more blue then white! I want dramatic colour popping! My current fixture is the Nova a8. 96 x 3w leds

The other fixtures I am looking at right now, have either 2 or 3 dimmable (by remote) channels. There are 52 x 3w LEDs on it. I would likely order it with 90 degree optics (other option is 120)
If I can get it with 3 channels, just from reading around it seems a good idea to put the coloured LEDs on a separate channel. Since it still seems to be a big argument over colours contributing to algae vs enhancing coral colour. ( I was never having algae issues in my current tank....)
Otherwise if It only has 2 channels I would have the colours go with the whites like my current light. is there a better option?

Ive looked at the expensive high end fixtures people keep buying and my poor bank account cant afford those, but ive been looking at the ratio of colours and whites and blues.

Anyway, what would you pick, change? Colour wise and channel wise.... not looking for "just go buy an AI or whatever".

Help a girl out here I'm not tech savvy!

Red:630nm&660nm
Blue:440nm&460nm
UV led 410nm
IR Led 725nm
White:12,000k&7,000k&3,500k
orange:610nm
Green 520nm

[GoFish]

Just go buy an Evergrow IT2012 or whatever oooops
Not sure what your budget is but you'd only need one (48"). If you're concerned about spread you could maybe put 120 degree optics along the front and back row?
If you're just looking for color input I don't really like the look of 6500k LEDs so replaced them on my old light with different colours. I had algae for a short period running red LEDs, covered them up, added a couple more hermits and it was gone a short time later and never came back

And you could have sunrise/sunset if you wanna tweak the way your tank looks

[Coasting]

I know I looked at the IT2012s :P Evergrow never got back to me about customizing them haha. And I worry about spread back to front being that those fixtures are so slim I wouldn't get coverage of the coral in the front, especially if I had tall rock structures. I honestly wouldn't be object to ordering 2 48" fixtures. Even with 120 optics, light would go on a nice angle sideways but I don't think I would get what I want, where I want it with a single fixture. I looked at a lot of the 48" ones like the Razor or whatever it is, not spending 3grand on a vertex either.

Kind of like how I live at the bottom of the hill right on the beach where I am.... so because the cell tower is at the top of the hill in the booneys, its like im in a no cell signal shadow zone.


Sounds like just 2 channels on the lights im looking at oh well
See I only ever had algae grow on my powerhead and in my overflow, never on my rock or coral in the tank. And that's my Nova light spectrum. I just wish my corals popped more then they do. Not sure how I would obtain that ability. I was thinking of putting some blacklights into a wood canopy over the tank

[hillegom]

Sorry, I don't have any input, just following along
Good luck

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

One thing I would add is a separate channel for a few (3 x 3w blue leds) moonlights to view the tank at night. If you're customizing, then for the front row of LEDs, I would use 90 degrees lenses so there's less light hitting your front panel and growing algae & more light directed downwards towards your sandbed. 120 degree lenses could be used over the other emitters for better spread, but the more light hitting your front panel, the more frequently you'll have to clean the glass.

[Coasting]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

One thing I would add is a separate channel for a few (3 x 3w blue leds) moonlights to view the tank at night. If you're customizing, then for the front row of LEDs, I would use 90 degrees lenses so there's less light hitting your front panel and growing algae & more light directed downwards towards your sandbed. 120 degree lenses could be used over the other emitters for better spread, but the more light hitting your front panel, the more frequently you'll have to clean the glass.

I do like that idea.

My current fixture has 90s I believe so that doesn't prevent the glass algae on that tank.

I think I have those cheapy Ikea changable LED strips sitting in my bin of fish supply crap in the garage that I used for blues at night when my tank was still in the 30gal. I could pull those out again.
I also have a spare 5m RGB Led strip, fully waterproof, with remote that I bought for shits and giggles a few months back, if I built a canopy on the new tank I could stick that up in there....

[Craigdillman]

That looks pretty good, i build mine own LED with rapid Led same idea, only thing i would be carful on is the red and green but the red is the most visible and too many overpower the color ( i have found anyways ) so i would recommend a 120 degrees on the red and green AND/OR ability to control those colors seprate


mine is set up like this

White -1 channel
Blue 1 channel
Colors red green violet UV 1 channel

My red green and violet are on a different channel than white blue to control the visual colour balance of the red green ( no idea on par or spectrum just how it looks to me lol )

hope that helps

[Coasting]

I've actually found another light, direct from china, that is really interesting me.

Called the Malibu s300
It actually has 4 channels that are individually controlled. Blues on one, Blue/UV on another, Whites, then Red/green/blue on the 4th.

Just trying to inquire further about those ones

I like that idea of 120s on the coloured leds with 90s on the rest.

[Coasting]

These are the ones im looking at now....
This is worse then shoe shopping.
Too many decisions!

http://www.wegrowlights.com/portfoli...m-manufacture/

[Craigdillman]

They both look good honestly , just pic the on that provides the most " coverage" for you tank and looks the best

I'm thinking for your tank 4 by 2 you would need 4 of the novas? in a square kinda and maybe 2 of the other fixtures , not sure if I'm off with that but