Sun Brite LED

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mcsassy

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Jan 28, 2008
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Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Complete BS! I have a PAR meter sitting right in front of me, and have done test on the Phoenix 14k bulb. There measurements they are stating the 250w MH is only putting out 390-450 PAR. My readings on the same bulb come out the right around 2000 PAR for that bulb out of water. HUGE difference. Then they go on to say the LED puts out 600 PAR, again, BS, I tested LEDs over the weekend and at most they will put out around 100 PAR each. My ACTINIC T5HO bulbs put out about 330 PAR each.

All I can say is.. since I have that same PAR meter they used in their tests and have independently run tests on some of the same bulbs, I can say with 100% certainty those test results are completely fabricated/lies.

I love how they have pictures showing the PAR meter and readings, but you have no way of verifying exactly which light is on/being tested from the pictures.

Now, I do think LEDs are going to be the lighting for the near future.. but I don't need someone exagerating the facts like that link does because it is only going to result in people trying it/failing and coming back saying LEDs are not good. They are, but you have to know exactly what your doing and right now it does take A LOT of LEDs to equal a MH.. the end cost for an LED array to equal the output of a MH is much more $. I am working on my own LED array, but only to replace my T5HO actinics, not replace my MH, which I think right now is a much better use for LEDs than to replace your entire lighting system with them.
 
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mcsassy

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Jan 28, 2008
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I tested LEDs over the weekend and at most they will put out around 100 PAR each.
You tested those LED bulbs over the weekend? The Sun Brite ones?

So you are saying that all the "customer reviews" are fake as well? That site reefbuilders.com seems to be pretty high on them...aren't they credible?

I was just excited because I'm building a canopy for my 72 bow and I wanted to retrofit lights, but was hesitant because I want to just wait it out until LED comes to the market with regularity.
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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PAR is the entire graph, but the 440nm spectrum (peak in that graph) is the most important spectrum for corals, and that is the spectrum that Actinics put out.

When I have a 14k Phoenix bulb with an M80 ballast on my personal aquarium and just got done doing 3 days of testing on it, I know what the PAR output of it is.. and that link is going to tell me it is only 400PAR, not 2000PAR that I got? Sorry, not going to believe another word on that site because I know they are full of it from just that fact alone. They are lowing the PAR outputs of all other lighting and raising the PAR outputs of the LEDs to make them sound better.

My PAR readings on my LEDs are around 60PAR, those high priced "Rebel" LEDs out are close to 100 and those are supposed to be some of the best. That site is telling me they have a new LED that is 6x better than the best LED made to date? Sorry, just can't buy that...
 

mcsassy

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Jan 28, 2008
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PAR is the entire graph, but the 440nm spectrum (peak in that graph) is the most important spectrum for corals, and that is the spectrum that Actinics put out.
Funny...I have always heard that actinics are just for show, but you say they are the most important. I'm not saying you are lying, but how did you figure this out? Would a tank in theory run well on only actinics?
 

Ace25

www.centralcoastreefclub. com
Oct 3, 2005
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Funny...I have always heard that actinics are just for show, but you say they are the most important. I'm not saying you are lying, but how did you figure this out? Would a tank in theory run well on only actinics?
Please read:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/5/aafeature

We're beginning to realize spectral quality plays important role in the health and growth of corals' zooxanthellae and hence the coral host. More importantly, we are starting to understand why and how light quality affects zooxanthellae and host pigmentation.
Wang and his group of researchers exposed zooxanthellae isolated from the stony coral Euphyllia glabrescens to differently 'colored' light in order to examine the effects of spectral quality on the symbionts' reproductive cycles. LEDs provided essentially pure 'blue', 'red' and 'infrared' light. (Note that these results are probably not just applicable to light generated by LEDs, but to any essentially monochromatic light). See Figures 6-9.
In a nutshell, 'blue' light and a mixture of 'blue' 'red' and 'infrared' wavelengths were about the same in promotion of normal zooxanthellae reproduction (although the 'blue' light seems to be slightly more effective).
Exposure to only 'red' light significantly inhibits the productive cycle (is this the reason for the slightly less efficiency of the 'mixed' light?). Infrared light apparently plays no part in regulation of zooxanthellae reproductive cycle, and the algal cells remain in the G1 Phase with no DNA synthesis or mitosis.
 

mcsassy

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Jan 28, 2008
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Is It Necessary to Provide Maximal Illumination?

No. Common sense and a quick look at reef aquaria proves that most photosynthetic invertebrates will thrive under conditions of relatively little light. There is no evidence that I am aware of that suggests corals' zooxanthellae require supersaturating light intensities in order to maintain growth rates and/or provide proper nutriment to the coral animal. Most 'common' corals saturate (that is, photosynthesis is at a maximum rate) at light intensities ranging from 200 to 450 molm²sec.
What does this mean? If they don't need super intense light, how come people use metal halides? Am I misinterpreting something here?
 

Sploke

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Oct 20, 2005
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I'm disappointed that the experiment in question failed to include white LEDs as well. In my mind, that is the biggest debate - whether more blue-shifted or more white-shifted is more effective for growth, and that isn't really touched upon in that article.
 

mcsassy

professional fool
Jan 28, 2008
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I'm disappointed that the experiment in question failed to include white LEDs as well. In my mind, that is the biggest debate - whether more blue-shifted or more white-shifted is more effective for growth, and that isn't really touched upon in that article.
Doesn't "white" light carry the entire color spectrum within it? Are actinics just a more potent and precise spectrum of a single area extracted from the white light spectrum?

Seems like most of the LED fixtures contain blue and white...I've seen one with even green and red ones scattered in it too. What's up with that "pro pink" sun brite one?
 
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