Which Spectrum Steve's LEDs

Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
It sounds like Melvis and I are thinking of biting the bullet and getting Steves LEDs in light of the crickets we hear from Red Sea.

The question is which LEDs to get? I think both of us are looking for "maximum aesthetics", which it sounds like is the 12,000 JBM from their description.

But, any other thoughts? Kind of a big decision to make completely blind...or maybe it isn't.

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CUSTOM LED COMBINATION UPGRADE:

Please be aware that no color combination of LEDs looks "perfect" to everybody. Each of us have different color preferences, and different goals for our aquariums (such as looking great, growing corals fast, focusing on natural coloration or coral iridescence/pop, simulating natural ocean environments, etc) There isnoLED combination where "one size/color combination fits all." You must decide what your goals are and choose accordingly.

*12,000K Super Full Spectrum - This provides you with a proven combination of LEDs to provide Full Spectrum Lighting (Broad Spectrum) to allow your corals to grow up to 2x faster than in the ocean, while not detracting from their natural coloration. This combination emphasizes all common coral colors and iridescence. If you are not sure what color combination to choose, please choose this combination. It has been proven to effectively grow corals in thousands of aquariums worldwide. LEDs included in this selection: 20X 4,000K, 8X Cool Blue, 28X Royal Blue.

*12,000K Full Specturm JMB Special - This is LED combination perfected by Nano-reef.com user JediMasterBen. It It has a very birght, crisp color with a blue tone. The result is excellent pop (iridescence) from flourescent corals, as well as boosting the natural color of nonflourescent corals, sponges, coraline algae and macroalgae. It is the brigthest LED color combination we offer for the Biocube 29 and does not look "green". LEDs included in this selection are 12x 4,000K, 12x Lime, 24x Royal Blue, 8x Cool Blue.

*14,000K Super Full Spectrum - This provides you with a proven combination of LEDs to provide Full Spectrum Lighting (Broad Spectrum) to allow your corals to grow up to 4x faster than in the ocean, while not detracting from their natural coloration. This combination emphasizes all yellow, orange, red, green, blue and purple coral colors and iridescence. It has been proven to effectively grow corals in thousands of aquariums worldwide. LEDs included in this selection: 16X 4,000K, 8X Cool Blue, 32X Royal Blue.

*14,000K Full Specturm JMB Special - This is LED combination perfected by Nano-reef.com user JediMasterBen. It It is birght, with crisp color with a bluer tone than the 12,000K. The result is better pop (iridescence) from flourescent corals, as well as boosting the natural color of nonflourescent corals, sponges, coraline algae and macroalgae. This LED combination does not have any of the bad side effects of using green LEDs, and does not look "green". LEDs included in this selection are 8x 4,000K, 8x Lime, 28x Royal Blue, 12x Cool Blue.

*16,000K Full Spectrum - This provides you with a proven combination of LEDs to provide Full Spectrum Lighting (Broad Spectrum) to allow your corals to grow up to 4x faster than in the ocean. This combination emphasizes fast coral growth and and iridescence (color POP). This provides a rich blue deepwater ocean look. It has been proven to effectively grow corals in thousands of aquariums worldwide. LEDs included in this selection: 12X 4,000K, 12X Cool Blue, 32X Royal Blue.
 
Lexinverts

Lexinverts

Member
I got the stock Steve's configuration for my RSM250. I did not like the color with the blues and neutral whites set to the same intensity. It was too yellow. Now I am quite happy with the color I get with 80% blues and 34% neutral whites, and my corals have responded quite well. The blues provide what the corals need for photosynthesis, while the whites are there to enhance coloration.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
"...The question is which LEDs to get?..."

No one can really answer this question for you. Lighting is just about the most talked about and the most subjective area in all of reef keeping. You have to go with what you like, even though many of the others may not like it at all.

My personal choice would be for the 14000K Super Full Spectrum. I feel the 12000K would be a bit too yellow and the JMB specials would make the corals look very artificial. I really dislike some of the tanks you see where the light is almost all blue, all designed to make the corals bright, and in my opinion, very fake looking, but that's just me. Others really like that effect.

Go with what you like. You really can't go too far wrong here.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
Lexinverts said:
I got the stock Steve's configuration for my RSM250. I did not like the color with the blues and neutral whites set to the same intensity. It was too yellow. Now I am quite happy with the color I get with 80% blues and 34% neutral whites, and my colors have responded quite well. The blues provide what the corals need for photosynthesis, while the whites are there to enhance coloration.
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Ditto, I reckon :roflmao: I just got what they sent to fit my RSM 250 hood.
I don't know what I got :biggrin: but I like it :thumber2: and my tank is doing well.
I'm not a fan of the real blue look. I'm more about what detail I can see though my strong magnifying lens & the light that helps me see bugs :rolleyes:
I wish @goma Greg wasn't MIA....He even did a thread about par values using his Steve's LED lighting.
I love the way they can be adjusted & the option to set a fade in & out SunUp & SunSet. My favorite time to admire my tank is sun up & sun set hours:heart:
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Thanks, all!

While I realize why no one wants to make a decision for me, this advice is very helpful!

Right this second I'm tempted to go the route @DaveK said would be his preference. If @Lexinverts feels the standard is a bit yellow (until you adjust it), the 14k seems to naturally fix that problem a bit.

I truly don't know how I feel about all blue look, which I assume is the direction the JBM goes. Sometimes it looks cool. Often it looks really fake. So, right this second I'm thinking I'll stay away from it.

Thanks!!!
 
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Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
BTW, I read through all 38 pages of Greg's thread and it says very little on this topic. It seems like most people go with 12k because it's standard and why not, although one or two mention going with 14k, but not really if they are happy with it or not.

It is a thread that will scare someone like me off buying these if the install seems intimidating, though.

I'm still planning on it. What's the worst that can happen? :)
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
Pat24601 said:
... I'm still planning on it. What's the worst that can happen?...
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With most other lighting systems like T5 or MH, if you don't like how the tank looks, you can replace a few bulbs and it's fixed. With LEDs your usually stuck because replacing the fixture would be expensive. This means that you want to be very careful in your selection or spend even more money and get something that lets you control the individual colors, so you can dial it in to what you desire.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
DaveK said:
With most other lighting systems like T5 or MH, if you don't like how the tank looks, you can replace a few bulbs and it's fixed. With LEDs your usually stuck because replacing the fixture would be expensive. This means that you want to be very careful in your selection or spend even more money and get something that lets you control the individual colors, so you can dial it in to what you desire.
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I may be mistaken, but I *think* with the typhoon controller you can dial in to a specific percentage of blues and whites like @Lexinverts suggests above with upping the blues and lowering the whites on the 12k.

So, I'm hoping if I get the 14k and its "too blue", I can just dial the blues back. However, I don't have any idea what I'm talking about on this topic. So, I could be wrong.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Agree w/DaveK in that lighting has always been a subject that is much talked about. It is intricate and confusing, it has also changed dramatically since the hobby started out.

First of all, I am no expert on lighting. I've done my research over the years and messed around with various different lighting to determine what various spectrum (nm) and (K) that I like, haven't dove into PAR much since I don't have a PAR meter. Below is a quick summary of my thoughts on it. And things for you to ponder. Perhaps it will help you decide.

What are you most concerned with? What color the lighting in the tank looks to you? Too blue verses too white/yellow light? If so, look for K rating on bulbs. Kevin (K) range plays into coloration of light you see, it is the temperature coloration of the bulb. 10K will be bright light (daylight is below 10K), the larger the K value the cooler the light temperature is (blue-er the light). Does this help?

Are you concerned with coral coloration? What about coral fluorescence? Understanding what you can get under higher Ks verses lower Ks may help you to decide. Under 20K, coral colors can tend to morph into each other (IMHO) - you can't keep yellows and pinks as well, the yellows turn to greens, but purples do well. The 14Ks will add more contrast to the colors, all coral colors are crisper and stand out more. But, you can get more of the coral glow/fluorescence under 20Ks, so many people really like 20K, the really blue tanks for this reason. And be aware that you will get faster growth under 10K verses 14K and higher, there have been several articles pointing to scientific studies showing this. So, there are pluses and minuses - you get faster growth with lower the K bulb, corals grow faster under 10K then they do under 14K, which grow faster then under 20K.

I second what DaveK said about most other lighting systems like T5 or MH, if you don't like how the tank looks, you can replace a few bulbs and it's fixed. I would also add that you may also change your mind after a year or so. What you like now you may not like in the future. So, having options is good.

Some can also argue, that if you have a tank full of young corals you can have bulbs that are around the 10-12K level to get faster coral growth now, and once they grow out switch to bulbs that offer more of the 14K or 20K level. With LEDs your usually stuck because replacing the fixture, which would be expensive. But, if you can dial in/out some of those LEDs, then this is an added benefit. As an option, you can try to find a lfs that is using LEDs that you are interested in, see if they will let you play with the options of changes the coloration of the bulbs.

Now if you had a hybrid unit of LEDs and T5HOs or LEDs with metal halides, you have more options of manipulation to achieve lighting levels that you see, manipulating coral growth rates, coral colors and florescence. And it leaves open more options for changes that you many want to do in the future, cause face it, we ALWAYS tinker and make changes in our tanks....it never ends, it is hard to keep our hands out of our tanks....
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
And be aware of amount of red light in those LEDs: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/red-light-negatively-affects-health-of-stony-coral

From article, a good point to keep in mind: "With the popularity of red LEDs used in many modern lighting fixtures, reefkeepers should be conscientious of how much red light they use over their aquariums in light of this research. Note: red light is commonly found in proven lights such as Radium metal halides and numerous fluorescent bulbs as well as in wild reefs, so the idea is not that red light is necessarily harmful but that too much red light can have negative effects on how stony corals regulate photosynthesis."
 
M

melvis

Well-Known Member
Your knowledge is amazing Oxy...and I'm sure I speak for Pat as well as myself when I say this is vital in helping us make a decision (or not) with regards to the Steve's LED purchase. I'm confused as hell right now though, lol.

Be interested to hear from anyone with the Typhoon as to whether Pat is right with regards to dialling certain colours up/down, as this may be the answer to our queries.

May need to take some time out to rethink the whole idea for now though...:banghead:
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Sorry. I know it is confusing. That is one reason why I haven't upgraded yet. Been playing with the idea for a good three years now. But, I'm still sticking w/T5HOs. I've just put in a couple new bulbs today, so once again I am playing with the lighting in the unit. This happens every couple of years. I find some combo I like, stick with it for a little while, then after a couple of years I decide to change up the combo again....

I also tend to stay out of these conversations b/c frankly in can get pretty in depth on pros and cons for all the different lighting out there. And I don't have all the answers. Much of it is opinions and preferences. Except some new studies are showing how different corals react to different lighting. This is good info to file away and use to make your decisions. Do a search on 'lighting' & 'LED' on Advanced Aquarist and you will get hundreds of articles.

Steve's LEDs has worked for others. Determine how it worked for them after a year or two. Find out the type of corals they've been able to grow. If this works for them then it should work well for you as well (as long as you don't have a deep tank). If the typhoon works, then it sounds like you have options.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
If you have time to watch several hours of video, a year or so ago I found a series of vids with Mike Paletta and sometimes with Sanjay Joshi joining him talking about lighting - all talking about LED lighting and corals. This is why I decided to wait a while and give LED manufactures time to better perfect their lighting systems. A quick YouTube search for their names would probably find them. Lots of good tips on the vids beyond lighting. Some vids are dated. So keep in mind that LEDs have come a long way since they first came out. Some LED systems are much better then others.
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Oxy,

Your information is immensely helpful. I *think* you taught me that I was flat out thinking about some things incorrectly.

Whether or not I'll make a good decision (or even know the difference between a good decision and a bad decision) might be a different question, but I'm substantially more informed!!!

I always appreciate your involvement in any conversation, particularly this one where getting good information isn't easy.
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Thanks. It is a learning experience for all of us. There are many people in this hobby that know so much more - I take my experience and compare it with others and then compare that with any new science coming out from this hobby and from academia - all of it to help inform to create a better the environment of our critters. Lighting is not my strong point. The technical aspect of this hobby is not my strong point. It makes my head spin. My sps corals are growing well under T5HOs, so I am hesitant to mess w/that. Glad the info was helpful.
 
DianaKay

DianaKay

Princess Diana
RS STAFF
I just wanted someone else to pick out what works & send it to me.
I'm not into DIY or trying to figure it out. That's why I ordered Steve's LED set up for my tank. It was the easiest looking one to operate. I don't think I could have installed them by myself & the 99% complete does NOT include 99% of actually putting them in the RSM 250 hood. Don't be deceived, the install was nerve wracking and I only watched part of it being done :stars: but it is done & I'm happy.:)
Here's my typhoon controller:
image.jpg
As you can tell, it's on 78% on all four color channels.
You can use these 4 little knobs on the top of the hood
image.jpg
To adjust the colors also.....turning them lets you pick what you like in the way of color. As far as what the corals like ???? Mine are doing fine with all 4 channels on the highest setting the knobs turn to. Whatever that is, LOL!
I have grown any coral I have put in my tank EXCEPT Mushrooms & Ricordea. They have never liked my tank.
This:
image.jpg
Has grown to this:image.jpg
I turned up the blue light a bit for the picture but did not enhance it otherwise.
Picture taken with my iPad...I don't do fancy cameras either :bluetang:
I don't think (once the install is over!!) that you will be dis-pleased with changing over to LEDS. Steve's are easy enough for ME to work & that my friends:
SAYS ALOT!! :D
 
Pat24601

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
Diana,

Your input has been critical as well. I have a pretty good idea what you likely have and it's clearly a good way to go.

I've looked at your tank closely as I review this because it is so much like mine and you have a lot of time in with these lights.

They have a few more options now than they did when you installed, which makes the decision process a little harder.

But, at the end of the day, I think I'll be happy with any of the three options I'm considering. So, that makes me feel better.

Plus, it's only money if I'm wrong. :)
 
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