Optics or no Optics your coming with me
- Thread starter kireek
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geckoejon
Well-Known Member
i have 3 separate reef breeder photons that i run without optics. i have them mounted inside hoods, and only about 6-9" above the water. removing the optics eliminated the spotlight effect, and makes the tank look great. i still get an optimal par distribution, imo. i have 80-90 on the bottom sand and 250-280 on the top rocks. i have bags full of optics if anyone wants to buy some. lol no need, imo...
ritter6788
Coral Fraud Private Eye
Without. I think many peoples problems with leds are optics and running them to high.
ReefLEDLights
Valuable Member
The naked LED has a spread of 120-180 Degrees. Unless your only a couple inches off the water like in a Biocube or RSM250 hood, Optics are a force multiplier.
By choosing the proper optic the standard 24-30" wide tank will receive over twice the PAR on the sand bed, reduce or cancel spill and cover a larger area with more PAR
Bill
By choosing the proper optic the standard 24-30" wide tank will receive over twice the PAR on the sand bed, reduce or cancel spill and cover a larger area with more PAR
Bill
Run Optics at 90-120 degrees, this way it does get into the tank, but its not really a focused beam like some have it.
I have 120 degree optics on all 60 diodes. Hung 12 1/2" from waters surface. No spot lighting at all. 40B total coverage 
hllywd
Community Member
IMO optics of some kind are appropriate on most fixtures. The 12 LED DIY I have growing chaeto in my sump doesn't have optics, and enough light spills sideways, where I don't really want it, that I get significant algae growth inside my skimmer in the next sump compartment. The light growing the algae in my skimmer is wasted. Optics focus light into a tighter cone eliminating unwanted spread, and directing more of the light you're paying for where you want it rather than on the big screen at the opposite end of the room.
OP
OP
I am running my lights without optics.I have a small 20 gallon high display and the fixture is 10 inches above the water.I get a lot of spill outside the tank which I don't mind it because it lights up a dark area of the room.However,the algae grows on the acrylic real fast.I would consider using the optics if I had a larger aquarium.
reggaedrummin
Active Member
I have a 30g that's about 18.5" deep. I'm running a reefbreeders photon 16 that originally came with 90° optics. My light is mounted about 9" above the water. I get a lot of color distortion on the rocks and sand so... tonight I took off the optics which should put me close to 120°. I'll run it this way for a while and see how things go.
ReefLEDLights
Valuable Member
Light is a wave.
Waves amplify and de-amplify each other.
Consider those monster waves in the ocean.
RGB LEDs close together work constructively to replicate almost any colour.
A random Red here and Green there depending on placement may give a chaotic colour distortion.
Bill
BADXGILLEN
Community Member
You know it depends on your tank and coral what spread of optics you need if any, like you said your tank is just fine without optics. If it was 2-3 feet deep that would be a different story. Of course this is all dependant on initial light output as well. I suppose the shortest and simplest answer to your question would be optics change the spread of the lights, no optics equells max spread and minimal focus,that is probably why you have the optics removed from your unit.for the record I run over 10 units of varying brands all without optics,it is often the only way to run them at 100 percent. Better coverage too.
I run 90s on my reef breeders photon 48 over a 75. My value fixture on my 20 gallon are bare led so 120s.
Really depends on situation that's why there are varying opinions. If lights have to be somewhat close to the water, then no optics. If you have space to put the lights 12 inches or more above water, then I would say optics will do well. My LEDs are close to the water and it looks like spot lights if I run optics, with a 1000 par in the middle and none on the sides. No optics gives me about 350 at the rocks and 120 on the sand bed about 24 inches down with a very nice even spread.
TJ's Reef
Valuable Member
For my DIY array I run without any optics and have great spread and quite even PAR throughout tank running at approximately 45% is all. I am just about to d o a tank up grade going from 20" high to 29"+- so will more than likely add at least some optics to get better light penetration if needed ???
Cheers, Todd
Cheers, Todd
ReefLEDLights
Valuable Member
Very True.
I also found that by raising the fixture and employing quality optics you achieve higher PAR numbers with more coverage than without optics.
Bill
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