Help me choose which LED for coral "farm"
- Thread starter PDR
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So very long story short, led's are on hold for now. I was given a 4 bulb t5 unit that I am going to be trying out in the meantime. Depending on how I like the results will determine how I proceed in the future.
Chef Tommy
Active Member
I have a 4 bulb t5 over my 75 and have had it up for a year. No issues with growing coral. I've now added 2 orphek bars so we shall see how that impacts growing the coral now.
I am looking more into getting a lux meter instead of a par meter but it seems all of the cheaper lux meters are not waterproof. Are readings just taken at the surface with these? If so, is there a way to approximate loss of lux/par underwater?
mcarroll
10K Club member
There are/were some waterproof models out there, but you'll be in the >$50 category.
A ziplock baggie will work in a pinch.
(Runs some searches or click this tag #lux to see some threads where folks have done this in the past.)That said, I do all measurements at the surface.
The relationship with the measurements underneath are coincidental and mostly predictable to within the degree that corals care. We need to hit a range, not a specific number.
Mostly that means >10,000 lux. But technically corals can go even lower under good conditions.
Just measure the fixture in free air at the height of light to sand (or any bottom # you want.)
any PAR differences will be insignificant considering even using a LUX to PAR conversion has its own set of errors...
Even maybe getting a cheaper non-waterproof PAR meter:
http://www.horticulturesource.com/p...MImajm1aHK3AIVg_5kCh3P6Q6yEAkYASABEgJlkvD_BwE
$200 gets you a Seneye and waterproof, though it has its own issues (non-cosine corrected)
any PAR differences will be insignificant considering even using a LUX to PAR conversion has its own set of errors...
Even maybe getting a cheaper non-waterproof PAR meter:
http://www.horticulturesource.com/p...MImajm1aHK3AIVg_5kCh3P6Q6yEAkYASABEgJlkvD_BwE
$200 gets you a Seneye and waterproof, though it has its own issues (non-cosine corrected)
mcarroll
10K Club member
Most of the errors aren't significant to our purposes...this is why PAR conversions and lux meters will do the job in many cases...all we really need is to be prevented from outright guessing.
Just over $100 for a PAR meter claiming to have a flat response curve is pretty good! Cheapest I can remember seeing.
Most of the errors aren't significant to our purposes...this is why PAR conversions and lux meters will do the job in many cases...all we really need is to be prevented from outright guessing.
Just over $100 for a PAR meter claiming to have a flat response curve is pretty good! Cheapest I can remember seeing.
I had been looking at that par meter, but the amazon reviews for it are quite poor. I was going to buy a Seneye until I realized you had to have a Windows PC in order to operate it. I really wish that company would release a product that is just the par meter (with wifi or at least mobile software of some kind), I couldn't care less about all the other stuff it does.
I'm still torn about the lux meter. Good news is I won't need to decide anything for a while.
Do you live in an area with a reef club? Many have PAR meters that they loan to members or even members that will let you borrow one.
Offer to leave them cash for the full price of the unit as a deposit. I have one that I will rent out, but I usually want a $500 deposit so that I can buy another one if they never bring it back. I do not blame anybody for not wanting to loan it out for $20, $50 or even $100.
You can buy a cheap lux meter and remove the green filter off the sensor.. "Instant" PAR sensor..
Would need to calibrate it..
Prob about what that $100 meter does..
Depends on the photodiode inside though..
Would need to calibrate it..
Prob about what that $100 meter does..
Depends on the photodiode inside though..
mcarroll
10K Club member
You can buy a cheap lux meter and remove the green filter off the sensor.. "Instant" PAR sensor..
Would need to calibrate it..
Prob about what that $100 meter does..
Depends on the photodiode inside though..
There was a DIY par meter thread kicking around the plant forums a long while back. Easy enough to dig up if someone didn't want to start from scratch.
I think they started with a basic LX-1010B..I'm sure the hack was what you're describing, but I can't actually remember. https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-par-meter-30-45.932412/
https://www.rollitup.org/t/par-multiplier-thread.928907/page-2
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2302312
http://www.anees.com/tpol.html
I played around w/ DIY sensor myself..
Main trick is getting a decent photodiode.. The best were either 1)not made anymore (scavanged some on the surplus market) or 2) expensive enough to just go buy a "real" sensor..
PIN-10DF is actually relatively "perfect" but its a diode w/ filters anyways..
http://www.osioptoelectronics.com/s...embly/detector-filter-combination-series.aspx
Bet it's more than a Seneye..
Actually not even sure if it's made anymore..
http://peshkin.mech.northwestern.edu/datasheets/Optoelectronics/Photodiode_UDT_catalog.pdf
Whole freaking catalog..
Sorry just rambling and collecting... It's an illness..
https://www.rollitup.org/t/par-multiplier-thread.928907/page-2
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2302312
http://www.anees.com/tpol.html
I played around w/ DIY sensor myself..
Main trick is getting a decent photodiode.. The best were either 1)not made anymore (scavanged some on the surplus market) or 2) expensive enough to just go buy a "real" sensor..
PIN-10DF is actually relatively "perfect" but its a diode w/ filters anyways..
http://www.osioptoelectronics.com/s...embly/detector-filter-combination-series.aspx
Bet it's more than a Seneye..
Actually not even sure if it's made anymore..
http://peshkin.mech.northwestern.edu/datasheets/Optoelectronics/Photodiode_UDT_catalog.pdf
Whole freaking catalog..
Sorry just rambling and collecting... It's an illness..
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@mcarroll @saltyfilmfolks @Dana Riddle
I couldn't get any consistent readings from my phone app, so I was impatient and bought a cheap lux meter. It should come today and I was wondering what conversion factor I should use for a 4 bulb t5 fixture running 2 ati blue+ and 2 ati coral+. Thanks
I couldn't get any consistent readings from my phone app, so I was impatient and bought a cheap lux meter. It should come today and I was wondering what conversion factor I should use for a 4 bulb t5 fixture running 2 ati blue+ and 2 ati coral+. Thanks
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
There are only so many phosphors used in fluorescent lamps... See here for lux to PAR conversions. They're buried in this article, along with other notes:
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/3/review
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/3/review
Just got done playing around with the lux meter and I realized I should have gotten one a long time ago...It has opened my eyes to how differently my tanks are lit compared to how I thought it was.
I took some measurements on my kessil lit tank and was wondering if I should use a similar conversion factor or is it totally different for LED's?
I took some measurements on my kessil lit tank and was wondering if I should use a similar conversion factor or is it totally different for LED's?
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
See here for info on the Kessil Ap700:
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2018/3/aafeature
https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2018/3/aafeature
mcarroll
10K Club member
If you ran a search for "lux" and read all the threads where similar comments were uttered you'd laugh.
Take it with you everywhere you go one day and your eyes will keep getting opened.
@saltyfilmfolks?
So far my zoanthids have responded really well to the T5's. I realize it probably has more to do with the intensity they are now under compared to what they were. But so far I am really liking the results. Colors that had faded are returning and growth is exploding.
I also ran the numbers and factoring in bulb replacement and power consumption, it would take over 5 years to break even with comparable LED's, and that's assuming none of the LED fixtures fail during that period. Heat has also not been an issue at all.
I know it's pretty underwhelming, but if you want to check it out, my setup is in my sig.
Thanks again for all the help!
I also ran the numbers and factoring in bulb replacement and power consumption, it would take over 5 years to break even with comparable LED's, and that's assuming none of the LED fixtures fail during that period. Heat has also not been an issue at all.
I know it's pretty underwhelming, but if you want to check it out, my setup is in my sig.
Thanks again for all the help!
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