Lighting question? AI Blade

[GARRIGA]

Perhaps all Grows would work better than adding FW then adjusting the spectrum to match whiteness required. Could just get the one Grow and see how that can be adjusted before adding more or different.

I prefer whiter with a tint of blue and wasn't a fan of the Kessil 160 FW because it always seemed too warm to me even when pushed to the bluest and after seeing the same light for SW was preferring that by maxing it more towards the white. My idea of white not always going to align with others.

 

[Faurek]

Don't own AI Blades but know of lights and electronics.
The AI Blades have 24 LED's total and use 140w max from their website using 95 degree lenses, meaning 5W chips that is good penetration, so good par, and spread.
You could start with 2 and see the results, depending on the look you are going for the combination will change, it's like t5's again but with led

 

[jermzisurmom]

Two should be fine the spread is great

 

[Faurek]

I went with a freshwater and a glow on my shallow tank. When you mount the lights, you may want the ability to adjust the angle of the glow so there is no blue/purple line across the tank. And not that you mentioned the warm LEDs, but FYI the red and warm LEDs on the freshwater are on the same control dial in the app so they must be turned on and off together. I give the tank 100% of this red channel for 2 hours in the morning in case it can be useful for some organisms, and then I turn it then low enough to the point where I don’t notice any change in color.

Can you share why adding the UV is important to you? I include the UV and assume it’s beneficial for something, but I’m not sure what.

The freshwater might give a very shallow natural look, I like the idea.
The "UV" which is a false statement, it's violet, has a good effect on photosynthesis, feeds chlorophyll and brings out blue fluorescent proteins.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Perhaps all Grows would work better than adding FW then adjusting the spectrum to match whiteness required. Could just get the one Grow and see how that can be adjusted before adding more or different.

I prefer whiter with a tint of blue and wasn't a fan of the Kessil 160 FW because it always seemed too warm to me even when pushed to the bluest and after seeing the same light for SW was preferring that by maxing it more towards the white. My idea of white not always going to align with others.

If you are addressing that to me, I've considered such approaches, but it wastes most of the light from a grow to get it to match sunlight. What reef folks call white light is very, very blue.

This is an AI grow spectrum from AI:

And this is the spectrum I want:

This plasma light does an excellent job, but is large and fan driven cooling. I'd pick it if I could. The link shows a reef tank video under this close to natural sunlight spectrum. Looks great to me. That blue spike everyone wants is not my preference.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/magnifica-under-plasma.1094405/

 

[Krux]

The uv may impact formation of pigments to protect from natural uv levels , but most clearly, can drive fluorescence from organisms. I realize it will be harder to see with so much white light, but I’m aiming for a natural look regardless.

I saw a definite color shift in a friend's tank when he added a UV OR4 light bar, and recently added one to my own tank.

 

[Faurek]

I saw a definite color shift in a friend's tank when he added a UV OR4 light bar, and recently added one to my own tank.

People been sleeping on violet, "uv", next step forward is true uv.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I saw a definite color shift in a friend's tank when he added a UV OR4 light bar, and recently added one to my own tank.

Thanks! :)

 

[Faurek]

I want the light to look like a shallow water spectrum, not a deep ocean setting. I’ll turn down the red bump it has a bit with the app. The glow is to provide the uv. :)

It's possible to have corals fluoresce with white light, I did before.
Unfortunately I didn't take pictures, but this is what I found:
Too much green washes out fluorescents.
Warm white don't wash out much, probably due to the last point, but warm whites look dimmer.
If blue is added in the right proportions it can look white in person with a lot of fluorescent but blue in the camera.

 

[Faurek]

Well actually I do have pictures.

This was the "circuit":

This was the tank, notice the fluorescence on the bottom.

That was supplemental cool blues for pop, probably 3/4 10000k LED's, at least two pinks and the rest might be royal blue
Today I would do different but you get the point.

 

[Krux]

Thanks! :)

I am not sure how the blade UV LEDs look, but there is no visible color shift when the OR4 UV is running, I need to look up at the bar to see if it is even on.

I wish I had before and after photos of his coral colonies - the piece that changed the most, right under the lightbar, was a shortcake variety. It looked "average" for a year but color vibrancy and saturation developed very quickly with the UV over it and negligible other changes. Areas that did not have UV coverage did not demonstrate a pigment change to my eye.

One might attribute it to more PUR, but it is right at the surface and was already pushing 800-1000 so we ruled that out.

I have not seen their freshwater bars, but the blue sky unit is very blue, gives the AB+ look. I am not a fan at all of blue tanks, so I only run this unit for a few hours a day when I am not home. Do not recommend if you prefer a sub 14k look. I keep the UV on during all illuminated hours. All of the channels are individually adjustable with sliders - the main difference from one unit to the other is the LED composition.

But I guess this isn't a conversation on anything other than the blades, though you may want to check them out anyway. Sorry to derail.

 

[Faurek]

I am not sure how the blade UV LEDs look, but there is no visible color shift when the OR4 UV is running, I need to look up at the bar to see if it is even on.

I wish I had before and after photos of his coral colonies - the piece that changed the most, right under the lightbar, was a shortcake variety. It looked "average" for a year but color vibrancy and saturation developed very quickly with the UV over it and negligible other changes. Areas that did not have UV coverage did not demonstrate a pigment change to my eye.

One might attribute it to more PUR, but it is right at the surface and was already pushing 800-1000 so we ruled that out.

I have not seen their freshwater bars, but the blue sky unit is very blue, gives the AB+ look. I am not a fan at all of blue tanks, so I only run this unit for a few hours a day when I am not home. Do not recommend if you prefer a sub 14k look. I keep the UV on during all illuminated hours. All of the channels are individually adjustable with sliders - the main difference from one unit to the other is the LED composition.

But I guess this isn't a conversation on anything other than the blades, though you may want to check them out anyway. Sorry to derail.

SSC cyan really needs 410-430nm spectrum, for that deep bright cyan fluorescent protein.
Have a look at blue harbor it explains coral coloration pretty well.
https://www.blueharbor.co.jp/en/Coral-Color-Management.htmlSince reading this the way I make reef lights has improved a lot and more par does not compensate lack of spectrum from my experience.

Also our eyes are not sensitive to violet light, so "uv bars" will not have an impact visually, except on corals or in very high concentration.

 

[PVsPlayHouse]

Wanna sell the hyper reefs??

Yes I’m going to sell the Hyper reefs. I have two sets of three lights. One set is the first gen with controller and shades. The second set is the gen 2 with controller and shades.

 

[jermzisurmom]

Yes I’m going to sell the Hyper reefs. I have two sets of three lights. One set is the first gen with controller and shades. The second set is the gen 2 with controller and shades.

May I pm u for pricing and more info??

 

[apac]

People been sleeping on violet, "uv", next step forward is true uv.

That might be bad for the fish.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am not sure how the blade UV LEDs look, but there is no visible color shift when the OR4 UV is running, I need to look up at the bar to see if it is even on.

I wish I had before and after photos of his coral colonies - the piece that changed the most, right under the lightbar, was a shortcake variety. It looked "average" for a year but color vibrancy and saturation developed very quickly with the UV over it and negligible other changes. Areas that did not have UV coverage did not demonstrate a pigment change to my eye.

One might attribute it to more PUR, but it is right at the surface and was already pushing 800-1000 so we ruled that out.

I have not seen their freshwater bars, but the blue sky unit is very blue, gives the AB+ look. I am not a fan at all of blue tanks, so I only run this unit for a few hours a day when I am not home. Do not recommend if you prefer a sub 14k look. I keep the UV on during all illuminated hours. All of the channels are individually adjustable with sliders - the main difference from one unit to the other is the LED composition.

But I guess this isn't a conversation on anything other than the blades, though you may want to check them out anyway. Sorry to derail.

I had a long thread on light planning and the or4 came up, and some folks unequivocally said one could not adjust the spectrum. Is that not true?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/silent-lights-poll.1081303/page-7#post-13267539

 

[twentyleagues]

I had a long thread on light planning and the or4 came up, and some folks unequivocally said one could not adjust the spectrum. Is that not true?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/silent-lights-poll.1081303/page-7#post-13267539

Different bars run different diodes. You can get one that is mostly uv. Or one that comes as close as they can to high sun. But the individual leds on each bar are not independently controllable. I almost went with orpheks but my issue is I dont like individual color splotches on the sand and rocks, unless you can mount them 18"+ you'll see the different colors of the diodes on the sand bed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All of the channels are individually adjustable with sliders - the main difference from one unit to the other is the LED composition.

So what constitutes a channel? A whole bar of several different leds?

I seem to be getting conflicting info.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Different bars run different diodes. You can get one that is mostly uv. Or one that comes as close as they can to high sun. But the individual leds on each bar are not independently controllable. I almost went with orpheks but my issue is I dont like individual color splotches on the sand and rocks, unless you can mount them 18"+ you'll see the different colors of the diodes on the sand bed.

So the channel comment above does not mean at the level of led color?

 

[Addicted2Acro]

Light question for those who know or own AI BLADE strips. I’m trying to find lights with no fans. The Blades seem like a good option. So far what I’ve been reading is the par can handle LPS and SPS. My tank is 70 long 16 inches high and 18 inches wide. I was think about getting one grow and one glow. Is that enough light or do i need three? Two glow and one grow of a different combo. I suffer from migraines  and the fans on my Nicrews are bothering me plus the tank is in my livingroom. thanks for the help.

I have 2 grows and one Glow over my 72in penninsula. They put out a ton of par. Two will probably be ok. 3 is probably overkill for my 5 month old tank but I went overboard and put a ton of sps and lps in it. So I just got 3 because I will need them eventually. I am getting 400+ par in top 3rd of tank and only running them at 75%ish.