Modding a Vipraspectra, color opinions?

[fish_collector]

Fwiw, I swapped out 12 of the white diodes on each my 2 viparspectra lights about 3-4 years ago, and replaced them with 420 and 450nm diodes I got on amazon, I think they were the chanzen brand. I use both of the lights 10 hours a day and it has really made a difference in the color, there is still too much white even at 10% though.

After desoldering the leads, I had to use heat to remove the diodes from the board, they were stuck on there pretty good. Use a big drop of thermal paste when you solder in the new ones.

What I can tell you is that they do grow corals.

 

[dirtyd61]

Fwiw, I swapped out 10 of the white diodes on each my 2 viparspectra lights about 3-4 years ago, and replaced them with 420 and 450nm diodes I got on amazon, I think they were the chanzen brand. I use both of the lights 10 hours a day and it has really made a difference in the color, there is still too much white even at 10% though.

After desoldering the leads, I had to use heat to remove the diodes from the board, they were stuck on there pretty good. Use a big drop of thermal paste when you solder in the new ones.

What I can tell you is that they do grow corals.

Yeap, I only have 8 of the original white LEDs left on mine.

 

[fish_collector]

I'd swap some more whites for blues but I don't want to mess with it anymore lol.

 

[dirtyd61]

I'd swap some more whites for blues but I don't want to mess with it anymore lol.

Ive got a ton of extra LEDs if you end up wanting to.

 

[fish_collector]

Ive got a ton of extra LEDs if you end up wanting to.

Thx for the offer, I've got a bunch left over as well.

 

[dirtyd61]

Less blue in real life, messes with the iPhone camera bit a fairly true photo.

 

[Minifoot77]

Fwiw I took all the reflectors off mine and had better spread and blending... i didnt have to worry about par as my tank is only 20 inches deep

 

[fish_collector]

It’s really an easy thing to do to swap diodes. It makes a decent light even better.

The older viparspectras had the ability to increase or decrease the white and blue channels in 1% increments but the latest versions will only do 10% increments. It’s not a deal breaker but those last few little percent increments can make a difference. If they could incorporate an adjustable rise and fall these would be superstars. I bet that wouldn’t add much to the cost either, it would require some more logic and hardware so maybe they decided it wasn’t worth it to design them that way. I know I really enjoy the last 30 minutes of my reefis schedule as they fade to darkness. But the price point is much higher so…

 

[dirtyd61]

It’s really an easy thing to do to swap diodes. It makes a decent light even better.

The older viparspectras had the ability to increase or decrease the white and blue channels in 1% increments but the latest versions will only do 10% increments. It’s not a deal breaker but those last few little percent increments can make a difference. If they could incorporate an adjustable rise and fall these would be superstars. I bet that wouldn’t add much to the cost either, it would require some more logic and hardware so maybe they decided it wasn’t worth it to design them that way. I know I really enjoy the last 30 minutes of my reefis schedule as they fade to darkness. But the price point is much higher so…

The new ones are 1% I just bought one.

 

[fish_collector]

The new ones are 1% I just bought one.

Hmmm, good to know.

 

[Minifoot77]

I used a steves led interface to control mine with hydros