Should I add optics?

Bongo Shrimp · May 5, 2011

So last year I finally got my Nanotuners 5.6 LED fixture for my biocube 29g. It has 15daylight and 15royal blue Cree XR-E LEDs. Ever since I put it on, there was a part of me that wondered if I should have some sort of optics on them. I really do not know what the different types of optics do either.

Can anyone help me out?

xgame2k · May 5, 2011

the answer is.....

...wait for it.......

....wait for it......

no.

Bongo Shrimp · May 5, 2011

How about something constructive...

...wait for it.......

....wait for it......

Like an explanation.

flyfish4trout · May 5, 2011

I would say no. I am running basically the same setup with 24 total Crees instead of 30. I keep my maxima clam and SPS on the sandbed without any problem and I don't have either of the strings turned up to the maximum output. I think that you would have significant spotlighting if you added optics in the hood that close to the water. You probably could check with evil66 and get a better explanation, plus he is a local guy to our area (Southeast MI), and has wealth of working knowledge with respect to LEDs. Just my 2c.

Bongo Shrimp · May 5, 2011

I've talked to him before about it and just wanted to see what other people are doing. I have mine turned up to 100% though.

xgame2k · May 5, 2011

they are too close to the water.

my 20 royal blue xre's (D16) and 10 cool white xpg's (R5) are putting out around 1000+ par when turned up all the way and that is with a light diffuser. sps only need around 2-300....any more than that and you are just wasting electricity.

...the end. :confident:

snoopie · May 5, 2011

From my experience I have ran without optics and it works just fine. I then put 70 degree optics and my par jumped and extra 200 on each section. Now the lighting is not as spread anymore which I like because the leds would spread outside the tank all over the room. Now with optics the leds puts light in the tank and only the tank and I get better par.

But like said before its a waist to go over to much. But I did have some areas where my par was only 80 because it was at the very edges where LEDS were not directly over with optics it jumped to 180-250.

Sent from my EVO.