Silent Lights Poll

[Clarkjw2002]

Haven't read the entire thread so don't know if it is mentioned but I would assume lights without cooling fans would still make some noise.

I have three CoralCares and I love that they are fanless but they still make clicking noises as the heat sinks warm up and cool down due to thermal expansion. Imagine this would be the same for any light utilizing a heat sink as the cooling mechanism--unless other lights somehow separate the materials with different expansion coefficients so they are not in contact with each other (I suspect the clicking is from where the aluminum heat sink and glass cover panel meet).

In a quiet room I think the clicking noises would be more annoying. It's not all day though--just during ramp up and down.

I love the fact that I don't have fans sucking in and collecting dust.

 

[Reefering1]

All I see is "95%".

 

[SanFernandoValleyAIOReef]

I have 4 - 48" Orphek OR4 over my 4x2x2 120 system, with 1 more on the way. I feel that they do an amazing job, look great, and with the added app control on the OR4, they are a complete light.

Curious if they’re doing an amazing why the need for 1 more?

 

[VintageReefer]

All I see is "95%".

My statement is true. You are being selective and focusing on part of a sentence but not all of it.

I said all his frag tanks are lit by led. I didn’t say all his frags are.

If you can’t understand the difference, I’m sorry. I can’t be more direct or clear

 

[VintageReefer]

All I see is "95%".

I found a way to be more clear

Adam “
I mean LEDs been around for at least as long and have definitely proven to be effective for growing Sps. I would honestly argue the exact opposite in fact, that most successful Sps tanks These days are under LEDs, while the shrinking minority of us are still running halides

I myself have one tank out of six with halides over, the rest are all LED in my main system.”

Battlecorals Photo

 

[Netfish and Chill]

Curious if they’re doing an amazing why the need for 1 more?

I am adding the white bar for a little more robust range of colors, and i like my fish to be shown off also, instead of just being dark/brown colored that the blue makes them.

 

[alpenreef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley
Don't forget the Quanta Atlas, perfect match with the Quanta helix. The Atlas is an amazing full spectrum LED light source that has benefits most people don't mention. They are commercially designed and can handle being washed off and cleaned. 3 manual power ratings 100,150, & 240 watt also has dimming capabilities with 0-10v dimming

I have since added the Helix Meso Blue 71" Light Bars also

I absolutely love mine !!!

Atlas

Designed for simplicity, reliability, and easy installation, this industry-leading light features 720 LED chips along with both primary and secondary optics to optimize light output, spectral blending, and efficiency. The unique, science-based spectrum design incorporates the correct ratios of...

www.quanta-lights.com

Agreed. Definitely add the Atlas to the poll

 

[Lasse]

or me at least, lack of spectrum control is a nonstarter as most reef leds are too blue and the freshwater ones have too much red.

I was planning to use adjustments to get something like a natural shallow water spectrum that also includes the natural uv and deep blue.

Yes, but I want less blue, not more. The GHL LB3 is a leading contender, using ocean blue with less blue or skywhite with less red (undecided yet which gives best full spectrum). Possibly plus a coral pop with the blue turned down to have the near UV to add in.. :).

I have run Mitras bar 2 for around 5 years now. I run 2 deep actinic, 1 actinic and one oceanic blue. I do not like tanks with blue light - I want my tanks to be crispy white. Neither the less - if I would buy another set now - I would exclude oceanic blue (the bar 2 include 4500 K white) The RGB diods in this fixture do the trick to trick you to see a whiter light than it is in reality. However - the Bar 2 have 4 RGB/module and the Bar 2 have 2 RGB/module. If I would replace my Bar 2 with Bar 3 (nothing else than a Mitras Bar is actual for me) I would probably run 1 POP, 2 Deep Ocean and 1 Ocean Blue . I may skip the Ocean Blue too. Ocean Blue in the 3 version do not include 4 500K diods - only 6000 and 8000 K

These fotos -no filter shows with full RGB and blue power how different combinations of White LEDs looks like with these type of bars. (minus UV) (8000 and 6500 may be close to the combination above)

POP Bar 3 contain no white LEDs, Deep Ocean 8000 K white LEDs and Ocean Blue both 8000 and 6500 K white LEDs. Its just photos but may give a hint.

With one of GHL controllers plus these bars - only the sky is the limit IMO


Sincerely Lasse

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have run Mitras bar 2 for around 5 years now. I run 2 deep actinic, 1 actinic and one oceanic blue. I do not like tanks with blue light - I want my tanks to be crispy white. Neither the less - if I would buy another set now - I would exclude oceanic blue (the bar 2 include 4500 K white) The RGB diods in this fixture do the trick to trick you to see a whiter light than it is in reality. However - the Bar 2 have 4 RGB/module and the Bar 2 have 2 RGB/module. If I would replace my Bar 2 with Bar 3 (nothing else than a Mitras Bar is actual for me) I would probably run 1 POP, 2 Deep Ocean and 1 Ocean Blue . I may skip the Ocean Blue too. Ocean Blue in the 3 version do not include 4 500K diods - only 6000 and 8000 K

These fotos -no filter shows with full RGB and blue power how different combinations of White LEDs looks like with these type of bars. (minus UV) (8000 and 6500 may be close to the combination above)

POP Bar 3 contain no white LEDs, Deep Ocean 8000 K white LEDs and Ocean Blue both 8000 and 6500 K white LEDs. Its just photos but may give a hint.

With one of GHL controllers plus these bars - only the sky is the limit IMO


Sincerely Lasse

Thanks, Lasse! :)

 

[Lasse]

Forget to mention that RGB is at 100% in the photos above.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[AKReefing]

You left out DIY (my preference) and T5.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You left out DIY (my preference) and T5.

You DIY your own led lights? Sounds like a lot of work. Do you have the software ability to control the spectrum?

 

[AKReefing]

You DIY your own led lights? Sounds like a lot of work. Do you have the software ability to control the spectrum?

Yes, I have made multiple DIY LED systems. My first was a piece of a Left Turn Only aluminum sign with 560 button LEDs soldered in a series-parallel configuration. They were blue, royal blue, and a few 1 watt whites. I used external power supplies and pucks with a variable control. I had been using 400W 14,000K halides and actinic VHOs, but the switch to LEDs produced rapid growth.

I've played around with various heat sinks, controllers, software, power sources, etc. Some are easier than others. What I've learned is that simpler is better. Separate strings of LEDs, each with a single wavelength, and whites, are the easiest to build and control. I've collected boxes of them. Programable controllers are out there, but simple on-off timers work as well as anything else. You can set the timers to come on and off at stepped intervals to simulate sunrise and sunset, but the corals don't seem to mind either way.

If you're not electronically inclined, I recommend getting some used, commercially-made LEDs. You can save a ton of $. I have a mix of Radion G3 Pros and G5 & 6 Pros over my 275G. All are currently compatible with Mobius.

 

[oreo54]

It's mostly " tinker toys".
Ignore thermal switch.

 

[rishma]

All of the things you mention that make noise will be in the basement. Only lights and power heads will be in that room, and the power heads are also being optimized for quiet. :)

And the overflow :)

I’m a noise nut. Noise is often my first selection criteria for equipment because I find noise even more variable than other performance metrics. So I appreciate this question.

Powerheads and water movement noise will be the thing you hear.

 

[AKReefing]

Following up, the secret to eliminating the need for fans is adequate heat removal, meaning large surface area for heat dissipation, and spacing between LED emitters so there are no hot spots. Also, driving the LEDs below max current helps.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

And the overflow :)

I’m a noise nut. Noise is often my first selection criteria for equipment because I find noise even more variable than other performance metrics. So I appreciate this question.

Powerheads and water movement noise will be the thing you hear.

Yes, I’m hoping that is true. Previous setup that was true, but my mh lights didnt have fans. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You can set a schedule and intensity of the leds just like on an AI blade or radion. The OR3 are strictly on off unless you buy the controller that controls 6 bars which makes no sense now with the new OR4 bars.

I’ve not used either the AI Blade or Radion.

So that I’m sure I understand, with an OR 4 bar, one can control with the app each of the colors of led independently ? So, for example, if I wanted to reduce one particular color, I could, leaving the others unchanged?

TIA.

 

[Dom]

What is the depth of the intended tank?

 

[Oldreefer44]

I’ve not used either the AI Blade or Radion.

So that I’m sure I understand, with an OR 4 bar, one can control with the app each of the colors of led independently ? So, for example, if I wanted to reduce one particular color, I could, leaving the others unchanged?

TIA.

Correct