Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

[Hellybell80]

It's a temporary fix, the canopy can literally go flush with the tank of I want to easily.

 

[Acskippy]

BLUE! Among other things

Hi,
I'm new to this site and can't find if it has been asked before. So my question is, is anyone else using these viparspectra led lights?
I have had one since Xmas, 8" over a 24x18x18 mixed reef, I have worked upto a setting of 65% blue an 20% white, which have worked upto and I have only had this setting for a week. As on an old nano tank I had bleached hammer corals with a Tmc aquaray, so I'm taking it slow. The few sps frags I have, have shown some growth but not as much as I would have liked to see over 7 months. I just wandered if I should run the whites or blues higher to promote growth? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

BLUE!!! Very low white... among other things, sps corals tend to grow faster with high ALK 11+, but better color is achieved with low ALk 7-8.... i vary my UV spectrum intensity bi weekly, seems to bring out great variation in sps color, but especially acan. Load your tank w pods and feed phyto. But ime fast growing sps achieved w high alk being the dominant factor. Careful cuz some of your other inhabitants might not like it! Ive never acclimated my sps, just revive dip and put em right in the light, thats most likely what theyre used to at the farm u bought from... just my take im sure others would and will disagree

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I'm currently 30blue 1 white as predominantly lps.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

I'm thinking about picking up another pair of viparspectras so that I can mod them at my leisure and just swap them out at maintenance intervals without feeling rushed.

My current set I've replaced 3 blues with 395s and 6 of the whites with 20k. My next round im going to leave the blue channel mostly untouched and work on the white channel. Plan is to leave around 8 whites and replace the rest with a combination of 395s, cyan 490, and RB. As it stands, I'm running my B @ 75% and W @ 1%...basically not using half the light lol.

Next stop? ReeFi LED or Phillips Coralcare v2.

 

[Mrreefercanada]

I'm thinking about picking up another pair of viparspectras so that I can mod them at my leisure and just swap them out at maintenance intervals without feeling rushed.

My current set I've replaced 3 blues with 395s and 6 of the whites with 20k. My next round im going to leave the blue channel mostly untouched and work on the white channel. Plan is to leave around 8 whites and replace the rest with a combination of 395s, cyan 490, and RB. As it stands, I'm running my B @ 75% and W @ 1%...basically not using half the light lol.

Next stop? ReeFi LED or Phillips Coralcare v2.

Interesting about replacing bulbs can you describe how it's done? Is it hard? I was thinking about replace some 6500k whites for 20k also.

 

[Mrreefercanada]

BLUE! Among other things

BLUE!!! Very low white... among other things, sps corals tend to grow faster with high ALK 11+, but better color is achieved with low ALk 7-8.... i vary my UV spectrum intensity bi weekly, seems to bring out great variation in sps color, but especially acan. Load your tank w pods and feed phyto. But ime fast growing sps achieved w high alk being the dominant factor. Careful cuz some of your other inhabitants might not like it! Ive never acclimated my sps, just revive dip and put em right in the light, thats most likely what theyre used to at the farm u bought from... just my take im sure others would and will disagree

I'm running blues 75% whites 1%. I run blue 12 hrs and white only 7 hrs with great success so far. Been 1 month with the 300w unit.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I'm thinking about picking up another pair of viparspectras so that I can mod them at my leisure and just swap them out at maintenance intervals without feeling rushed.

My current set I've replaced 3 blues with 395s and 6 of the whites with 20k. My next round im going to leave the blue channel mostly untouched and work on the white channel. Plan is to leave around 8 whites and replace the rest with a combination of 395s, cyan 490, and RB. As it stands, I'm running my B @ 75% and W @ 1%...basically not using half the light lol.

Next stop? ReeFi LED or Phillips Coralcare v2.

I was thinking about changing a load of the white leds out and use a few violets and some extra blues. I didnt want to go to uv as people say the leds dont last very long, I want to change a few of the whites to higher Kelvin.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Interesting about replacing bulbs can you describe how it's done? Is it hard? I was thinking about replace some 6500k whites for 20k also.

If you're comfortable with a soldering iron it's not hard, but a little time consuming.

All you have to do is de-solder the current led (two points) using solder wick. Then the sketchy part, you need to pop the led off of the board. The viparspectra LEDs are attached with what seems to be thermal epoxy and 9 times out of 10 led is destroyed pulling them off. You can use pliars or a small jewelers chisel (get under the led and gently tap and they pop off). You have to be careful as you can dig into the copper board underneath.

Then to solder the news ones, just clean the - /+ contacts and the heatsink contact point. Add some thermal compound (arctic silver or similar), plop the led on it (it'll help hold it in place while you solder) just drop some flux then solder.

Taking leds off is the hardest most time consuming part.

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility if you damage your light in the process of modifying it.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I dont think we would hold you accountable if we damage our lights.

 

[Tahoe61]

I'm currently 30blue 1 white as predominantly lps.

Certainly a stunning tank.



My fixture (165 watts) is 90% blue, 2% white, running 10 hrs. It did take me awhile to get to 90%, I increase by 2 every week. Zoanthids have shown increased growth.
For the price it is a decent light. I would buy another.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Certainly a stunning tank.



My fixture (165 watts) is 90% blue, 2% white, running 10 hrs. It did take me awhile to get to 90%, I increase by 2 every week. Zoanthids have shown increased growth.
For the price it is a decent light. I would buy another.

Thanks. I had to move a couple hammers lastnight as they are growing over and shading some heads.

I want some other colours like a bit of red. I have a red mushroom in my bedroom tank that has split so I might make some room for it somewhere near the bottom.

 

[Chayo]

Great looking tanks everyone! Thanks for the info!

 

[Mrreefercanada]

If you're comfortable with a soldering iron it's not hard, but a little time consuming.

All you have to do is de-solder the current led (two points) using solder wick. Then the sketchy part, you need to pop the led off of the board. The viparspectra LEDs are attached with what seems to be thermal epoxy and 9 times out of 10 led is destroyed pulling them off. You can use pliars or a small jewelers chisel (get under the led and gently tap and they pop off). You have to be careful as you can dig into the copper board underneath.

Then to solder the news ones, just clean the - /+ contacts and the heatsink contact point. Add some thermal compound (arctic silver or similar), plop the led on it (it'll help hold it in place while you solder) just drop some flux then solder.

Taking leds off is the hardest most time consuming part.

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility if you damage your light in the process of modifying it.

Thanks for the info. Don't worry I take responsibility for my actions! I think a few 20k will make a bid diff and enjoy improving products.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Thanks for the info. Don't worry I take responsibility for my actions! I think a few 20k will make a bid diff and enjoy improving products.

Just double check the polarity of the led. I've bought from different vendors and some come with labeled - /+ some do not.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Does everyone keep their lenses on?
I'm tempted to remove mine again as I have some hotspots on the lps right at the top. I did remove my lenses for a while but put them back on. I know others have taken theirs off, I was just worried about the par drop with sps. Now only having lps and it being right at the top, i think it would be worth trying them removed again to eliminate the hotspots. Raising the light would cause to much spill into the room., I tried that.

 

[ntec]

I was looking at picking up this light and was wondering if anyone knows who manufactures the led's in these boxes?

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I was looking at picking up this light and was wondering if anyone knows who manufactures the led's in these boxes?

I don't know who, but I'm sure someone may know. I have had my light for nearly 3 years now and they a still going strong,so I assume the quality of them are fairly good

 

[Vakko]

I was looking at picking up this light and was wondering if anyone knows who manufactures the led's in these boxes?

Viparstpectra is a registered trademark associated with www.viparspectra.com.

Now, having said that... that link is a dead end and I doubt you'd ever get an email from [email protected]...

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Viparstpectra is a registered trademark associated with www.viparspectra.com.

Now, having said that... that link is a dead end and I doubt you'd ever get an email from [email protected]...

I emailed them about a year ago regarding the case design, to ask if they had changes the led layout. They did respond.

 

[Brent Harpe]

I'm currently 30blue 1 white as predominantly lps.

Have you noticed any improvements since you lowered your blue? I’ve recently had my coral start bleaching. I was at 100 blue and 25 white. Everything was good then everything randomly started bleaching out. I’m now at 60 and 10 but thinking I still should go lower yet.