Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

AbjectMaelstroM

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Update...
All lenses off @15" above water line
Ch1/100 Ch2/45
PAR at surface 184
LUX at surface 12k
(Using conversion rate of 12k÷65)

All lenses on @15" above water line (except red and green lenses)
Ch1/100 Ch2/45
PAR at surface 415
LUX at surface 27k
(Using conversion rate of 27k÷65)

Massively surprised by these results!!

Looks about right. When I pulled my lenses my par dropped by about 60-70% at 16", I dropped the lights to 8" off the water. Now with 100/100 (swapped LEDs on white channel) I get 794par at surface

Now more of a usable level, 50/40 I get mid 300par 6" under the surface and around 140 at the bottom.

At 75/60 which will likely be my top end once I move to more SPS, is roughly low 410-435par 6" below the surface.
 

tim132

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Thanks for the confirmation. You've had some great success with these lights so I'm glad it makes sense to you.

I know lux isn't as accurate as par and the conversion is variable based on different spectrums but as long as I'm in the right area that'll do me, for now at least.
 

Pau Hana Reefer

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Hello

So you think that 85 blue and 25 whites is too much for softies ?

In France, settings are more 40% whites and 90-100 blues
How Many PAR you think in m'y tank with 85 25 ?

Viparspectra are 20cm up water. And my tank is 50cm water.

Cordially.

I can't say for certain since the sample size of my data is too small. However, I would imagine the PAR at the bottom of your tank could be high. How do your corals look? I've found my softies to lose their coloration if the light is too intense.

I'm placing new corals in the coming weeks and will be testing my PAR again. I'll check to see what I get at 85 25 with my setup.
 

JMAwoodworks

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I have been running my lights with no lens for a few months now and I really like it but the light spill is bad. So I removed the lens from the holders and put them back on without the lens and there a lot lass spillage. Im 9" off the water 65 blue and 27 white. Will have to see how that go"s for a bit
 

AbjectMaelstroM

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I have been running my lights with no lens for a few months now and I really like it but the light spill is bad. So I removed the lens from the holders and put them back on without the lens and there a lot lass spillage. Im 9" off the water 65 blue and 27 white. Will have to see how that go"s for a bit

I'd be curious to see how much coverage you lose from thr lens holders.

For me, tank is in the dining room so spill is not a huge issue. But like I said, I had to 3d print some visors for the front so it doesn't blind my wife while she's working from home.

Other than that, couldn't be happier.
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

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Looks about right. When I pulled my lenses my par dropped by about 60-70% at 16", I dropped the lights to 8" off the water. Now with 100/100 (swapped LEDs on white channel) I get 794par at surface

Now more of a usable level, 50/40 I get mid 300par 6" under the surface and around 140 at the bottom.

At 75/60 which will likely be my top end once I move to more SPS, is roughly low 410-435par 6" below the surface.
Hi, what LEDs did you put on the white channel? I modded mine and put the original 470s on the white and 450s in their place with added violets, now it's just I feel when only on the blue channel it's too dark and with 8 whites still on the white channel it's a little to white for me. So my plan is to remove 1 red and 1 green, remove the 4 whites I have in the corners. Move some 420s,450s and 470s around and add a few more 470s on the blue channel to brighten it a bit. So in theory I can run the white and blue channel more evenly for a better colour over all, as opposed to running the blue channel at 45 and white at 5. It seems I went through all the hassle of doing it to only use 5%.

I had a go on sunday at modifying an 18watt par 38, it was way too white for my liking.
I'm going to run this over a nano that I have an asta20 led over it. Im going to remove the lenses on it and run it closer to the tank. It uses 1watt leds the same style as the 3watt on the viparspectra.
I havent put it over the tank yet though, it should be better.
before
Screenshot_20210209-204003_Gallery.jpg
after Screenshot_20210209-204022_Gallery.jpg
 

Newtosalt87

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I have two viparspectra 165w over my 65 gallon and I'm not sure as to what to set the whites and what to set the blues and on how hight to mount the lights from the tank
 

Aqua Man

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Hello, I have mine 16 inches above water line. 32 to bottom glass. One light centered over a 40 breeder. Higher mounting helps with blending.

My preference is 2 white and 30 blue. Started at 20 blue and slowly working it up.
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

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I have two viparspectra 165w over my 65 gallon and I'm not sure as to what to set the whites and what to set the blues and on how hight to mount the lights from the tank
If keeping the lenses on I'd say go as high as you dare without too much light spill say 12-18" then start around 20-25 blue and 5 white then slowly work up say 5% blue and 1-2% white per week and see how corals react. If they start retracting or bleaching turn them down. Be very careful not to go too high too quick they will cook corals especially if directly under a lens. If you remove the lenses though you can run them lower to the tank and brighter as they wont have the intense beams of light. To be honest everyone runs them differently due to the corals they keep and the rockscape. Just start low and work up, when you get to where everything is opening up and growing while looking great leave it there. Don't be tinkering like me all the time.
 

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If keeping the lenses on I'd say go as high as you dare without too much light spill say 12-18" then start around 20-25 blue and 5 white then slowly work up say 5% blue and 1-2% white per week and see how corals react. If they start retracting or bleaching turn them down. Be very careful not to go too high too quick they will cook corals especially if directly under a lens. If you remove the lenses though you can run them lower to the tank and brighter as they wont have the intense beams of light. To be honest everyone runs them differently due to the corals they keep and the rockscape. Just start low and work up, when you get to where everything is opening up and growing while looking great leave it there. Don't be tinkering like me all the time.
Thanks will try this
 

AbjectMaelstroM

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Hi, what LEDs did you put on the white channel? I modded mine and put the original 470s on the white and 450s in their place with added violets, now it's just I feel when only on the blue channel it's too dark and with 8 whites still on the white channel it's a little to white for me. So my plan is to remove 1 red and 1 green, remove the 4 whites I have in the corners. Move some 420s,450s and 470s around and add a few more 470s on the blue channel to brighten it a bit. So in theory I can run the white and blue channel more evenly for a better colour over all, as opposed to running the blue channel at 45 and white at 5. It seems I went through all the hassle of doing it to only use 5%.

I had a go on sunday at modifying an 18watt par 38, it was way too white for my liking.
I'm going to run this over a nano that I have an asta20 led over it. Im going to remove the lenses on it and run it closer to the tank. It uses 1watt leds the same style as the 3watt on the viparspectra.
I havent put it over the tank yet though, it should be better.
before
Screenshot_20210209-204003_Gallery.jpg
after Screenshot_20210209-204022_Gallery.jpg

This is my current layout.

Screenshot_20210108-162900_Edge.jpg
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

Nicholas Dushynsky

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This is my current layout.

Screenshot_20210108-162900_Edge.jpg
That's great, did you find mint green make much difference over the stock ones? Also are you happy with this set up? I was initially happy with mine, but like I said I feel only on blue channel it's too dark and could do with some more 470s, I've got them just haven't had time to do it yet, maybe a job for next weekend.
 

AbjectMaelstroM

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That's great, did you find mint green make much difference over the stock ones? Also are you happy with this set up? I was initially happy with mine, but like I said I feel only on blue channel it's too dark and could do with some more 470s, I've got them just haven't had time to do it yet, maybe a job for next weekend.

Either mint or lime work well here. I like the look and run my lights 55/40, which ends up being about 100-115 par at the bottom.
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

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Either mint or lime work well here. I like the look and run my lights 55/40, which ends up being about 100-115 par at the bottom.
Is that lensless? I just feel it is a waste only using half a light to its potential. Do you run the blue channel only at either end of the schedule? Also how long do you run yours if you dont mind me asking.
 

AbjectMaelstroM

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Is that lensless? I just feel it is a waste only using half a light to its potential. Do you run the blue channel only at either end of the schedule? Also how long do you run yours if you dont mind me asking.

No lenses, 8in off the water. Blues come on half hour before white, then runs 2 hours past white.

Blue ramps from 0-55 8am-3pm, then starts ramping back down to 0 by 6pm. White ramps from 0-40 830am-12pm, then ramps down to 0 by 4pm.
 
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Nicholas Dushynsky

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No lenses, 8in off the water. Blues come on half hour before white, then runs 2 hours past white.

Blue ramps from 0-55 8am-3pm, then starts ramping back down to 0 by 6pm. White ramps from 0-40 830am-12pm, then ramps down to 0 by 4pm.
Cool, thanks
Have you put a controller on it to ramp it?
 

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