TodaysTrolling
Community Member
I have a 70 gallon, 23 inches tall with about 2 inches of sandbed. I have 2 Viparspectra 165s, Lights are 10 inches above the water. What intensities would everyone recommend? Doing a primarily softy tank.
Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?
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reef_ninja
Active Member
For softies, I would imagine not very much intensity. For example, I have the 300w version over my 18" tall 40 breeder, hanging 12" about the waterline, running at 30% blues and 5% whites.....my LPS and birdsnest are (for the most part) pretty happy.
Beefyreefy
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I would say 50% blues 5-10% whites and personally would very slowly crank them up over several months. I have a mixed reef with multiple large softy colony’s and I have mine at 100% blues and t5 supplemental. I get massive soft coral growth, end everything else for that matter at that intensity. You can always back off if you start feeling like your cooking stuff.
Elements
New Member
Hi, I have a 42 Gallon tank - it's 15.7 inches deep and my 2x Viparspectras are 10 inches above the wather line - can someone help me with the Blue / white settings? what would you guys recommend?
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
At that depth and mounting height, if the lenses are still on, it's very easy to blast coral. Depending on what you have coral wise, probably no more than 30%B/5-10%W.
That being said, I would highly recommend you get your hands on a par meter and map out your measurements... That knowledge is well worth the price of a frag of coral it would cost you to rent one, or see if you can find one locally.
Biff0rz
Valuable Member
I have this light over my 20gL frag tank. Its 14" deep and the light is 8" above the surface. At 1% blue (0 white) it was at 100 par, it just doesn't have a ton of spread. I'd start SUPER low. I'm up to 8% blue after 6 weeks.
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
What @Biff0rz says about spread if right on. If 10" is going to be your mounting height, I would strongly consider taking the lenses off, otherwise they really need to be 14-16" off water.
My 3 viparspectras are 8" above water in a 24" deep tank. I'm gettin 120par on the bottom at roughly 50/30.
My 3 viparspectras are 8" above water in a 24" deep tank. I'm gettin 120par on the bottom at roughly 50/30.
Biff0rz
Valuable Member
I haven't done much research on this light, just sort of mounted it and moved on. What does taking the lenses off do? Does it involve removing the lense from each led bulb?
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
Yeah. From the factory these come lensed at 90 degrees. Without lenses, each LED "should be"/ is lensed at 120 degrees. Removing lenses results in par loss (a fairly significant amount 30-50% depending on depth). But, what you lose in par, you make up for in spread and "disco" effect (blending).
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
Not sure, but it's not rocket surgery... So to speak lol. Remove the 8 screws on the sides, this will separate the lid from the body. Lid has the fans and drivers attached to it and there are two sets of wires that connect to the control board that's on the bottom/body portion and two that go to the led board. You won't have a ton of slack so don't just yank the lid off. Once disconnected (they only go back one way), you put the lid away. Now you have the bottom (main body) of the light which has the LED board installed in it using 8-10 screws (one will be missing). Once screws are out, you can just lift the LED board out. Lenses are just friction held so just pop them off and assemble in reverse order.
Easy peasy.
This is what it looks like inside.
Biff0rz
Valuable Member
Ok, yea that's super simple. I'm pretty handy so this is childsplay.Not sure, but it's not rocket surgery... So to speak lol. Remove the 8 screws on the sides, this will separate the lid from the body. Lid has the fans and drivers attached to it and there are two sets of wires that connect to the control board that's on the bottom/body portion and two that go to the led board. You won't have a ton of slack so don't just yank the lid off. Once disconnected (they only go back one way), you put the lid away. Now you have the bottom (main body) of the light which has the LED board installed in it using 8-10 screws (one will be missing). Once screws are out, you can just lift the LED board out. Lenses are just friction held so just pop them off and assemble in reverse order.
Easy peasy.
This is what it looks like inside.
Elements
New Member
So, when i Mounted the lamps like 16-18" above the waterlevel ( Lenses on ) what would you guys recommend me to start with in terms of Blue / White settings? my Tank is 15.7" deep - Help would be much appreciated
And or:
Leaving it 10" above water getting lenses out ( i need also settings for this scenario please )
Cheers
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tim132
Active Member
About to take the plunge and order some LEDs to replace the majority of stock LEDs on the white channel (Channel 2) - ViparSpectra 165w.
After some research this is my revised configuration. Hoping to achieve more colour pop of corals and being able to put more power through Channel 2 (Currently only run it around 10% max).
I'd be interested to hear other peoples opinion and experiences before I order parts.
After some research this is my revised configuration. Hoping to achieve more colour pop of corals and being able to put more power through Channel 2 (Currently only run it around 10% max).
I'd be interested to hear other peoples opinion and experiences before I order parts.
Attachments
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
I don't know how blue you like your tank, but 10 whites is still a lot of white, at least to me.
When I chopped up the white channel I initially left 12 whites. Too white. Dropped it to 10, still too white. After more chops I ended up with 4 whites, the rest were replaced with 2 mints (also replaced green), 8 cyans, and the rest with mixture of royal blue, blue and 410 violets.
To my preference, I wouldn't leave more than 6 writes. But thats subjective.
tim132
Active Member
To be honest I do like the actinic look, Abject. However it does come at the expense of the fishes colours doesn't it. Definitely good to hear your opinion though. I'll certainly be taking that into consideration.
You have any photos of your tank lit, before and after? I love to see a map of your configuration if you have to to hand.
Does anyone re-apply thermal paste when replacing LEDs?
EDIT: Perhaps switching out a 4 more whites could be enough for me.
You have any photos of your tank lit, before and after? I love to see a map of your configuration if you have to to hand.
Does anyone re-apply thermal paste when replacing LEDs?
EDIT: Perhaps switching out a 4 more whites could be enough for me.
Last edited:
AbjectMaelstroM
Valuable Member
To be honest I do like the actinic look, Abject. However it does come at the expense of the fishes colours doesn't it. Definitely good to hear your opinion though. I'll certainly be taking that into consideration.
You have any photos of your tank lit, before and after? I love to see a map of your configuration if you have to to hand.
Does anyone re-apply thermal paste when replacing LEDs?
EDIT: Perhaps switching out a 4 more whites could be enough for me.
This is my current layout and one I'm going to stick with. Running 50:30, with 3 of them over my 120 (perpendicular mount). Lenses off, 8" off the water. I get about 120 par at the sand ~350 par 8" below waterline which is where my aquascape tops out.
tim132
Active Member
Fantastic information mate. Thanks very much for that. Looks like a lot of work changing all of those LEDs out of 3 units!!! Fair play.This is my current layout and one I'm going to stick with. Running 50:30, with 3 of them over my 120 (perpendicular mount). Lenses off, 8" off the water. I get about 120 par at the sand ~350 par 8" below waterline which is where my aquascape tops out.
I'm guessing it's not a difficult job lifting the diodes off the thermal paste? I've seen a few people struggling with it.
Did you replace the paste and if so was it the grease/paste you can buy from eBay?
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