Why would plant grow lights be a bad idea?

[oreo54]

Any thoughts on high powered "smart" W+ RGB lights? I have seen some landscape lighting I though would be interesting to crank the blue and white and see how they grow corals haha The Phillip ones are too expensive. . .

Maybe these:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton...l-3-Pack-Powered-by-Hubspace-L08557/318145795
OP I am not suggesting you use these, sorry I am going off on a tangent!

There is more tech out there than I care to dwell on. Like stage lights, smart lights, DMX lights, individually addresable leds, ect.
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/understanding-dmx/https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProfilePnRGBA--adj-profile-panel-rgba-led-color-panel
Some systems probably are more expensive than a Radion.

As to your idea, it would probably be better to use R+G (of course you already cranked the blues) to create white than to use the white itself.
FW, SW I discourage cheap white leds really.
The blue plus yellow phosphor is a detriment to color.

t5's and Halides have a spike around the amber nm and one at green. That is basically where their "white" comes from.
With a few exceptions like the low k bulbs (12000K or lower)

OK here it comes.. photons are photons.

 

[Reefering1]

There is more tech out there than I care to dwell on. Like stage lights, smart lights, DMX lights, individually addresable leds, ect.
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/understanding-dmx/https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProfilePnRGBA--adj-profile-panel-rgba-led-color-panel
Some systems probably are more expensive than a Radion.

As to your idea, it would probably be better to use R+G (of course you already cranked the blues) to create white than to use the white itself.
FW, SW I discourage cheap white leds really.
The blue plus yellow phosphor is a detriment to color.

t5's and Halides have a spike around the amber nm and one at green. That is basically where their "white" comes from.
With a few exceptions like the low k bulbs (1200K or lower)

OK here it comes.. photons are photons.

;-)

 

[MoshJosh]

There is more tech out there than I care to dwell on. Like stage lights, smart lights, DMX lights, individually addresable leds, ect.
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/understanding-dmx/https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProfilePnRGBA--adj-profile-panel-rgba-led-color-panel
Some systems probably are more expensive than a Radion.

As to your idea, it would probably be better to use R+G (of course you already cranked the blues) to create white than to use the white itself.
FW, SW I discourage cheap white leds really.
The blue plus yellow phosphor is a detriment to color.

t5's and Halides have a spike around the amber nm and one at green. That is basically where their "white" comes from.
With a few exceptions like the low k bulbs (12000K or lower)

OK here it comes.. photons are photons.

Was just looking at DMX lights but will check out the link haha

What about those super blue car headlights. . . . .

 

[oreo54]

Was just looking at DMX lights but will check out the link haha

What about those super blue car headlights. . . . .

Yea..lets not go there..
https://www.vollorlawfirm.com/blog/2020/november/are-blue-headlights-dangerous-/

Blue Headlight Studies ​

A study by the Department of Transportation (DoT) found that 88% of drivers dislike driving toward blue headlights. Moreover, the study suggests that many drivers contribute the glare from blue headlights to a rise in nighttime accidents. The DoT has not taken action in spite of these studies, stating that the headlight’s intensity falls well within federal guidelines, but those guidelines don’t account for blue light frequency penetrating your eye.

As blue headlights become more common, it seems likely that many people will experience discomfort and a blinding glare when driving at night. Without innovative car upgrades, such as blue-light-blocking windshields, it seems late-night car accidents are destined to increase over the next few years.

 

[MoshJosh]

Yea..lets not go there..
https://www.vollorlawfirm.com/blog/2020/november/are-blue-headlights-dangerous-/

Get those lights off the road and above a reef tank!!!

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Get those lights off the road and above a reef tank!!!

Hay, great business idea!

 

[Bpb]

Yea..lets not go there..
https://www.vollorlawfirm.com/blog/2020/november/are-blue-headlights-dangerous-/

Lol I had a buddy that had some repurposed police car lights that he was able to just use the blues on. He was so proud of how bright his “cop lights” were. One of those set-up-a-new-tank-and-have-it-torn-down-within-a-month-to-set-up-a-different-tank-rinse-and-repeat type hobbyists. Never getting past the actual live rock cycle.

 

[TeeJay87]

These come with mounts:

Amazon product ASIN B08VWRJXS9
Wall and ceiling mounting are also good options.

Bar lights can work well:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=led+aquarium+bar&_sacat=0https://www.ebay.com/itm/2943460679...SqkJjbdSxpJv5PPIMWSA3PEQ==|tkp:Bk9SR9T_i8uFYw

On those first lights, did someone misspell SMARTFARM or does SMAT mean something in the hobby?

 

[MoshJosh]

On those first lights, did someone misspell SMARTFARM or does SMAT mean something in the hobby?

Just the brand name as far as I am aware. . . could mean any number of things.

 

[MoshJosh]

There is more tech out there than I care to dwell on. Like stage lights, smart lights, DMX lights, individually addresable leds, ect.
https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/understanding-dmx/https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ProfilePnRGBA--adj-profile-panel-rgba-led-color-panel
Some systems probably are more expensive than a Radion.

As to your idea, it would probably be better to use R+G (of course you already cranked the blues) to create white than to use the white itself.
FW, SW I discourage cheap white leds really.
The blue plus yellow phosphor is a detriment to color.

t5's and Halides have a spike around the amber nm and one at green. That is basically where their "white" comes from.
With a few exceptions like the low k bulbs (12000K or lower)

OK here it comes.. photons are photons.

Any idea how the multi-temp LEDs work? For instance Lowes sells lights that can go from 3000k to 6500k? Are the various temperatures just different LEDs or is there one set of white LEDs and other colors mixed in to achieve the desired temp?

 

[Doctorgori]

I’m late but I’ve grown corals under more reddish “plant” loving wavelength's…. Anyone says corals won’t grow is parroting info and has no direct experience….
they will grow….just ugly and brown….
…if red light inhibits coral growth, they need to shut off the sun and save our reefs….

 

[jda]

Those lights will grow coral well. They just won't show them off very well. If you like them, then use them.

 

[oreo54]

Any idea how the multi-temp LEDs work? For instance Lowes sells lights that can go from 3000k to 6500k? Are the various temperatures just different LEDs or is there one set of white LEDs and other colors mixed in to achieve the desired temp?

Usually just a ww/cw mix. Drivers are a bit special. Like Kessil "logic".
Keeps current across constant but shifts the balance..
So the Lowes will have equal amounts of 6500k and 3000k leds.

 

[oreo54]

I’m late but I’ve grown corals under more reddish “plant” loving wavelength's…. Anyone says corals won’t grow is parroting info and has no direct experience….
they will grow….just ugly and brown….
…if red light inhibits coral growth, they need to shut off the sun and save our reefs….

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3962463/
Thing is it's more the balance of red vs blue(or % red in full spectrum) type thing.
Keep in mind the artificial environment. Also odd is the necrotic part in the last white control.
You can easily bleach some corals with 660nm red light.. alone.
256PPFD of blue has no effect where 256PPFD of red will kill or damage stuff in 6 weeks.
Only one study but I believe "academia" recognizes it in general.
If I read the paper right seems growth slowed down. Probably poor nutrition. :)

And:
https://reefs.com/magazine/a-differ...hotoperiod-spectral-quality-and-light-dosage/

 

[Uncle99]

I use lights like these for trees and plants that I bring indoors for the winter and for starting seeds each year for the garden. It’s 6 4 foot long LED strips for a total of 252 Watts, and only $89 for the set. Can someone tell me why these would be a bad idea for a reef tank? Are they just going to grow too much algae? I realize they don’t have all the bells and whistles with the app options, but in principle, is there any reason that these wouldn’t work well assuming you built a nice floating hood for them? What about a softies-only tank?

For comparison, 1 XR15 currently costs $530 and is 95 Watts of power consumption.

Those are T8 light fixtures (so limited bulbs) and spectrum not optimum for corals. They do work but full spectrum type bulbs only.

But you can get T5 light fixtures and just change out the bulbs for correct spectrum peaks like blue plus, purple plus, antinic, which favor coral growth.