Spectrum and build questions

[Bpb]

Emailed this directly 5 days ago but must have gotten lost in the mix. Also posted on RC. This is sort of a continuation of the thread on here I just started a few days ago. Just wanting clarification and advice from the BML folks.

I had a few questions about spectrum and reef lighting. I'll get my tank stats out of the way because you'll want that eventually

55 gallon (possibly to upgrade to 75 or 90 gal), standard 4 foot by 12" footprint

Mixed reed but heavy emphasis on sps

Currently using 4x54 watt T5HO (3 ati blue+, one coral+)

I've got a very blue look, bluer than I'd like, but it seems to be the only way to get the pop I want in my corals. I'd like more of a 14-20k look, just slightly whiter and warmer than I've got.

I've been moderately happy with my growth and colors on t5, but I feel like I could go a little higher par, and have better colors. Also tired of the inconsistency of bulb spectrum shift, output change and bulb changing. I've been looking into upgrading.

I've been researching LEDs specifically. I'd love a metal halide setup but don't have the energy to manage the temperature increases and frequent bulb changing, but I want as close to metal halide results as I can get. I looked very hard into kessils and have researched them extensively, but the shadowing seems to be a common complaint and I don't want to have to battle that now. The color and shimmer are fantastic. I'd like to mimic those colors as best as I can. That or a nice 15-20k metal halide (Phoenix or radium).

Your fixtures are intriguing. I've yet to hear a single complaint from any real world users, your price point is In line with the cheapest Chinese led black brick fixtures, quality of components is higher, apex controllable, and the folks on Austin reef club sing your praises enough to where I am currently putting BML at the top of my prospective buy list.

Sorry for the lengthy back story. I feel it will help you help me.

I'd like high light naturally, being sps heavy. Will 2 fixtures be adequate?

Some people are saying I would need 3-4 strips to have adequate light.

I've read recommendation of 75 degree optics. That concerns me because my sps are very close to the water surface, and I'm afraid that mis aligning it by even an inch will reduce par too much by being out of the beam divergence angle

I've also got some questions about spectrum...I will definitely want a super actinic strip. That's so perfectly done I see no need to change it.

My real questions come to the "white" strip.

I like the standard layouts of 12k and 14k. I notice their backbone seems to be the cool white diodes. I'm reading a lot of info lately that suggests neutral whites are a better growing diode and eliminate the need for a green and possibly a red. Do you find this to be sound advice or not?

I also read some builds use a deeper red wavelength than others, and some recommend cyan over the standard greens.

What do you feel the benefits are of e 660nm red and 525nm green vs the cyan and deep reds? Do the cool whites alone not provide those wavelengths significantly enough? Would it be beneficial to split the whites into cool and neutral 50/50?

I've done plenty of googling but still just don't seem clear on these questions. Even a copy past or link posting that can answer some questions would help.

All the "DIY" spectrums I've tried to build are sort of mimicking the radion pro layout. Even radion pro haters agree the color is fantastic. I like the look of the Phoenix 14k or radiums for halides, and have been a fan of the look of kessils and radion pro for LEDs that I've seen. I've not seen any BML in person yet.

Right now I'm honestly torn between BML and the reef breeders photon 48. Two BML would be in the same price neighborhood as a photon 48. Looking to be sold one way or another lol.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. I look forward to your response and I'm sure I'll think of more questions.

Thanks

[BuildMyLED]

Hi Bpb. Thanks for the questions. Sorry you have not received a reply to your first email, but I will look into this with our team.

As for your questions....

We are about to release a 20K spectrum that mimics the 20K Radium look, and I think you will love this new product. I think it will meet all of your color needs, and it will provide edge-to-edge uniformity in your tank. Since this will be exclusive to our XB line, 2 fixtures will be more than enough now (even when you upgrade to the 90). Hence, I suggest dimmers or the Apex while using them on the 55. Alternatively, one fixture will work great for your 55 now, and you can add the second fixture once you upgrade to a bigger tank. If you love the 20K Radium look, you will love this spectrum. I will also demo the light with the Super Actinic, so stay tuned for the feedback. I love the Super Actinic with the 12k, and I think the 14K and SA is too blue for my personal taste.

Here are the answers for your spectrum questions...Deep Red and 660nm is the same LED. 505 and 525 are very similar, but 505 is useful for filling in the radiometric power dip in white LEDs. They also produce slightly more fluorescence in some corals. The next time you see a green traffic light, you are looking at 505nm Cyan LEDs :-)

At BML, we carry 8 different types of white LEDs, and they are all useful for creating different types of spectra. Remember, there are countless ways to build great spectra options for reef tanks. There isn't a perfect spectrum. Now that we have added 420nm to our LED portfolio, we can create over 1 billion spectra options in ever fixture we build. 525nm green is useful when you want to create a narrow band saturation in the spectrum without altering the rest of the spectrum. White LEDs (which are blue LEDs with a phosphor coating), absolutely create green light. However, they also add blue, red, far red light at the same time. Look at this link, and notice how color LEDs produce narrow peaks, while white LEDs produce broad spectra. http://www.buildmyled.com/led-catalog/

In summary, there are countless ways to create excellent reef spectra options. Hence, you want to find a fixture that accomplishes four primary goals: 1) Adequate light (PAR) for the corals, 2) Even light coverage throughout the tank, 3) Color that is pleasing to your eye, 4) while consuming the fewest electrical watts as possible.

Let me know if this helps.

Nick

[Planeden]

Only a billion?!? What if we try them all and none look good? Sheesh. We go to LEDs for options, not some cookie cutter spectrum.

Thanks for the info, nick.