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megaspoot
02/01/2007, 12:04 AM
Does anyone use super bright LED's for lighting? There are really bright LED's out there that don't take that much power and also LED light is much more columnated. I'd think that columnated light would give it more penatrating power. Or is there a fundemtal flaw that i'm missing?

Pez Vela
02/01/2007, 12:08 AM
www.solarisled.com

reefnetworth
02/01/2007, 12:09 AM
theyre not safe, they omit UV rays that can damage corals.
John :smokin:

reefnetworth
02/01/2007, 12:12 AM
solaris has a UV sheilded glass, just like MH's.
John :smokin:

megaspoot
02/01/2007, 12:15 AM
with the correct glass you can cut out any harmful wavelengths.

hahnmeister
02/01/2007, 01:10 AM
IMO, they arent quite there yet. Current LED tech (on the market) is only about half the efficiency of halides or t5s. Dont get me wrong though... companies are R&Ding the heck out of LEDs and currently have 130lumen/watt ones in the works, which outdo even halides at 105 lumens/watt peak efficiency. In the next couple years, they predict they will hit 150lumens per watt, and so Im sure in the next few years, LEDs will pick up in popularity.

The burning of corals isnt so much a matter related to UV as it is due to the tight, almost laserlike beam output of LEDs. A mushroom can have a LED lighting one area very brightly, and then an inch away be in the dark. Lens systems will have to parallel LED development if we are to see their use expand in this hobby.

megaspoot
02/01/2007, 01:58 AM
The specs look like 18000mcd and 100mw. I just always though LED's were much more effecient than any other light source availible. Probably just confused though

powerhttp://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/W18030.htm

hahnmeister
02/01/2007, 10:44 AM
LEDs do have the advantage of being easy to focus, as in, their efficiency may not be quite there yet, but what little they do make they are able to concentrate into tight little beams. From this standpoint, they are bright. Some here have done complex DIY arrays for nano-reefs using luxeon LEDs, and a few of us at nano-reefs.com have done 5mm arrays as well. Im using a 12w array of 5mm LEDs on a 5.5g nano. I wouldnt suggest them for general reef lighting though.

ASH
02/01/2007, 11:15 AM
From IceCap:
Nano tank lighting by LEDs only is doable, the narrow focus can be widened and with really aggressive heatsinking they'll last 50,000 hours of reef tank lighting (or over 10 years).

Costs?
Purchase cost w/b higher than alternative conventional lighting.
Energy use, not a big enough difference to matter.
Long term costs, assuming 10 year life, likely better than conventional lighting when replacement costs are factored in.

This all assumes professionally Heatsunk LEDs (they run HOT but on the back side of the LED only) made by world class sources like Lumileds.

Andy