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View Full Version : Number of LEDs for a 40 long

souperman
04/14/2011, 10:16 AM
My tank is a 40l, the same footprint as a 55 but only 16 inches tall. Would a 36 led kit be enough to support sps?

How much more would it be to upgrade a kit to dimmable drivers?

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nanojg
04/15/2011, 07:24 AM
It depends on how high you hang the leds above your water. I would say anywhere from 36-60.

If you went with 36 I would think it would need to be at least 12" above the water for good spread.
souperman
04/15/2011, 10:37 AM
So if I don't want to mess around and not worry about what I can support, I may want to go with a 48 light kit?

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nanojg
04/15/2011, 10:53 AM
36 may be sufficient. How high will they be? The issue really isnt enough light, it is the spread of the light.
souperman
04/15/2011, 11:56 AM
I'm in the process of designing a hood so they can be wherever. I can easily shoot for 12".

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Rapid LED
04/15/2011, 06:30 PM
A 36 LED kit is plenty, you'll want to use wider lenses as the tank is fairly shallow. If you're getting an ultra premium kit then the widest lenses you'll get is ~60 degrees, but 12" off the water is a good distance.

My tank is a 40l, the same footprint as a 55 but only 16 inches tall. Would a 36 led kit be enough to support sps?

How much more would it be to upgrade a kit to dimmable drivers?

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souperman
04/15/2011, 08:08 PM
Just to clarify the wider lenses are higher numbers? Do they effect the shimmer you get like with mh bulbs?

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Rapid LED
04/15/2011, 10:35 PM
You get shimmer with LEDs regardless of whether you use a lens or not. The higher the number the wider the lens, so an 80 degree lens will give you wider spread but less penetration than a 40 degree lens.
souperman
04/16/2011, 05:09 PM
Thank you for your help. I'll be placing my order a soon as my tax refund shows up. What does the extra few dollars get me for the ultra premium package?

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ice2fire11
04/16/2011, 06:51 PM
I have the same tank except my fixture is going to be a lot closer to the water. 4-6".

What would be a good count for that level? Optics?

Thank you in advance.
Rapid LED
04/18/2011, 11:33 AM
The Ultra Premium package gets you the XP- LEDs, which are about 20-30% "brighter". The only negative on those LEDs is we don't have a wide (~80 degree) lens on those LEDs yet, though hopefully in the very near future we do. FYI prices are dropping on kits today/tomorrow, so that should help some more.

Thank you for your help. I'll be placing my order a soon as my tax refund shows up. What does the extra few dollars get me for the ultra premium package?

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Rapid LED
04/18/2011, 11:35 AM
I'd go with the same kit but using lenses may give you spotlighting, so you may need to go without lenses to get a good color blend.

I have the same tank except my fixture is going to be a lot closer to the water. 4-6".

What would be a good count for that level? Optics?

Thank you in advance.