par38 lighting

[jamest0o0]

I was looking to put one of these over my 8g, but was curious to see what others think about them? How do they look in person because pictures usually don't give you a good idea? I was looking at this one in particular http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-141/%28New%29-7-LED-PAR38/Detail and just wanted to see what you all think. Thanks

[jamest0o0]

bump

[jamest0o0]

anyone :)?

[Hagisan]

For your 8g, you might want to look into a dimming par38. I personally like the blue look of the 20k.

[kevlow]

I have two of these over a newly setup 10g tank. The water is 11" deep and the bulbs are 7" above the surface. The warm white on these is very warm. Mixed with the royal blues, the tank has a white / soft violet hue. I am happy with the par numbers that I recorded. 450 - 550 par five to six inches off the bottom in the center of the light beam. 180 - 220 on the bottom in the beam. The numbers drop rapidly as you go outwards. I have 60 optics. I probably should have raised the bulbs a couple of inches more or should have got the 80 optics. the outer edges of the tank have very low coverage. I can either place low light corals there or get some supplemental LED actinic lighting.

Overall, I am happy with the bulbs, but I am still getting used to using spotlights. You will need to consider what corals you will keep, which optics and how high. I think that one of these bulbs will do good over your 8g. But if you keep SPS, specifically acros, stable water parameters, and flow will be more difficult to achieve then lighting. These lights are keeping LPS, SPS, including acros just fine. i am just still trying to decide what to do with the fading parimeters.

Good Luck
kevin

[jamest0o0]

Thanks for all of the info, you said you have the rapid led ones with the royal blue, warm white, and cool white right (the ones I linked)? How do you like the look from it, I hear it's like a purplish? Also do you think I should go with the 80 instead of 60?

After lighting I plan to save up for a vortech to get more flow in the tank before I try SPS. I just want to have the lighting now to be able to support anything.

Oh and about the dimming par38, could you share a link of one so I could check that out too?

Thanks!

[kevlow]

I am happy with the color. It is white-ish / soft violet. That is from the red in the warm white mixing with the one blue and two royal blues. I would like to see what it would have looked like with three neautral whites, one blue and two royals. Maybe that would have appeared alittle more blue then violet.

The optics is your call. 60 optics will give you a tighter higher par beam but fading on the parimeter. Unless you raise it. But then you may as well use the 80 optic, which gives wider coverage alittle less intense in the center of the beam.

The dimmable bulbs I can not speak for as I have never owned or seen one in use.

kevin

[Anemonebuff]

I use the Rapids and they look about 12K IMO. The BoostLEDs 12K look more 14K IMO.