LED output = ?

[myram]

I'm thinking about going with 2-12" Marine Fusion TrueLumen Pro strips on my tank.

How do you compare LED's to like T-5 or PC wattage?

I currently have a 32w PC 50/50 bulb over the tank, so it's about 1w/gal of PC light.

Thanks for any help.

Steve

[neri]

:smokin:

[m2434]

How do you compare metal halides to metal halides? There are so many combinations of ballasts, bulbs, reflectors, you can't do it based on wattage, unless you are comparing similar setups, with varying wattage. You can get the same or more PAR out of a 175W as a 400W if the 175 is more optimized for PAR output. Same is true for any type of lighting, a photon is a photon, if you direct get more of them to your corals, and they are the right wavelength ("color") then you'll get more PAR. Really PAR and spectral plots are the two best tools to get a guesstimate.

Wattage is only useful if all other variables are held equal. It can give you an estimate of total output though, as most lighting technologies are similar in total efficiency, however, it will not tell you anything about how well that light is being directed towards your corals, or if it is the correct spectrum of light.

A better question would be, what type of tank do you have, and what are you trying to keep?

[myram]

Details are in the signature of what's already in the tank.
Low light and softies in the future............not a lot and nothing crazy.
Hoping for 1-2 more small fish.....flame angel and royal gramma.

Steve

[myram]

I'm looking at either TrueLumen Pro or Marineland Reef.

My current PC is working OK, things are growing and doing well, and the tank seems bright enough............but LED's are energy efficient and all the rave right now.

Steve

[myram]

I've had big tanks in the past, but not this time.

LED's are still so new, and the technology is changing so fast, and the price is dropping on them.

With my tank being 24" deep, that's my concern. My current setup is doing OK and didn't cost me anything since I had it left over from a past tank. I was going to swap lights to make it brighter and better for the corals and BTA I have.

Steve