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Hi,
I've build several LED lamps and have read very much about them and corals. Additional I'm electrician and can value data sheets.
Let me give you a very short summarize:
- LED is about 20-30 % more energy efficiant than T5.
- A good point to start is 0.6 Watt per liter, for SPS about 1 Watt per liter.
- Always use active cooling, as it extends efficany and escecially lifetime very much.
- it's necessary to place the lamp close to the water surface to reduce light loss, as the typical angle is 140°
- Every LED emit light in one direction, at the opposide the heat! So you just get light into the tank!
- Lifetime is about 20 to 50,000 hours. Good cooling and less power is the key to dramatically extend lifetime. For example: LED rated at 350 mA nominal, but 700 mA possible with max. 1000 mA -> lifetime difference can be between 50,000 h @ 350 mA down to 15,000 h @ 1000 mA
- just blue and white LEDs are not sufficiant to power zooxanthelle. Important is 430 nm, 460 nm, 500 nm, 660nm. So a mixture of UV, violett, royal blue, blue, cyan, deep red and cool white is necessary to complete the needs(!) AND visual quality. In gerneral white LEDs should be (power rated) 1/3.
- optics are only necessary for >40 cm water depth
It's a very complex topic and ther's a very big difference in LED quality and efficancy. You can't compare easily LEDs - the are like cars and have many different attributes.
A good starting point is the well known US manufacturer Cree - you can save much money with clay-boa.com for DIY.
Enjoy LED - they have to potential to get more than double efficiant in future and the get cheaper and cheaper - it's just the future for sure.
Enjoy LED.
Sven
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