210 lighting

billy71 · 07/09/2012, 08:34 PM

I have 210 gallon tank with a little of everything and was thinking of switching over to leds.. What is your idea of what i would need..( number of leds, heat sink sizes) Tank dimension are 72x24x30 double brace. Just trying to get some idea of what i would need. Heres my thought 3 36 led kits and 3 6x20 heat sinks.

Rapid LED · 07/10/2012, 09:59 AM

That's plenty of light, and exactly the set-up I'd go for with the heatsinks. If you aren't going dimmable then I'd say drop it down to about 30-32 LEDs per heatsink instead, but with a dimmable set-up then 36 is fine.

billy71 · 07/10/2012, 11:18 AM

What are the advantages to have dimmable or not. Or is it just preference!! And what. About lenses I think a mixture of 60 and 80 would be good.

Rapid LED · 07/11/2012, 05:33 PM

For lenses, how high above the water will the lights be?

Dimmable allows for three things:
1) Ability to acclimate the corals and slowly ramp the intensity up over days/weeks/months.
2) Ability to tweak each color exactly how you want it
3) Ability to do sunrise/sunset programs by hooking it up to an Apex/Reef Keeper type controller.

billy71 · 07/17/2012, 10:21 AM

Well right now I'm in the planning stage. The height would probably 12 inches above the water. Also for right now I'm thinking of supplementing my halide with some actinic LEDs. What do you think. I see u have a 24 led actinic supplement. What would u recommend me doing. Eventually I'm going to go all led but I'm trying to take a little at a time. Or should I do one section at a time how would the affects be with the halides.

Rapid LED · 07/17/2012, 03:46 PM

People do it both ways, either adding actinics first to see how they like the effect or swapping over one of their halides first and seeing what the colors look like next to the MH's. Either way works, just go with what you're comfortable with and we'll help you along the way.

billy71 · 07/17/2012, 06:11 PM

Ok cool!! Thanks for you help I will be taking it on step at a time and asking for help along the way. One more thing, what should I use for lenses at 12 inches off the water? Should I use a wider coverage lense on the outer edge and a deeper penetrating lense in the middle? What would be your opinion?? If I purchased 1 36 led kit and a 6 by 20 heatsink should I keep the 18white and 18 blue or do more blue?? Your thoughts it's a 30 inch deep.

Rapid LED · 07/18/2012, 06:00 PM

At 12" I'd go with the 60's for a 30" tall tank. How much blue depends on your personal preference, but something like 22 rb/14 cw is around 16k and gets you one driver of white and two of blue for separate color control.

billy71 · 08/24/2012, 04:29 AM

So I've decided on actinic supplement what do you recommend with my halides!!

Rapid LED · 08/24/2012, 05:55 PM

For actinic supplements I'd go with 24 or 36 LEDs, any less than 24 and they may start getting washed out a bit. You can also think about adding in some UV, so something like 2:1 Royal blue:UV would be a nice ratio.

billy71 · 08/27/2012, 02:10 PM

You think if I purchased 2 18 led set with the 36 inch heatsinks and purchased 2 extra 36 inch heatsinks and spread the LEDs out to 9 on each heatsink you think that would be enough coverage. Also would I be able to add uv LEDs or other colors with the same driver or would I need additional driver.

Rapid LED · 08/28/2012, 12:03 PM

I think that's enough coverage, as long as the MH's aren't in the way. You can add in UV or other LEDs if you'd like, the UV only handles 700mA of current so if you do go with the dimmable kits you'll need to adjust the drivers that are running UV's down under 700mA. With the non-dimmable kits you're good to go since that's what the drivers will output anyways.

07/09/2012, 08:34 PM	#1
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	210 lighting I have 210 gallon tank with a little of everything and was thinking of switching over to leds.. What is your idea of what i would need..( number of leds, heat sink sizes) Tank dimension are 72x24x30 double brace. Just trying to get some idea of what i would need. Heres my thought 3 36 led kits and 3 6x20 heat sinks.

07/10/2012, 11:18 AM	#3
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	What are the advantages to have dimmable or not. Or is it just preference!! And what. About lenses I think a mixture of 60 and 80 would be good. Last edited by billy71; 07/10/2012 at 11:25 AM.

08/27/2012, 02:10 PM	#11
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	You think if I purchased 2 18 led set with the 36 inch heatsinks and purchased 2 extra 36 inch heatsinks and spread the LEDs out to 9 on each heatsink you think that would be enough coverage. Also would I be able to add uv LEDs or other colors with the same driver or would I need additional driver. Last edited by billy71; 08/27/2012 at 02:21 PM.

07/10/2012, 09:59 AM	#2
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	That's plenty of light, and exactly the set-up I'd go for with the heatsinks. If you aren't going dimmable then I'd say drop it down to about 30-32 LEDs per heatsink instead, but with a dimmable set-up then 36 is fine.

07/11/2012, 05:33 PM	#4
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	For lenses, how high above the water will the lights be? Dimmable allows for three things: 1) Ability to acclimate the corals and slowly ramp the intensity up over days/weeks/months. 2) Ability to tweak each color exactly how you want it 3) Ability to do sunrise/sunset programs by hooking it up to an Apex/Reef Keeper type controller.

07/17/2012, 10:21 AM	#5
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	Well right now I'm in the planning stage. The height would probably 12 inches above the water. Also for right now I'm thinking of supplementing my halide with some actinic LEDs. What do you think. I see u have a 24 led actinic supplement. What would u recommend me doing. Eventually I'm going to go all led but I'm trying to take a little at a time. Or should I do one section at a time how would the affects be with the halides.

07/17/2012, 03:46 PM	#6
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	People do it both ways, either adding actinics first to see how they like the effect or swapping over one of their halides first and seeing what the colors look like next to the MH's. Either way works, just go with what you're comfortable with and we'll help you along the way.

07/17/2012, 06:11 PM	#7
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	Ok cool!! Thanks for you help I will be taking it on step at a time and asking for help along the way. One more thing, what should I use for lenses at 12 inches off the water? Should I use a wider coverage lense on the outer edge and a deeper penetrating lense in the middle? What would be your opinion?? If I purchased 1 36 led kit and a 6 by 20 heatsink should I keep the 18white and 18 blue or do more blue?? Your thoughts it's a 30 inch deep.

07/18/2012, 06:00 PM	#8
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	At 12" I'd go with the 60's for a 30" tall tank. How much blue depends on your personal preference, but something like 22 rb/14 cw is around 16k and gets you one driver of white and two of blue for separate color control.

08/24/2012, 04:29 AM	#9
billy71 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: florida Posts: 85	So I've decided on actinic supplement what do you recommend with my halides!!

08/24/2012, 05:55 PM	#10
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	For actinic supplements I'd go with 24 or 36 LEDs, any less than 24 and they may start getting washed out a bit. You can also think about adding in some UV, so something like 2:1 Royal blue:UV would be a nice ratio.

08/28/2012, 12:03 PM	#12
Rapid LED RC Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 1,587	I think that's enough coverage, as long as the MH's aren't in the way. You can add in UV or other LEDs if you'd like, the UV only handles 700mA of current so if you do go with the dimmable kits you'll need to adjust the drivers that are running UV's down under 700mA. With the non-dimmable kits you're good to go since that's what the drivers will output anyways.