[Tigerbarbs99]

Hello,

I when I started in this hobby about a year and a half ago I Bought a Chihiros A-series 601. At the time I did not really know what I was buying and I have drastically increased my setup and knowledge since then. I Started a new tank 2 month ago heavily planted with some reddish plants see list below. I am dosing EI, about 25mg/L of CO2 and have about 5 fold filtration with Eheim 2215.

Now, I am trying to figure out if that light should be changed or not as it is the only thing i kept since the beginning and I am not sure it is good for me. I am following tips from the 2hr aquarist. My focus right now is to get that blue and red spectrum as it would apparently bring out nice color contrast to my biomass. Although I can't find that information for that Chihiros A-series 601. Can you get a nice spectrum with LED? Anyone has experience with that light? PAR wise I'm getting about 130 PAR mid reading at the substrate level if going at 100%. I'm very open to suggestion as i don't really mind upgrading to something that would better fit my needs as I am looking to exploit fully the potential of those plants.

Thank you very much!

Plants list

- Cryptocoryne Hobbit
- Monte Carlo
- Glossostigma
- Lobellia Cardinalis
- Rotala Vietnam H'ra
- Staurogyne repens
- Dwarf sag
- Pogostemon stellata
- Ludwigia Repens

 

[jeffkrol]

A series is just white led's if I remember correctly. Fine but not as punchy as others w/ wrgb or RGB diodes. Just white have a tendency to tone yellow or be low in red
"2hr" prefers more low k w/ lots of red to enhance red color pigments but not necessarily create them. There is a difference
Controllable wrgb lights are sort of a preferred option.
Rgb If one wants a punchy if not exactly real look. Personal thing.

Light intensity and/or low nitrates will get you pigments, high red will let you see them .

 

[Tigerbarbs99]

@jeffkrol That’s what i thought. I went on at my local store and bought chihiros RGB series 60. I really was not sure if i should have taken the WRGB 2 60. I am not to sure I fully understand the difference. From what i understand WRGB give better saturation and rendering than RGB? But why. The guy at the store told me RGB was really good for my tank. Is that so or should i exchange it with an extra buck for WRGB? I know that purchase was impulsive.

 

[jeffkrol]

@jeffkrol That’s what i thought. I went on at my local store and bought chihiros RGB series 60. I really was not sure if i should have taken the WRGB 2 60. I am not to sure I fully understand the difference. From what i understand WRGB give better saturation and rendering than RGB? But why. The guy at the store told me RGB was really good for my tank. Is that so or should i exchange it with an extra buck for WRGB? I know that purchase was impulsive.

It's "sort of" a philosophical point.
A bit of an extreme example but think of WRGB as the top image.. RGB as the bottom..

RGB give better saturation (some wavelengths) and WRGB gives better rendering to real (w/ some whites).
It's complicated.


White leds use a yellow/green phosphor and a blue light "pump" to charge them.
So you have more shades of green/yellow and red IF using warm whites..
Point is a bit arguable but as I see it.




You can't see a color if there is no corresponding wavelength in the light.
ADA RGB light spectrum. Tweaking the power to ind. colors changes the overall tone to warm,cool or "greener"..

RGBW

Might as well complete the set. In this case it's not a choice exactly but for reference:

you could "do better" w/ RGvioletwhite..

 

[Tigerbarbs99]

@jeffkrol

Thanks for the detailed answer and explanation. Much appreciated.

If I get this right I think I prefer RGB as it might not look as much realistic although saturation might be stronger which is something I am looking for.

What is this tool you are using to analyze spectrum?

And for your last graph about RGvioletwhite. Is that only achievable through T5 pairing? I remember seeing 2hr aquarist use some violet T5.

 

[jeffkrol]

@jeffkrol

Thanks for the detailed answer and explanation. Much appreciated.

If I get this right I think I prefer RGB as it might not look as much realistic although saturation might be stronger which is something I am looking for.

What is this tool you are using to analyze spectrum?

And for your last graph about RGvioletwhite. Is that only achievable through T5 pairing? I remember seeing 2hr aquarist use some violet T5.

SPECTRA


Just built it w/ generic diodes.

One thing though, is the violet was used at 1/2 "power" (used .5 instead of one).
Probably best to just build a dimmable light bar w/ cheap 420nm (or so) diodes. They don't last long.


T5's may be overpowering w/ few good options of dimming. Besides don't think you can find "pure" violet. Most are red/blue, UV bulbs, or a wide violet/blue phosphor.

Some reef "actinics" may come close. you'd have to dig around.

Actually there are some cheap power compacts on flea bay and the actinic "may" be like the coralux below.
But you'd need ballasts and sockets ect.
Coralux actinics had a spectrum mostly between 400-450.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/where-can-i-buy-new-bulbs-for-bio-cube.745507/#post-7798165
see post #13 nd the link below the image.

 

[Tigerbarbs99]

@jeffkrol

Thanks for the info. I think for that 17g I will try and see with that Chihiros RGB 60 I just bought. Might try T5 for the next. I would be curious to see what it would produce, also I like the possibility to customize your spectrum. On that, I don't know if I am somewhat stupid or anything but I can't get SPECTRA to work. As any light source I add won't get into the mix. Anyway, i'll sort that out.

Out of curiosity, are you doing reef tank as well?

 

[jeffkrol]

No no reef tanks, I just bug reefers w/ basic physics and theory.

Not that great w/ tank maintenance either which would make a reef tank a personal nightmare.