So, I got some "Pink" LEDs...

[Aeros]

I ordered some "pink" LEDs from aquastyleonline.com as well as Royal Blue, and near UV (380-420nm). Also, some more 660nm deep red.

I hesitated knowing that these would be "Chinease" LEDs, but at less than 2$ each for the reds (not including shipping) my wallet forced me. They include a spare if you order 10 or more of a type and cut .50 cents of each.

I ordered the "pinks" based on their spectral graph from the site. It's nearly 50/50 red:blue and covers some photosynth spectrum that gets missed with just RB/Deep red.

I run 10 - 660s on a side of my scrubber. That I now have beautiful green growth on that side is great, but the quality and quantity have been lack luster to say the least. ~100 watts CFL on the other side outpaced the LEDs by a margin.

From what I've read of Ace's anecdotes, red alone will not deliver the needed growth to filter. Does the community think the addition of near UV, RB, and "pink" LEDs solve this spectrum deficientcy?

My layout will be: 10 - 660 "Deep Red", 2 - "near UV", 2 - " Royal Blue" and 2 - "Pink" per side.

Screen is ~9x8" double sided with ~ 800gph flow /inch. With LEDs ~3" away.

[Ace25]

Interesting "pink". If they could have squeaked a little more red into it, it could have been a true "magenta" grow LED. Unfortunate that the red intensity really starts to drop off right at 600nm. The pink seems to have just a little to much yellow/orange, but this is getting so nit picky. I really don't think it is going to matter that it isn't exactly perfect, it will still provide some good light in the lower 600's.

This has me thinking now, since my red LEDs have 2 emitters in them, I wonder if they could make a blue/red combo LED. That would be nice for strip LED plant lights. Just a couple dual style LEDs mixed in with 660nm reds would be nice. They could also go the remote phosphor route, have a red emitter and a blue emitting phosphor in the lens to create a dual spectrum light.

Anyway, back to your post. The "near UV" LEDs, your talking about the 420nm and not the 398nm, right? If so, then yes, that sounds like a pretty ideal light, screen size, and flow.

Now my real life experience is with only adding 455nm LEDs/royal blues and seeing a positive difference in algae strength/thickness/health, I am only theorizing at this point from going off graphs that the 420nm light will also provide a big benefit for algae (I know it does for corals), but I think it is a pretty safe assumption to say it will. If I didn't have all these baby clownfish to take care of I would have had my new scrubber built with lighting similar to what your going with, but the clowns are taking up so much of my time lately (new territory, lots of learning, and turning into a $ dump with all the water changes and special food required).

[Floyd R Turbo]

Thanks for the link. I was looking for a 420nm source. That is the pairing blue to the 660nm Reds. I notice they have pretty cheap 660s also, except they're Epiled instead of Epistar. Might have to get a few of these one day and compare them.