Diffuser FAQ

Q:  Which way does the diffuser sheet face when installed?

A:  The diffuser works slightly better when the rough side is facing the water and the smooth side towards the light.

 

Q:  Do I need to increase the intensity of my light to compensate for the diffuser?

A:  We recommend increasing by 10-15%.  Please do not compensate more than that as being over par can be more detrimental to a coral's health than being slightly under par.  

Q:  Will the diffuser build up heat on my LED light?

A:  Our diffusers are designed and tested for maximum air flow and will not increase the heat of your LED light.  There are vents in the rear of our diffusers along with an opening in the diffuser sheet itself allowing for air to enter and more importantly, flow out.  

Q:  Will a 3DReefing diffuser stop the light bleed into my living room?

A:  To stop the most amount of light bleed we recommend using only the frame and removing the diffuser sheet itself.  Using it this way then becomes a shroud to stop the maximum amount of light bleed and this purpose alone makes our designs worth the investment.  When the diffuser sheet is attached it will limit some light bleed (but not all) and take the bite out of the glare.  

Q:  Do I need a diffuser?

A:  A diffuser is mainly for personal preference to help eliminated most of the "disco ball" effect and to better blend the multichannel LEDs.  We and many of our customers have seen improvements in coral growth and health as the diffused light is stabilized in the underwater dynamic spectrum and shadows are slightly softer with more spread.  The benefits of diffused LED light is a relatively new concept being more explored in the past couple of years and is now being adopted by many major brands in the industry.  

Q:  What is "disco ball" effect

A:  It is the appearance of unnatural erratic shimmer caused by the water surface agitation bending the light of the multicolor channels which are common in puck style LEDs.  The water agitation can magnify individual colored LEDs also causing hot spots of different intensities.  

Q:  Will a 3DReefing diffuser totally eliminate the shimmer?

A:  This depends on your tank setup.  For example, if you have one Prime 16HD on a 18x18" area you will still get shimmer as the point of light (a single prime) will still be narrow but the result can be a much more tame and natural looking shimmer that many of our customers have enjoyed.  On the other end if you have full coverage of say two Hydra 64HD on a 36" long tank (as pictured below) you will have very minimal shimmer as you blanket the tank in light expanding the points of lights to a wider range.  In our experience you can never have too many lights :)

 

Please contact us if you have any further questions.  Happy Reefing!!