bdevillier
New member
looking really good, cant wait to see how your lighting works out. i picked up my max jet 606 for $22 at my LFS. $30 for the 404 is nuts. keep it up, cant wait to see more.
5g fluval Spec
- Thread starter Andru881
- Start date
Andru881
Premium Member
Ok got the lights wire in and installed on the tank...fist pick is of the lights installed in the old housing. Us took a saw and cut around the old opening.
When the fixture is hanging over the tank the heat sink slides down the stand offs and keeps about 3/8" air space between the plastic and the heat sink.
Second pic is of me testing the lights before i reinstalled it in the old fixture.
Last pick is of the lights installed over the tank. I'm thinking its going to be too much light. There are 3-3w 6500k and 3-3w blue's It makes the whole room light up. Right now there are no optics on the lights so the it bounces everywhere. I'm thinking I need to add some asap.
When the fixture is hanging over the tank the heat sink slides down the stand offs and keeps about 3/8" air space between the plastic and the heat sink.
Second pic is of me testing the lights before i reinstalled it in the old fixture.
Last pick is of the lights installed over the tank. I'm thinking its going to be too much light. There are 3-3w 6500k and 3-3w blue's It makes the whole room light up. Right now there are no optics on the lights so the it bounces everywhere. I'm thinking I need to add some asap.
Andru881
Premium Member
Ok got the lights wire in and installed on the tank...first pick is of the lights installed in the old housing. I just took a saw and cut around the old opening.
When the fixture is hanging over the tank the heat sink slides down the stand offs and keeps about 3/8" air space between the plastic and the heat sink.
Second pic is of me testing the lights before i reinstalled it in the old fixture.
Next pic is of the lights installed over the tank. I'm thinking its going to be too much light. There are 3-3w 6500k and 3-3w blue's It makes the whole room light up. Right now there are no optics on the lights so the it bounces everywhere. I'm thinking I need to add some asap.
Last pic is the original light output for comparison
When the fixture is hanging over the tank the heat sink slides down the stand offs and keeps about 3/8" air space between the plastic and the heat sink.
Second pic is of me testing the lights before i reinstalled it in the old fixture.
Next pic is of the lights installed over the tank. I'm thinking its going to be too much light. There are 3-3w 6500k and 3-3w blue's It makes the whole room light up. Right now there are no optics on the lights so the it bounces everywhere. I'm thinking I need to add some asap.
Last pic is the original light output for comparison
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gar732
New member
Is the driver dimable? If you put optics on there it will focus the light making it stronger and you will most likely burn stuff. Don't underestimate LEDs, they pack a punch. Also make sure they don't overheat, that piece of aluminum doesn't look very thick and in that housing the heat can't dissipate that well. Just something to thing about. I just picked up one of these tanks today and will be upgrading the LEDs also. I'm thinking of using a 1.4x12" anodized heatsink from rapidled. Will you modding the filtration at all?
Andru881
Premium Member
The aluminum is about 3/16"-1/4" thick. It still gets kinda hot, I'm planning on making a aluminum housing with a fan and having no plastic.
The driver is not dimmable but I think I messed up by not getting a dimmable one.
I still want to drop one of the 3w whites. I think i'll like the color better.
As for the filtration, I dont know know about changing the stock on yet. Haven't seen a better design that I like.
The driver is not dimmable but I think I messed up by not getting a dimmable one.
I still want to drop one of the 3w whites. I think i'll like the color better.
As for the filtration, I dont know know about changing the stock on yet. Haven't seen a better design that I like.
Andru881
Premium Member
Its been a busy week around my house and haven't had a chance to do much on my tank.
My hydor pico 180 came in and got it put in and hooked up to my reefkeeper running on the wave maker 0n'off every 30 secs. It is also set to only run when the lights are on.
I also took one of the 3w 6500k LEDs out of the light...I have to remount the rest of the LEDs because now there is a dark spot in the tank. You can see it on the right side of the tank. Ive been looking at some hard drive cases on the internet, and thinking about how they would make a nice light housing. I've even run a cross a couple that have built in thermostats connected to fans. Might try to make a mini radion
I got my first couple of creatures 3 red legs and a yellow clown gobie. I also added some coral frags. 15 polyps of zoas, 2" GSPs, and one purple frilly mushroom. The zoas were only in the tank 10 mins before they started ti open, so i'm guessing it was a good thing.
My hydor pico 180 came in and got it put in and hooked up to my reefkeeper running on the wave maker 0n'off every 30 secs. It is also set to only run when the lights are on.
I also took one of the 3w 6500k LEDs out of the light...I have to remount the rest of the LEDs because now there is a dark spot in the tank. You can see it on the right side of the tank. Ive been looking at some hard drive cases on the internet, and thinking about how they would make a nice light housing. I've even run a cross a couple that have built in thermostats connected to fans. Might try to make a mini radion
I got my first couple of creatures 3 red legs and a yellow clown gobie. I also added some coral frags. 15 polyps of zoas, 2" GSPs, and one purple frilly mushroom. The zoas were only in the tank 10 mins before they started ti open, so i'm guessing it was a good thing.
bdevillier
New member
tank is looking good. i was thinking about doing the same thing to the stock light fixture. cant wait to see how it all works out. so far i've built a media rack, plugged the lower intake to make all water go through the overflow, and swapped the pump for a mini-jet 606. now i gotta do something for light.
Andru881
Premium Member
Swapping the LEDs in the light kept the stock look but I'm starting to have problems with it.
The first problem is that the aluminum bracket that holds the light to the tank doesn't run the whole length of the light. It only sticks inside the plastic housing about 2 inches. The rest is plastic.
I also can't get the light level over the tank anymore with the added weight of everything I had to shove in it.
There is also no room for a fan, which I would really like to have. The stock light it pretty air tight. If I start putting vent holes in the top I think it's going to make the light sag worse.
I pretty much feel like I waisted my time modding the light. I should of just built a new one.
The first problem is that the aluminum bracket that holds the light to the tank doesn't run the whole length of the light. It only sticks inside the plastic housing about 2 inches. The rest is plastic.
I also can't get the light level over the tank anymore with the added weight of everything I had to shove in it.
There is also no room for a fan, which I would really like to have. The stock light it pretty air tight. If I start putting vent holes in the top I think it's going to make the light sag worse.
I pretty much feel like I waisted my time modding the light. I should of just built a new one.
Lionfish666
New member
Your DIY wasn't a waste of time, it works right?
Thinking if you lift up the light and move it to the right the dead spot will disappear, it won't be to be bright and you can mount a fan on the LHS blowing down the length of the fan?
Thinking if you lift up the light and move it to the right the dead spot will disappear, it won't be to be bright and you can mount a fan on the LHS blowing down the length of the fan?
Lionfish666
New member
Your DIY wasn't a waste of time, it works right?
Thinking if you lift up the light and move it to the right the dead spot will disappear, it won't be to be bright and you can mount a fan on the LHS blowing down the length of the light?
Thinking if you lift up the light and move it to the right the dead spot will disappear, it won't be to be bright and you can mount a fan on the LHS blowing down the length of the light?
Andru881
Premium Member
I can spread the light out better if i pop off the LED's and space them out better on the heat sink, but i decided screw I'm just going to rebuild bigger/better. I guess I'm just in the mood to do some soldering and some cutting.
In other news this might be over kill but I got my reef keeper elite in the mail today. It can do way more for me then I needed but its just cooler looking =)
In other news this might be over kill but I got my reef keeper elite in the mail today. It can do way more for me then I needed but its just cooler looking =)
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harmonyexotics
New member
Any updates? I just picked up my Spec V today and I've been following your build. Nice job so far!
