(Another) DIY LED Build - Linear Design
- Thread starter katchupoy
- Start date
That's a good question... :lolspin:
Neutral White is 3,700-5,000K color temperature
Cool White is 5000-8,300K color temperature
Meaning the Neutral White is a bit yellower, allowing the array to cover more of the spectrum. Some people are going to all NW instead of CW... It really comes down to your preference of the color you want in your tank. Unfortunately, looking at pictures and videos can give you a little bit of an idea of what it will look like... but until you see it in person in your tank you really wont know...
As far as your placement questions, does your tank have a center brace?
Thats probably what I would try, ya.
TheFishMan65
New member
I would go at least 50% NW, but color is personal preference.
Hi Cesar,
Thank you so much for all the information you have on this thread. I am also
planning to build a LED fixture based on your design. I started a new thread on it. some how i did not get a reply on that... guess no one noticed it
!!!
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2122790
Since i was anyway inclined on following your design i thought i will ask my questions on the build to you here on this therad .. hope you dont mind.
1) How many LED's would i need. My tank size is 44(L)x 24(W)x24(H). I am planning to
have a mixed reef .. SPS and LPS. I was planning to get 2 set of diy kit with 36 led's dimmable drivers from rapid led. Also, i would like the fixture to be at a height of atleast 12 inches or more from the water surface. is 72 Led's enough or is it a bit too much ?
2) Other than the items listed in the rapidled link above. what else i need
to purchase. I see a lot of people usings resistors/ pots and lot of other stuff.
Can you list out all the additional things that i will need. Acessories that would be help make the build easier like connectors or other stuffs that you've used.
3) In the future I would like to have my LED lights on a controller .. or maybe build one based on the Arduino controller. What do i need to make sure while i build so that it is controller compatible in the future.
Hope to get your inputs on my above questions..
Thanks again,
Best Regards,
Ravi
Thank you so much for all the information you have on this thread. I am also
planning to build a LED fixture based on your design. I started a new thread on it. some how i did not get a reply on that... guess no one noticed it
!!!http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2122790
Since i was anyway inclined on following your design i thought i will ask my questions on the build to you here on this therad .. hope you dont mind.
1) How many LED's would i need. My tank size is 44(L)x 24(W)x24(H). I am planning to
have a mixed reef .. SPS and LPS. I was planning to get 2 set of diy kit with 36 led's dimmable drivers from rapid led. Also, i would like the fixture to be at a height of atleast 12 inches or more from the water surface. is 72 Led's enough or is it a bit too much ?
2) Other than the items listed in the rapidled link above. what else i need
to purchase. I see a lot of people usings resistors/ pots and lot of other stuff.
Can you list out all the additional things that i will need. Acessories that would be help make the build easier like connectors or other stuffs that you've used.
3) In the future I would like to have my LED lights on a controller .. or maybe build one based on the Arduino controller. What do i need to make sure while i build so that it is controller compatible in the future.
Hope to get your inputs on my above questions..
Thanks again,
Best Regards,
Ravi
Last edited:
TheFishMan65
New member
1) IMHO 48 might be enough, but 72 is good with dimmable drivers
2) Rapid has prety much everything unless you are wiring in parallel.
3) What driver are you using? Assume the ELN you will want the P version for an Arduino, but this make dimming early on much harder.
2) Rapid has prety much everything unless you are wiring in parallel.
3) What driver are you using? Assume the ELN you will want the P version for an Arduino, but this make dimming early on much harder.
Hi FishMan65,
1) is 48 really good enough for a tank with a foot print of 44x26x24 .. I am planning
to have a mixed reef and hopefully move on to a SPS dominated later on.
I think with 48's i could make 4 strings. Will these give me an output close to say
a 250W MH.
2) I am planning to get ELN version P.. I was thinking of getting a DDC-01 PWM
Controller since am not really that good with electronics. maybe later on try a Arduino
Thank you so much for your response.
Best Regards,
Ravi
1) is 48 really good enough for a tank with a foot print of 44x26x24 .. I am planning
to have a mixed reef and hopefully move on to a SPS dominated later on.
I think with 48's i could make 4 strings. Will these give me an output close to say
a 250W MH.
2) I am planning to get ELN version P.. I was thinking of getting a DDC-01 PWM
Controller since am not really that good with electronics. maybe later on try a Arduino
Thank you so much for your response.
Best Regards,
Ravi
katchupoy
New member
swf,
I'm with fishman...
1) based on my computation, 48 is good. But maybe 60 will work better because of the 24 inch height? This is no issue if you are doing it linear? Since you can always add a set of 12 later on.
2) P is designed for pwm. But I have D connected to my arduino for 13 months now and see no issue. I cannot guarantee that it will las forever but fishman s correct that P really suck at the early part of dimming. They just jump in around 15-20% brightness. Unlike D that starts at around 5-10%.
I'm with fishman...
1) based on my computation, 48 is good. But maybe 60 will work better because of the 24 inch height? This is no issue if you are doing it linear? Since you can always add a set of 12 later on.
2) P is designed for pwm. But I have D connected to my arduino for 13 months now and see no issue. I cannot guarantee that it will las forever but fishman s correct that P really suck at the early part of dimming. They just jump in around 15-20% brightness. Unlike D that starts at around 5-10%.
katchupoy
New member
bigcat.
I agree with fishman.... I had issues with my cw's... My red rbta's turned pink, or lost their color. I have too much blue in the water. If you look at the data sheet, cw's have a lot of blue on it and not much color on thr other end of the spectrum.
if you can mix it 50/50 with nw's... I think it would be good idea.
I actually went extreme.... I replaced my cw's to warm whites... Even yellower than nw's.... And my rbta's love it....
footnote:
I read somewhere here at rc... That in order to make white led... They have to mix 3 colors which is rgb. Now the only reason it looks yelow is because of the color tint of our water... If you project it to a white wall... It will giveyou white actually.
hope this helps.
Hi Cesar,
Thank you so much for your response.
1) I will be going for a linear design. if 48 led's I would like to stick to it.. as it will reduce
the amount of money i would spend on hte initial setup and as you suggested I can
always add on a set of 12 later. My only concern is i would have find someone who
bring this stuff for me from the US ... am not sure if rapid ship international. Will have
to check with them.
2) Will it possible for you to make a model of sketchup for me for a 48x26x24 with 4
strings of 12 leds / 6 strings like the one you have for your build. I have been trying
for the last couple days to draw one by myself.. i even downloaded your model from
setchup and try to modify... am no where to close getting a decent design.
If you could do this favour for me when you have sometime .. would really really
appreciate you for you help..
3) I will go with the ELN- P along with the DDC-01 PWM avaialable at rapid led. Is this
4) Also, what should be the ratio of whites and blue.. as i mentioned i have not seen a
LED lit tank and have no idea how they look.. i would want a bright white with a
light blue tint for my tank .. what would be the best combination of whites/ blues
and which Whites would you recommend... CW/NW... ???
Thanks again for all the information you have on this page.
Regards,
Ravi
Thank you so much for your response.
1) I will be going for a linear design. if 48 led's I would like to stick to it.. as it will reduce
the amount of money i would spend on hte initial setup and as you suggested I can
always add on a set of 12 later. My only concern is i would have find someone who
bring this stuff for me from the US ... am not sure if rapid ship international. Will have
to check with them.
2) Will it possible for you to make a model of sketchup for me for a 48x26x24 with 4
strings of 12 leds / 6 strings like the one you have for your build. I have been trying
for the last couple days to draw one by myself.. i even downloaded your model from
setchup and try to modify... am no where to close getting a decent design.
If you could do this favour for me when you have sometime .. would really really
appreciate you for you help..
3) I will go with the ELN- P along with the DDC-01 PWM avaialable at rapid led. Is this
4) Also, what should be the ratio of whites and blue.. as i mentioned i have not seen a
LED lit tank and have no idea how they look.. i would want a bright white with a
light blue tint for my tank .. what would be the best combination of whites/ blues
and which Whites would you recommend... CW/NW... ???
Thanks again for all the information you have on this page.
Regards,
Ravi
TheFishMan65
New member
48 LEDs is close to 500 watts of MH. I have 48 over a 75 and do a fine job of bleaching corals
TheFishMan65
New member
Some white LEDs are made that way. I think the ones we work with use phosphors some type. The all start with a blue LED and this excites different phosphor to emit different wavelengths of light. Change the phosphor mic change the color.
Hi Fishman65, Cesar,
As per my calculations the below is what it get ..
46*26=1196/48 (2x24leds ) = 24 leds
However, as the per the guidline bloe 48 leds would be good for softie/ LPS tanks.
I would like my tank to have a mixed of soft and SPS coral .. and then gradually
move on to a SPS dominated reef... is 48 LEDS still good enough or am i missing
something in hte calculations .. please help me clarify.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
60*18 = 1080/48(2x24 leds) = 22.5 -> look below, it falls to LPS and Softies.
60*18 = 1080/72(3x24 leds) = 15 -> perfect for SPS
48*18 = 864/24(leds) = 36 -> This is what Im using right now + T5. Need to add 12 more.
The guideline:
10=Hard Core (Too Much) Light. Very Deep Tank
15=SPS (most people use)
20=LPS, Softies
25=Softies
As per my calculations the below is what it get ..
46*26=1196/48 (2x24leds ) = 24 leds
However, as the per the guidline bloe 48 leds would be good for softie/ LPS tanks.
I would like my tank to have a mixed of soft and SPS coral .. and then gradually
move on to a SPS dominated reef... is 48 LEDS still good enough or am i missing
something in hte calculations .. please help me clarify.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
60*18 = 1080/48(2x24 leds) = 22.5 -> look below, it falls to LPS and Softies.
60*18 = 1080/72(3x24 leds) = 15 -> perfect for SPS
48*18 = 864/24(leds) = 36 -> This is what Im using right now + T5. Need to add 12 more.
The guideline:
10=Hard Core (Too Much) Light. Very Deep Tank
15=SPS (most people use)
20=LPS, Softies
25=Softies
katchupoy
New member
(not LED but factor) or factor of 24
then check the guideline.... the numbers you see there are factors... yours will fall under the lower 2 factors which is 20 or 25...
The guideline:
10=Hard Core (Too Much) Light. Very Deep Tank
15=SPS (most people use)
20=LPS, Softies
25=Softies
Just a note,
The guideline above is just a guideline based on the build here at RC. Its not set on stone. So if you are doing linear, then start slow and low. If its dimmable, then so much the better, since you can lower down the intensity.
Just my 2 cents.
Last edited:
TropTrea
New member
Someone once gave me a guide of 2 Watts in LED's per gallon of water. With your tank that would be 118 gallons it would mean 236 watts of LED lighting so for 3 watt LED's you would need 78 LED's. From my personal experience I would say that is true for a realy high light demanding tank, and I would probably cut back to around 52 LED's for a mized reef.
In your build I would start with three drivers two running 14 LED's and one running 28 for a total of 56. Let yourself get used to the light after a few months then decide for yourself it you need more. You could then add either 14 or 28 more LED's raising your count to either 70 or even 84 LED's. This would also give you time to consider the color balance that you have and what you like to have. I have people claim that 1 to 1 blue-white is too blue for them and others that think 4 blue to one white is still to white for them. So color prefernece is a big factor only you can judge.
On my initial 56 LED's I would start with 20 Royal Blues, 18 Blues and 18 nuetral Whites.
Pre-Dawn to Post Dusk 10 Royal Blues, 4 Blues.
Dawn to Dusk 4 Royal Blues 4 Blues 6 Whites
Mud Day 6 Royal Blues, 10 Blues, 12 Whites
TropTrea
New member
OKAY I'm building a fixture for a 30 Gallon breeder tank 36 X 18 that will be used for frags. Using your formuila
36 * 18 = 648
Since I want to be able to handle SPS corals I then use 15 as a factor so 648/15 = 43 LED's
Rounded to 12 I then get 4 string of 12 or 48 LED's
Now using an older formula a saw
Total gallons = 30 X2 Watts per gallon = 60 Watts.
running at 700 ma and 3.3 volts each 2.31 watts per LED or 26 LED's
running at 1,000 MA at 3.5 Volts I get 3.5 Watts per LED or 17 LED's
running a 350 ma at 3.1 Volts I get 1.1 Watt per LED or 54 LED's
Now looking at different manufacturers LED's at 3 Watts on produced 360lums whle another series of the same brand produces 200 lums.
In my build I'm actualy using 30 LED's running at 2.5 Watts each for 75 watts total. It is re[lacing a T-5 fixture that is presently using up 156 watts.
Please note I also saw an equivlent 1 Watt of LED Lighting = 2.5 Watts of florescent Lighting or 7 Watts of Incadescent Lighting. Not sure where MH's come in this comparison though.
