ATS build

[eternalreef]

Hey guys I have been working on my new ats build for a couple of months now I am ready to hook up the plumbing this weekend .

Anyways pictures are worth a thousand words.

making the acrylic box


Wood casing



[URL=http://s510.photobucket.com/user/eternalphoto/media/IMG_0121.jpg.html]

removable doors


Finished product

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Here is the led light for one side. I will get leds for both sides eventually.
I know wiring is kind of messy but hey it works :celeb2:

 

[gonzalez78]

Looks good man love the cabinet.

 

[Dragonvale]

Is that a heat sink that the LEDs are directly on? Nice wood work!

 

[eternalreef]

Thanks guys.

Yeah its a heat sink

 

[lokii_37]

Wow. That thing looks massive. How big is it? I'm running an ATS with a 8x9 screen. So far I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[eternalreef]

The screen is 12 by 18, I was running 2 screens that were 10 by 12. So I kind of combined them into one system.

 

[smb2415]

Eternal, what less did you use? I'm looking to build one similar to this so I was hoping you could provide the details of the part#'s used in the led board.

 

[gonzalez78]

Looks like 28 reds and 6 blues to me

 

[smb2415]

I figured that however wondering if they are the crd red/orange, cree xp-e red, or violet UV.

 

[gonzalez78]

I'm going to say cree red.... UV or crd might not grow the desired algae as good as the plain red leds

 

[smb2415]

thank gonzalez, let me ask you another question since this will be my first led build. If I connect all of these leds I would be able to just add 1 12v dimmable driver, simple knob 12v dimmer and I should be ok?

 

[eternalreef]

I used a 660nm led by exotic. I got all the parts through led group buy. The blue was the cree xt-e royal blue. Reds @ 700ma and blues on a seperate driver that was also @ 700 ma. All the leds are dimmable.

Cree does not make a 660nm led so I had to use a different name brand.

Hope this helps

 

[AMAYEU]

Overall thoughts? Better than a fuge or gfo...better reduction in phos?

 

[eternalreef]

Overall thoughts? Better than a fuge or gfo...better reduction in phos?

For me it is better then a fuge simply because it is easier to keep clean. When I had the fuge lots of detrius would collect under the chaeto/mangroves.

I used to use phos but again I like this better because you can not suck out to much and cause a different problem.

 

[eternalreef]

Here is my first week of growth. 1st picture is kinda blury:sad2:, second picture is to show the thickness of the growth.

 

[smb2415]

looking great!! nice accumulation

now if I can find a way to build the LED panels without spending $350 I'd be happy.
I built the spray bar and picked up the mesh today. I also picked up some plastic hobby board to use for the LEDs. Just need to find a reasonable supplier. RapidLED was $3.50 per led w/heatsink.

 

[smb2415]

just checked LED group buy and they are $2 each. guess I'll wait on this for a bit. What driver and dimmer did you end up using?

 

[eternalreef]

just checked LED group buy and they are $2 each. guess I'll wait on this for a bit. What driver and dimmer did you end up using?

I used the makers profesional grade dimmable driver with a power supply. It was not cheap but I am hoping it will last a really long time.

 

[AMAYEU]

Wow. One week of growth. That's alot.

 

[eternalreef]

So I finally feel like I am getting somewhere with my algae problem. I think the ats is finally dialed in and algae in the display is decreasing.

Here is 14 days of growth.