C-Channel Vs Heatsink

[InADream]

Hey guys,

I recently built and LED fixture for my 90 gallon tank and love the look of LEDs, but now after I have gotten over the excitement, I am thinking of everything that I did wrong.

I used aluminum C-Channel from Home Depot, and thought it was perfect. The biggest problem I am having is that the center of my tank is shadowed by the center brace, I am wondering if I should have gone with the heat sinks and made two separate fixtures.

I would like to hear your opinions as to whether or not I should rebuild the fixture and/or just leave it alone and work with the optics to try and get around the brace.

I retrofitted my nova extreme light to accept the fixture, I love the look of having a the Nova above my tank. The lights are only 5" off the water and I am using 80* optics. Would all 60 degree optics be better..

Any thoughts on what I could do?


Thanks

Dan

 

[James77]

When I did mine with aluminum C Channel it was parallel to the length of the tank and I just had very few over the center brace and I had no shadowing effect at all. It could be the height, I would raise them if you could.....I had mine about 14" off the water IIRC. Whether you sued big heatsinks or C channel should not really affect the LED coverage, if anyhting the 2 separate fixtures would be worse.

Can you post a pic? I would try raising is to 12" .....

 

[InADream]

James,

I tried the fixture at 8" above the water line and the light filled the entire downstairs after lowering the lights the room looks normal, but I have the shadowing, Ill post a pic tomorrow when the lights turn on.

I may try and see if I can rearrange the LEDs so the white LEDs are off the center and see if that helps.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[ati70cutlass]

try using 60 degree optics for that height 80s may be too wide

 

[InADream]

Thanks Cutlass,

I am trying that now, I picked up some 60 degree optics from a fellow reefer today and just had the thought to try that. I had them on the other whites around the fixture but going to concentrate them all on the center LEDs.. I am going to wake up the tank but I will try the 60's...

If this works, does anyone have any 60 degree or 40 degree optics for Bridgelux they would like to sell..

Thanks

Dan

 

[KevinYates]

interested in results as well.

 

[wrx1908]

I am using C channels over my tank and it looks like T5HO link to my video
http://youtu.be/h5UeSnhOv_8 hope you like

 

[InADream]

Wrx, the video is cool, do you have a build thread or a pic of your led layout, I am thinking it had to do with my layout. The 60 degree optics worked better but still there. I may need to redo my layout.

Thanks

 

[wrx1908]

I wish I had taken video of the build. I did is not do the regular B-W-B-W...
This is what I did
cw-cw-cw-cw....
rb-rb-rb-rb-rb...
rb-UV-rb-rb-UV-rb-rb...
nw-ww-cyan-DR-ww-nw-cyan-DR-ww-nw...
I will try to send a better pic for you after work
oh and I did not use optics

 

[ati70cutlass]

what you have to remember is no optics is 120 degrees so light basiclly goes everywhere except where you want it. id say optics no matter what. i didnt have a great experience with my leds but im giving it another go. my t5s have already gave me triple the growth as my leds.

 

[InADream]

thanks guys,

I am liking the 60 degree optics on the center, it seems to have helped with the shadowing. I am going to redo some of the LEDs and put in some more whites to get closer to a 1:1 ratio. I am also going to replace some of the RB with Blue LEDs..

The RB add to much purple to the water for my liking, I am thinking about a 2:1 ratio of RB:B.. Any experience with them?

I am going to start a new thread to get some opinions on the blue vs royal blue..


WRX,

do you see any separation with your setup?

Thanks

Dan

 

[symon_say]

I have 2 braces in my 66" what i did with mine was put leds about 3" each side of the braces this way i don't have any light over the braces but both sides lights the tank under the brace really nice.

 

[wrx1908]

There is no separation going on