DIY LEDs how many over a 75?

Rich976usaf

New member
Im finalizing some planning of a DIY LED build. I have the skills for soldering up something. Not going to drill the heat sink, but use thermal adhesive. This site rapidled has all the parts and well priced. I was thinking 48 cree led and 4 Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable drivers . but then i was thinking about adding a strip of actinic more uv color. then maybe moon lights. I found a nice dawn dust effect controller, any thoughts on this. http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-Daylight-Lighting-Controller/Categories

Planning on having two 16 x 5.9 heat sinks with a fan on that, then acrylic for the glass. I have read some amazing reviews of these leds and increased coral growth over other lighting. It really sounds like leds are the new way to go and a good choice for my build. I really like that the power usage is considerably less.

anyone? i have seen neils and a few other led setup and now leds have been around for a few years and equipment continue to improve, been doing my research. I think there are many pros in it for me, after the cost of initial build there are no more bulbs, but then again you can not change your bulbs color temp. Its costly to do get all the parts, im still trying to figure out how if i can squeeze in 60 leds over a 75. its the difference of four or five drivers.
 
I'm pLanning a retro fit for my 125 with the same the amount of lights and drivers. I hope 48 leds will be enough for 72"x 18" if not I can add more later but that should at least match the 4 powercompacts I use now.

I am getting the controller as it seems to cut out some of the extra work and gives you a automatic dimmer. I don't know if you noticed but the controller is not ment for the eln 60-48d driver, you will need the eln 60-48p driver. They are the same price but it did specify it wouldn't work with the 60-48d. I've read the pdf on the controller at rapidleds site and it does seem like a slick way to control the lights.

Now for the heat sink I think I'm going to make one out of aluminum c channel as a 72" heak sink gets expensive.
 
if you just want on off functionality and dont care about hooking an andruino or automated dimming, you can do what i did. Check out BSOD LED build
 
I think the controler will be a good addition to the leds, i like the dawn dusk effect.

Some people are telling me 48 and others are saying 60 is what you need for SPS, But looks washed out. Too white for my liking.

Im planning on ordering from rapid led.com and was hoping to change out 8 of the whites for red. Can you do that with the what is it 48P driver not the D. cause i want to run the controler.
 
DDC-01 PWM Controller
Compatible with the ELN-60-48P driver for dimming control
Price: $59.00

This is so cool. I want it. I just think i need a addition long bar of blues. Can i swap out the whites for reds???? How would i do this on these drivers? Sorry im still a noob to this but im doing my third and largest tank build its a 75G with a skimmer and 2 reactors, dosing pump and ATO. gonna be a mixed reef.
 
With the controller you will have 3 channels, you will be able to dim each channel by 5% intervals. If you want more blue, dim the channel that the whites are on.

Now for the red lights I read only one color per drive and 9 to 12 lights per drive. The good news is you can run 9 drives off the controller so you can put your 1 color on each channel.

All this info is on Rapidled.com click on the the detailed description of items. The drivers and controller have a pdf of the directions that come with them.
 
I'd say 48. I currently have 36 on mine. I never intended to put LEDs on this tank, so that's why one side has 12, the other 24. The side with 24 is what I'd want on the other side as well.
 
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