Chromis_VL
New member
Hi MontyJ,
Thanks, but not really knowing what 5% is in terms of light in the aquarium, I'm keeping my idea on the BuckPlus.
Tough part is that I need to squeeze a 24V power supply in a really tight spot.
DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
Hi MontyJ,
Thanks, but not really knowing what 5% is in terms of light in the aquarium, I'm keeping my idea on the BuckPlus.
Tough part is that I need to squeeze a 24V power supply in a really tight spot.
milkman55
New member
I am building a small LED fixture to light a 40B. All 36 LED's will have 60 degree lenses.
What is the popular thought on using an acrylic shield below the LED's?
Using U channel for mounting and it would be easy to hang a shield below the LED's.
Do the shields impact the spectrum or intensity of the LEDs?
What is the popular thought on using an acrylic shield below the LED's?
Using U channel for mounting and it would be easy to hang a shield below the LED's.
Do the shields impact the spectrum or intensity of the LEDs?
sedorusc
New member
So bear with me as this is my first time building a led fixture. I got the constant power 6 led setup from rapidled. I got thermal adhesive with it. I also grabbed a non drilled heatsink. Do I need to drill and attach with screws? Their instructions didn't really say anything about screwing them in. Besides this is going on a 3 gallon pico. Is this enough light for sps and a small clam or should I order more. Thanks
kcress
New member
Acrylic is fine and highly recommended if your LEDs are closer than about 18" from the surface..
If possible keep the surface at least 1/2" away from the LEDs and provide some air flow around the optics.
Nylon screws can be a problem because Nylon overtime may relax a little and this reduces the thermal conductivity that provides the important cooling to the stars. Metal screws of any kind would be better if possible.
If the setup came with adhesive heatsink compound you don't need to screw them down. Just use the compound.
6 LEDs over 3 gal should be just fine.
sammy113
New member
what would you guys think for lighting a 150g Marineland Cube (36" x 36" x 27") just an estimate, rough... will it be possible to make a compact fixture instead of having a wide or big footprint of LEDs over it? Light will be more focused on the center and the sides could use some spill or lower intensity for low light corals
I have used them, and they hold most of my 32 LED's now for over a year. Broke a few screws when building.
After a year I have 3 LED's in my fixture that don't function anymore. Don't know why, I didn't take the fixture apart to check yet. I'll be rebuilding soon en give an update on my experience with nylon screws.
For now...if you have other options, I would do so.
george1532
At it again
So I ordered my LED's from rapid LED I got the 24 LED Dimmable drivers. I originally bought the dimmable drivers because i wanted to be able to adjust the power of the LED's so as not to fry my corals, and to be able to adjust the color to my liking. The tank is a 30 breeder, so its only 12 inches deep.
But I was thinking of changing my setup to constant power drivers that will keep all the LED's at full power and just hang the fixture higher.
My question really is if I use constant power drivers and hang my fixture 24 - 36" above the tank will I be okay? or will that still be to much light?
right now I have 80 degree optics, but might change to no optics.
Thanks.
But I was thinking of changing my setup to constant power drivers that will keep all the LED's at full power and just hang the fixture higher.
My question really is if I use constant power drivers and hang my fixture 24 - 36" above the tank will I be okay? or will that still be to much light?
right now I have 80 degree optics, but might change to no optics.
Thanks.
Would Plexiglass be an appropriate option as a splash shield? Also, I was thinking that I would want the shield to be as close to the optics as possible...but it was suggested above to keep some space. Is that because of heat? If its too far away...would there not be risk of reflection? How far is just right?
sammy113
New member
I've seen acrylic about 1/4"~3/8" from the optic and tends to craze due to the heat
Quick question regarding the Mean Well ELN-60-48P dimmable drivers. Within this thread or maybe another is there simple diagram on how to add them(by them I mean adding the dimmable feature)? I've only used the non-dimmable ELN mean wells on my nano and daughters planeted tank.
I just ordered a retro for the bio-cube but didn't order their dimmable kit. It wasn't much but I didn't want to add the extra money for just a pair of Potentiometer's. It doesn't look that difficult as a do it yourself deal so figured I could save a couple bucks.
This thread is pretty big and I've not kept up so was just wondering if it is somewhere obvious that I could look at and try to get ready for the weekend. Thanks.
After this then I'm off to tackle the controllers you guys / gals are building
I just ordered a retro for the bio-cube but didn't order their dimmable kit. It wasn't much but I didn't want to add the extra money for just a pair of Potentiometer's. It doesn't look that difficult as a do it yourself deal so figured I could save a couple bucks.
This thread is pretty big and I've not kept up so was just wondering if it is somewhere obvious that I could look at and try to get ready for the weekend. Thanks.
After this then I'm off to tackle the controllers you guys / gals are building
brassmonkyballs
BMB
Honestly....what good reason is there to not use dimmable drivers? :headwalls: It would be the single biggest mistake you can make switching over to LEDs.
If you hang them that high with no optics you'll light the tank the floor and walls around it. If you try to contain the light you're back to blasting the tank.
Then there's the color mix which trust me...even though you know better than everyone else that learned the hard way....trust me you will want to change it.
Then finally, you'll hate LEDs and tell everyone you know that they don't work worth an awe shucks.
OK, melodramatic maybe? but all very true :smokin:
brassmonkyballs
BMB
Quick question regarding the Mean Well ELN-60-48P dimmable drivers. Within this thread or maybe another is there simple diagram on how to add them(by them I mean adding the dimmable feature)? I've only used the non-dimmable ELN mean wells on my nano and daughters planeted tank.
I just ordered a retro for the bio-cube but didn't order their dimmable kit. It wasn't much but I didn't want to add the extra money for just a pair of Potentiometer's. It doesn't look that difficult as a do it yourself deal so figured I could save a couple bucks.
This thread is pretty big and I've not kept up so was just wondering if it is somewhere obvious that I could look at and try to get ready for the weekend. Thanks.
After this then I'm off to tackle the controllers you guys / gals are building
You should have ordered their dimming kit if it was rapid...its actually a nice deal....and they have these nice instructions online for using it which is much easier than having one of us explain it to you....pictures and all
http://www.vinnymarini.com/pictures/rapid_docs/RapidLED_diy_dimmer.pdf
You should have ordered their dimming kit if it was rapid...its actually a nice deal....and they have these nice instructions online for using it which is much easier than having one of us explain it to you....pictures and all
http://www.vinnymarini.com/pictures/rapid_docs/RapidLED_diy_dimmer.pdf
It was, and I'm still thinking about it. Although I placed the order already
I try and support that guy as much as I can because he ships fast, pretty reasonable in regards to price, and super nice in all emails. Only reason why I didn't is because I just spent a reasonable size of change on other projects around the house :worried:Softhammer
New member
Over analysing false info.
Over analysing false info.
"uh what?" their premium and regular are both Bin D3 which is 450-455nm this is the bin you want for the best color pop. Their regular is a a 15 which has a little less radiant flux....
If it were me I would choose the better spectrum as its only one or two leds that makes up the difference. Given their Inventronics drivers one could easily add two or three extra LEDs
If the spectrum is off or a Bin D516 the corals will not not look as nice. Could you show me were Rapid posts their Bins or explains the difference in Cree LEDs? Pictures over a real reef tank, not a nano frag collection would be nice.
I'm up-sizing to a 300G SPS reef, but if the price is the same I'll stay with reefledlights as they have done their homework.
As a side note, the very basic LEDs from ReefLEDs that I have been running for two years now has not only maintained acroporas with no light supplementation but has resulted in an acropora spawning event the last two nights. I have photos and video to follow as soon as I figure out how to post them as the files are quite large. Feel free to message me and I can email the video to anyone in disbelief!
Over analysing false info.
"uh what?" their premium and regular are both Bin D3 which is 450-455nm this is the bin you want for the best color pop. Their regular is a a 15 which has a little less radiant flux....
If it were me I would choose the better spectrum as its only one or two leds that makes up the difference. Given their Inventronics drivers one could easily add two or three extra LEDs
If the spectrum is off or a Bin D516 the corals will not not look as nice. Could you show me were Rapid posts their Bins or explains the difference in Cree LEDs? Pictures over a real reef tank, not a nano frag collection would be nice.
I'm up-sizing to a 300G SPS reef, but if the price is the same I'll stay with reefledlights as they have done their homework.
As a side note, the very basic LEDs from ReefLEDs that I have been running for two years now has not only maintained acroporas with no light supplementation but has resulted in an acropora spawning event the last two nights. I have photos and video to follow as soon as I figure out how to post them as the files are quite large. Feel free to message me and I can email the video to anyone in disbelief!
Last edited:
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I do not see where you guys are getting the bin info from these vendors. Reefledlights does not spec a specific bin, they only promise that the rather outrageously expensive premium option is somehow better:
http://reefledlights.com/shop/cree-xp-g-r5-cool-white-3w-led-on-star-copy-copy/
Rapid doesn't spec a bin, either:
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-124/CREE-XP-dsh-E-Royal-Blue/Detail
Cutter occasionally has good bins for cheap but their inventory and pricing changes constantly.
http://reefledlights.com/shop/cree-xp-g-r5-cool-white-3w-led-on-star-copy-copy/
Rapid doesn't spec a bin, either:
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-124/CREE-XP-dsh-E-Royal-Blue/Detail
Cutter occasionally has good bins for cheap but their inventory and pricing changes constantly.
Last edited by a moderator:
Softhammer
New member
brassmonkyballs
BMB
Uh....yeah....and wow to your response...however go to:
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-124/CREE-XP-dsh-E-Royal-Blue/Detail
if its not there already click on Detailed Description. Then note CREE part number XPEROY-L1-0000-00B01....thats what they sell.
Next go to http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/XLampXP_B&L.pdf scroll down to page 24 at the top of the page and find that Cree part number and you will see it's D3 (min) group 16, D5 (max) group 16...which translates to 450-465nm and 500mw flux. There is no Bin to get you 450-455nm. There is a min and a max and in all cases the max is either 460 or 465nm.
They (rapid) sell that LED with a lens for $4.40 and without a lens for $3.40. You can get the same LED with optics for $6.95 from your favorite vendor. Therefore, if you're doing a 300g I'd advise you to consider finding a new favorite vendor and save significant $ by going there.....35% savings is pretty significant.
Let me say i have nothing against reefledlights and to be honest I haven't bought everything I have from the other guys either because there is even a lower cost option for the same LED..but not much lower these days. They (RLEDL) provide a nice website with alot of helpful information. I do believe they are being cute with the regular vs premium and the pricing though. Reality is just like the XREs got cheap before the XPGs hit the market, there is an XTE coming out that is likely causing the price drop on the XPEs...that and competition....except for them...they charge prices from a year ago on a technology that is changing every 6 months. If you want to pay that much more out of loyalty feel free but I answered the question accurately and tried to clear up his obvious confusion from that website. Presumably your confusion is now clear as well as is the inaccuracy of your title to your post.
As a side note the XTE apparently will be 445nm outputting 525mW @ 350ma...and will be binned in 2.5nm increments. Pretty efficient.
Last edited:
- Status
