DIY LEDs - The write-up

[fernandokng]

Sorry, do not mean to take this tread off track. I'm looking to hang the 2 heatsinks as pendant, but I do not know where to start. Does someone have examples I can look at so I can get some ideas? If you can send me a pm, or a link, that'd be great. Thanks!

 

[ejmitch]

Whoops, Reef Central doesn't like external links. eznet2u has the right link.

fernandokng - I'd try drilling a hole at each corner and string a hanging wire through. Then either individually connect the four strands to your ceiling or bring them together a foot above the heatsink and then run one wire to the ceiling. The hard part is going to get it to balance flat.

Another option would be to build a rig like soundwave's original and then hang that.

 

[dogstar74]

Just as an aside, If you can remember my algae problem, I believe that my Hair algae is starting to dry up with the change in lights.

I can only attribute this to my VHO spectrum drifting causing my hair algae to go out of control, but with the new LEDs, it seems my HA is reducing in size and is absent in places that it used to be.

The light isn't as strong on the sides of the tank so I think that really helps keep the glass cleaner.

This is all anecdotal of course, but It's just been my experience.

ON another note, my Rhodactis shrooms are turning a paler color however, I believe they may have some light shock. But my red with blue spot mushrooms are getting larger which is a reversal from when they were under the poor lights I had before. And my anemones of unknown name or classification are holding steady, neither larger, smaller or more or less colorful.
The GSP are brighter in coloration, and growing well.

That's all to report.
Aaron

 

[hogateb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14906092#post14906092 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kcress
hogateb; Stranded without a doubt. Solid being soldered onto solder pads is not a good idea. And use reasonably small wire. Like 20-22AWG. Don't use speaker wire. It's insulation is rated for "room temperature".

Thanks kcress!

I appreciate it. Stranded it is. Since Soundwave used 18 AWG, I guess I will replicate what he did.

Just cut down my heat sink so that it moves forward in the bow section of the canopy. It is an AIO tank with a false Foam/Rock wall, so the original light location of the MiniBow does not work for me. I am getting excited to see this come together!

 

[Haxer]

Dump question... do the uv led's make the corals florese more??? I thought we wanted to block uv rays so they wouldnt damage corals...?

 

[ejmitch]

No. UV won't make corals fluores more. But, SPS and Clams need some UV to grow, or at least grow better with it. All other corals only usually get a little. LED don't put out any UV while other lights give off at least some. Metal Halide's have UV filters because they put off too much. At least that's the way I understand.

 

[ReefEnabler]

I thought there were basically two ways to make white light with LEDs:

1) a Blue LED with a yellow phosphor. they mix to create white light.

2) a UV LED with red green and blue phosphors.

Does anybody know which category the Cree and/or luxeons fall into? Are they usually just blue LEDs??

Also, would the 2nd kind of LED (UV w/ colored phosphors) give off any UV??

 

[CJerome21]

I was recommended to purchase these UV LEDs to add UV to my setup. I am building basically half of sound waves set up (24 LEDs) plus the two UV on a separate driver/Power-supply for my biocube29 and then separately I am building a 12LED set up for a custom 3.5 gallon nano.

What do you think of these?
UV LEDs HERE

 

[ReefEnabler]

410 nm is actually a bit longer wavelength than UV which would be 400 and shorter.... so 410 would probably look very actinic with some UV. Probably would be a better actinic than the royal blues which are around 455nm.

do you know the current rating?

 

[ejmitch]

That is the UV LED I was going to use. 1/sq ft was what was recommended to me.

 

[kcress]

If there is any UV actually available be very c a r e f u l. That is serious stuff when it comes to your eye structures.

ReefE; I believe they are using blue not UV. UV LEDs just don't put out that much flux from what I've heard.

 

[ReefEnabler]

good point, probably not a good idea to look at them.

you guys might be interested in this site:

http://www.3dzled.com/other.html

They have some waterproof modules that have several ~415nm (+/- 5nm) LEDs inside. A few various sized modules but they might make excellent actinic moonlights on top of an existing LED setup.


AFAIK the only way to get Crees or Luxeon's in that nm range would be to order them binned.... meaning thousands of pieces minimum.

 

[rEd86]

Great thread. I have been following it for the past few weeks and I have decided to make the actinics on my 700g reef tank a DIY LED light system since I can control where I put them. (I have Lumenbright MH reflectors for my primary lighting)

I want to confirm that the Royal Blue LED you'd recommend is the CREEXRE-RB model for this purpose.

Thanks!

--Ed

 

[ejmitch]

Yes, that's them. If you are getting a lot the group buy mentioned above has them a few dollars cheaper per LED. It might just take a bit longer to get them.

In other news I'm looking at a new driver by Meanwell. It's currently the preferred option on nano-reef. Price can be cheaper then buckpucks and a 48V unit can power 13 LEDs in series at 1 - 1.4A or two strings of 13 in parallel at 500-700mA, so up to 26 LED per driver. The unit is an all in one as well so does not need a power supply. However, you need to build some circuits to protect the parallel strands from overload if one LED dies and also if you want dimming. I'm going to give them a try though I'm nervous about my circuit building skilz these days.

 

[rEd86]

Thanks for the info. I will be participating in that buy for sure.

--Ed

 

[Louis Governo]

Does anyone else have any pros or cons for the Meanwell driver that is listed in the group buy?

 

[rEd86]

I am interested in the same thing. I am also interested in how many LEDs it can drive for both types. (Cree XR-E cool white Q5 (WG bin, 6500K) vs. royal blue) My assumption is you can't mix & match the two types off this driver - is that the case? At $30 for the group buy (vs. $50) it's a good deal. The specs are here.

--Ed

 

[Haxer]

Anyone checked these out yet...Just saw them on Drs F&S
http://www.oceanus-light.com/index.html

 

[Louis Governo]

Hmm. For something they want to sell, they sure don't seem to give much info or many pictures. They don't mention anything about the benefit of not losing light to the reflection on the surface of the water. Is there? I also don't see how they are only using 14watts and still getting enough light for corals. I think soundwave was using around 140 watts. I can't even buy the parts to make one that cheap, so it's hard to believe they are using high quality LEDs. But, I'm still not very sharp when it comes to LEDs so I may be way off on this. JMHO

 

[Louis Governo]

Is there someone that can translate this please?
"The maximum forward current is determined by the thermal resistance between the LED junction and ambient. Given an existing thermal resistance of 8°C/W between the junction and the solder point, it is crucial for the end product to be designed in a manner that minimizes the thermal resistance from the solder point to ambient in order to optimize lamp life and optical characteristics."