LED help for my 40B

T

tbasinger

New member
I recently upgraded my 20H to a 40B with a 20L sump. For right now I am using my 150w with phoenix 14K MH sunpod from my 20 on my 40. I am working on making my own reef controller with an Arduino. I am wanting to build my own LED light for this tank. I have been doing some research but still have some questions.

This is a mixed reef with a good deal of SPS. I would like a 20K array and makes the corals pop. I was hoping someone can help with how many and what kind of LEDs. Also do I need optics or not, I have read different things.

Here is a picture of my tank:



Thank You for all your help.
 
I am not sure if you have looked at some of the supplier web pages. They have a lot of great information on sizing, number of LEDs per sq inch, etc ...

Look for Rapid LED, LED Supply, etc ... they will have some great information. To start I'll add a link to Rapid LED:

http://www.rapidled.com/led-university-1/

At the very top it has a recommendation for the 40B tank.


A quote from their page:

How do I know how many LEDs I'll need?

There are various ways to calculate the number of LEDs you’ll need, and we’re always happy to recommend the correct kit for you. As a very general rule of thumb, for reef tanks without SPS you can use the following formula when using our LEDs:

(Length of tank in inches x Width of tank in inches)/22

For example, if you have a 40g breeder and your footprint is 36” x 18”, you would need:

(36” x 18”)/22 = roughly 28-30 LEDs



For tanks with SPS you can use the following formula:

(Length of tank in inches x Width of tank in inches)/18

For example, if you have a 75g tank and your footprint is 48” x 18”, you would need:

(48” x 18”)/18- = roughly 48 LEDs



For freshwater or planted tanks you can use the same formula, only divide by 35-40 instead of 18-22.

For example, if you have a 75g tank and your footprint is 48” x 18”, you would need:

(48” x 18”)/35 = roughly 25 LEDs
 
If I was doing it I would go with a rough ratio of about:
Actinic/blue
3 mixed violet (405 / 420 | 405 provides florescence while being almost invisible to the eye, 420 provides florescence and a violet tone)
4 RB (base blue)
3 blue (470-480 is very good at bringing out red florescent colors that your 450 and below can not excite and balances the warm led's)
Adjust to taste.

White
4 CW (provides briteness)
1 WW (enhances color rendition in the yellow/orange/red range and is easier to blend than individual color led)

With one T5 in front and back, blue plus and coral plus or equivalent is my choice. If no T-5 you may want to add additional RB/blue/WW LED's.

Edit: If you run the blue and white at much higher power I would add additional violet.

Regarding the optics that depends on how close to the water your fixture is, IMO lower and wider or no optics is better than higher with tight optics.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your input. I have looked at some kits for the 40B and was going to base my design off of something like that. I want to have just LEDs. I can put them anywhere between the water and 8" high based on my canopy design. I have read different things about the blue and royal blue so wasn't sure on how many of those where needed of each.

I was hoping some one that had built one for their 40 could post a picture or two of their tank and design.

Thank You
 
I built mine for my 75 and ended up adding 2 T5s. Corals loved the T5s. LEDs have shown much slower growth in my tank as well as others on RC but adding just a little extra T5 lighting makes a huge difference. Corals do just fine under LEDs but a lot of people complain that they don't thrive like they did with MH/T5.
 
If I were to go LED only I would do clusters of 7 using Steve's 3-ups: 2x royal blue, 1 blue, 1 cyan, 1 warm white (2700K), 1 lime, 1 violet. I would put 6 of those (2 rows of 3) over the tank.

Alternatively, if you want a lot less soldering you could go with 3 of the Reef LED Labs or NanoBox chips.
 
I would add UV. In the pictures only 14 of the 28 RB are lit. I didn't add the 3rd driver for about a year after I built it. It is insanely powerful.
 
Thanks, I am going to use at least 4 LDD drivers. I am not to worried programming and controlling the lights. I have just been confused on LEDs, but you have helped with that.
 
Thanks, I am not 100% happy with the rock on the left, but love the rock on the right. I can't wait to get more light over the tank so I can cover all the rock in corals. I am thinking about posting a build thread, but I am not sure about it.
 
I actually am finishing up my 40 breeder and ended up using two rapid led multi chips. They are two much so I will either dial down intensity or go with only one. Oddly enough he is no longer carrying that chip - probably due to too many lime LEDs on it. Had to dial them way down to get right spectrum or so I felt but a solid chip never the less.
 
I am thinking about recreating the EcoTech Radion XR30w G3 PRO just stretched out longer. I have a couple more questions. My tank is 36" long, would a 30" long heat sink the right length? Are the Osram Oslon Square Deep Blue the same as the Cree Royal Blues?
 
What about using two RapidLED Aurora Pucks? They look like a Radion clone and would give me get light I think over my 40B.

What are you all thoughts on that?
 
They look fine. If I were going pucks, I would look at ReefLedLab or Nanobox which have 1/2 the LEDs per puck and go with twice the pucks. You get better light distribution that way.
 
I am thinking of going with Cree: 16 Royal Blue, 4 Blue, 2 Exotic Hyper Violet LED - 430nm, 2 Exotic Violet LED - 410nm. 8 XT-E Nertrual White, or 4 of those and 4 Philips Luxeon Rebel ES Lime.

What are your thoughts on this??
 
I ordered a kit from RapidLED, with 8 CREE XP-G2 5W Neutral White, 6 SemiLEDs violet, 16 Royal blues, and 4 Blues. I should have it up and going next week.
 
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