LED Recommendation Thread

[Felixc395]

I started a 20long build a couple weeks ago and want to use LEDs. I'm handy in the DIY world and wiring these up is no problem but I just dont know what lights are "right." At only 12" deep, it wouldnt seem like I'd need anything crazy in the intensity department but I just dont know. Is a 24" pendant wide enough to cover a 30" long tank?

My budget is ~$500 and I'd really like a dimmable setup (preferably one that is electronically controlled as I head to work before the sun comes up). What do I look for in LEDs? The LFS wanted to sell me Panorama/Stunners today but I knew nothing about them so I passed.

I'd like an SPS or two, same for LPS, and some stuff like toadstools and xenias. Oh, gotta have a small crocea in there. I had a 40 reef for about 10 years while living in AZ but took it down when I moved to CA so I have a fair amount of experience in the hobby. Appreciate any info, I'm just a bit overwhelmed in the LED department. I find the shimmer from them irresistible (had VHOs on my last tank).

Welcome! For your situation. I would recommend one AI module. Do you have a canopy? You could hang the AI module high with enough spread and you'll have no problems with PAR. Just turn the module sideways.

Anymore questions, feel free to ask. The AI's will give you control like you are hoping for.

 

[brassmonkyballs]

I started a 20long build a couple weeks ago and want to use LEDs. I'm handy in the DIY world and wiring these up is no problem but I just dont know what lights are "right." At only 12" deep, it wouldnt seem like I'd need anything crazy in the intensity department but I just dont know. Is a 24" pendant wide enough to cover a 30" long tank?

My budget is ~$500 and I'd really like a dimmable setup (preferably one that is electronically controlled as I head to work before the sun comes up). What do I look for in LEDs? The LFS wanted to sell me Panorama/Stunners today but I knew nothing about them so I passed.

I'd like an SPS or two, same for LPS, and some stuff like toadstools and xenias. Oh, gotta have a small crocea in there. I had a 40 reef for about 10 years while living in AZ but took it down when I moved to CA so I have a fair amount of experience in the hobby. Appreciate any info, I'm just a bit overwhelmed in the LED department. I find the shimmer from them irresistible (had VHOs on my last tank).

This DIY kit will over light your tank but they are dimmable drivers and you will be able dim them back and and mix your colors as desired.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-54/24-Ultra-Premium-LED/Detail

I would recommend this heatsink at 24" long.

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/categories/5.886"/

My preference is to screw them down to the heatsink using a #40 drill bit and #4 x 3/8" sheet metal screws...no tapping required. If you like you can use the thermal epoxy supplied with the kit to glue them down but then you can't get them back off. If you want to screw them down Rapid will swap it for thermal paste.

You can do it for under $300 total and keep anything you like in the tank.

I just put my drivers on different timers but if you want it to ramp up and down here's a cheap purpose made controller for that purpose. You can run multiple drivers off one but you would need 2 if you want the colors to ramp at different times...this increases your total of course.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-Daylight-Lighting-Controller/Categories

Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind.

 

[madweazl]

This DIY kit will over light your tank but they are dimmable drivers and you will be able dim them back and and mix your colors as desired.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-54/24-Ultra-Premium-LED/Detail

I would recommend this heatsink at 24" long.

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/categories/5.886"/

My preference is to screw them down to the heatsink using a #40 drill bit and #4 x 3/8" sheet metal screws...no tapping required. If you like you can use the thermal epoxy supplied with the kit to glue them down but then you can't get them back off. If you want to screw them down Rapid will swap it for thermal paste.

You can do it for under $300 total and keep anything you like in the tank.

I just put my drivers on different timers but if you want it to ramp up and down here's a cheap purpose made controller for that purpose. You can run multiple drivers off one but you would need 2 if you want the colors to ramp at different times...this increases your total of course.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-Daylight-Lighting-Controller/Categories

Feel free to ask any questions that come to mind.

I had found that website while searching last weekend and thought I had my mind made up to do it but wasnt sure about the length and number of lights. Saw the earlier posts on easier ways to mount them (ie the screws you mention). The drivers in the kit looked to be capable of power 14 LEDs (of the same type the kit ships with) but you only get 12, does these mean I could run less as well? If I run less, how will the spread be over 30"? Is 2:1 the generally consensus on blue to white (I've seen this mentioned in a few friends)? I dont care for the overly blue look this can create but realize this is done for the inhabitants vice my personal preference.

To answer the previous question, no, I do not have a canopy. I had planned on sort of unit like the SOL comes with (whether I build it or buy a setup like that).

 

[brassmonkyballs]

I had found that website while searching last weekend and thought I had my mind made up to do it but wasnt sure about the length and number of lights. Saw the earlier posts on easier ways to mount them (ie the screws you mention). The drivers in the kit looked to be capable of power 14 LEDs (of the same type the kit ships with) but you only get 12, does these mean I could run less as well? If I run less, how will the spread be over 30"? Is 2:1 the generally consensus on blue to white (I've seen this mentioned in a few friends)? I dont care for the overly blue look this can create but realize this is done for the inhabitants vice my personal preference.

To answer the previous question, no, I do not have a canopy. I had planned on sort of unit like the SOL comes with (whether I build it or buy a setup like that).

Yes those drivers clamp the voltage between 24v and 48v....they are constant current and adjust the voltage based on number of LEDs. So you can run less on them...no less than 8.

I was going to suggest you run 18 LEDs but then the 30" has me a little concerned on coverage as you suggest. Alot depends on how high you will mount the fixture. On my 4x2x2 120g I am running 4 rows of 18 and the fixture is about 8" above the water and am using no optics...(though I just added some 60 degrees to the front row only and on the blues only...as an experiment). Thats how I arrived at the 24 kit and 2 rows of 12 as a recommendation.

The higher you hang it the more spread you get so if you went with 18 LEDs and hung it up 12"+ I think you'll get plenty of coverage. If you're going to hang it higher then you need tight optics if only to prevent from lighting the room around the tank as much as the tank.

Then the next question is do you want to dim the colors separately (normally yes)...but you can use just one of those drivers and wire it in 2 parallel strings if you wanted and run them around 700ma. I made an actinic only fixture for a friend with 28 LEDs off one of those drivers. In this case i would recommend more RB to CW because you can't change them. If 2 drivers you can mix the color to your satisfaction.

 

[madweazl]

I want to get the LEDs closer to the tank to prevent light creeping into the room but the canopy can be designed to help mitigate that as well. I had planned on running 2 drivers and was even thinking about wiring in a few LEDs in the red spectrum (I've seen a few setups with these and it was very appealing to the eye). Speaking of drivers, how do you control them to produce an evenly graduated sun up/down scenario? It seems most people are just powering up a specific number/type of light vice reproducing a nice gradual effect?

 

[brassmonkyballs]

I want to get the LEDs closer to the tank to prevent light creeping into the room but the canopy can be designed to help mitigate that as well. I had planned on running 2 drivers and was even thinking about wiring in a few LEDs in the red spectrum (I've seen a few setups with these and it was very appealing to the eye). Speaking of drivers, how do you control them to produce an evenly graduated sun up/down scenario? It seems most people are just powering up a specific number/type of light vice reproducing a nice gradual effect?

That last link I gave you up above is a PWM controller for sun-rise/set. Cheapest way to do it short of a total reef controller. You would need 1 for each color if you wanted to say start sun up with blue only....

 

[MattyO]

FelixC395, I am waiting for a 72 bowfront to come in and have been looking at the AI Sol Blues... I would run them 8-14 inches AWL and mounted sideways. I am not sure about the shadowing due to only having 2 units plus the center brace but I will play with that and might have to order a 3rd unit. My question to you is, due to the bow (13 inches at the sides and 18 in the middle) I was thinking of playing around with the optics. I was thinking somehting like having the 70's in the on one end (the middle ends) and the 40's on the outside ends. I figure this will cut down on light spilling out and let me keep a clam/ a few sps in those outside areas and LPS in the middle of the tank. Anythought?

BTW you going with the standard optics?... Looking forward to your pictures!!

 

[Glo]

I want to get the LEDs closer to the tank to prevent light creeping into the room but the canopy can be designed to help mitigate that as well. I had planned on running 2 drivers and was even thinking about wiring in a few LEDs in the red spectrum (I've seen a few setups with these and it was very appealing to the eye). Speaking of drivers, how do you control them to produce an evenly graduated sun up/down scenario? It seems most people are just powering up a specific number/type of light vice reproducing a nice gradual effect?

driver with 1-10v dimmer can do gradual dimming. you will need a reef controller to make it auto. for leds, i would go with wingoled 's the revolution strips rs1.0 that has six cree xpe on them. I would use nanotuner's thomas research driver TRC-040S070DS.

2 x rs1.0 = $100
1 x 30" heatsink = $65
2 x TRC-040S070DS = $80
2 x fan and power supply = $30
total around $275 plus shipping

 

[madweazl]

driver with 1-10v dimmer can do gradual dimming. you will need a reef controller to make it auto. for leds, i would go with wingoled 's the revolution strips rs1.0 that has six cree xpe on them. I would use nanotuner's thomas research driver TRC-040S070DS.

2 x rs1.0 = $100
1 x 30" heatsink = $65
2 x TRC-040S070DS = $80
2 x fan and power supply = $30
total around $275 plus shipping

Is there any better info out there? His website is a waste of bandwidth.

 

[Felixc395]

FelixC395, I am waiting for a 72 bowfront to come in and have been looking at the AI Sol Blues... I would run them 8-14 inches AWL and mounted sideways. I am not sure about the shadowing due to only having 2 units plus the center brace but I will play with that and might have to order a 3rd unit. My question to you is, due to the bow (13 inches at the sides and 18 in the middle) I was thinking of playing around with the optics. I was thinking somehting like having the 70's in the on one end (the middle ends) and the 40's on the outside ends. I figure this will cut down on light spilling out and let me keep a clam/ a few sps in those outside areas and LPS in the middle of the tank. Anythought?

BTW you going with the standard optics?... Looking forward to your pictures!!

I'll try my best to help. I am going with the standard optics. And I'm actually going to be mounting them about 3" off the water line. Eventually I'll use three modules. And the thing is with my aquascape, I really only need to light 30" of rock. So, I'll only need three modules at most, but two for right now. Your optic specs sound good to me, however I don't know how the spread will be until I get my own units.

The great thing about AI for your tank is that you can use three if you want mounted sideways, kind of like this,

------ -------
------ -------
------
------

To get spread for your entire bowfront if two do not suffice. Hope this helps, and I'll make sure to post pics as soon as I can.

 

[Felixc395]

The diagram thing didn't work, so sorry... But I hope you kind of understand what I meant. My bad.

 

[Mental1]

So to get proper coverage over a 180g it would require 6 AI units at $529, rails at $79.95, controller at $79.95, and hanging kit at $34.95 soooo $3,368.85? Hmmm 10 times the cost of replacing T5's -- short term of course.

I am wondering if I could get away with 5 -- one end of my tank has the overflow but there are corals growing there. Just a big waste of money putting lights over the overflow. This is a peninsula tank so the overflow is like an island at one end of the tank. It would be better to put strips of lights on each side versus across the top of the tank on the overflow end. Actually I am thinking 4 and a couple of strips? Would that work?

 

[boxer385]

I'm new with the LED systems but i have a 60x36x27, i would think four would be plenty for you. I'm looking at the Al's and i'm going with 3-4 max from what i hear these modules put out a ton of light, i don't want to waste money. My system is SPS dominate.

 

[Mental1]

I just don't know what to do about the overflow end that's all. I have SPS and LPS -- just wondering what to do. My constellation is going through bulbs like crazy so I am abit fed up with it. Probably would have to have the lights pretty high to begin with so the corals don't get burned.

They say on the sites to put one every 12 inches but you don't need it up against the end I guess.

 

[mrfi57535@msn.com]

like all you guys and girls looking to upgrade,i also would like to cut down my lighting bills,i have age tank 72x30x30.75 deep like to upgrade to cree XM-L i have a canopy,like to keep the lights high 18inchs min,sps tank,like other posts need to know length width drivers and how many leds and spacing like to use dimmable drivers,and how many heat sinks,and optics,thanks for any and all help

 

[brassmonkyballs]

AI Controller

AI Controller

Does anyone familiar with the AI controller have any info on type of output control and connection method? Is it 0-10v or PWM? I'm wondering why I couldn't hook this controller up to my DIY fixture.....

 

[madweazl]

I really like the look of this enclosure but is the light setup any good?

 

[madweazl]

Do the Panorama Pros produce enough light for a shallow tank? Would be nice to buy a couple every couple of weeks. Where can you find hoods less the light fixtures? I've been digging all over and cant find them.

 

[Mental1]

Okay -- I just had a chat with the guy at Aquacave and ordered 3 AI fixture kit but I got 3 12 inch set of hanging rails so that I can hang the lights the long way over my tank versus the way the longer rails make you hang the lights. As my tank is a peninsula most of my corals are in the center. They will come next week... bye bye aquatinics fixture.

 

[Glo]

Is there any better info out there? His website is a waste of bandwidth.

it's so true that most members in that forum talk more than action. hehe. did you download the two pdf instruction files in the first post. it tells you how to make different setups with one to two RS1.0. i found them very helpful. the cree xp-e can be found direct from cree website http://www.cree.com/products/pdf/xlampxp-e.pdf

for the ebay 120w, isn't it over kill for such a small tank? how are you going to handle the light glaring at you if you were to set it high? it does not have lens to limit the light spill. also. how are you going to create the gradual sunset and sunrise with it?