chrishet
Member
Anyone out there water cooling their LED fixtures? I am getting ramped up for my new 70 gallon SPS build and I want a low profile light for my rimless shallow tank design. I love the look of the Vertex Illumina light but $2k is a lot of coin, and given that this is such a new technology change is sure to come and that means even more $'s for upgrades down the road....for this reason I am considering my own LED build.
I figured one way to accomplish this low profile look would be to dump the external fan and water cool the heat sink, or passively cool the system (which I have not seen many do). I was thinking I could easily mod a HeatsinkUSA design by simply adding in channels for pipe, copper or aluminum, and route the water either through a dedicated heat exchanger in my sump area, or I also have an old thermoelectric chiller that would probably work as well. I was thinking about using existing RO water or sump water but that would preclude using aluminum or copper I would imagine but maybe there are materials that are reef save that I could use...Thoughts?.
I figured one way to accomplish this low profile look would be to dump the external fan and water cool the heat sink, or passively cool the system (which I have not seen many do). I was thinking I could easily mod a HeatsinkUSA design by simply adding in channels for pipe, copper or aluminum, and route the water either through a dedicated heat exchanger in my sump area, or I also have an old thermoelectric chiller that would probably work as well. I was thinking about using existing RO water or sump water but that would preclude using aluminum or copper I would imagine but maybe there are materials that are reef save that I could use...Thoughts?.
