Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[bigguyuk]

With splash guard of plexiglass.

I'm sorry but on this side of the Atlantic we do not know what a Solana cube is

If it is something similar to Red Sea Max 130, I've redone on my hood to have 10-watt LED. I'm not finished with construction yet, but it works.

Do not know what you mean by a "40 breeder"

Yes - a little. Warm White, I am not so interested because most corals live in the wild at depths where the red wavelengths do not penetrate down to. Violet, I will try in the next building.

Sincerely Lasse

Hi Lasse
Would be intrested in seeing this if you have pics and method of build as i plan to do my 2 redsea max 130 first before i do my rio 400 (5ft ) tank
wasplaning ondoing it in 3w but 10 could be a option as they are nice and cheep could use the 3w In my shed lol
Simon

 

[manuel n]

hey mates,

interesting thread! thanks to lassef und maglofster who are pushing the thing forward.

i way always fascinated by bons lagoon (google for it). he uses 5 ecoxitic cannon led lamps which seem to be technically nearly the same as the stuff discussed in this thread.

the thing i am after is the design. i want lamps that would look nice. the possibility to build something like an ecoxotic clone was discussed earlier in the thread.

wouldnt it be easy to build the single lamps on the basis of a heatsink for example like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835226048 and put it in a round acrylic tube (tranparent, black.. as you prefer). The driver could be stored under the tank. Of course the work has to be done properly and clean and you need a nice hanging kit.

something like this seems to be quite an easy option for a multichip led you could look at. is there anything you could say against it?

another subject: arent these things technically the same?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-20000K-...136?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336ee9efd0

i was in bangkok a few weeks ago and they sell them in all the reefshops. could find to much on the forum about it until now.

greetings, manuel

 

[Lassef]

hey mates,

interesting thread! thanks to lassef und maglofster who are pushing the thing forward.

i way always fascinated by bons lagoon (google for it). he uses 5 ecoxitic cannon led lamps which seem to be technically nearly the same as the stuff discussed in this thread.

the thing i am after is the design. i want lamps that would look nice. the possibility to build something like an ecoxotic clone was discussed earlier in the thread.

wouldnt it be easy to build the single lamps on the basis of a heatsink for example like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835226048 and put it in a round acrylic tube (tranparent, black.. as you prefer). The driver could be stored under the tank. Of course the work has to be done properly and clean and you need a nice hanging kit.

something like this seems to be quite an easy option for a multichip led you could look at. is there anything you could say against it?

another subject: arent these things technically the same?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50W-20000K-...136?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336ee9efd0

i was in bangkok a few weeks ago and they sell them in all the reefshops. could find to much on the forum about it until now.

greetings, manuel

You need a cooling that can handle about the same amount of heat that the chip uses of electrical energy. In other words - for a 50 watt chip - you need a cooling which allow 50 watts and so on. Then, only your imagination sets the limits on how you build.

As for "the floodlight" - surely the very same principle, the same chip likely. But not as much fun as DIY

@ Bigguyuk: I'll be back with more pictures from my RSM later. I am about to rebuild it. Right now there are a pair of 500 Aqua Ray from TMC where the fluorescent tubes are normal. In the rear and front I have mounted aluminum tubing (50 * 20 mm) from one end to the other. On top is mounted fans and air is blown out through the normal ventilation holes. Such a tube (with fans) can probably manage about 40 watts. Have tried with 5 Cree XL-M run at 2000 mA (total about 30 watts) - the temperature of the pipe about 34 C. Right now I have two such tubes for a total of about 28 watts in the hood.

The pictures show
1) Aqua Ray mounted
2) The rear Tube with 4 LED. The asymmetry is due to the lights must match my decor
3) On the spot
4) New ventilation in the front
5) Down under

​

Sincerely Lasse

 

[bigguyuk]

Thanks lasse
Looks Intresting

 

[sprayman]

leds

leds

i have a 4foot tank 4 feet long 32 inches w 28 deep should i use 120 Optics lenses
or 90

 

[Lassef]

i have a 4foot tank 4 feet long 32 inches w 28 deep should i use 120 Optics lenses
or 90

Depending on various factors. What type of chip, what strength and what would you have to grow under lights. If I were to start such a deep aquarium, I'd probably use the 100 watt chip and a 60-degree lenses if I intended to have SPS right down to the bottom. Perhaps complement with chip with no lenses in the rear if I had the idée to build a sloping reefs.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[sprayman]

Depending on various factors. What type of chip, what strength and what would you have to grow under lights. If I were to start such a deep aquarium, I'd probably use the 100 watt chip and a 60-degree lenses if I intended to have SPS right down to the bottom. Perhaps complement with chip with no lenses in the rear if I had the idée to build a sloping reefs.

Sincerely Lasse

thanks for the replythe rock scap is a foot wide acrose the tank about 20 " frome the top 103 3w
led

 

[Tmoriarty]

For anyone who cares about the chips:

For people who are confused about LED's and the ones that are being sold as multichips perhaps I can shed some light. LEDs that are manufactured by the majority of companies, including cree, use InGan, with a sapphire substrate. What this means is that almost all chips they make are in the range of 400-480nm (rough range). The way they create the "white" light is by coating the top of the InGan LED's with a substance called Yag:Ce phosphor. This phosphor mixed with epoxy is what creates the "white" look. That is why in Lassef's previous post of cree's spectral properties you see a large spike in the blue spectrum and a smaller hump in the yellow/red spectrum.

Now that the spectrum qualities is cleared up I will move on to the Luminous output of these chips. Whether a chip is a 3w cree or a 50w multichip is irrelevant, what matters is there luminous output per watt. Cree's normally achieve efficiencies of around 100lm/w, where as most of the lights being sold on ebay are around 75-90lm/w. They are still very good, but are not as efficient as the Cree's. I have been in contact with one of the major LED manufacturers in China and they do produce chips with efficiency over 100lm/w. When you look at AC-RC's page they sell chips from multiple sources, as shown by their datasheets. Some of these LED's are more efficient than others, something to keep in mind.

On to which LED's to buy. Lassef is correct that perhaps it is better to buy a single "white" (10k-20k) multichip and surround it with varrying numbers of Blue multchips of lower wattage. This gives the builder full control of the lights instead of limiting the control by mixing "actinic" and "white" chips on a single multichip.

I am building a 110w fixture currently and will post the build when I complete it. I am still deciding on the drivers I want to use to run the lights. I hope what I have posted helps people looking to build DIY fixtures with the multichips, or any LED's for that matter. Lassef is correct that a large portion of the corals we keep grow at depths greater than 4-5m's and as such use mostly the blue spectrum to grow the symbiotic algae. Remember there are two places in the visible spectrum that grow chlorophyl, light in the blue range of 440-460nm and light in the red range of 650-670nm. Either of these ranges will grow coral, but corals are generally more adapted and look better under the bluer spectrum.

 

[Tmoriarty]

Double post :/

 

[ReefIsMyMadness]

Hey I'm very interested in going with a single 10k 50w multi-chip led with 2- 3w royal blue Cree leds over my 12g aquapod. Would that be enough light and spectrum for my sps at the top and softies at the bottom?or should I go with the 100w? Does the 10k 50w or 100w versions have any blue to it or is it white? I know the kessil 150w 10k looks more like 14k imo so I'm wondering if this do the same? I'm hopeing its white so I can use the Cree leds w/ dimmer to adjust the right amount of blue I like. If anybody could help me out that be awesome,thanks.

Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

 

[evil4g63]

If you put a 50w over a 12g aquapod you will literaly fry everything you put in it even worst with a 100w. The kessil a150 is not 150w of led light, in fact it only produces 30-36w max and the new a350 will produce 86.5w. I would put 36w at max. on that tank and with dimmers to make sure i don't bleach anything. Atleast that's my thought.

 

[Landsailor]

Excellent post, Tyler!

 

[InADream]

Hey guys, I have been lurking around this thread for awhile trying to figure it out without asking, well I failed, lol.

I have a 90 gallon tank, 48 inches long by 24 inches deep. I am thinking about going with two modules, due to the euro brace. Each module will have 1x50w 10,000k chip and 6x10w RB chips. That will be 220 watts for my tank. Do you think this will be sufficient to grow all types of coral.

Do you think I should use more 10w chips?

Thanks for looking, I will work on drivers and heat sinks later after I get a handle on the leds.

Dan

 

[reefer859]

So I ordered

ebay seller : ac-rc

60mm Lens Reflector with Base for 20-100W LED Lamp
50W Actinic Blue Hybrid Led Panel for Aquarium

newegg
Heatsink and Fan (ARCTIC COOLING Accelero L2 Pro Fluid Dynamic) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186041
Thermal Adhesive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100005

I plan on putting this on an ada 48x18x18 running mostly sps. I am new to LEDs and have read this thread about 3 times and need help with a link maybe or a pm about what I need to use to power the leds?

Do I order this to power the leds?

http://www.rapidled.com/mean-well-eln-60-48d-dimmable-driver/

Also, I need to know what kind of wire gauges need to go from driver to led and is there some kind of special soldering stuff I need. Sorry for the newbie questions. Everyone has been here once in there life and if someone could help me it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Tmoriarty]

Tell me I am not the only one who sees gamezawy as a seller for LED HK, Id like to remind him of the forum rules stating that Sellers may not post links to their auctions in the forums.

If you are just a newbie with 1 post trying to learn to make LED fixtures using those LED's, feel free to ask some more substantial questions.

Thank you for the comment landsailor, I am still new to all this to, but I never step into anything with out hours of research.

To anyone looking, I have some of the updated, proper, datasheets for Epistar LEDS. I can PM them upon request. They are directly from Epistar.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

this is for sure what i would like to do, i have done some wiring before but nothing like this, any pointers for a newbie? and a general guideline for what i would need for a 24x24x24 or 30x30x24 would be awesome, i want to be able to keep ANYTHING without much lighting trouble, and the v8 cooler is what im interested in i'd love to do a couple diy cannons, i weld outside of my daily job so the shell will be easy, any tips greatly appreciated, along with a rough price for the v8s i cant find them anywhere haha

 

[007Bond]

Mr Tmoriarty no i am not a seller i am just very new to reef tanks and i am really asking about those leds i have read almost all this thread from the start and i am still confused about this HK led

and 007Bond sorry i didnt get it from reading this post at page #18 post #430

gamezawy
What Lassef is referring to in that post is the speck sheets on each chip that are provided on each site. Example the 100W chip on the HK site can put out approximately 108 W when driven at the maximum current the chip will handle. The 100W chip from the AC-RC site can put out 252W when it is driven at its max. current 7A. Big difference... and it is not good to push the chips at their max current for longevity purposes. You need to compare the chips specks as they are listed no matter where you buy them.

 

[GY2202]

I recently purchased some 10Watters chip from different ebay sellers, my mistake was i did purchased the leds before asking for spectrum distribution chart and none of them can provide this chart.

10Watts leds i purchased:

6000k-7000k (12pcs)
10000k-15000k (10pcs)
Royal Blue 445-450nm (2pcs)
Royal Blue 455-465nm (5pcs)
Blue 460-470nm (5pcs)

Does anyone here have a spectrum distribution chart for the epileds and epistar chips in 10Watts variety? Anyone know of other brand that ebay led sellers are selling other than epileds and epistar?

 

[GY2202]

Some good reads on UV effects :

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Lighting.html

http://www.aquarium-design.com/reef/uvlighting.html

 

[Lassef]

To anyone looking, I have some of the updated, proper, datasheets for Epistar LEDS. I can PM them upon request. They are directly from Epistar.

Please..... send them to me and thank you for your inputs.

@ GY2202 Thank you for the links

@ the others - I´m comming back

Sincerely Lasse