Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

@lookout, have you played with that arduino relay board yet? I'm pretty sure that I want to use that board when I move to an arduino controller. For the price, that can't be beat.
 
This is sort of my dream tank. I know it is not that big but something I always wanted to do. The tank is 40'x36'x31 high custom built with 3/4' starphire glass ( Yes it is a tank). The tank is going in a wall and viewable by 2.25 sides. I don't want to hijack the thread but will eventually create a build thread. Since pictures speak louder the words on RC this may answer your questions (btw I work with computers for my job, And the whole tank will be controlled by a webserver using asp.net) The tank is also going to have a live webcam (Which is currently setup on my old tank for testing but I would be ashamed to tell the think URL as the tank is BAD! Should I start the build thread now? Or wait till it is done? I get the tank( for the second time) this weeend!!
313982_4388840009265_1739604940_n.jpg
 
Got the Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 Plus 120W VGA cooler attached to the Kessil Gooseneck. It turned out pretty good.

How heavy are the heatsink+cooler+leds and do you think they can hold more weight without bending down? I'm wondering if I can use two kessil goosenecks to hold my entire LED fixture.
 
This is sort of my dream tank. I know it is not that big but something I always wanted to do. The tank is 40'x36'x31 high custom built with 3/4' starphire glass ( Yes it is a tank). The tank is going in a wall and viewable by 2.25 sides. I don't want to hijack the thread but will eventually create a build thread. Since pictures speak louder the words on RC this may answer your questions (btw I work with computers for my job, And the whole tank will be controlled by a webserver using asp.net) The tank is also going to have a live webcam (Which is currently setup on my old tank for testing but I would be ashamed to tell the think URL as the tank is BAD! Should I start the build thread now? Or wait till it is done? I get the tank( for the second time) this weeend!!
313982_4388840009265_1739604940_n.jpg

This is going to be pretty interesting. Yeah, start a build thread. This thread is pretty cluttered as it is.
 
How heavy are the heatsink+cooler+leds and do you think they can hold more weight without bending down? I'm wondering if I can use two kessil goosenecks to hold my entire LED fixture.

A single Kessil gooseneck can hold pretty good weight. I'll measure how much a single gooseneck can hold this weekend. At one point I measured how much but I dont remember at the moment. I'd guess about a pound but let me experiment and I'll report back in. There's nothing wrong with using two goosenecks but if it only takes one then why use two.
 
Im currently running a nova extreme pro. Half the lights are 10k bulbs and the other half actinic. I currently have the actinics on for 12 hours and the 10ks on for 8 hours.

I want to go slightly more blue so Im looking at the 16k chips.

I have a 125 with 3 equal partitions on the top of the tank. I was thinking of building 3 pendants, one over each section, with each pendant in a sort of star formation.

1 50W 16k chip in the middle(total of 3)
2 10W 445nm on opposite corners(total of 6)
2 10W 450nm on opposite corners(total of 6)

I was planning on running the blues 12 hours a day and the 16k 8 hours a day. Do you think this will give me a good color balance similar to what I run now only slightly more blue?
 
Thank you for this info. I am going to look into it and see if I can figure out a way around it. First time I have seen this info.

I started collecting info over a year ago on LED DIY builds. When I seen the pic of your drivers, it brought that info to mind. Kcress has knowledge regarding this. Maybe if you pm. him he would explain further. Please let us know what you decide.---Rick
 
hi.. i'm reading from 1st page to 50 page and still confuse to choose what led should i build.
my tank was 100cm x 50cm x 50cm

what should i build ? are 1x20W 20K white and 1x20W blue ? or 2x20W 20K white and 2x20W blue ?
also please help me to choose the driver.

does anyone would help me please ?
 
Im currently running a nova extreme pro. Half the lights are 10k bulbs and the other half actinic. I currently have the actinics on for 12 hours and the 10ks on for 8 hours.

I want to go slightly more blue so Im looking at the 16k chips.

I have a 125 with 3 equal partitions on the top of the tank. I was thinking of building 3 pendants, one over each section, with each pendant in a sort of star formation.

1 50W 16k chip in the middle(total of 3)
2 10W 445nm on opposite corners(total of 6)
2 10W 450nm on opposite corners(total of 6)

I was planning on running the blues 12 hours a day and the 16k 8 hours a day. Do you think this will give me a good color balance similar to what I run now only slightly more blue?

I'm not sure what your Nova Extreme lighting looks like. With your choice of multichips your likely to be very blue.
 
hi.. i'm reading from 1st page to 50 page and still confuse to choose what led should i build.
my tank was 100cm x 50cm x 50cm

what should i build ? are 1x20W 20K white and 1x20W blue ? or 2x20W 20K white and 2x20W blue ?
also please help me to choose the driver.

does anyone would help me please ?

From what I understand, with your tank size you'd need two sets of lights. One set for each half. For each half, I'd start with a 60W hybrid. Then add a a few more 10 or 20 watts LEDs to suit your needs. It's really up to you, but power wise, start with at least a 50W LED for each half.
 
From what I understand, with your tank size you'd need two sets of lights. One set for each half. For each half, I'd start with a 60W hybrid. Then add a a few more 10 or 20 watts LEDs to suit your needs. It's really up to you, but power wise, start with at least a 50W LED for each half.

thanks for the information.that's was really help.but one more question,if each half of fixture led is about 50W,what's your suggestion ? is 1x30W 20K white and 1x30W blue ? or 1x20W 20K white and 1x30W blue ?
 
I've ordered the 50W driver for my 40Br, but am a bit stuck on which chip to get.. I was looking at this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-50W-Coo...ltDomain_0&hash=item3f1848c40a#ht_2621wt_1396

But now am worried whether is the right spectrum to grow corals. I like the color it puts out.. but want to make sure it's right for the corals. Any suggestions would be great. :)

You might want to go with 5 10 watt chips. Youll get a better spread and breeders are more shallow so you wont need any punch.

I run 10 10 watt chips over my 40 breeder and drive them at about 75% and i have no problem keeping high intensity sps and have a excellent spread.

the phone in my hands
 
Also.. anyone have an opinion on the prices/qualities of these LED chips? I mean for the same powered (50W) chips out there.. the prices range from 13-100 bucks. Is there a big difference.. and what are they?
 
This seller is not the cheapest, however I have run 27 pcs 10 watt chip´s from him for one and a half year without any problems. I have also 20 watts and 100 watts Epistar-based chip´s that have run for shorter time (3 - 12 months) without any problems (from the same seller) I do not know the qualities from other seller´s - but I´m satisfied with the quality from this seller.

Sincerely Lasse
 
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