Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[JACOXVIII]

Okay 5 Channels with 10 LEDs per channel.
1. 2 640nm Reds with 8 Neutral Whites LEDs.
2, 1 490 nm , 1 500nm, and 8 cool white 7,000nm
3 . 2 470 nm, 4 460 nm and 4 450 nm
4. 5 450 nm, 5 460 nm
5. 2 420 nm, 4 430nm 4 440nm

These can probably be debated up and back. But if you vary the intensity on each of these channels you should be able to get what most people would be happy with.

i would watch at how much white you put in there it is powerful and is easy to wash out other color. Plus if it has a phosphorus coating the bluer led will ignite / light it up even with the whites off.

but i like where this is going

 

[Hudzon]

I would want to build a replica of a 14k phoenix MH as close as I could with using a lot of 450nm Royal blues.
A phoenix is
large peak @ 450
small peaks @ 500, 520, 550 and 590
tiny peak @ 650 - 670


I would not even add any 410nm - 440nm as I would add them with dedicated chips to emulate a UVL VHO Super Actinic

 

[TropTrea]

I would want to build a replica of a 14k phoenix MH as close as I could with using a lot of 450nm Royal blues.
A phoenix is
large peak @ 450
small peaks @ 500, 520, 550 and 590
tiny peak @ 650 - 670


I would not even add any 410nm - 440nm as I would add them with dedicated chips to emulate a UVL VHO Super Actinic

An interesting web sight that I found which gives a good evaluation of some LED combinations I'll link to here. Unfortunately they only have some of the available chips available for these plots. They do evaluate the combination giving true spectrum and CRI or CTI values however most MH bulbs were not advertised with there true K values, so if you create a true 14K combination here it might not match a particular bulb adverised at 14K. Note most MH bulbs were actually bluer than they were advertised, especially those with higher K ratings.


http://www.bmlcustom.com/custom-led-strip/

 

[007Bond]

Gojng back to the light combination I gave you I'd start with dialing all the channels to 50% of full power. Ten start tweaking them one at time by 5% increments to see if they improve the lighting to your taste or not. Keep repeating this several times through all the colors untill you get on them to hit 100%. This then is the rough ratio between all your colors.

If you want a dramatic sunrise and sun set then set the system to start with channel 5 and bring it up to the predetermined brightness, then go to channel 4 and do the same followed by the same thing for the remaining three channels in order. Your being in the super florescence first then extending the florescence and you start stimulating growth while you finally bring up the reflective colors.

Thanks Dennis,...my controller has the capability to do just that. I can control individual channels, intensities, and time durations. That is why I ask... what leds in the 5 channel combinations.(I know opinions vary) that will suit the corals best.
The way I would run my controller is,....I would run colors/channels best suited for the corals growth during the day(when I'm not viewing), and bring up/add colors and intensity for best viewing purposes at night.
Hope I made some sense as to what I want to do.---Rick

 

[Hudzon]

Ok this is what I came up with
50 watt multichip to emulate a Phoenix 14k minus the below 450 wavelength
Ch1 - 10 x 450nm
CH2 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
CH3 - 4 x 660nm, 4 x 590nm, 2 x 470nm
Ch4 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
Ch5 - 10 x 450nm

10 watt multichip to emulate a uvl vho super actinic
2x410
5x420
2x440

 

[007Bond]

Ok this is what I came up with
50 watt multichip to emulate a Phoenix 14k minus the below 450 wavelength
Ch1 - 10 x 450nm
CH2 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
CH3 - 4 x 660nm, 4 x 590nm, 2 x 470nm
Ch4 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
Ch5 - 10 x 450nm

10 watt multichip to emulate a uvl vho super actinic
2x410
5x420
2x440

Question for you, and not sure if you know the answer,....will that seller build a chip with more than 5 channels? reason I ask is a storm-x will run 16 channels. Thanks,---Rick

 

[Hudzon]

Sorry have no idea if they would expand the channels or not, I have never seen anything above 5 channels on a multichip.

 

[007Bond]

Thanks!

 

[TropTrea]

Ok this is what I came up with
50 watt multichip to emulate a Phoenix 14k minus the below 450 wavelength
Ch1 - 10 x 450nm
CH2 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
CH3 - 4 x 660nm, 4 x 590nm, 2 x 470nm
Ch4 - 4 x 6500k, 2 x 4000k, 2 x 470nm, 2 x 500mn
Ch5 - 10 x 450nm

10 watt multichip to emulate a uvl vho super actinic
2x410
5x420
2x440

The Changes I'd make is between 2 and 4
on one I'
d run your 4 4,000K's and the other at least 6 of the 6.500K
The reason is they both have a distinct tint to them. With them split you can control the color more to your tastes. Id also suspect you will be running channel 3 at an extremely low level.

 

[rickyb]

I was reading a bit more on those multichips and found that they run at 350mA. Most of the LED's I seen run at 700mA-1000mA. Thoughts?

 

[danielcassar]

Hi all, Its been nearly a year since i am running my reef tank on multichip leds. i have 12 leds ( 6 leds 15,000K and 6 leds 450-455 nm) powered by 3 meanwell drivers. in these last 6 months i am experiencing an outbreak of hair algae....which i never had in these 5 years with my system. Can it be cause of these leds? does someone experienced this outbreak as well?

Thanks
Daniel

 

[marspeed]

I have an outbreak of hair algae and in all the years this is the first time I don't think it is the LEDs

 

[rickyb]

I found a fixture that interest me for my reef. What do you think on the setup of this multichip LED?

12 x Blue LEDs run at 3W SemiLED 470nm input 3.5V , 750MA
10 x Cool White LEDs run at 3W Bridglux 12000K 3.5V 750MA
6 x Royal LEDs run at 3W SemiLED 440NM Input 3.5V 750MA
4 x UV LEDs run at 3W Edison 375-380nm 3.5v 750ma
6 X 6500K LEDs run at 3W bridglux 6500K 3.5v 750ma
2 x yellow LEDs run at 3W epistar 590nm 3.5v 750ma
1 x red LEDs run at 3w epistar 660nm 2.5V 750MA
1 x green LEDs run at 3W epistar 520NM 3.5V 750MA

 

[proietti]

Unless you were punching in loads of red colour which you are not. It is not the leds it is most definitely tank parameters. I use a algea refugium with red leds and even there hair algea does not grow. Check you phosphate and nitrate.

 

[proietti]

12 x Blue LEDs run at 3W SemiLED 470nm input 3.5V , 750MA
10 x Cool White LEDs run at 3W Bridglux 12000K 3.5V 750MA
6 x Royal LEDs run at 3W SemiLED 440NM Input 3.5V 750MA
4 x UV LEDs run at 3W Edison 375-380nm 3.5v 750ma
6 X 6500K LEDs run at 3W bridglux 6500K 3.5v 750ma
2 x yellow LEDs run at 3W epistar 590nm 3.5v 750ma
1 x red LEDs run at 3w epistar 660nm 2.5V 750MA
1 x green LEDs run at 3W epistar 520NM 3.5V 750MA

The UVs are not in the right spectrum. They should be between 400 - 430nm. Below 400 is true ultra violet which damages all tissues. The yellows I would omit as there has been a lot of info that this colour again is more damaging than usefull. The greens I would substitute for a turquoise as this will give a better visual effect.

 

[rickyb]

Thanks for the reply back. I'll look to see if they can customize the multichip.

 

[007Bond]

Been following,...please post what you end up doing.---Rick

 

[danielcassar]

Unless you were punching in loads of red colour which you are not. It is not the leds it is most definitely tank parameters. I use a algea refugium with red leds and even there hair algea does not grow. Check you phosphate and nitrate.

I have a refugium with cheato....parameters mark zero for both no3 and po4!....i have GFO and do a water change every week (40l) my system is 180 litres. been doing this for this past 2 years....only when i introduced leds...

 

[proietti]

I have a refugium with cheato....parameters mark zero for both no3 and po4!....i have GFO and do a water change every week (40l) my system is 180 litres. been doing this for this past 2 years....only when i introduced leds...

mmhhh ... I posted a link earlier on to a forum with a long video which suggests that yellow light produced by the white bulbs can cause algae growth. Have a look maybe you are punching in too much yellow. What test kits are you using? Additives? What lighting did you have before Leds?

 

[danielcassar]

mmhhh ... I posted a link earlier on to a forum with a long video which suggests that yellow light produced by the white bulbs can cause algae growth. Have a look maybe you are punching in too much yellow. What test kits are you using? Additives? What lighting did you have before Leds?

That might be the cause....because the 15,000K leds are more to the yellow spectrum light (i think the leds were cheap and not with the correct K). Im using salifert and tested with red sea as well to double check. as additives i use bicorbonate of soda for alkanity and calcium chloride for calcium. than ultra min s for corals. I had T5 lights before

Thanks