My DIY LED build!

[ghellin]

Here is my build thread for my 24 gallon aquapod. After hundreds of hours reading I decided to go the LED route using Cree 3 watt LED'S. I used 12 Cree XP-G cool white LEDs and 12 Cree royal blue XR-E's. I will be running them at 700 mA using meanwell drivers.

Here are the pics of the build process.

The old power compacts

Gutting out the hood.

Laying it all out.

Dry fitting the XP-Gs.

Now the XR-Es.

Then wiring and adding the thermal grease.

Everything installed and connected.

Putting the acrylic shield back on.

Time to test.

The finished product!

 

[happysak]

Looks good

 

[ghellin]

Thank you! Pictures don't do it justice it is very bright and I am getting an incredible shimmer!

 

[chaderic26]

Do you have a list of parts, prices, and where you bought everything?

 

[pwhitby]

very nice Job.

I would also like to see more information on your build, such as cost.

 

[ghellin]

I made my order from rapidled.com. my order total came to $332. This could have been $36 cheaper but I added the solderless connectors, so I didn't have to buy a new soldering gun.
I had to buy a few things from the depot like 3m tape and a few screws.

Here is what I bought.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-53/24-Ultra-Premium-LED/Detail

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-121/Solderless-Connector-for-CREE/Detail

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-120/Solderless-Connector-for-CREE/Detail

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-70/60mm-Vantec-Stealth-Fan/Detail

And I guess in the last 5 days they have dropped the price on the LEDs by $15 and they don't have the heatsink I ordered. The heat sink I bought is 5.9" x 9" drilled and tapped for $30.

 

[lauremf2002]

Very nice!

 

[shawne]

Very nice job Greg!

 

[ghellin]

Thanks everyone I think I should be fine to try a few sps corals now. The royal blues ate making things pop better than the actinics every did.

 

[Spiker101]

Nice build, looks just like my except twice as big and alot neater lol

Are you using the optic that they gave you?

Btw if anyone is interested in doing any big LED build they can save money by:

Do the solder/taping yourself
Buy LED from regional distributer (can save about 30% on each led if you buy a few hundred)
Use big drivers. There are some drivers that can drive 80 LED and is much cheapter than buying 6 separate smaller one.
Buy fan stuff from computer store

 

[ghellin]

No I decided not to use optics since the fixture is only 2 inches above the water. But they did include the optics.

 

[Spiker101]

Hey did you leave your whole heatsink inside the hood? I had my inside then it got way hot so I had to cut the hood and make the heatsink stick outside.

 

[ghellin]

Yes. I am using 60mm x 25mm fans I have them turned all the way up an they seen to be doing good. and i opened up the factory knockouts above the heat sink.

 

[gregzbobo]

Very nice. I've done a similar build (using Meanwell dimmable drivers though) on my 28g JBJ nano, the tank isn't setup yet due to apartment complex security deposit issues, but I DO have LEDs in my smaller JBJ 12g which IS setup and running, very bright.

 

[ghellin]

That's awesome how is your 12 doing with your Leds?

 

[gregzbobo]

That's awesome how is your 12 doing with your Leds?

Its doing alright, I moved to a new apartment at the end of July, and am still fighting off the effects of that, however the 2 SPS corals that survived are coming back and coloring up slowly but surely, and my LPS corals are doing a bit better. I lost all my neon green bumpy mushrooms, but my red mushrooms, ric, and most of my zoas are doing alot better now. The ric has split even and both individuals are growing. If I can win the algae battle and keep my chemistry going well, I'm confident growth and color will explode.

Before the move I'd been having problems keeping magnesium levels correct so was having some SPS bleaching, but my levels are better now. I'd seen boatloads of growth on my monti, it must have tripled in surface area since I got it in early January which was about 2 weeks after I installed the LEDs. The ones in my 12g run at 700mA like yours, in fact one of the drivers is the same as one of yours I think.

The 28G is using the Meanwell 60-48D drivers to push 24 Cree emitters at 1000mA, plus dimming capability. I'll connect my Reefkeeper ALC module to them to automate that to have a gradual dimup-dimdown to simulate sunrise/sunset. I soldered that setup and used custom thermal adhesive pads and a fairly massive heatsink from HeatsinkUSA. Gave me a great excuse to buy a Weller soldering station. lol

Since the 28g is pretty tall, and the design of the hood precludes using optics on it, I only expect about 150 PAR at the sandbed max. I could get some of the newer XP series emitters (I'm using XR series) that can handle more current (1500mA) and drive them at the Meanwells' max output of 1300mA for more PAR, but would have to redo the whole thing, I don't think I'll do that.

 

[ghellin]

Good to hear your getting good growth. I have several zoas that look better than ever! I would really like to do the sunrise sunset thing on my next build.

 

[ghellin]

Update! Sps all show new growth!

 

[harleybmw73]

How are temps with the drivers inside the hood? I have a aquapod 24 and was thinking about leds but still undecided between a heat sink like yours or the nanocustoms heat sink.

 

[ghellin]

I only see a temp rise of 2 degrees once my leds come on. You will need fans for sure, I would recommend keeping the drivers in the hood.