Need some help with DIY LEDs

[Spartanman22]

I've been considering a DIY led setup for my current 6 gallon nano (but will likely be upgrading to a 25 gallon cube this summer). I have been looking into DIY LEDs as opposed to fixtures but am getting confused rather quickly. This will be for an SPS dominant tank.

I know I want a dimmable setup and was looking at rapidleds's. I have put together this list but don't know if this is all that's needed.

DIY 2 color dimming kit (does this only dim two colors or could it dim two drivers with different colors on each driver? If not how would I dim multiple colors?)

2x Mean Well eln-60-48D dimmable driver

4 Cree XP-G warm whites

10 Cree XT-E royal blues

4 Cree XP-G Cool whites

1 Cree XP-E Red

1 Cree XP-E green

4 Cree UVs

I do have an RKE but have no idea if they can be dimmed with that. It seems these are dimmable with apex and reef angel but not sure about the reef keepers.

My questions are:

Is this a good full spectrum layout?

Should I have neutral whites as opposed to either warm whites or cool whites? Or should I incorporate all three?

On a 20x18x18 cube should I look into trying to get a cube shaped heat sink or will a rectangular 6"x10" heat sink work well?

Should I add in some blue LEDs or will the royal blues cover all my blue led needs?

Sorry for all the questions just want to make sure I know what I'm doing with all this led stuff before I get more serious about it. I'm mostly confused about the whole dimming aspect. I get the concept of dimming and just having all blues on one driver and all whites on another and dimming them separately but can you still do that if not all the LEDs on the driver are the same color? And if so how/what would I need to do so?

 

[jasimek]

Can't answer all your questions but it appears that kit requires you to buy two drivers to control different colors. Seems like a waste of money as it just provides you with a potentiometer which it doesn't sound like u want anyways. I would just buy the two dimmable drivers and then connect them to a reefkeeper or whatever controller u have. You have to have the dimming module that connects with the reefkeeper unit but it will control the LEDs.

 

[jayjigga]

Bam! Haha...I'll come in tomorrow for sure! Drinking atm...

 

[jimmy_beaner]

If you want color control, and not just dimming control... you'll need a dimmable driver for each color channel you set up. So, if you don't care that your red and green are linked (they may not be the same intensity, so if they are on the same driver, one may be stronger than the other and you wouldn't be able to dim them independently), then two drivers would work just fine. If you have a controller that has multiple channels, that would be the easiest way to do it, but you also need to make sure you get an analog 0-10v dimmable driver.

 

[jayjigga]

Okay...so I'm up way too soon, but I'd love to give ma opinion.

I'm not a fan or red or green in that small a scale. I don't think it's able to blend enough. I went with 3 types of white and cyan to get the redder and greenish spectrum for photosynthesis. Really it's more for aesthetics because the peaks aren't where red and green are. If you're set on those colors, that's okay, just put em close to other leds so they blend.
Dimming is great, and with the RKE, you can go with the 60-48D. Idk if you have dimming stock or if you have to purchase a module, but I run an Apex so I get it out the box. I think 2 drivers maxed should be enough light for sps, but adding a 3rd string with some more blue wouldn't hurt. 8W:10B will be pretty white full blast. If I crank mine 100% on all full strings, it looks like a planted tank, which is gross for a reef. I would go with the rectangular heatsink so you can make darker areas for certain things just by moving the heatsink back.

Check out my build thread and PM if you like. Diy all the way

 

[Spartanman22]

Thanks for the help. I was only going with the red and green because that what it seems like all the cool kids were doing :smokin: but I really have no experience with LEDs so don't really know what I'm doing. I've gotten the impression that UVs are pretty important for aesthetic purposes. Is this so? Is there a noticeable difference with having UVs? What ill probably end up doing is just getting a mostly white and blue ration and some UVs, reds, green, and cyans to play around with the color.

So if I have the dimming module on my RKL I would just get the mean well eln 48D drivers and by plugging them in to the module I'd be able to dim the LEDs?

 

[jimmy_beaner]

I've never used the UV, though I do have some of the UV stars waiting for me to finish dissertation. I tested one with a small driver and they put out very small amounts of light. I'm not sure as to how much they make the coral pop, but if they are UV, you shouldn't be seeing the light any way (so I assume they are just near UV).

You could get a very small driver to control your few LEDs like red/green and see if it works for you.

 

[Spartanman22]

Also would this work well as a heatsink?

http://m.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-x-96-in-Aluminum-C-Channel-with-1-16-in-Thick-56870/100338033/

I don't want to do the rapidled heatsink or anything comparable. I'd like to put the LEDs on this then make a black acrylic fixture housing. I'd have a fan either on the top or back side to keep the LEDs cool but don't really know if this would work like the heatsinks. I want to avoid the heatsinks due to aesthetic reasons and make a nicer fixture to hang over the tank since I don't run a canopy on my systems.

 

[jayjigga]

UV's IMO don't put out enough PAR to be aesthetically added. I treat it more as a replacement for the purple plus that people like. I think it's part of the spectrum that coral need. I run my full UV string for 3-4 hrs with one string of blue on a lower setting. When the rest of the lights come on, I turn the UV off.

For heatsinks, the better they are, the cooler you keep the leds, and the longer they'll last. I wouldn't use u channel, but that's my personal preference. You can still make a housing for hood heatsinks, it just takes a little more ingenuity. The drivers have 2 wires that you would run a cable to the controller.