Noob & LED's

[Kharn]

G'day all =)

I'm relatively new to the world of LED and lighting in general and am in the current process of setting up a multiple tank system where there will be around 8 display tanks, having said that these are normal display tanks....they won't be housing anything delicate and only the MOST HARDY of corals (zoa's morph's come to mind).

I want to use LED strip lighting but being that (A) I have a big lack of knowledge in this subject and (B) I need to cover 7.5mtrs of length min (depending on brightness I may have to double up etc..)

An Idea of the tanks at hand....

Note these dimensions are from the underside of the cabinets (above each tank) where the LED strips would be placed, to the top of the substrates depth in each tank.

3 Stands - 3 tanks each stand
Top tanks - 600mm Depth X 300mm Width
Middle tanks - 600mm Depth X 300mm Width
Bottom tanks - 800mm Depth X 300mm Width

What recommendations would you give, as I said only the most basic and hardiest of corals will go in these tanks beyond that there is just Live Rock, Sand and a mantis shrimp in each tank =)

I really would hate to go out and spend over $2000 on some LED's only to have them not bright enough or way to bright etc. as I said I'm new to this and really don't understand it other then Strip LED's are rather cheap compared to getting 8-16 of your standard in hood T5 fluros.....which I know would work but would take up a lot of space along with costing 4-6x the amount the LED strips would.

Thanks for any help you can provide

 

[Kharn]

BUMP

Anyone that can help me ?

Even if you Privately message me =D be ok really need help on this...

 

[Kharn]

More info

My aim was to use flexible, waterproof, strip lights they often come in rolls of 5m,10m,15m I aimed on getting around 15-30mtrs of strip lighting all up and 2 colors, pure white and deep blue, by getting 15mtrs of each color I can have 2 lengths of each color above each tank if I go 30mtrs then I can have 4lengths of each color above each tank.

Problem is power etc I am to new to the understandings of LED's...I hear that 5050 LED's are the best and brightest so I am leaning towards them, its just that to get T5 fixtures for all these tanks would cost well over $2000...whilst the LED strips even 30mtrs of it will only cost me $500....I am more incline to go with the 5050's and then use a dimmer if there too bright.

This is what I am looking at

Blue - http://www.onlinelighting.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=60_179&products_id=12069

White - http://www.onlinelighting.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=60_179&products_id=12072

Also depending on how many lengths I would need above each tank of the basic blue and white colors I may be able to fit other colors in as well like green and red just because overall its SOOOOOO much cheaper the T5 fixture lights.

Red - http://www.onlinelighting.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=60_179&products_id=12071

Green - http://www.onlinelighting.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=60_179&products_id=12070

Any help or pointers would be really appreciative!