Build my LED 14000k review

[p0lecat]

So I have been looking for an afordable LED option to replace my 4x54 watt T5 fixture and decided to pull the trigger on a 48" 14000k build my LED fixture. I'm still new to the reef keeping world and my tank has been set up since June of 12. This review will be simple as to help those of you who are like me and suffer from information overload from all the research that is possible through the Internet.

My Goals with this fixture:
Affordable
Looks good
Grows LPS and SPS
Reduce power consumption

So far the quality of construction and customer service from buildmyled are outstanding. The price is half that of leading LED fixtures

I sent a photo of my current set up to buildmyled and Nick the Co-owner suggested the 14000k 48" fixture he also suggested the super actinic 48" spectrum to go with it, but I'm starting with the 14000k (trying to stay out of trouble with the wife). I really like how the new fixture looks and it has a crazy small footprint (makes my 75 gallon look big.

I have a mixed bag of frags, 2 acans, 2 sps, zoas, mushrooms, rics, 1 Duncan, 2 torch and a favia. So, as time goes on I will report the health of the corals. The fixture has a 75 degree lense, it sits right on the tank and makes my corals pop. Also it is runnin at 100% the driver is dimable and I will use that option with my apex once I order the actinic for sunrise and sunset.

My apex used to run at 3 amps with all the pumps running, but know shows 1.5 with the new fixture.

I will post my initial photos and take some more with my nicer cannon later this week.

I

 

[p0lecat]

So I have been looking for an afordable LED option to replace my 4x54 watt T5 fixture and decided to pull the trigger on a 48" 14000k build my LED fixture. I'm still new to the reef keeping world and my tank has been set up since June of 12. This review will be simple as to help those of you who are like me and suffer from information overload from all the research that is possible through the Internet.

My Goals with this fixture:
Affordable
Looks good
Grows LPS and SPS
Reduce power consumption

So far the quality of construction and customer service from buildmyled are outstanding. The price is half that of leading LED fixtures

I sent a photo of my current set up to buildmyled and Nick the Co-owner suggested the 14000k 48" fixture he also suggested the super actinic 48" spectrum to go with it, but I'm starting with the 14000k (trying to stay out of trouble with the wife). I really like how the new fixture looks and it has a crazy small footprint (makes my 75 gallon look big.

I have a mixed bag of frags, 2 acans, 2 sps, zoas, mushrooms, rics, 1 Duncan, 2 torch and a favia. So, as time goes on I will report the health of the corals. The fixture has a 75 degree lense, it sits right on the tank and makes my corals pop. Also it is runnin at 100% the driver is dimable and I will use that option with my apex once I order the actinic for sunrise and sunset.

My apex used to run at 3 amps with all the pumps running, but know shows 1.5 with the new fixture.

I will post my initial photos and take some more with my nicer cannon later this week.

I

This is my tank under my T5s

 

[p0lecat]

This is my tank under the new buildmyled fixture

 

[p0lecat]

I will post updates including pics of the fixture and coral growth once I get the nice camera setup this week

 

[Reefing Madness]

Very Nice. Love to see them when you can get em up.

 

[p0lecat]

more pics

In these photos you can see the small footprint of the fixture.

 

[p0lecat]

frags reaction

So you can see a couple of the frags I have under the new LEDs. The two SPS lost most of their color under the T-5's so we will see how it goes. I'm trying to keep this simple by just presenting the results.

My Tank Specs:
75g
1 48" Buildmyled 14000k running at 100%
1 48" T-5 54 watt actinic for sunrise/sunset (saving to replace this with actinic 48" build my LED I also will get VDM module to control dimming)
29G refuguim
GFO reactor
GAC reactor
2 koralli 1150's
1 Koralli 750
eshopps 100 protein skimmer
Neptune Apex lite controller- controlls everything plugged in including, heater and ATO
ATO has limewater and I use the PH probe on Apex as fail safe

 

[p0lecat]

Well its been five days and corals are still happy, I will post new pics every few weeks or so. I think that will show if the lights are working well. So far I'm pretty happy especially for the price!

 

[terminallance]

I just purchased these same lights, they look great looking forward to seeing growth

 

[Squishie89]

Any updates on this?

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

 

[Sacohen]

I'm looking at them for my 55 gallon tank.

Can this be used stand alone or is it a supplement to T5 or Power Compact.

I was looking at a 4' 14000K light with 75° optics on it.

Opinions???

 

[p0lecat]

It can be, i used it with a single t5 actinic for sunrise effect, then i got the super actinic version and its the perfect combo, i will update with some pics in the next couple of days

 

[Gma6504]

It can be, i used it with a single t5 actinic for sunrise effect, then i got the super actinic version and its the perfect combo, i will update with some pics in the next couple of days

any updates?

 

[p0lecat]

Yes, Im still really happy with these lights. I will add some photos later tonight. I have been growing clams under this light for months now. I have rescued browned out sps and brought their color back. Plus I just ordered two 72" fixtures for my upgrade tank build. I will be selling my 48" lights and transferring my live stock to the bigger tank.

 

[p0lecat]

updated pics

some newer pics, lights are still doing a good job

 

[p0lecat]

you'll notice a few unhealthy looking corals, they are rescues from a friends tank, these pics are from sept so I will break out the camera and show some close up updates. Like I said these likes work great and for the price to have controllable LEDS you can't beat it, I just ordered two lights for my 72" build.

 

[Squishie89]

What beam angles/optics did you get? I got 60 and I kind of wish I had gone for at least 75. But I would agree the lights are pretty darn awesome.

 

[p0lecat]

I got the 75 degree, they give good coverage. I only bring them up to 100% for midday the rest of the day they are at 75%

 

[TJ's Reef]

Very nice, could you post up the specs to the fixture as in color and type of emitters quantity of each and so forth. Were you able to choose the mix or just degree of optics. I'll take a look at the website but it'd be nice to have this data here in thread.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Sacohen]

Very nice, could you post up the specs to the fixture as in color and type of emitters quantity of each and so forth. Were you able to choose the mix or just degree of optics. I'll take a look at the website but it'd be nice to have this data here in thread.

Cheers, Todd

They do have a configuration tool that will allow you to choose the color mix per 12" section and then that get repeated for the length of your strip.

Custom LED Strip - BML Custom