cmcneils reef savvy build thread

[cmcneil]

That looks nice Rob,are you using potentiometers on your LEDs?I have no clue how to wire them in and really want to have them in this setup for easy dimming.my last led setup I just used the 1-12v enercell power supplies but hate the little switches that are on them and would prefer to have the dials of the potentiometers.

 

[GR808]

Chris, I didn't use pots on my setup because I used a ReefKeeper Lite (RKL) from Digital Aquatics(DA). I used the controller so I wouldn't have to manually turn a dial to get a dimming effect. With the RKL I can set the percentage of intensity for the leds and how long for them to get to full power at that intensity range. Since I have 4 drivers for 96 leds I control 2 drivers (RB) on a dimming schedule and the other 2 drivers (CW/RB) on another dimming schedule. Both combined for a sunrise/sunset effect. Its was fairly reasonable purchase I am happy to have gotten.

 

[nayrgaijin]

WOW!!!!!!! This looks so great!
Please keep us updated! :D

 

[cmcneil]

looking good man
hey what sps do you have
i cleaned out my frag rank and got rid of some big colonies so im looking to get a few new pieces.

hint hint
trade for a vortech and some cash for a few choice pieces

Rich most of my SPS are still frags,the only ones I have that are fragable are my red planet,tricolor valida,ATL Halloween milli,and my blue/purple prostrata.I can't spend a penny on anything else at all right now since I still need to pay off the tank and that's coming up real soon.will bills being tight right now it will be tough enough to come up with the tank money much less buying more equipment.I've been paying alot of doctors lately trying to figure out what's best for my back and that's really killing my finances :(

Rob,I got a call from an electronics buddy of mine today and he sent me over a wiring diagram for adding the potentiometers so I have that figured out now :D No more enercell switching power supplies for my dimming.

Nayrgaijin,thank you for the compliment.I just love setting up tanks and doing build threads.I think this is build thread #5 in as many years lol.

I got my lumatek select-a-watt ballast today and I have to say it is very nice looking.I would compare it to the galaxy select-a-watt ballasts as far as look and feel.the only thing that seems different IS the color.the lumatek can be ran with 120 or 240v which is a nice feature but I will be using it in 120v since I don't have a 240v outlet anywhere near the ballast.I have also decided to run the ballet as a 150w.I think I'll be better off doing that so I don't heat the tank too much an I should have plenty of light between it and the 32 LEDs I'm mixing it with.here are pics of the ballast.

 

[GR808]

glad u got the dimming feature figured out.. Thats one sweet looking ballast that will do a different selected wattage outputs. Is the ballast dimmable for the MH lamp? I've never seen a dimmable MH.

 

[cmcneil]

No it isn't dimmable for MH but I do believe they make dimmable MH ballasts but don't quote me on that.

 

[cmcneil]

.....update.....
the fixture is coming along nicely today.we are slow at work so my boss is letting me work on it during normal hours which is helping alot with how much i get done.i have all the LED holes drilled and the MH cutout cut and routered clean.at the rate im going it should be done tomorrow and ready for final wiring and assembly.here is where im at as of lunch time.i am going to be working on the top of the fixture after lunch and hope to be almost done by the end of the day.

 

[Troylee]

looking good man... your as bad as me sneaking it on the clock and lunch hour haha....:tongue:

 

[GR808]

Awesome chris. I like the braces u made for the mh light. Keep up the good work.

 

[cmcneil]

Yeah I am Troy,I do a lot of stuff for myself in between jobs.
Thanks Rob,I had to add those braces in because the heatsinks were sagging due to the wieght.now I'm adding in tiedowns to secure the lighting to the box.

 

[cmcneil]

All strapped down

 

[snobored]

Nice project

 

[cmcneil]

Nice project

Thank you,I have put a good amount of work into the light fixture.

 

[rybitski]

Rob,I got a call from an electronics buddy of mine today and he sent me over a wiring diagram for adding the potentiometers so I have that figured out now :D No more enercell switching power supplies for my dimming.

I am curious about how you are wiring the LEDs. If you put a potentiometer directly inline with the LEDs it will fail at low light levels. Any chance you could post that schematic?

 

[cmcneil]

it will be wired in between the 12v power supply and the 12v input in the driver.

 

[cmcneil]

.....update.....
my light fixture is basically done.I just need to get the last two fans and guards and add them on to the top of the fixture.all of the LEDs are wired up and the drivers are dialed in to 650mA per reefledlights.com's specs.since I'm running 16 bulbs per driver I had to run two parallel strings of 8 to make it work correctly.I'm using my girlfriends label maker to label the wires going in and out of the fixture for easy connection.here are the pics.

Blues on :D

I still need to wire the pots in so I can dim the LEDs but that is nothing major and only about 20 minutes work.I'm really happy how the fixture came out and it should look great hanging over the reef savvy tank.

 

[droblack]

You are a mad man! That light system is a cornucopia of lumen sources, can't wait to see your tank in action. You could just put your light over a couch or reading chair and we would all be impressed. Nice.

 

[cmcneil]

You are a mad man! That light system is a cornucopia of lumen sources, can't wait to see your tank in action. You could just put your light over a couch or reading chair and we would all be impressed. Nice.

lolol i love your description of the light,i am sure it will be plenty of light for the tank.between the 32 leds and 150w MH i should have a great balance between color and growth.i couldnt get the white/blue mixed driver running tonight since the dang male plug broke on me so i have to hit up radio shack in the morning to finish the leds off.i have a 250w halide bulb i can run until i buy a 150w pheonix 14k.i think ill hook it up now and fire it up just to see the color i get :D

 

[cmcneil]

I think I'm going to like this light setup :) it's super bright now and I only have 16 of the 32 LEDs running and no optics on yet.Plus that is only a radium 20k,I can imagine it with a phoenix 14k or aquaconnect 14k.

 

[GR808]

dang man, you need to make me one like that.... SUPER SWEET