Step by step full spectrum diy led build

[gmoney243]

Sacohen has the same size tank. I believe he is going with 72 leds and 2 t5s.
But to answer your question, yes you can fit my leds over your tank. If you did i would suggest lesser degree optic or your going have to turn them way down.

Keep in mind, im getting 500 par 16" down and 250 par on the sandbed 31" and thats with 60° optics and no t5s on

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I have 36 LEDs on a 20 gallon, so yes. Its all about optics and height. Checking par levels is key!

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IME over the last year+ with my leds ive given up on par because all.my corals look better under very low par readings everytime i turn them up a bit a few days later my corals bleach or start fading even most acros. Im running about 100 par on sand with t5 and that still to much for mushrooms and some chalices and such. they all shrink up as well as acans. Run my 90 leds with 60° optics at 70% rb 30% cw with t5 off my led par is like 40 on sand.

 

[Sacohen]

It just occur to me that i never put the man hours it took to build this (thanks dwilliams)

It took me 8 hours to cut, assemble the heatsink, drill the holes and glue the leds.

8 hours for the routing the wires, soldering and testing all the channels.

Another 4 hours soldering all the pots and drivers and making of the mounting brackets.

So a grand total of 20 hours to build this kit.

The total cost is around $350 but the money i saved by doing a DIY instead of buying a premade fixture from a big commercial company. I can only imagine what it would have cost to buy a 90-3watt, 6 dimmable channels with 4- 48" t5s.

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Greg you did put that in an earlier thread, but not as much detail.
You jest said it took you 20 hrs.
Congratulations on the FB post. I saw it this morning when I couldn't sleep.

 

[Sacohen]

Hey Greg0385,

Would your light work for my 55g reef aquarium?

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I am going to go with 72 LED and at least 2 t5's.
After reading some of these additional posts I think 72 may be too much.

I started to do a layout yesterday and that is really tough.

I don't like anything I come up with for 3 rows of 12, so I may go to 4 rows of 9 with a slightly smaller space between each row.

 

[Sacohen]

Greg;

What did you decide to do about the moonlight?
Did you get supplemental strips for night or are you keeping either the blue or royal blue on?

Also I seem to remember reading that you did not put a splash guard over the lights.
Am I right about that and what was the reasoning for the decision?

I'm getting closer on my layout.
When I'm done I would like your opinion on it and maybe Dwilliams if he would like to chime in.

Thanks again guys.

 

[greg0385]

At the moment, im still using the UV/Violet channel as a constant on and its at 50%. I like the look it gives at nite and so far there hasnt been any sign that it is causing harm running it 24/7.

I dont use a splash sheild for a few reason:
I dont like the way it would look
I have a screen top on the tank
Only splashing chance is from the diy coast to coast overflow box and the back t5 arent even over it so the leds in the center arent in any harm from it.

Let me know when you get yours built as i would like to see it, be sure take lots of pics through the build.

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[Sacohen]

It may be a month or so before I get it built.
I'm leaving on vacation for a week on Sunday and then when I get back I need to gather te money for this.

I got the layout done.
I'm 100% thrilled with it, but it's the best I could figure out.

Let me know your opinion.

Thanks

Steve

 

[greg0385]

Here is my first try at your layout:

RB C V B 10 G 65 B 10 V C RB

P UV R B RB UV RB P B R UV P

RB G V 65 B C 10 B 65 V G RB


I moved your reds/pinks to the center row. Not sure if i like its layout.

I like the layout of everything else, but this is just my opinion. Your the one that has to be happy with it. So be sure that whatever you do that you keep that in mind.

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[gmoney243]

Its not gona matter to much where the leds are as long as theyre spread out. Stat by placing the colors with the least ammount of leds and go from there spacing them out.

 

[Sacohen]

Here is my first try at your layout:

RB C V B 10 G 65 B 10 V C RB

P UV R B RB UV RB P B R UV P

RB G V 65 B C 10 B 65 V G RB


I moved your reds/pinks to the center row. Not sure if i like its layout.

I like the layout of everything else, but this is just my opinion. Your the one that has to be happy with it. So be sure that whatever you do that you keep that in mind.

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I like this lay out. It's spaced out pretty well and still symmetrical.
I think my only other question would be what type of optics do you think I need on a 21" deep 12" wide tank. There will be about 3" on either side of the light length wise The lights will be about 6 inches off the top of the water and 11" off the top of the reef.

They have a choice of 45, 60 and 80. From what I've read it looks like the 60 would be good.

 

[greg0385]

I say either 80° or 120°(no optics), but that all depends on how tall your rockscape is.

Go back to my pics where i was using a par meter. Those pics were 15/16" and 30/31" deep and the par levels were way to high.

I dont think you need 60° optics as thats what i am using. Unless you got no rockscape and acros on the sandbed.

If i were you, i get 80° and know that i may be taking off the optics depending how the light spreads and pending where yours corals are at.

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[Sacohen]

Here is a picture of my tank.

The lights will be about 11" above the highest point of the rock and 23" to the substrate.

 

[gmoney243]

By default leds are 120°-140° . LED that close to ur tank is going to be to much light. Leds are not only more efficient on energy but also corals use the light more effecient so u dont need much led light to grow even sps coral.

 

[greg0385]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_XwNn6EMD4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I want to do some editing on this video(add a certain song and info) but its being difficult. So til i figure it out here is the orginal video. If anyone is good at youtube editing then pm me.

Thanks

 

[greg0385]

I finally figured out how to edit the video, but im not satisfied with the overall video. So new and improve video will be posted friday.

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[gmoney243]

I finally figured out how to edit the video, but im not satisfied with the overall video. So new and improve video will be posted friday.

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I use the windows video maker thing. Works decent for what we doing. Then add music from youtubes list. I just pick something i dont even listen to it lol. Sometimes use the shake reducer thing also

 

[greg0385]

I use a movie editor app, i got the video edited, but i left out all 6 channels at 100%. So im going to do a new video tomorrow.

I want to add a regular song instead of youtube's background music, but Im worried about copyrights issues.

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[Sacohen]

Greg;

Where did you get your par meter?
I'm having a tough time finding one in my area.

 

[greg0385]

It was my local club's equipment that they let members borrow

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[gmoney243]

Those cheap par meters dont tell u anything with leds. They are wrong. You would need a highly expensive one calibrated to work with leds. U need to watch ur corals and see how they react. Think of it this way. Leds without optics is like being outside in the sun getting a tan. Optics are like a magnifying glass the tighter they are the more concentrated the light is to the corals even tho a par meter may say otherwise. I run my leds at a low par reading because any higher and corals bleach and fade. If i had wider optics i would get highr par even though it wouldnt increase growth or color. Hope i explained this well

 

[Sacohen]

Those cheap par meters dont tell u anything with leds. They are wrong. You would need a highly expensive one calibrated to work with leds. U need to watch ur corals and see how they react. Think of it this way. Leds without optics is like being outside in the sun getting a tan. Optics are like a magnifying glass the tighter they are the more concentrated the light is to the corals even tho a par meter may say otherwise. I run my leds at a low par reading because any higher and corals bleach and fade. If i had wider optics i would get highr par even though it wouldnt increase growth or color. Hope i explained this well

Mike that explains it fine, but I still need a starting point.
With 6 different channels you have to have some idea where to start and what needs to be adjusted, the UV or the 10K or the pinks or the Blue or Royal Blue.
I can't just make the thing and stick it in my canopy and guess.
In an earlier post Greg said that in my tank I should probably go with 80 degree optics or none.