WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH DIY LEDs?
- Thread starter Nonya
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Shon
Well-Known Member
Years back when I had.. plants. CXA3070 still have a few new ones. My glass diffusers and pin-sinks are somewhere.
This is a mod420 that a forum member made and sold.
Currently have Growdaddyled strips (96x Samsung LM301H) for a light bar build.. I have 4x 6500k to use with the MW HLG driver. But now I'm thinking it might be too much and drop 2 strips and use a MW ODLV driver. Or maybe get 2x 450nm strips and another MW ODLV. Drivers have 10v dim for Apex VDM control and control white intensity.
And combine with aquaticlife t5 hybrid.
This is to go above a 40b.
This is a mod420 that a forum member made and sold.
Currently have Growdaddyled strips (96x Samsung LM301H) for a light bar build.. I have 4x 6500k to use with the MW HLG driver. But now I'm thinking it might be too much and drop 2 strips and use a MW ODLV driver. Or maybe get 2x 450nm strips and another MW ODLV. Drivers have 10v dim for Apex VDM control and control white intensity.
And combine with aquaticlife t5 hybrid.
This is to go above a 40b.
Last edited:
Koh23
Valuable Member
Well everytime i see some diy product, no matter is it t5, led light or some crazy hybrid, i think how retail product dont come even close to results that people have with their diy's.....
Simply nothing out of box cannot come close to offer that level of customization, every setup is different, and even best and most custobizable light unit will always be inferior to diy, if nothing, in that term of "made to fit needs"…...
It may not look great, it may not have gazilion of options, channels, mumbo jumbo, but, it provide exactly what one want based on his tank needs/preferences.....
Simply nothing out of box cannot come close to offer that level of customization, every setup is different, and even best and most custobizable light unit will always be inferior to diy, if nothing, in that term of "made to fit needs"…...
It may not look great, it may not have gazilion of options, channels, mumbo jumbo, but, it provide exactly what one want based on his tank needs/preferences.....
Lingwendil
Well-Known Member
I had a nice long development thread going on my own PCB designs, and was ultimately very happy with the outcome. I have been using two of the PCBs (one 8up lDD-H board, One 4up LDD-L board) for over two years without a single issue on two different builds, and there are several dozen of my driver boards in use throughout the SF bay area in various projects. They have been 100% trouble free to all I have set them up for.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/some-pcb-design-ideas-for-diy-ldd-l-driver-based-builds.545966/
https://github.com/Lingwendil/LDD-L-driver-PCBs-for-Aquarium-LED-lighting
I really wish the LDD-L series drivers would have caught on more in the DIY community- they are so handy and versatile for smaller or moderately complex builds, but there was zero support from LED vendors for them PCB or accessory wise. I still have way more PCBs than I will ever use, as very few people actually wanted to buy any. If you're interested in some let me know. 4up LDD-L, 8up LDD-L and LD-H versions available.
I have had this fixture going for the entire time over my 40 breeder- Very nice with the Luxeon K16 16up LEDs.
Formerly I also had a nice little freshwater rig going too, since replaced by a different tank but still LED and same driver board-
When I eventually used the same setup as a reef the BlueAcro boards and my PCB for the drivers made a super clean setup in a MakersLED 6" fixture-
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/some-pcb-design-ideas-for-diy-ldd-l-driver-based-builds.545966/
https://github.com/Lingwendil/LDD-L-driver-PCBs-for-Aquarium-LED-lighting
I really wish the LDD-L series drivers would have caught on more in the DIY community- they are so handy and versatile for smaller or moderately complex builds, but there was zero support from LED vendors for them PCB or accessory wise. I still have way more PCBs than I will ever use, as very few people actually wanted to buy any. If you're interested in some let me know. 4up LDD-L, 8up LDD-L and LD-H versions available.
I have had this fixture going for the entire time over my 40 breeder- Very nice with the Luxeon K16 16up LEDs.
Formerly I also had a nice little freshwater rig going too, since replaced by a different tank but still LED and same driver board-
When I eventually used the same setup as a reef the BlueAcro boards and my PCB for the drivers made a super clean setup in a MakersLED 6" fixture-
danielch2008
Community Member
What are equipament you used? What board eletronic is this?
Reign1
Active Member
I have built a few DIY Leds for older systems (been since 11') so familiar with them. Back then did meanwell drivers and 3w Cree . I know I did not have a good color ratio. Please let me know what LED's you used on your larger system and the ratio. TIAI still do.
Both home and office tanks run on diy leds.
(Some details on the led build Post in thread '15g Office nano tank - natural sea water' https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/15g-office-nano-tank-natural-sea-water.820995/post-8825471 )
I think you can save money if you know what you are doing and if you accept some compromises.
My home led cost less then 400usd (probability around 300) and give me even par of around 300 in the middle of the tank using about 140w. Tank is 4 feet long, with very litle shadowing as the led are distributed over an area of approximately 100cm by 30cm.
If you really want to get fancy you can have your own pcb made so you can have multiple chanels for control
The office leds are just on and off (although they can be easily modified for dimming) while the home ones are controlled by the ghl.
Cheers
Hi Reign.
They are a mix of (supposedly) epileds, bridglux and a lot of cheap 3w led from ebay. Can't really confirm the origin, but while they were sold has such I suspect most are cheap chinese leds. Having sait that, the lights have been going for 3 years and apart from replacing the uvs (they burn out easely), it has been fantastic.
The couler mix is about 13 whites, 3 warm whites, 8 to 10 around 400nm to 410 and the remaining (58) are mainly royal blues with some different shades of blue in the mixe.
There used to be below 400nm but they keep burning out, so I replaced them with 400 and 410nm from ebay.
Current state of the tank
Cheers
Reign1
Active Member
what wattage are each LED?Hi Reign.
They are a mix of (supposedly) epileds, bridglux and a lot of cheap 3w led from ebay. Can't really confirm the origin, but while they were sold has such I suspect most are cheap chinese leds. Having sait that, the lights have been going for 3 years and apart from replacing the uvs (they burn out easely), it has been fantastic.
The couler mix is about 13 whites, 3 warm whites, 8 to 10 around 400nm to 410 and the remaining (58) are mainly royal blues with some different shades of blue in the mixe.
There used to be below 400nm but they keep burning out, so I replaced them with 400 and 410nm from ebay.
Current state of the tank
Cheers
Steven Garland
Valuable Member
I'm still thugging it out on DIY leds,10+ years.
My most current DIY
My most current DIY
Steven Garland
Valuable Member
Still running my old LEDBricks. Drivers and controllers are original. I replaced the emitter boards after about 5 years running.
www.reef2reef.com
Still building GleamRails
www.reef2reef.com
Just started planning replacing the aquarium that runs the LEDBricks, so that will get a supersized variant of the GleamRail.
LEDBrick - DIY LED Pendant with Pucks
8 year update: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ledbrick-diy-led-pendant-with-pucks.243746/page-12#post-10936553 New design underway ------------------------------------------- (This is my summary of a project I did over the past ~ year, in condensed form, for others to be inspired by across...
www.reef2reef.com
Still building GleamRails
GleamRail, the successor to LEDBrick
Status: Heatsink with machining work (alternate) received. First driver/LED pair build and tested. PCB layout and design continues. Hi everyone! You may remember me from past threads including LEDBrick (LEDS! In Brick form! With no actual bricks!) and a few bad attempts at getting another...
www.reef2reef.com
Just started planning replacing the aquarium that runs the LEDBricks, so that will get a supersized variant of the GleamRail.
Screwgunner
Valuable Member
I ordered the kit from China $300 for 120 leds 2 drivers potentiometer x2 1 for blues and one for whites. Apoxy and lenses and wire. You have to make a cover and a heat sink . I used a 3/16 inch piece of alluminum 18 inched deep and 65 inches wide. Only thing I would change is adding a few uv leds.
Steven Garland
Valuable Member
@theatrus so is BA putting anymore arrays products into production or is the whole thing dead now ?
Working on filling some of the easier to make gaps: controllers and drivers.
LEDs right now are on-comission basis.
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