setting up new LED fixture

kratos1028

kratos1028

Active member
I currently have t5s over my reef but I am thinking of switching over to LEDS. the thing is, I have no idea on what out there is good or what isn't. I just know I want a blueish look, not too blue, and I want it to be dimmable since I can't hang it up too high, maybe 5-10" at the most from the water surface. Would it be cheaper/better if I made a DIY kit or buying a fixture from one of the online vendors? Any recommendations on where to start would be greatly appreciated :) I would need something that would be good for a 24" deep tank.

I am also very new to DIY led and not familiar with electrical wiring if I went that direction.
 
DIY, although a little time consuming, is very easy and can look amazing when done right, there are a LOT of really nice heatsinks now designed to be seen, not just a bare slab of aluminum hanging over your tank. Soldering is very simple once you get the hang of it, and I have the multimeter you need to adjust the drivers during the build so no worries on that part.

For a pre built setup, if you want blue and not too concerned with having a full spectrum these are really cool and hit a sweet spot for price. Cree LEDs, lots of PAR, one would work great over your 36" wide tank, remote control, full sunrise/sunset dimming, a lunar mode for night time. Even has legs so no need to hang it! He even says if there is interest he can run a batch with full spectrum if you don't mind a couple LEDs not being Cree (apparently certain colors arent available from Cree)

http://www.chicagoreefs.com/forums/...ote-controlled-programmable-fixtures-419-99!!
 
It depends what u want. I have a DIY and it looks great. But I've seen the radion and the ai sol that also look great. If the radion was out when I was getting my leds I would have bought it. It look better has great output and can communicate with the correct pumps wirelessly. If money isn't the issue I would do the radion if I were u. But if u want to check out Gus Prestige led fixture. I read that there good fixture and a couple of reefers have them here on cr so can check them out.
 
If he does radions, wouldn't he need 2 for a 36" wide tank? At 750 a piece doesn't seem cost effective, but yea, for a big name product they are pretty sweet and built well.
 
I would look at prestige-led http://www.prestige-led.com/products.html as Dre suggests above. I think Gus has a some nice products / options for you to choose from. He is a long-time member of this board and has been extremely helpful to me.

I have used ApolloLED 15k SolarBlast Dimmables, Prestige-LED SP55, Prestige-LED Neptune....and am now finalizing on Prestige-LED SP55D 3 channel 165W model. With the odd shape of my tank coupled with the 30" depth.... it has been a challenge to find the right coverage, color and setup. I think I have found what I need with the SP55D that Gus has.

Good luck with you tank.
 
FishBeard said:
DIY, although a little time consuming, is very easy and can look amazing when done right, there are a LOT of really nice heatsinks now designed to be seen, not just a bare slab of aluminum hanging over your tank. Soldering is very simple once you get the hang of it, and I have the multimeter you need to adjust the drivers during the build so no worries on that part.

For a pre built setup, if you want blue and not too concerned with having a full spectrum these are really cool and hit a sweet spot for price. Cree LEDs, lots of PAR, one would work great over your 36" wide tank, remote control, full sunrise/sunset dimming, a lunar mode for night time. Even has legs so no need to hang it! He even says if there is interest he can run a batch with full spectrum if you don't mind a couple LEDs not being Cree (apparently certain colors arent available from Cree)

http://www.chicagoreefs.com/forums/...ote-controlled-programmable-fixtures-419-99!!
Click to expand...


That does look awesome! How high would I have to keep it for it to cover full coverage on my tank since its only 24"?
 
kratos1028 said:
That does look awesome! How high would I have to keep it for it to cover full coverage on my tank since its only 24"?
Click to expand...

Not sure but it can't be too high. I built a 24" wide DIY into a 36" wide fixture for a 40 breeder tank, and it has no light loss at the ends of the tank. If I were to guess, setting it up on the included leg kit would place it high enough to provide good coverage. Send jimmy a pm directly to clarify but it should work just fine over your tank, especially since you have that extra height of the 65.
 
Will do that :)

If i went the DIY direction, how many LEDs per fixture would I need and what kind of opticals to get good penetration to the bottom of a 24" tank? Do the solderless kits work just as find as the kits you would need the solder?
 
DIY i would say use 60-72leds total You have a 65g tank? If you are going to keep mostly sps and need it under a canopy you cannot use a narrow fixture due to the power and spread limitations. DIY is a great way to learn about leds.


Solderless ones are even better due to the quick assembly and connection process,eliminates alot of the work.
 
I would need 2 fixtures since I have a bracket in the middle. How many LEDs would be good per fixture? I was reading that the 40 degree opticals would give me better penetration for my tank since its 24" deep.
 
kratos1028 said:
I would need 2 fixtures since I have a bracket in the middle. How many LEDs would be good per fixture? I was reading that the 40 degree opticals would give me better penetration for my tank since its 24" deep.
Click to expand...

30-36leds per heatsink. 40* optics are extremely narrow and you will see individual light beams thru the tank. I would not use anything narrower than 60* for a 24'' tank. You will get great PAR values with anything 60*-90* range.
 
The reefer said:
It depends what u want. I have a DIY and it looks great. But I've seen the radion and the ai sol that also look great. If the radion was out when I was getting my leds I would have bought it. It look better has great output and can communicate with the correct pumps wirelessly. If money isn't the issue I would do the radion if I were u. But if u want to check out Gus Prestige led fixture. I read that there good fixture and a couple of reefers have them here on cr so can check them out.
Click to expand...


Sorry forgot to say if money wasn't a problem. But I think ull b good with either a DIY or one of Gus fixtures. I have a DIY and my sps r colored and growing very well. But yes go for the solderless connectors to save time on ur build.
 
prestige-led said:
DIY i would say use 60-72leds total You have a 65g tank? If you are going to keep mostly sps and need it under a canopy you cannot use a narrow fixture due to the power and spread limitations. DIY is a great way to learn about leds.


Solderless ones are even better due to the quick assembly and connection process,eliminates alot of the work.
Click to expand...

Isn't that more LEDs then needed? I do have a 65 gallon tank, 36" wide and 24" deep.
 
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