Best RapidLED set for a 20L

IF, big IF....

I wanted to attempt to do a DIY Rapid LED build for my 20L what should I get. What number lights, optics, and heatsink would I probably need?

I have never soldered in my life, so lets keep that in mind.

TIA

 

24 Ultra Premium LED DIY Kit with Dimmable Drivers (60* optics and Mean Well ELN-60-48P)

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DDC-01 PWM Controller (or use your apex)

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Drilled and Tapped 4.25" x 23" Heat Sink for 36 LEDs

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something to hang it or hold it up about 6inches off the water. Prolly wont even need optics

PERSONALLY, You should just get two par38's ( http://www.marinedepot.com/Ecoxotic_PAR38_LED_Aquarium_Lamp_-Ecoxotic-XX06850-FILTBULD-vi.html ). It'll be cheaper, cleaning looking, and way easier to setup.

 

You could pull this off with 24 and no optics. Also, foregoing optics would allow you to use the solderless connectors, so you could take that obstacle away.

 

I have 20 LEDs over my 29 gallon (30" wide), 8 CREE XP-G with 60* optics, 8 Royal Blue with 60*, 2 Blue w/o optics and 2 UV w/o optics. I have the whites dimmed to 50% (guesitimate), and the blues/UV are 100%. Lights mounted 12" above water, tank is 16" from top of water to sandbed...growing SPS from 8" deep and up. This is just to give you an idea of what you need.

 

The dimensions on his tank are shallow though, so I think he'd be fine w/o any optics.
30 1/4 x12 1/2 x12 3/4

They would need to be mounted close to the tank, however.

 

I ran mine without optics at first and the only thing that bother me was the horrible light spill so you would have to do something about it. But like what was said before two par 38s wouldn't be a bad option either. You lose the adjustibility but it is a lot simpler. But the again soldering isn't really that hard and you can get a little soldering wand cheap from radio shack and watch a video or two on YouTube to show you how to do it.

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Oh if you have a canopy then no worries really about the optics. Why are you gonna get rid of the par 30s?

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I like the par 30's, but I have a BoostLED Mu 135 on my 40B, and it has spoiled me I guess. The entire tank is super bright and the corals glow like crazy even when the whites are on (it looks like a living black light poster when it's just the blue and uv's!!!).

The par 30 bulbs just don't have the color enhancing properties of the Mu 135. I'm not totally sure if that's because the Mu 135 has white, blue, and UV diodes or not, but there sure is an amazing difference. I'm just looking for options to replicate the lighting effects of my 40b on my 20L.

Thanks to all for all the comments and suggestions so far.

 

When you say close, just how close would it need to be? Also what mix of leds would the 24 consist of and what size heat sink? I know you are considered one of the resident experts on LED's so thanks for any and all input.