LED suggestions

Trying to supplement T-5 Bulbs after paying 140+ for replacements.

Currently have a 60*24*30(I know depth mistake) and am running only a 48" T-5 fixture---6bulbs 354watts, along with two par38 bulbs...

I have purchased a 62*9 inch heatsink and plan for now to add 21 royal blue, 21 cool white, 7 blue, and 7 neutral white, for now 3w Cree LEDS. Nothing fancy this time around with constant current drivers and simple timers.

Would this be over kill for lighting as is---again I plan to add more LED's to the large heat sink and remove the T-5 lighting in the future

Total watts=354 T-5---42watt par38 and 168 watt LED, I understand wattage does not determine too much, but what does everyone think?

 

Yeah, that's gonna be a whole lot. You've almost got enough LEDs there by to support SPS by themselves.

What you're doing is fine, but my suggestion is to use dimmable drivers. Not only will you be glad you did this later, but you can adjust the intensity accordingly as you remove the T5s.

 

Thanks

I thought about the dimming ability, but for now I really do not want to go down the controller route, the drivers can always be switched out at a later point, any suggestions on setting them up? Linear, circular, diagonals?

The plan is to have the blue/neutral come on in the morning, strip of royals around 10am, a mixed strip of royal/cool around 11am, then a strip of the cools for a high noon blast from 12-4 or something like that...

Ideas, comments, much appreciated

 

A reef controller isn't required for dimmable drivers; it can be done with simply potentiometers. That's how I have mine set up; they're still on simple timers.

The real point of the dimmable isn't to get the sunrise/sunset effect (although that can be nice), but to set the max intensity of the diodes.

Rapid LED offers a simple device to modulate the drivers; Boost LED has something a little bit better. Or simple electronics (potentiometers and a DC power source) can be used.

 

you are both expert on growing corals and reef . I need your suggestions, Could I ?

 

+1 to rapid LEDs, i emailed them recently and they're very helpful and actually talked me into a CHEAPER set up yes that is phrased correctly...my original plan he said was a bit overkill unless i was going sps dominant so hes a good guy and the dimmable can be used for sunrise sunset etc but the main reason to have dimmable is so you can change your intensity as needed so if you want a little more blue you can raise the intensity on blue and keep white a little lower etc...no need for a complex controller just get a dimmable ballast with a nob controller to raise and lower the intensities until you get them to a setting you like

 

I agree that dimmers would be a wise thing to consider, but back to the topic, I don't think you're over killing it. With a tank that deep, your t5 will do great in the higher portions, but light fall off should get pretty big toward the bottom. You might think about putting some slightly narrower optics to focus the LED a little deeper where the t5s will struggle to go.

Michael Rice
Marine Engineers Aquarium Blog
Sent from Tapatalk so excuse my poor English

 

Thanks

Thanks All, yes I plan to purchase 55 degree lenses for about half of the LED's and 80 degree from the other half. Just got the heat sink from heatsinkusa, oh man no fans will be needed on this baby---heavy. So I do have a plan let me know what you guys think...

I am going to mount the heatsink on some strong drawer rails on top of the canopy so that you can "roll" the lighting to the back when cleaning, just think of the rails being inverted...thoughts

I will try and post some pictures of the build if interested....

Also wiring in series is the plan, are the led's like the cheap christmas lights where when one goes out the whole string does or are the positive/neg conacted regardless of the light working?

 

Also I did purchase a potentiometer at radio shack, I guess you will need a constant 10V to make them work so I may just purchase the 34 dollar kit on RAPID and set up dimming on two stings (High noon-Actinic)...I think my biggest concern was keeping my cabinet clean, but oh well

 

Another quick question

Can you drive the moonlight LED's offered on Rapid with a 700mA driver? Or does that defeat the purpose of the low amperage on these LED's