question on 10mm LED lighting

ouling · 01/26/2008, 11:07 PM

I'm currently setting up a 24'' X 24'' X 16''h tank. I really don't want to keep an chiller for this small tank. Therefore I would like to explore my option with LED lighting with the expertise of the lighting gurus on this forum.

Instead of doing the expensive and microprocessor intensive high wattage LEDs (1-5w), I want to try my skills on some 10mm leds.

There are these grids at my work the size of 24'' X 24'', and is able to fit 900 10mm LEDs. I'm currently thinking about doing all 465nm and some extra HO to balance out the color when needed for viewing pleasure.

If I was to have 900 10mm LEDs over 4sq ft area, 3'' off the water, would this be enough light to support some very colorful Acropora?

Thanks guys.

coolwaters · 01/27/2008, 01:41 AM

i made a 40w high power LEDs under $100.
it sure bets wiring 100s of thos small 10mm LEDs.

TopBobbie · 01/27/2008, 03:17 AM

how about some pics or details???

PLEASE

coolwaters · 01/27/2008, 01:16 PM

heres my old one 10 White and 6 Blue

all on

heres my newest one.

10 white LEDs cost me about $33 shipped.
rated at 85 lumen per watt.

the Blues cost me $5 each...
rated at 15lumens...couldnt find anything better....for the price.
but its really bright
heres a pic of just 6 of them

TopBobbie · 01/27/2008, 02:19 PM

are you using a driver, or wal wart and resistors??

Is it all on or all off, or can you adjust the whites to blues, and do you have any UV blues

I am ordering some 3-5 watt leds, unfortunately I can only get the whites at 5 watt, I wanted the blue at 5 watt, as I think that is the more beneficial color, at least if I can get uv blue...

I also orderd a 25watt LED, but as of yet, can not get a driver for it... so I may have to drive it direct...

I am probably going to fail at this, or maybe get a moonlight or two out of the deal, but I wanted to try...

QuagmireMan · 01/28/2008, 02:02 PM

25w led? .... what is that like? .... a light bulb?

chujai · 01/28/2008, 02:12 PM

ha ha ha light bulb.

coolwater, can you share a little more info or point me into the right direction on what you are doing?

i would like to build something like that for moon lights and to add some shimmer in my tank with my t5s .. you think its bright enough for that?

QuagmireMan · 01/28/2008, 02:36 PM

wow leds have really come along since i last messed with them for my tank. Here is a 50w led!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._promot_widget

rsteagall · 01/28/2008, 04:01 PM

Coolwater.... where are you getting these so cheap from?

coolwaters · 01/29/2008, 02:00 AM

3500lumens at 50w is unreal
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5766

i get cheap LEDs here. at dealextreme. shipping takes like 2weeks-1month. but hey its free and cheap.

heres the bare LEDs

heres the Blue LEDs to raise the color temp and give the actinic effect

if u got a copper plate heatsink with nice aluminum fins. i would get just the bare LEDs since with that u can pack it close together and get a MH effect.

thats wat im doing with my CPU heatsink.

Theres some really interesting things on that site just look around.

rsteagall · 01/29/2008, 02:32 PM

Coolwaters, are you using what you built on anything currently? Or do you have any tank shots when you did?

coolwaters · 01/29/2008, 03:14 PM

not really since all of the were incomplete. a prototype.

im working on the final array.

its not done yet. cuz im still w8ing for my final LED driver.
i want a lot of juice out of it so im doing 50watts.
(in the 40watts zone really.)

QuagmireMan · 01/30/2008, 02:41 PM

I think I am going to follow this a little more

smoothdog · 02/03/2008, 02:34 AM

Hey Coolwaters, how about a nice diy or at least a parts list?
I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron but don't have the electrical background to pull this off without a little help (I'd probably fry $100 worth of parts before I got it right).

boviac · 02/03/2008, 03:28 PM

Yeah, I'm interested in the driver and power supply you used. I've got an ME degree so the heat sink part is right up my alley. Very cool nonetheless. It's like Luxeon wrote a DIY heat sink design for dummies pdf.

Their documetation web site is amazing. Thanks for all the help and inspiriation.

QuagmireMan · 02/11/2008, 03:05 PM

any updates?

smoothdog · 02/22/2008, 01:08 AM

bump

QuagmireMan · 04/15/2008, 06:49 AM

Thought I would check in with the project.... anything new?

01/26/2008, 11:07 PM	#1
ouling Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Minnepolis Posts: 69	question on 10mm LED lighting I'm currently setting up a 24'' X 24'' X 16''h tank. I really don't want to keep an chiller for this small tank. Therefore I would like to explore my option with LED lighting with the expertise of the lighting gurus on this forum. Instead of doing the expensive and microprocessor intensive high wattage LEDs (1-5w), I want to try my skills on some 10mm leds. There are these grids at my work the size of 24'' X 24'', and is able to fit 900 10mm LEDs. I'm currently thinking about doing all 465nm and some extra HO to balance out the color when needed for viewing pleasure. If I was to have 900 10mm LEDs over 4sq ft area, 3'' off the water, would this be enough light to support some very colorful Acropora? Thanks guys.

01/28/2008, 04:01 PM	#9
rsteagall Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rockvale, TN (close to Murfreesboro) Posts: 1,612	Coolwater.... where are you getting these so cheap from? __________________ Ryan Current Tank Info: One hand holding a beer, the other in the tank, and my toes typing on the keyboard. Drunks, reefing, and keyboards do mix in a 5GAL bucket with a 1200 MJ!

01/29/2008, 02:00 AM	#10
coolwaters Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 84	3500lumens at 50w is unreal http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5766 i get cheap LEDs here. at dealextreme. shipping takes like 2weeks-1month. but hey its free and cheap. heres the bare LEDs heres the Blue LEDs to raise the color temp and give the actinic effect if u got a copper plate heatsink with nice aluminum fins. i would get just the bare LEDs since with that u can pack it close together and get a MH effect. thats wat im doing with my CPU heatsink. Theres some really interesting things on that site just look around. Last edited by coolwaters; 01/29/2008 at 02:08 AM.

01/29/2008, 02:32 PM	#11
rsteagall Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Rockvale, TN (close to Murfreesboro) Posts: 1,612	Coolwaters, are you using what you built on anything currently? Or do you have any tank shots when you did? __________________ Ryan Current Tank Info: One hand holding a beer, the other in the tank, and my toes typing on the keyboard. Drunks, reefing, and keyboards do mix in a 5GAL bucket with a 1200 MJ!

02/03/2008, 03:28 PM	#15
boviac Loves Tank Builds Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Altadena, California Posts: 1,584	Yeah, I'm interested in the driver and power supply you used. I've got an ME degree so the heat sink part is right up my alley. Very cool nonetheless. It's like Luxeon wrote a DIY heat sink design for dummies pdf. Their documetation web site is amazing. Thanks for all the help and inspiriation. __________________ No more tank.... ;-) Current Tank Info: No tank anymore - Hobby shift to Light Sport Aircraft

01/27/2008, 01:41 AM	#2
coolwaters Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 84	i made a 40w high power LEDs under $100. it sure bets wiring 100s of thos small 10mm LEDs.

01/27/2008, 03:17 AM	#3
TopBobbie Moved On Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: York, England Posts: 21	how about some pics or details??? PLEASE

01/27/2008, 01:16 PM	#4
coolwaters Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 84	heres my old one 10 White and 6 Blue all on heres my newest one. 10 white LEDs cost me about $33 shipped. rated at 85 lumen per watt. the Blues cost me $5 each... rated at 15lumens...couldnt find anything better....for the price. but its really bright heres a pic of just 6 of them

01/27/2008, 02:19 PM	#5
TopBobbie Moved On Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: York, England Posts: 21	are you using a driver, or wal wart and resistors?? Is it all on or all off, or can you adjust the whites to blues, and do you have any UV blues I am ordering some 3-5 watt leds, unfortunately I can only get the whites at 5 watt, I wanted the blue at 5 watt, as I think that is the more beneficial color, at least if I can get uv blue... I also orderd a 25watt LED, but as of yet, can not get a driver for it... so I may have to drive it direct... I am probably going to fail at this, or maybe get a moonlight or two out of the deal, but I wanted to try...

01/28/2008, 02:02 PM	#6
QuagmireMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Columbus (campus) Posts: 164	25w led? .... what is that like? .... a light bulb?

01/28/2008, 02:12 PM	#7
chujai Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ottawa Posts: 188	ha ha ha light bulb. coolwater, can you share a little more info or point me into the right direction on what you are doing? i would like to build something like that for moon lights and to add some shimmer in my tank with my t5s .. you think its bright enough for that?

01/28/2008, 02:36 PM	#8
QuagmireMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Columbus (campus) Posts: 164	wow leds have really come along since i last messed with them for my tank. Here is a 50w led! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._promot_widget

01/29/2008, 03:14 PM	#12
coolwaters Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 84	not really since all of the were incomplete. a prototype. im working on the final array. its not done yet. cuz im still w8ing for my final LED driver. i want a lot of juice out of it so im doing 50watts. (in the 40watts zone really.)

01/30/2008, 02:41 PM	#13
QuagmireMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Columbus (campus) Posts: 164	I think I am going to follow this a little more

02/03/2008, 02:34 AM	#14
smoothdog Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 4,916	Hey Coolwaters, how about a nice diy or at least a parts list? I'm pretty handy with a soldering iron but don't have the electrical background to pull this off without a little help (I'd probably fry $100 worth of parts before I got it right).

02/11/2008, 03:05 PM	#16
QuagmireMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Columbus (campus) Posts: 164	any updates?

02/22/2008, 01:08 AM	#17
smoothdog Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: St. Charles, MO Posts: 4,916	bump __________________ Everything's better with Bacon! Current Tank Info: 150DD SPS dominant mixed reef. 100g sump/fuge, 6'x28"x12" frag tank, Diablo xs200 skimmer, Apex controller, Custom GEO 824 calcium reactor, panworld 200PS return pump. Lumenmax Elite reflector with Radium 250HQI bulb and 3 AI 32 HDs.

04/15/2008, 06:49 AM	#18
QuagmireMan Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Columbus (campus) Posts: 164	Thought I would check in with the project.... anything new?