LED Lighting for Biocube 29

00accordvtec · 05/22/2010, 04:22 PM

this is to all those who have done DIY led lighting for their tanks. I have a 29 gallon biocube that comes with the 2 compact fluorescents and want to build my own LED light to replace the fluorescents and still keep top. I want to make it look like the retrofit kits but build my own. I have heard that Cree leds are the best leds to use for this. Now my question is which cree LEDs should i use and how many. Also which drivers do you recommend, if a fan is needed etc. I have been to cree's website and see they have alot of different LEDS. Also know that people use the 3W LEDs. All suggestions and opinions are appreciated..

thanks

bearpeidog · 05/22/2010, 05:08 PM

Check out www.nano tuners.com. I'm doing my biocube and order ther custom made heat synch. I'm using 12 white and 12 royal blues. The website has instructions on how to install their kit and may provide all the answers you need.

00accordvtec · 05/22/2010, 05:13 PM

there are the xp-g's, the xp-e's. etc. which ones are you using for your biocube?

Mmckibben · 05/22/2010, 05:25 PM

I did a diy using cree xpgs (21) in three rows of seven on a 24v dimming power supply. If you are looking to have sps corals, only xpg will work. If you just want soft corals, Cree xre is okay. I have a 36 gallon sps reef aquarium, so the 21 cree xpgs were perfect for me. I have almost two much light if I run it at full power; roughly the same out put of a 200w metal halide. Cree only lists the lumens for their products, so you cant really judge how many you need based on the specs. It's best to ask some one who uses them allot for an estimate. Sorry I can't solidly tell you the number of them you will need. Allot of compony are using crees is their products now, so some times it's best to mimic them. I compared mine to aquailluminations. Theirs is designed for an sps aquarium your size; it uses 16 cree xpgs. The best advice I can give you is to over do it, and buy a dimming power supply to bring it back down. On the cooling question, I use simple heat sinks from HeatsinkUSA. My set up of 21 in the end cost me $320 instead of $600 aquaillumination charges. I also save a fortune on my electric bill. My old set up of halides and power compacts was 210 watts, my leds are only 60 watts.

00accordvtec · 05/22/2010, 05:38 PM

where did you buy you LEDS, i saw one of your posts where you got them for $20-$22. can you give me the website?

bearpeidog · 05/22/2010, 06:28 PM

Im using the xpe LEDs. I had read the g's might be too much for a nano and I wanted to be able to balance it out with the blues. Again, I'm no expert but I had read that if you use g's you might need to run more blues. Typically people are using 50-50 blue and white ratios for the xpe.

I got mine for rapidled.com. They even mixed the lens for me so I could experiment. They were very fast and I was pleased with their service.

Ogg · 05/22/2010, 07:14 PM

I also used rapidled (excellent & fast service) - I bought two "12 Ultra Premium LED Do-It-Yourself Retrofit Kit" and mounted them on 4 22cm heatsinks. The only thing I would do different is change the ratio of blue to white led (I'd prefer more white, running 50-50).

Also try looking at this link. Wish I'd found it before starting my build...

http://www.cutter.com.au/search.php?...e=&scat=&sman=

00accordvtec · 05/22/2010, 07:15 PM

i was thinking of doing more blues than white just to give it that better color. doing something like 75-25 ratio so that everything will stick out better. the original 1 10k bulb and 1 actinic bulb evens out the color but have seen tank that do 75-25 and colors looks amazing. any thoughts? still thinking of how many LEDS should be used. I want to be able to have anything in the tank without being limited. some people have told me 20. some kits have 30 etc.

00accordvtec · 05/22/2010, 07:17 PM

thanks for the info. ogg and bear do you have pics of your tanks. ogg i would like to see how your tank looks with more white if that is possible.

05/22/2010, 04:22 PM	#1
00accordvtec Registered Member. Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 56	LED Lighting for Biocube 29 this is to all those who have done DIY led lighting for their tanks. I have a 29 gallon biocube that comes with the 2 compact fluorescents and want to build my own LED light to replace the fluorescents and still keep top. I want to make it look like the retrofit kits but build my own. I have heard that Cree leds are the best leds to use for this. Now my question is which cree LEDs should i use and how many. Also which drivers do you recommend, if a fan is needed etc. I have been to cree's website and see they have alot of different LEDS. Also know that people use the 3W LEDs. All suggestions and opinions are appreciated.. thanks

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05/22/2010, 05:08 PM	#2
bearpeidog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Milton, Vermont Posts: 560	Check out www.nano tuners.com. I'm doing my biocube and order ther custom made heat synch. I'm using 12 white and 12 royal blues. The website has instructions on how to install their kit and may provide all the answers you need.

05/22/2010, 05:13 PM	#3
00accordvtec Registered Member. Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 56	there are the xp-g's, the xp-e's. etc. which ones are you using for your biocube?

05/22/2010, 05:25 PM	#4
Mmckibben Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CO Posts: 286 Blog Entries: 21	I did a diy using cree xpgs (21) in three rows of seven on a 24v dimming power supply. If you are looking to have sps corals, only xpg will work. If you just want soft corals, Cree xre is okay. I have a 36 gallon sps reef aquarium, so the 21 cree xpgs were perfect for me. I have almost two much light if I run it at full power; roughly the same out put of a 200w metal halide. Cree only lists the lumens for their products, so you cant really judge how many you need based on the specs. It's best to ask some one who uses them allot for an estimate. Sorry I can't solidly tell you the number of them you will need. Allot of compony are using crees is their products now, so some times it's best to mimic them. I compared mine to aquailluminations. Theirs is designed for an sps aquarium your size; it uses 16 cree xpgs. The best advice I can give you is to over do it, and buy a dimming power supply to bring it back down. On the cooling question, I use simple heat sinks from HeatsinkUSA. My set up of 21 in the end cost me $320 instead of $600 aquaillumination charges. I also save a fortune on my electric bill. My old set up of halides and power compacts was 210 watts, my leds are only 60 watts.

05/22/2010, 05:38 PM	#5
00accordvtec Registered Member. Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 56	where did you buy you LEDS, i saw one of your posts where you got them for $20-$22. can you give me the website?

05/22/2010, 06:28 PM	#6
bearpeidog Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Milton, Vermont Posts: 560	Im using the xpe LEDs. I had read the g's might be too much for a nano and I wanted to be able to balance it out with the blues. Again, I'm no expert but I had read that if you use g's you might need to run more blues. Typically people are using 50-50 blue and white ratios for the xpe. I got mine for rapidled.com. They even mixed the lens for me so I could experiment. They were very fast and I was pleased with their service.

05/22/2010, 07:14 PM	#7
Ogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1	I also used rapidled (excellent & fast service) - I bought two "12 Ultra Premium LED Do-It-Yourself Retrofit Kit" and mounted them on 4 22cm heatsinks. The only thing I would do different is change the ratio of blue to white led (I'd prefer more white, running 50-50). Also try looking at this link. Wish I'd found it before starting my build... http://www.cutter.com.au/search.php?...e=&scat=&sman=

05/22/2010, 07:15 PM	#8
00accordvtec Registered Member. Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 56	i was thinking of doing more blues than white just to give it that better color. doing something like 75-25 ratio so that everything will stick out better. the original 1 10k bulb and 1 actinic bulb evens out the color but have seen tank that do 75-25 and colors looks amazing. any thoughts? still thinking of how many LEDS should be used. I want to be able to have anything in the tank without being limited. some people have told me 20. some kits have 30 etc.

05/22/2010, 07:17 PM	#9
00accordvtec Registered Member. Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 56	thanks for the info. ogg and bear do you have pics of your tanks. ogg i would like to see how your tank looks with more white if that is possible.