any info on the following diy led kit

[dcog277]

does anyone have info on the following led kit. I plan on wetting my feet with led lights by using it in my fuge to light up macro algae:

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-38/06-Premium-LED-Do-dsh-It-dsh-Yourself/Detail

[Enjoy]

What questions do you have about it?

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

I bought my stuff from them. Everything works great.

[dcog277]

Well I wanted to know if I was wasting my money and if placed this for macro algae will it thrive.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

I would think so. But y would u want to spend that much to grow that? Won't power compacts be good enough?

[dcog277]

Yes you are right pc's would do that but I wanted to wet my whistle playing with led's. I am considering changing from MH to led. Tired of electric bill and heat issues. I have read about led on the lighting forum. BTW how many led's do you run and do you have a photo of your setup.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Ok that makes sense then. Right now I have 3 pendants of 12 LEDs each accompanied by some antics (need a couple more pendants to get the even lighting over the 7ft tank)

This is the best pic of it I have on my phone right now
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/63baa8f6.jpg

[dcog277]

Thats nice

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Thanks

[ArmanS]

so you only have 36 leds right now? I was going to LEDS on my 225g 72x24x30" and was going to go with 144leds to sufficiently light everything.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Ya but the antics are helping spread the light around. It's a pretty even look right now. My sps is growing too. I do plan on getting at least 24 more. 144 may be to much. At least in my opinion. They are dang bright. Lights up the stairway outside my apt with the canopy open.
Here's a pic of my frag tank with only 12 LEDs over it.
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/ae217f14.jpg

[denash24]

Me to / I'm in the same boat, heat and the huge monthly electric bill.....
I'm looking to set them up for my sump right now but thinking of eventually going all LED's the problem is; I've yet to see a tank that's running all LED's and has amazing colors (on SPS) like some of the people with T5's and MH. With my current set up I'm getting amazing colors for the first time ever in my many years in this hobby so not sure which way to go.

Yes you are right pc's would do that but I wanted to wet my whistle playing with led's. I am considering changing from MH to led. Tired of electric bill and heat issues. I have read about led on the lighting forum. BTW how many led's do you run and do you have a photo of your setup.

[ryshark]

I am looking into getting a retrofit led package from that site too. Just to put over my acrylic center brace. How did you guys mount fans to the heatsinks when retrofitted in the canopy? The guy from that site told me to get a 20k look you should go with 2:1 blue over white.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Denash I think it all depends on the setup before with MH and then the setup with LEDs. I had 2 250 watt MH before and I'm getting better color in my sps now with the LEDs. I can see a big difference in color and a little difference in growth but like I said I only had 2 250's before

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

I am looking into getting a retrofit led package from that site too. Just to put over my acrylic center brace. How did you guys mount fans to the heatsinks when retrofitted in the canopy? The guy from that site told me to get a 20k look you should go with 2:1 blue over white.

I agree. I went 1:1 and it's not as blue as I like.

[ryshark]

I agree. I went 1:1 and it's not as blue as I like.

Thank you, that is good to know. Did you get heatsinks from them?

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

No I got mine from heatsinkusa dot com. Not sure of the price difference but the have a large verity of sizes. I also did not buy my fans from them as they are expensive. I got mine (look identical) at a local electronic store. 6 fans and the 3 power supplies for $50 and tax

[ryshark]

Did you attach the fans to the heatsinks or are they mounted in the canopy?

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

I used the glue that comes in the led kit and glued them to the heatsink. I faced them downward to blow the air onto it rather then upward to pull the heat off. When you touch the heatsinks they don't even get warm

[ryshark]

I used the glue that comes in the led kit and glued them to the heatsink. I faced them downward to blow the air onto it rather then upward to pull the heat off. When you touch the heatsinks they don't even get warm

Do you have any pictures of that? I'm not visualizing how to mount the heatsinks to the under side of the canopy and glue fans to them. If you already have pics of it that would be great, otherwise, I will start searching for some in the DIY threads. Thanks again.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Not on my phone I don't but I will take some when i get home later. I used some small chain and drilled and tapped the ends of the heatsinks to screw the chain then hung with with an S hook through some screw in eyelids. Hard to visualize with that description but I'll get pics and post. Also you will need to know how to solder them together and know a little about home electrical since the plug needs to be wired to the driver and the LEDs to one another in sync.
I'll get a few close ups of different views top and bottom

[ryshark]

I apprecaite that. I can visualize, it a little better now. Before I was thinking of the heatsinks being screwed directly into the canopy. I look forward to your pics later.

[dcog277]

I only have a small set up, 36x20x20. If I were to go led I would do the 36 light system which would be approx 108 watts and save me in electric (i currently run a 250w mh). But like Denash24 I am hesitant becase I would want my sps to thrive under those lights. I hate to spend all that loot and be disappointed. And I too would like to see a picture of your led light set up

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

I would say a 36 led setup would be perfect. Just be sure to space them out. They say to mount an inch apart I believe. It will be bright and get good shimmer. They shimmer way more than MH. I know a lot of people like that effect on the sand. Also I'll turn the antics off and get a shot of the tank with just the 36 LEDs on it. Still bright just to far apart to evenly light the tank

[watsixseven]

Here is one I made for my FW tank.126587

[watsixseven]

Here is the back of it and when it lit up.

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Ok guys here's the pics.

This is the tank with ONLY the LEDs on. Still not to bad but you can see where each light is emitting and the dark spaces in between. This is why I want to more
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/a1a8a77e.jpg

This is how I soldered them up. They recommend about an inch apart and wire no less then 6 in series or it's to much watts and they will burn out
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/1f5951f7.jpg

These are the 2 fans I mounted to each heatsink via the glue that comes with the LEDs
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/44932624.jpg

And finally this is how they are mounted to the canopy. Simple stuff I got from home depot
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/23e3afe5.jpg

The drivers need to be wired to the LEDs and also to the supplied power cord which is why some knowledge of home wiring comes in. Any questions just ask.

After building these 3 and the one on my frag tank I have become good at soldering so if anyone doesn't know how I can do it and we can work something out for my time since it takes me about and hour for each one. Good luck guys

[ryshark]

Thanks a lot for posting those pictures. It was very helpful to see ow you mounted them in the canopy. Once I get mine, I will probably rig something up very similar to I can have the fans blowing down on the heatsinks too.

[dcog277]

Ya thanks for posting

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

No problem guys. Glad to help out

[FishyBeaner]

Ok that makes sense then. Right now I have 3 pendants of 12 LEDs each accompanied by some antics (need a couple more pendants to get the even lighting over the 7ft tank)

This is the best pic of it I have on my phone right now
http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae178/carguy0063/63baa8f6.jpg

that's with only 36 LED's?:eek2:

[fshRfrendsNTfod]

Ya 36 LEDs that are 3 watts each. But that's the pic with the antics also. The pic above in the day light is with only the leds