T5 with LED Supplementation Build

[rhunter513]

Ok so my project is done. Big thanks to a friend of mine for all the tools and half the know how. The tank looks great with strip at 100% but I have it at about 25%. I am gonna slowly bring it up to 100% over a few weeks so I don't fry anything in my tank.

Fixture: Current Nova Extreme 20 inch 6 bulb T5 fixture.
Removed one blue bulb and added: a 16.5inch Rapid LED heat sink with 10 royal blue LEDS on a dimmable driver.

Lots of pics

The strip post glue.
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0657.jpg


The driver box with dimmer controls
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0661.jpg


The finished product
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0670.jpg


Mounted to the fixture
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0678.jpg


In the fixture
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0680.jpg


Power chords
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0683.jpg


All blues
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0681.jpg


Blue and whites
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/IMG_0682.jpg

Pic of the tank to come

[wrx1908]

wow thats badass bud keep me posted and i will keep you posted
do you plan on swapping all the t5 I do in time i will just keep adding more strips

[jbannick18]

This makes me wonder if I could replace my outer two blue+ in my tek fixture over my 75 with a strip and the effect on PAR

[rhunter513]

wrx1908 - I am not planning to add anything else to that fixture, I am gonna save the cash for a new tank.

jbannick18 - I am not sure how much PAR is added with the strip I installed but I am sure its more than the one bulbs I took out.

So far the tank looks great but it will take a while before I am at 100% with the LED's and what effect that will have on the corals. I will try to add some pics tonight - my camera doesn't really show the actual colors well.

[wrx1908]

If you can try to get some UV led to play with

[rhunter513]

If you can try to get some UV led to play with

I was going to but thought the royal blues would drown them out like with T5 bulbs.

What effect do those UL bulbs have on you tank?

Are you using lenses? What size is your tank?

[wrx1908]

I was going to but thought the royal blues would drown them out like with T5 bulbs.

What effect do those UL bulbs have on you tank?

Are you using lenses? What size is your tank?

they seem to color the corals without over powering the other lights start with like 2 or 3 to see if you like it oh and yes on optics
my tank is a 40 breeder ie 36in.

[robertifly]

Nice diy, I like the way you're using the old T5 fixture and "adding" the leds, I have the 36" nova pro and have thought about adding a row of leds to the outside of fixture front and back but not sure how to make it and it still not look too shabby. There are some led strips and single row fixtures that look pretty good, the lfs here has a couple different types I may try. Looks good!

[wrx1908]

check out my video http://youtu.be/BK2HlqQZ9bw

[wrx1908]

:beer:

[rhunter513]

wrx1908 - I am still confused on optics/lenses. my nano is 16" tall and I was adviced that lenses would not be necessary for the that tank depth. Lenses focus the light down and are needed for deep tanks right? My fixture and LED strip is about 4" off the water. Oh and nice video your tank looks great.

Roberifly - most of the pre-fab's LED strips out there are very low watts. Most I looked at were about 0.5watt per bulb which is not going to amount to much. The cree LED's sold by RapidLED are 3watt per bulb. My original plan was to mount my strip on the outside but after emailing with Mike at rapidLED, I decided to go with it in the inside the fixture because the strip needed to be cooled. If you mount on the outside you might need to use a fan to cool the LEDs

[wrx1908]

Well mine are dimmed and are prity cool to the touch warm at best

[wrx1908]

wrx1908 - I am still confused on optics/lenses. my nano is 16" tall and I was adviced that lenses would not be necessary for the that tank depth. Lenses focus the light down and are needed for deep tanks right? My fixture and LED strip is about 4" off the water. Oh and nice video your tank looks great.

Roberifly - most of the pre-fab's LED strips out there are very low watts. Most I looked at were about 0.5watt per bulb which is not going to amount to much. The cree LED's sold by RapidLED are 3watt per bulb. My original plan was to mount my strip on the outside but after emailing with Mike at rapidLED, I decided to go with it in the inside the fixture because the strip needed to be cooled. If you mount on the outside you might need to use a fan to cool the LEDs

I posted a video of the shimmer from my tank hope that helps
you may need some white LEDs for better lines
http://youtu.be/5_tKX1NrzM0

[rhunter513]

Yeah in retrospect mixing it up more with a couple whites and UV's might have been better. But I went with the 9 LED actinic supplement dimmable kit which was more cost effective than piecing the components together.

[rhunter513]

Some pics - not the best camera which shows more blue than is there.

Pre LED's
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/PreLED.jpg


All T5's and LED's at 100%
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/AllT5andLEDsat100.jpg


LED's only at 100%
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii70/rhunter513/LEDonlyat100.jpg

[wrx1908]

looks great froggy is a nice

[wrx1908]

Yeah in retrospect mixing it up more with a couple whites and UV's might have been better. But I went with the 9 LED actinic supplement dimmable kit which was more cost effective than piecing the components together.

Can your kit be dimed

[rhunter513]

Yes it is dimmable, I have it at 25% right now, just cranked it up for the pictures. I am going to slowly turn the dimmer up weekly till I get to 100%, I don't want to fry my corals.

Its a hammer not frogspawn, definitely my showpiece coral, I've had it 4 years now, it started out with two heads and I just recently fragged out 5 heads.

[robertifly]

rhunter513- yes I understand the heat is reason for inside the case however I thought maybe with only single rows may not be needed

wrx1908- how well does yours handle the heat? they are attached outside of fixture, yes?

nice video's both of them, you guys are inspiring thanks

[rhunter513]

robertifly - I emailed rapidled first before I made my decision. Mike at rapid said with the 10LEDS I was planning cooling would be necessary. Again it depends at what watt LEDs you use, the heat sink, etc. If you are going with RapidLED get on their website and email them with questions, they are very quick to reply and helpful. Or you can try their thread here on this website.

[robertifly]

You're right rhunter513, I have already been there and conversed email with eric who is very helpful also. I was inquiring with him about a full blown 60 led fixture build for my tank which is pretty pricey for a complete setup. That is why it really caught my eye seeing what you have done with the nova pro, mine is the extreme version. I think some people are finding that the T5 is still needing with leds to get the tank to look good. The way you guys modded T5 fixtures seem a good option. Keep up the good work, :)

[wrx1908]

rhunter513- yes I understand the heat is reason for inside the case however I thought maybe with only single rows may not be needed

wrx1908- how well does yours handle the heat? they are attached outside of fixture, yes?

nice video's both of them, you guys are inspiring thanks

My LEDs seem cool to the touch i got them from aquastyles online
http://www.aquastyleonline.com/categories/DIY-LED-Lighting/DIY-Dimmable-LED-Strip-Kits/
I plan on removing all T5HO by the end of this year I hope:rolleyes:

[robertifly]

Thanks for the feed back are your leds all 3 watt?

[wrx1908]

Thanks for the feed back are your leds all 3 watt?

Yep,nice kit too very happy with there service too best of all cheap

[robertifly]

very nice

[wrx1908]

very nice

You know the more I run the LEDs the more I want to remove the T5HO's :)

[wrx1908]

http://youtu.be/Yt5xr7nz3pg

[wrx1908]

added more LEDs looks great one step closer to removing T5HO

[robertifly]

So how many leds now? Three strips now with more colors in the third strip? Are you using two fans to cool the leds? Looking good.

[wrx1908]

I think after tax check i will get 36 more leds i'm hooked now lol