daveonbass
11/12/2012, 07:12 AM
I am finally setting up a dedicated frag tank. Since it is new and kind of a test ground tank...I wanted to START with an all LED approach...and see if I like the results. The tank will be plumbed directly to my main display tank so all the parameters will be the same, and only the light will make any difference in growth.
I won a $100 gift card from Rapidled and decided to finally use it on this project. My question concerns what to buy. I was wanting to do a full DIY 6"x20" module that hangs over the 36" 30long frag tank. they make predrilled and tapped heat sinks in that size and thought it would be a good start. It can hold 36 LEDs, so this was going to be my array...
18 Blue (royal)
10 White
4 Violet
2 Red
2 Green
B W B W B W B W B
B V R B W B R V B
B G V W B W V G B
B B W B W B W B B
I would also throw on two seperate moon lights becsuse the main display has them as well and again I want to keep as much a I can similar between the two tanks. (the DT is also a 36" tank...58G)
I would run the V, R, and G LEDs on one driver. White on one driver. And I guess the blue on 2 drivers?
I would make it all dimmable...that way I can control the color and intensity blend. Color from the dimmers...and the intensity from the height off the water. (as well as the dimmer)
This is the COMPLEX and more expensive...but PERMANENT Fixture I would use. It would also have Violet, Green and Red in the spectrum to help fill the spectral void.
OR
I can just opt to get the 12LED PAR 38 bulb. It would be plug and play and I could orient it closer or further from the water line. I think I would want two in the long run...so I would need to get a second one later (one will do to start as I don't have a lot of frags cut yet). I'm guessing that I would save roughly 100 bucks with the PAR38 blubs. But I just don't know if they would grow SPS as rapidly as I would assume the larger DIY fixture would. I don't mind saving up and buying the larger kit and doing more work...BUT I would like to know if anyone else thinks the more expensive route is really worth it?
Any thoughts on what would be your choice between these two options? Since I want to experiment with the LED tech, and sinc eI have the 100 dollar Gift Certificate from RapidLED...I will be ordering from them...So please I don't want this to become a "which lighting is better MH, T5, or LED" debate. PLease give me your input on LED options from this website.
Thanks in advance. ^.~
I won a $100 gift card from Rapidled and decided to finally use it on this project. My question concerns what to buy. I was wanting to do a full DIY 6"x20" module that hangs over the 36" 30long frag tank. they make predrilled and tapped heat sinks in that size and thought it would be a good start. It can hold 36 LEDs, so this was going to be my array...
18 Blue (royal)
10 White
4 Violet
2 Red
2 Green
B W B W B W B W B
B V R B W B R V B
B G V W B W V G B
B B W B W B W B B
I would also throw on two seperate moon lights becsuse the main display has them as well and again I want to keep as much a I can similar between the two tanks. (the DT is also a 36" tank...58G)
I would run the V, R, and G LEDs on one driver. White on one driver. And I guess the blue on 2 drivers?
I would make it all dimmable...that way I can control the color and intensity blend. Color from the dimmers...and the intensity from the height off the water. (as well as the dimmer)
This is the COMPLEX and more expensive...but PERMANENT Fixture I would use. It would also have Violet, Green and Red in the spectrum to help fill the spectral void.
OR
I can just opt to get the 12LED PAR 38 bulb. It would be plug and play and I could orient it closer or further from the water line. I think I would want two in the long run...so I would need to get a second one later (one will do to start as I don't have a lot of frags cut yet). I'm guessing that I would save roughly 100 bucks with the PAR38 blubs. But I just don't know if they would grow SPS as rapidly as I would assume the larger DIY fixture would. I don't mind saving up and buying the larger kit and doing more work...BUT I would like to know if anyone else thinks the more expensive route is really worth it?
Any thoughts on what would be your choice between these two options? Since I want to experiment with the LED tech, and sinc eI have the 100 dollar Gift Certificate from RapidLED...I will be ordering from them...So please I don't want this to become a "which lighting is better MH, T5, or LED" debate. PLease give me your input on LED options from this website.
Thanks in advance. ^.~