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Cultivated Reef

GU10 LED Build Thread (Chinese Ebay Lights)


TinyGiant

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I need to get a decent camera... My phone simply isn't good enough to take pics of the lights over a fully stocked tank, but I'll get right on it! I need some for my files anyway. I'll keep you updated.

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Probably not my last question, but here is another :)

I am starting to build the canopy. It is 72x18. The 40 sockets should be here tomorrow. I haven't ordered the leds yet but will get 18 blues, 18 cool whites and 4 warm whites. All Either 3x1 watt or 4x1watt. Wondering how much spread these have at 10' above the water? I am trying to layout where the sockets will go. I was thinking in 5 inches from the side, and start, and then again, in 5 inches from the front and 5 inches from the back. The just space them out all the same. Something like this....

5'

BWBBBWBBWB

5' BWBWBWBWBWBB 5'

WWBWWWBWWBW

5'

 

About 5 inches apart from one another?

This sound OK???

 

Or if the spread is decent. Do just 2 rows??? Of 20 each.

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OK, I tried. This is with 13 blue 3x1 and 12 cool white 3x1. I need to do some with just the blue on, it's just spectacular... :)

 

Sorry for crappy cell phone pics!

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post-59395-1308068498_thumb.jpg

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Shanet, I like your plan. but skip the warm whites and get 4 more blues instead. I like the 3 row layout but I know Tiny is going to tell you 2 or even single row is good enough. =p 5' apart is fine.

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Thank you. It's just Shane :) With 3 rows, they would be 5' apart. With 2 rows they would be closer. Anyone else have any input. Or reasons why 2 or 3?

Thanks again

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I can't stress enough that these pics wash out all the color in the tank. This is not the case at all when looking at it in person, and under the blues colors just blow up.

Edited by Erics5.5
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Guys,

 

I have a 5.5 Gallon. How does this set up look? I was planning on using 3-1x4W blue and 3-1x4 cool white. It seem like this is all the room I have. Is this enough, too much, or in the right config?

Document.pdf

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jeremy, if the dimentions of your tank is 14" x 6", it'll be fine with 3 blues and 3 whites. Your drawing shows 4 blues and 4 whites... that's fine also.

 

good luck!

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when i get some funds i think i might add a few more bulbs to my tank to space them out. its fine like it is now but I do have a little shading in spots i would like to put an end to :) Probably add a few more blues to make the colors pop even more :)

 

 

its not that i dont like the extra bulbs i just mention the single row is sufficient ..so use that number as a starting point :)

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I'm toying with the idea of running all blue lights only... the colors on corals just explode under the blues and gets washed out with whites... but I'm wondering if it's enough light for corals to grow on. hmm.....

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garrettparson

Would one of the bulbs be powerfull enough for a 1 gallon aquarium? Or should I get two, one white and one blue?

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Just received 40 sockets :) Now just waiting for bulbs. I think I saw in one of these gazzilion threads what size screws folks are using to mount these sockets, but I can't find it. Can someone let me know?

Thanks again

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garrett, get 2 blues and one white and play with the combinations of using 2 bulbs.

 

I did some research the idea of using only the blue LEDs... mixed opinions... so I'm going to just try it! I don't have any SPS yet. Mostly zoas and few LPS. Going from 3 blues and 3 whites over my 4 gallon to 5 blues. (I only have 5 blues. so I ordered another blue from LED-HK.)

 

Will see in the next few days how the corals behave. I currently have one cluster of zoas that isn't opening fully.. all others clusters are doing well under the 3blue 3white. so I wonder if it was getting too much light. if they open fully under blues only, that'll be a major clue that they were getting too much light.

 

wish I had a par meter or know the light spectrum these bulbs put out...

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I havent forgotten about this. Just delayed in getting to thehouse

 

Im building mine next week. And im already planning on making the spacing for a 5.5 or 10gal so I can upgrade my 2.5

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michelleshusband

need more power! i've got 9 (4x1) bulbs on my 5.5 gallon (4 white/5 blue).

it killed my gsp but everything else seems ok. about 12 inches from the surface with no heat issues.

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For those of you who mounted these LEDs in a canopy, how did you mount the sockets in place? What size screws did you use? Also, did you use some sort of bushing or spacer since the wires come out of the bottom of the socket? I don't know if it'd be smart to squish the wires underneath when screwing the socket down...

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For those of you who mounted these LEDs in a canopy, how did you mount the sockets in place? What size screws did you use? Also, did you use some sort of bushing or spacer since the wires come out of the bottom of the socket? I don't know if it'd be smart to squish the wires underneath when screwing the socket down...

 

Anyone else?

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