Back in buisness 72 gallon LED project

[gjones]

So it's been a few years since I've had a reef up and running and I have a bunch of equipment so I might as well use it . I have a 72 gallon bow front that I'm going to use as the main tank, with my old 29 gallon tank as the sump/fuge. I also already have an Aqua-C Remora and a Prism skimmer (going to run both because they're not meant for this size system). I will have one in the display (remora) and the prism in the fuge. I already have heaters, a few power heads, and a bit of base rock 30lbs.

 

What I need.

 

lighting - (LED) I really like tiny giant's thread about the GU10 LED's thinking of using those (can get through my dad for under $4 a bulb) maybe 30, 36 bulbs? and a 4 bulb fuge light? not sure yet I want it to be bright!

 

overflow box - don't know yet, maybe 400-600gph?

 

return pump - ^^

 

2 high flow power heads - either SEIO's or something else with a wide flow like that

 

plumbing - pvc

 

sand

 

LR and base rock 60 or so lbs - probably going to drive to premium aquatics

 

plexiglass for fuge baffles

 

I will try to update soon with some pictures of how the build is going!

[Mojorizn]

Good luck on your build

[JBM]

i went with 30# of base rock in my bow. Nowhere near enough. Looks barren. However, i did go with 60# of sand. Seems to be the right amount of sand for these bows.

 

Plan your sump ahead of time. Anything with a 30x12 foot print will fit under the stand (must go thru the top). I advise againts plexi & lexan for baffles. The will eventually swell & break your glass sump (if your building a acrylice sump ignore that). I had 4 baffles cut for $40. I live in ny so everything is 3x more expensive. Bet you can get 5 or 6 baffles for the same price.

 

If you like led check out aqua styles online. I bought a 14 led kit for my pico ($105 shipped) 4 months later still going strong. Paid twice as much for the led fixture i have on my bow (was 3-4 years ago)

 

Check out the urchin pro & the reef octopus line of skimmers. Both will skim your tank well. Im going with this one

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/reef-o...mp-skimmer.html

 

 

Good luck.

[gjones]

Thanks, your setup looks very nice BTW.

 

picks of tank and stand

 

 

grainy phone

[gjones]

JBM thanks for the tip, will get glass baffles cut. and i couldn't get the 29 in from the top, I had to put it down then put the stand over it, then the tank. HA. like a glove. Those kits are nice, I'm on a pretty tight budget though. have to price compare. Also debating on wether I want one single fixture, or two separate "pendants" because of the divider. I like those GU10's because they don't require drivers and each "bulb" is either 3x1w LEDs 4x1w LEDs. maybe 18 or 20 so 54-60 individual LED's on each half of the tank if that's not overkill.

 

But there is a 90 LED kit on aquastyle for 229... could try that and add to it if needed.

 

and my total amount of rock is going to be around 80 to 100 lbs

[iball1804]

[JBM]

I wanted to go with the 29. But pet land didn't want to order me one. Go figure. So I drained my fw 20 long. It works well.

 

I had to go from the top down also.

[gjones]

Lame, not very business friendly eh?

 

The 29 I'm using is actually my old reef tank, still has coralline algae in it... cleaning both tanks is next on the agenda, then sump baffles, overflow box (thinking CPR1000), return pump... so on

 

I really only want like a 650-600gph return (maybe a MD 7?)

[gjones]

I may be jumping ahead here but I got really excited about planning my light, and I drew up a (very) crude plan. I have decided on the GU10 3X1watt LED's for the purpose of this plan (and most likely the final build), I have seen 20 crammed ear to ear across a 48" tank single file but I don't like that look.

 

bear with me... each square is 3", circles are white bulbs, and the darkened circles are blue. (i messed up 2)

 

Overkill? One part of me whispers 20 would probably do it while another louder voice says make it 24 and another make it 36! 38! 40!!!!!! BLOW IT UP!!!!!!!!!!

 

but seriously i like 38...

 

feedback?

[JBM]

try to avoid grouping colors up.

[fote03]

Looks like its coming together well. Order a couple extras of each color than play with the combo and coral placement. 18 on each side should be more than enough but with no heat cant hurt to have extra if its too much light you can pull the bulbs. I build a gu10 fixture for a 29gal bio cube and have 12 in a sunpod fixture. 2-1 blue to white. Just order 30 more bulbs to build another fixture should start it this weekend if i find some time.

[gjones]

Thanks, I'm tweaking the light plan still... going to be last purchase before LR.

 

Placed an order for my overflow, went with the CPR1000 (800gph), a MD7 return pump and a few miscellaneous things. Next the hardware store, and pics of all plumbed to come.

[JBM]

Thanks, I'm tweaking the light plan still... going to be last purchase before LR.

 

Placed an order for my overflow, went with the CPR1000 (800gph), a MD7 return pump and a few miscellaneous things. Next the hardware store, and pics of all plumbed to come.

 

make sure to dry fit, then dry fit it again. After that. Dry fit it one last time

[gjones]

By dry fit do you mean sealing up all drain and return lines? Or am I oblivious?

[gjones]

That 90 LED kit at aquastyle is really tempting... $229... could probably pull off a budget heatsink for close to free... mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Mojorizn]

I'm working on an array for my 65 (36x18x24). Your 72 is similar correct?

 

Anyways, I'm using all LED in a 2:1 RB/NW configuration. It's a 48 kit from Rapid.

Heatsink is 5.888x28 from Heatsink USA.

 

I'll eventually play with some colors on a separate string down the center, but for now, here is my basic layout.

 

 

Maybe give ya some ideas to work from. Good luck with your build.

Those GU10 look pretty cool from what I've seen.

[gjones]

I'm working on an array for my 65 (36x18x24). Your 72 is similar correct?

 

Anyways, I'm using all LED in a 2:1 RB/NW configuration. It's a 48 kit from Rapid.

Heatsink is 5.888x28 from Heatsink USA.

 

I'll eventually play with some colors on a separate string down the center, but for now, here is my basic layout.

 

 

Maybe give ya some ideas to work from. Good luck with your build.

Those GU10 look pretty cool from what I've seen.

Its basically a 55 with a beer gut 48"x12"(bows out to 18" in center)x21. I like that design, very nice btw. That kit is just a little out of my price range though, maybe if I didn't buy that AK47 this year I could have already had this tank up and running. But a man has to have his priorities straight, and it is 2012...

 

But seriously, If i get 90 LED's, maybe run 2:1 B/W in clusters of 3 like that, or even in straight lines, have 2 rows of 21 on each side of the tank divider and use the remaining 6 down the center, a mix of uv and red? id like to play with that. And I really like your tank and light design again, very nice.

 

EDIT: just to add that heatsink wise I was thinking I might use 2 separate heatsinks if I can't find one at least 36" long. Have to go see whats laying around my dads shop, I'm 95% sure I can find what I need there.

[JBM]

By dry fit do you mean sealing up all drain and return lines? Or am I oblivious?

 

dry fit means put everything together without pvc primer or cement. Do not primer a pipe wait a few minutes & try to dry fit (ask me how i know) OK, i'll tell you. I was priming up everything. My daughter comes along & takes 2 pieces & puts them together. (wet primer on tacky primer).... Well now it's a tree ornament.

 

Led's are awesome. I suggest you do it (btw you still have a cycle time.)

 

So once the tank gets wet. you still have 3-6 weeks to save/build a led fixture.

[Mojorizn]

Maybe a GU10 / LED mix....? I'm gonna go with my basic layout plus keep a couple T5's from my current rig for the "exotic color" end of things till I get familiar with all the ends and outs.

 

Just remember, LED kits are customizable, in most cases, to whatever ratio ya want. There is a big difference in B/RB and W/CW/NW far as spectrum and overall look goes. Keeping colors on separate dimmers makes it easy to blend it all together.

 

90 seems like quite a bit. I was told that 36 would work well for my 36" tank, but I wanted to reduce the chance of color shadowing and not have to hang the array 2 feet of the water surface , so I went with 48.

Perhaps 72 would work for ya ....who knows?

 

I laid out my array with 3" between each NW in the cluster and 3" between rows...figured the heatsink length leaving 4 inches of width on each side. 36 - 4 - 4 = 28"

 

Man, there are so many options when it comes to LED/GU10 setups, it blows the mind.

 

Keep at it and get all the input ya can. The first 3-4 threads in the lighting forum have some great info. Quite a read, but worth the effort.

 

good luck

[gjones]

dry fit means put everything together without pvc primer or cement. Do not primer a pipe wait a few minutes & try to dry fit (ask me how i know) OK, i'll tell you. I was priming up everything. My daughter comes along & takes 2 pieces & puts them together. (wet primer on tacky primer).... Well now it's a tree ornament.

 

Led's are awesome. I suggest you do it (btw you still have a cycle time.)

 

So once the tank gets wet. you still have 3-6 weeks to save/build a led fixture.

 

Yea, I've glued things too early before and will be sure everything is in the right place a few times beforehand. I was thinking about getting my LR when I almost have enough for my light, that way a week or two into the cycle I can order and start building.

 

Maybe a GU10 / LED mix....? I'm gonna go with my basic layout plus keep a couple T5's from my current rig for the "exotic color" end of things till I get familiar with all the ends and outs.

 

Just remember, LED kits are customizable, in most cases, to whatever ratio ya want. There is a big difference in B/RB and W/CW/NW far as spectrum and overall look goes. Keeping colors on separate dimmers makes it easy to blend it all together.

 

90 seems like quite a bit. I was told that 36 would work well for my 36" tank, but I wanted to reduce the chance of color shadowing and not have to hang the array 2 feet of the water surface , so I went with 48.

Perhaps 72 would work for ya ....who knows?

 

I laid out my array with 3" between each NW in the cluster and 3" between rows...figured the heatsink length leaving 4 inches of width on each side. 36 - 4 - 4 = 28"

 

Man, there are so many options when it comes to LED/GU10 setups, it blows the mind.

 

Keep at it and get all the input ya can. The first 3-4 threads in the lighting forum have some great info. Quite a read, but worth the effort.

 

good luck

 

I know, it really is mind blowing, that's why I'm having trouble deciding haha. I have been reading up in the lighting forum, it IS quite a read but well worth it. I really do like the layout for that light you drew up. I may have to cheat off of it if you don't mind. My tank is a foot longer so I want to add about a foot more light to it, just add 6 more clusters to each end of the light for a total of 14 clusters of 3 on each side of the divider, with 3 individual LED's running down the center of each side to fill out the 6 to make 90. have 4 be UV and 2 red just for poop and giggles. Still researching, thanks for the input guys I cant wait to have this baby up and running.

 

And I know 90 seems like alot, but if I order that kit and don't use all of them I could add on down the road, play with different colors in the center strip, or even setup a mini mantis shrimp acrylic thunder-dome. always wanted one

 

29gal SUMP!!!!!!!!!

UGLY silicone job... but i don't care, its just a sump

[gjones]

Check this out, $4 walmart clamp lamp + $6 9watt bright white LED bulb = $10.00 fuge light.

going to add another for good measure, but im positive its plenty of light foe chaeto.

 

[gjones]

Light ideas

[Mojorizn]

Is your brain totally fried yet? That center brace is a bee-ach huh?

 

With 80 degree or even no optics, I think you'll get good even coverage either way.

 

Hurry up and build that sucker, so ya can tell me what to do different ...lol

[gjones]

Is your brain totally fried yet? That center brace is a bee-ach huh?

 

With 80 degree or even no optics, I think you'll get good even coverage either way.

 

Hurry up and build that sucker, so ya can tell me what to do different ...lol

 

Yea, the brace is kindof throwing me off... but I think It will be fine because the aquascape I plan on setting up will be low in the middle , then raised, then lowered. Like if you drew 5 equi-distant points on the tank it would be (low)-(high)-(low)-(high)-(low). So I should get plenty of coverage. That is one of the things about these optics I don't quite understand but feel like is really simple and maybe I have a grasp on it. Its just the angle the light is directed out away from the bulb correct? So I'm guessing the 80 degree would mix the color better than say a 60 degree? But then would I be better off having 60's on my RB and NW's with 80's on the center strip? so many decisions... Either way I'm confident that I can find a great mix playing with the dimmer settings I don't know why I'm stressing so much lol, using LED is fairly new in terms of reef lighting methods as far as I know, but they seem to work great and no matter what you put on your heatsink someone is going to tell you a "better" combo, or a newer "better" product will come out. I may be able to order in a week or two... I might just have to hold off on buying rock until after I make the light so I can just stop thinking about it lol.

 

EDIT: I'm also going to need a 6th driver, the kit only has 5, and the way they need to be split I'll have to have 6 drivers.

[Mojorizn]

EDIT: I'm also going to need a 6th driver, the kit only has 5, and the way they need to be split I'll have to have 6 drivers.

 

Yep. Mine will require an extra driver as well. I've been looking at different drivers, thinking about wiring in parallel, etc, etc.

 

At this point, I'm just bout ready to get the darn kit with an extra driver wire it up like I have it laid out and quit over thinking the build ... lol

 

Again, good luck on your project.