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LED Aesthetics: What do you really think of your color?


Machupicchu

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Oh and I already have DR with 120 lens. Let me know if you guys need them. I have tons!

 

-D

 

Opinion on mixing these with CB on the same string? Like 4 CB / 2 DR ? As a supplement to 2:1 RB/NW.

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
I think it's $76 for 75 LEDs.

 

Its $76 each and a minimum of 75 per order. So about $6400 an order. Ledegin makes some high end expensive LEDs.

 

 

are u getting any of those exotic leds in 120 degrees anytime soon, 60 degrees is not very useful

 

120 degree will be up this week for pre orders, they wont be shipped until Beginning of Feb.

As of right now its looking like:

2packs of TV, DR, Turquoise, NW, RB

 

As this will be my first diy led light, will this color combo be too white? I will have 2 over a 40 breeder.

 

Suggestions or comments?

 

led.jpg

You need to keep the DR right next to the Turquoise.

 

Zeadon, I'm with you. I'd love some 120 degree deep reds and TVs.

 

Pre orders are going live this week for them.

 

Also FYI, we will be carrying some high end (better than 660nm osram, better than current 660nm Deep Reds) LEDs very soon, just working out some details. they may come at the same cost of the OSRAM or cheaper but not as cheap as our current 660nm Deep Reds. And by better i mean overall quality and more light for less power.

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So here is what I came up with for the 40 breeder.

IMG_20120111_175711.jpg

 

RB-24

NW-8

CW-4

TV-8

TQ-2

R-2

 

drivers would be 4 meanwells I'm guessing.

Wired like this:

12RB-DRIVER 1

8NW AND 4CW-DRIVER 2

8TV AND 4RB-DRIVER 3

2RED, 2TQ, AND 8RB-DRIVER 4

 

I'm concerned about finding 2single tv's because I only see pack of 6. And also the color combination on driver 4. Do what do y'all think?

 

anyone?

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Mouser sells a few different 420's 410's and a few under that. The trade off is the amount of cash you have to fork out for something like it. Try deep red mixed with RB, it is nice and purplish.

I'm not interested in the purple look so much as i am interested in getting the 420nm wavelength to excite more fluorescent pigements in the corals.

 

- I don't understand the whining about 400-420nm actinic when if you want to suppliment this light just use a frikken tube and be done with it. Fluorescents are really good at producing 420 nm and UVA light and while the sellers in this forum want to convince you otherwise there's no difference in the photons emitted by a tube -vs- and LED, except that tubes can make a lot more 420nm actinic and do it a lot cheaper.

 

This is my tank: post-51842-1326340205_thumb.jpg

 

I don't want to slap a tube on top next to this light, otherwise i would have made a big huge array that would accommodate led's and tubes.

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
anyone?

 

I think you have that spread just right.. you can even put the DR and T on the same driver.

 

This is my tank: post-51842-1326340205_thumb.jpg

 

I don't want to slap a tube on top next to this light, otherwise i would have made a big huge array that would accommodate led's and tubes.

 

Sexy

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Question:

 

Not sure if I'm even in the right place by asking this, but what's the best way to even out my lighting?

 

I've got two Ecoxotic Panorama strips on my tank 8k/453 (making it a 50/50), with a Magenta/445nm stunner strip. Honestly, all I see is white with some blue in the shimmer, it looks washed out. Did I basically waste $300, or is there a way I could even out the light with stunner strips?

 

Or, alternatively, should I just take them all back and buy two PAR38's?

(the picture in my tank build is more purple than it looks in person, too)

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Question:

 

Not sure if I'm even in the right place by asking this, but what's the best way to even out my lighting?

 

I've got two Ecoxotic Panorama strips on my tank 8k/453 (making it a 50/50), with a Magenta/445nm stunner strip. Honestly, all I see is white with some blue in the shimmer, it looks washed out. Did I basically waste $300, or is there a way I could even out the light with stunner strips?

 

Or, alternatively, should I just take them all back and buy two PAR38's?

(the picture in my tank build is more purple than it looks in person, too)

Id personally return the strips. Theyre expensive for what they are imo. Why not craft your own array based on the info from this thread?

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Id personally return the strips. Theyre expensive for what they are imo. Why not craft your own array based on the info from this thread?

 

I've never soldered anything in my life, and just the fear of failure. I'm not confident that I could do it and pull it off that it would look good.

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I think they still make the solderless connectors. But if you don't want to fool with it still, then yea you'll probably be better off with some par bulbs.

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I think they still make the solderless connectors. But if you don't want to fool with it still, then yea you'll probably be better off with some par bulbs.

 

 

this and soldering is not 'difficult' to do - just takes a little bit of practice - grab/borrow a soldering iron and get a 10 foot strip of wire and start making little segmants and solder them together for practice.. then you will be a pro

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I did see those, they're cheap too, like $10, I didn't see them included with their 'kits' though. Also, even though there is information available, I just don't think I'd be able to wire them correctly as well. The most electronic work I've ever done is I took my old PSP apart, replaced the screen, and a few other internals and put it back together. hah..

 

Edit: I did find this

 

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-229/Pl...Retrofit/Detail

 

Do you think that would be a good choice? And, why does it come with 7 feet of wire if it's plug and play? The instructions still say that it needs soldered, and the plug and play instructions are lacking detail.

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Im about to put my order into RapidLED for a retrofit im doing on my interpet fishbox, its a 48L tank, so around 12g. Im planning on a mixed reef and Im going to try and fit everything into the hood. I was thinking 15 LEDs in the following layout on a 6 X 9 inch heat sink:

396739_10150522059163955_503508954_8682210_663389874_n.jpg

 

Do you think the colours will work? and have i got the spacing about right? I dont want to cram them too close together because they will only be about 2 inches off the surface of the water and i might end up with a spot light effect. Also, I will only be using 2 dimmable drivers so i was thinking about putting the royal blues and the cool blues on one driver, then the cool whites, neutral whites and the one violet on another driver. Im going to be ordering everything in the next day or so but want to get it right first time because I live in the UK and its a PITA to get stuff shipped over.

 

The heat sink I want has a slot for a splash guard, would using a diffuser work here? my tank is only 12'' deep so the change in par readings probably isnt going to matter that much. Let me know what you all think! Thanks!

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Hi Everyone....Just spent the last few days going through this amazing thread!!! Lots of great info.

 

So I have been planning a DIY LED retro for my RSM130. I am planning on putting the heat sink/LED's in the hood, so the LED's will be pretty close to the water (couple of inches) and will be used without optics. I also want to have complete control of the individual colors so I will be implimenting a DIY Ardiuno controller for dimming of each channel individually and for lighting cycles (sunrise/sunset, etc.).

 

Because of the various colors and the limited space in the RSM130 hood, I am going to utilize buck pucks.

 

The following are the LED's I have been thinking of using..and planning on purchasing from LED Group buy:

 

16 - XTE Royal Blue (452.5 ~ 457 nm) - Channel 1

4 - XPE Blue (465 ~ 485 nm) - Channel 2

10 - XML Neutral White (5000K) = Channel 3

2 - True Violet (420 nm) - Channel 4

1 each - Deep Red (620 nm) and Turquis (495 nm) - Channel 5

 

I would greatly appreciate some input to the following as this is my first LED Build:

 

1. From reading through the thread, there seems to be some concensus of a 2:1 ratio of RB to NW. When calculating this ratio, should I include the Blue with the RB? So in my case 16RB+4Blue = 20 which would provide the 2:1 ratio with NW. Or should I ignore the Blue in the 2:1 ratio

 

2. Opinions on if I have enough Blue (4 LED's) in the system?

 

3. Is two True Violet enough? or am I just waisting my time with this?

 

4. LED Group Buy is selling the True Violet, Deep Red, and Turquis, with 60deg viewing angle. Since my unit will be so close to the water, and because I am only using very few of these LED's, I am thinking I need to have wider optics so the colors blend better. Is my thinking correct? if so, are there any ideas where I can find these LED's with wider optics

 

5. In most docs I have read it is recommended that the drivers be adjusted mannually to 700mah. Should I be using 700mah buck pucks or 1000mah buck pucks? I beleive the TV

 

6. Finally, what are your guys opinions on the number of lights for a RSM130? Is it way excessive? or reasonable knowing that I will be able to dim if necessary.

 

Thanks again to all for this amazing thread. Hopefully I will be able to contribute some data after I get my build going.

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
4. LED Group Buy is selling the True Violet, Deep Red, and Turquis, with 60deg viewing angle. Since my unit will be so close to the water, and because I am only using very few of these LED's, I am thinking I need to have wider optics so the colors blend better. Is my thinking correct? if so, are there any ideas where I can find these LED's with wider optics

 

How deep is your tank and how close to the water are you hanging the fixture? that dictates optics and in most cases 60 are the best bet. We will have all our lineup in 120 degree optics at the beginning of Feb, they will be live for pre order very soon.

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How deep is your tank and how close to the water are you hanging the fixture? that dictates optics and in most cases 60 are the best bet. We will have all our lineup in 120 degree optics at the beginning of Feb, they will be live for pre order very soon.

 

 

Hi Milad. Thanks for the quick reply. My tank I beleive is 18" deep, and the lights will be about 2 inches above the water.

 

What do you think of the Mix I am proposing? Too light on any of the colors? Or too strong on some colors?

Again, all colors will be on seperate dimmers with the exception of the DR and Aqua (which I was thinking of putting them on one dimmer.

 

Appreciate you help. I have actually been emailing with you, and I was just going to go with RB and NW but after reading this thread, Im thinking since Im building the fixure, I might as well add some more colors. If I dont like them, I can simply turn those colors off.

 

Mike

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I'll have my new 13Up boards in two weeks. 1.5"x2.9" rectangle with 1 DR, 2 Blue, 5 RB, 2, NW, 3 CW. Say goodbye to color blending and soldering.

 

-Dave

any news Dave

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Milad LEDGroupBuy.com
Hi Milad. Thanks for the quick reply. My tank I beleive is 18" deep, and the lights will be about 2 inches above the water.

 

What do you think of the Mix I am proposing? Too light on any of the colors? Or too strong on some colors?

Again, all colors will be on seperate dimmers with the exception of the DR and Aqua (which I was thinking of putting them on one dimmer.

 

Appreciate you help. I have actually been emailing with you, and I was just going to go with RB and NW but after reading this thread, Im thinking since Im building the fixure, I might as well add some more colors. If I dont like them, I can simply turn those colors off.

 

Mike

 

The numbers look good. you may be a little strong on the NW compared to the Royal Blue.

You also really dont need the Blue because you have the Turquoise and DR

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Not sure if this has been asked, but who all are running Tv's over their tanks? Just asking cuz I wanted to check out pics of tanks running true violets.

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In all its glory! CW,NW,DR are in a series. I found this to be the best way to run them without a million drivers. The Blue, Royal blues are also in series together. This combo looks incredible and is by far the easiest thing to wire. The modules can also be ran in a parallel with each other for monster builds. Using a Burquest Gap Pad instead of messy thermal grease/epoxy or thermal tape. This stuff is extremely easy to use and also can be pulled off easily if needed. The overall size is 2.9"x1.5".

6738433607_a176f1ba3a.jpg

 

Enjoy!

 

-Dave

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So after looking at this thread and thinking about your feedback I have decided to try the following layout.

LEDLayoutPossibilities-2.jpg

I am going to start out with all warm white because I already have them (the left hand arrangement). I figure once I see the result I can decide whether to add some cool white.

 

I am using Cree XPG's for the whites which have a max current of 1.5A so they will be on one driver.

The RB will be on a second driver.

I am fairly sure, based on the feedback on this thread that I should put the Blue (or Turquoise) on a third driver as a little goes a long way.

 

This leaves the Deep Reds, and True Violets. I am looking for advice on which driver to tie these to. I would really like to not add a 4th driver if I can.

 

Thanks,

Mark

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In all its glory! CW,NW,DR are in a series. I found this to be the best way to run them without a million drivers. The Blue, Royal blues are also in series together. This combo looks incredible and is by far the easiest thing to wire. The modules can also be ran in a parallel with each other for monster builds. Using a Burquest Gap Pad instead of messy thermal grease/epoxy or thermal tape. This stuff is extremely easy to use and also can be pulled off easily if needed. The overall size is 2.9"x1.5".

6717608347_de05e7819a.jpg

 

Enjoy!

 

-Dave

Are these going to be available on your website?

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