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Innovative Marine Aquariums

NC6 LED


evanj

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Welp, after doing a lot of research into squeezing another PC bulb into my NC6 hood and trying to figure out a way to cool it all - I'm going with LEDs..

 

First step is figuring out which heat sink(s) I should go with.

 

This is the NC6 thread that I will probably be trying to replicate:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=189626

 

I couldn't find the heat sinks he bought, but these look similar (anyone ever order from Best Hong Kong?):

 

http://www.besthongkong.com/product_info.php?products_id=730

 

or...

 

I could go the direction of a full heat sink instead of all the little ones - don't know which of these would work from this website, but it looks like they have a good selection of sizes.

 

http://heatsinkusa.com/

 

Anyone have any input, the individual heat sinks or the full sized one?

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yeah that apitasia frag is sweet!

 

j/k....you got a nice lil collection of zoas workin....i believe i have some of the same, and they are fast growers

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:o lol, I got rid of my aiptasia almost instantly when I put that peppermint shrimp in there! You did have me going for like two seconds though <_<

 

Good to hear they're fast growers, from the looks of it you have a little more light going for you though....

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i modded my bc8 to take the same bulbs as an aquapod 12....i like current bulbs better...

 

im rockin a whopping 54watts of pc :rolleyes:

 

you could try placing them higher up in the tank, i had pretty good luck with zoas and lps in a 2.5 aga w/ only one 18watt 50/50....

 

i did that mod to buy me time till i got my led stuff together....looks like it might be closer to tax time before i get mine...

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I'm just going go slow and order parts only after I need them for the next step... probably will take a few months to complete...

 

I'm thinking of only doing 12 LEDs, still won't be cheap.

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Nanotuners has a 3.6 LED Retro Kit for your NC6

http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php...products_id=620

 

I know, I really want it - however, I can't justify spending $300 on a retro LED kit for the tank. The one I posted above is ~ $150, that's closer to making sense for this application.

 

If I were to spend $300 on something, it would be on a complete new setup, i.e. 2009 Nanocustoms BioCube 14 - BC3.24 (72w) or 2009 Nanocustoms NanoCube 12 - NC3.24 (72w)

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you get what you pay for sometimes....

 

 

Those are 1 watt LEDs.....most of the ones I've seen used for reef lighting are 3 watts.

 

Also I wonder if the Aluminum sheet they are attached to will be enough of a heat sink

to provide long life for the LEDs.

 

Would you need a get a fan to help keep the LEDs cooled?

 

Just some thoughts....I'm definitely no LED expert...

 

If you do try it, I'll be following along to see how if works!

 

 

 

 

Doug N

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After doing some measuring 'n stuff, turns out there's no way the pre made LED board above will fit.

 

I'm going with heatsink USA, if I can find the right size heat sink. :huh: Their site is a little confusing to me...

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After doing some measuring 'n stuff, turns out there's no way the board above will fit.

 

I'm going with heatsink USA, if I can find the right size heat sink. :huh: Their site is a little confusing to me...

They will do a custom cut from one of the heatsinks they offer, just order the length closest to what you need (or slightly longer) and ask them to cut the width to your specs. I think they'll even do slightly more complicated cuts, like removing a corner if needed.

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They will do a custom cut from one of the heatsinks they offer, just order the length closest to what you need (or slightly longer) and ask them to cut the width to your specs. I think they'll even do slightly more complicated cuts, like removing a corner if needed.

 

Great! Have you ordered from them?

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Great! Have you ordered from them?

Not yet, however I emailed them with my specs and they said that it would be no problem. I'm needing a heatsink thats just shy of 11" long, and right at 3" wide, the definitely don't carry that. lol

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I know, I really want it - however, I can't justify spending $300 on a retro LED kit for the tank. The one I posted above is ~ $150, that's closer to making sense for this application.

 

If I were to spend $300 on something, it would be on a complete new setup, i.e. 2009 Nanocustoms BioCube 14 - BC3.24 (72w) or 2009 Nanocustoms NanoCube 12 - NC3.24 (72w)

I've been running 72watts of PCs on my NC6 since it was setup and I would advise using LEDs. Just the annual replacement cost of new lamps would pay for the LEDs in the long run. I added a chiller to my NC6 to keep temps in check during heat waves, and that again would have covered the cost of LEDs.

 

you get what you pay for sometimes....

;) ... going cheap can sometimes be the most expensive option

.

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I've been running 72watts of PCs on my NC6 since it was setup and I would advise using LEDs. Just the annual replacement cost of new lamps would pay for the LEDs in the long run. I added a chiller to my NC6 to keep temps in check during heat waves, and that again would have covered the cost of LEDs.

 

 

;) ... going cheap can sometimes be the most expensive option

.

 

You make some good points rickjg, although fan upgrades/additional vent slots would have hopefully taken care of the heat issue in my PC lighting retro plans.

 

I'm thinking LEDs are the way to go. Plan on ordering a heat sink here pretty soon. I hope going "cheap" by creating my own LED array isn't more expensive in the long run, compared to the NC6 Nanocustoms retro ready to install kit - if my budget goes over $350 I would be very surprised.

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This premium retrofit kit includes everything you need to build an amazing, power efficient LED fixture. Included are high-powered Q5 Cool White LEDs! Get a discount for buying everything at once!

 

* 6 Cool White Cree Q5 XR-E LEDs

 

* 6 Royal Blue Cree XR-E LEDs

 

* 12 Cree XR-E Lenses (Choose from either 40, 60 or 80 degree lenses!)

 

* 1 Mean Well LPC-35-700W driver

 

* 1 Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive

 

* 2 water resistant wire nuts

 

* 1 power cord

 

:happy: only thing it needs is a heat sink :happy:

 

ive been eyeballin this one as well

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This premium retrofit kit includes everything you need to build an amazing, power efficient LED fixture. Included are high-powered Q5 Cool White LEDs! Get a discount for buying everything at once!

 

* 6 Cool White Cree Q5 XR-E LEDs

 

* 6 Royal Blue Cree XR-E LEDs

 

* 12 Cree XR-E Lenses (Choose from either 40, 60 or 80 degree lenses!)

 

* 1 Mean Well LPC-35-700W driver

 

* 1 Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive

 

* 2 water resistant wire nuts

 

* 1 power cord

 

:happy: only thing it needs is a heat sink :happy:

 

ive been eyeballin this one as well

 

B)http://heatsinkusa.com/

 

or here:

 

http://www.besthongkong.com/product_info.php?products_id=730

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* 1 Mean Well LPC-35-700W driver

 

This kit does look very interesting,

 

The only thing I can think of to question on this is

that the meanwell ccd provided is limited to 700ma and it

seems that those "in the know" like to drive the

white LEDs at 1000mA.....for better performance.

 

Here is a quote from evilC (maybe he'll even jump in here)

 

[ (Royal blues don't gain as much from the extra current as cool white do. You won't lose any significant performance running them at 700mA) ]

 

Doug N

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Would the 6 LED retro fit kit from rapid LED be an improvement from my current 50/50 18w stock lighting?

 

I don't plan on keeping anything in my NC6 other than Zoas, a Ric and Shrooms - maybe some Pom Pom Xenia..

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Would the 6 LED retro fit kit from rapid LED be an improvement from my current 50/50 18w stock lighting?

 

I don't plan on keeping anything in my NC6 other than Zoas and Shrooms - maybe some Pom Pm Xenia..

 

 

use something more like this

 

you will be better off with this

 

http://www.ledsupply.com/creexre-w100.php ( 3)

 

http://www.ledsupply.com/creexre-rb.php (3)

 

http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php (2)

 

http://www.ledsupply.com/17261-ps.php ( just 1 )

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