malibukay Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 ok so ive decided to go with DIY LEDs and give a shot at doing so. ive never done any DIY before, but have faith in myself this time, hopefully it turns out great! ordered all the items today, now i cant wait! thanks evil and everyone else with all the help involving LEDs! i decided to go with 3 XR-E royal blue CREE and 2 Q4 white CREE now how to set them up? Link to comment
alfiefive Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 now how to set them up? Very carefully! Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 Very carefully! haha Link to comment
madfx Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 What driver did you end up going with for the 5 LED build? Are you planning on mounting them directly to the fixture and letting it act as the heat sink? Definitely interested in seeing this one progress. I was thinking of the same DIY 5 LED setup. Seemed to come in around the price of a PAR bulb, but with more work required for the added benefit of being dimmable. Link to comment
alfiefive Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 What driver did you end up going with for the 5 LED build? Are you planning on mounting them directly to the fixture and letting it act as the heat sink?Definitely interested in seeing this one progress. I was thinking of the same DIY 5 LED setup. Seemed to come in around the price of a PAR bulb, but with more work required for the added benefit of being dimmable. I'm skeptical as to whether a DIY LED build is cheaper than picking up four more warrantied strips from Ecoxotic for ~~$100 bucks. What's the price tag going to be? Out of curiosity. You will definitely know exactly what you are getting, which is a huge plus, and you'll potentiall have a more attractive fixture. I guess I'm interested to know the benefits of a DIY LED on this particular tank. I didn't see the need, but I miss obvious things all the time and would love to know what your thoughts are Link to comment
madfx Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I'm skeptical as to whether a DIY LED build is cheaper than picking up four more warrantied strips from Ecoxotic for ~~$100 bucks. What's the price tag going to be? Out of curiosity. You will definitely know exactly what you are getting, which is a huge plus and have a more attractive fixture. I guess I'm interested to know the benefits of a DIY LED on this particular tank. I didn't see the need, but I miss obvious things all the time and would love to know what you're thoughts are I agree for the most part, that's why I'm sitting back and letting malibukay be the guinea pig here, haha. I think the 5 strips would do fine in most cases. The added benefit you'd get from a DIY fixture would be the ability to control the color and intensity (whites and blues separate and dimmable) and having optics to focus that light. I know 1w LEDs are capable, but the ones I used had optics installed. You lose a lot without them. When I priced together a basic DIY setup with separate dimming capabilities it came out to roughly ~100. Link to comment
alfiefive Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I agree for the most part, that's why I'm sitting back and letting malibukay be the guinea pig here, haha. I think the 5 strips would do fine in most cases. The added benefit you'd get from a DIY fixture would be the ability to control the color and intensity (whites and blues separate and dimmable) and having optics to focus that light. I know 1w LEDs are capable, but the ones I used had optics installed. You lose a lot without them. When I priced together a basic DIY setup with separate dimming capabilities it came out to roughly ~100. Agreed 100% on how dimming and separate whites and blues would be amazing. For the way I have set up my tank, my solace is in choosing which strips to run, and when, but without any additional dimming, etc. Thanks for the insight, very helpful! Personally, I want to see the DIY LED setup for this tank and then ask for one to be built for myself Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 Agreed 100% on how dimming and separate whites and blues would be amazing. For the way I have set up my tank, my solace is in choosing which strips to run, and when, but without any additional dimming, etc. Thanks for the insight, very helpful! Personally, I want to see the DIY LED setup for this tank and then ask for one to be built for myself Yeh I figured I could use the strips but wanted something a little more custom and to my liking. I was planning on using the arm to install the LEDs originally but I ended up buying a heatsink, I'm gonna have the heatsink attached to the arm and have an acrylic build around the heatsink to make it nice and neat, I want clean lines. Right now I just purchased a meanwell to drive these due to the fact that I had a budget which wasnt very high lol but I hope if all works out and I like how this turns out I'll upgrade to 2 separate buckpucks to have the option to dim. I'm waking or everything to be delivered! Can't wait to start this! Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 quick update: so im waiting for cycling to finish =/ but most of all for my LED supplies to arrive so i could start building my light! Link to comment
Monochrome5 Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute... You actually started a tank? I call shenanigans. Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait a minute... You actually started a tank? I call shenanigans. I know I thought I had enough haha its just so addicting! I saw how your anemone tank is coming alone, I like it! Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 26, 2011 Author Share Posted March 26, 2011 got most of my LED supplies today, still waiting on 2 more CREE and my solder iron to be delivered, most likely monday! Link to comment
alfiefive Posted March 26, 2011 Share Posted March 26, 2011 got most of my LED supplies today, still waiting on 2 more CREE and my solder iron to be delivered, most likely monday! Awesome. Link to comment
Drift Monkey Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 LEDs FTW! Just don't post any more pics as .tiffs... Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 waiting for the last of the LED supplies to come in so i can start the build =/ Link to comment
Drift Monkey Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Don't you just love waiting for equipment... Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Don't you just love waiting for equipment... BLAH! haha Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 received my soldering iron today, still waiting for my 2x CREE white Q4 =/ rapidled sent me 2 orders in the times its been taking this guy off ebay to send me 2 LEDs WTF! =/ i should have just payed the extra few bucks and bought from RapidLED... Link to comment
alfiefive Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 received my soldering iron today, still waiting for my 2x CREE white Q4 =/ rapidled sent me 2 orders in the times its been taking this guy off ebay to send me 2 LEDs WTF! =/ i should have just payed the extra few bucks and bought from RapidLED... When you get this project underway you better post PICS!!!!! Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 When you get this project underway you better post PICS!!!!! no worries! im deff gonna post pics, yours is coming along nicely! im gonna go snap a shot of the current look right now Link to comment
sogreedy23 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 nice so you're sticking with the LED build? they aren't fs anymore? Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 heres a few pics of how it looks right now, i havent really had an algae bloom? nice so you're sticking with the LED build? they aren't fs anymore? yes i am =) i got motivation from glazer, and i figured once its finished ill have the satisfaction knowing for once i did something DIY another one... Link to comment
.Newman. Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 that looks like sweetness to me. Link to comment
malibukay Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 that looks like sweetness to me. thank you =) i just really cant wait to build the LED, unfortunately thats going to have to wait till friday =/ i work nights at a hospital, and i know that the rest of my supplies will be delivered tomorrow while im sleeping during the day haha =/ just my luck... Link to comment
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