Some LED questions

[Prophoss]

This is just thinking out loud really so nothing worth getting worked up about. I am looking for some info on how many LEDs for a 10 gallon tank. 

I am wanting to build my own led lighting for a nano reef tank. Something simple to start with. Just softies CUC and maybe one goby. I would like the light to run 10k to 12k range mainly just white and blue. The question is how many LEDs would I need and how much power to get the depth / penetration to grow coral? I know there is a ton to all this so this is hopefully a good starting point.  

[mcarroll]

A Complete Idiot's Guide to Building an LED Array and Comprehensive DIY LED Project List ought to have a lot of good info for you.

 

In case you're looking for something simpler to pull off, there's also GU10 LED Build Thread (Chinese Ebay Lights).  I've built four lights on this basic setup...two larger ones, and one single-rail more like the basic design.  The wire burning trick didn't work at all for me, BTW, so get some proper wire splicing fittings.  Raises the base cost a little, but worth it IMO.

[Prophoss]

I did actually the idiots guide but that didn't answer some of the questions I had like how many LEDS and what color for what size tank. That and the duty cycle, or at what percent should you run the LEDs at for good depth penetration. Things like that. I will look at the one you posted and see what it says. Thanks. 

[mcarroll]

The basic ratio is 2 blue (~450nm) LED's per 1 cool white (~6500K).  That basic equation is excellent, and if that's all you did, you and your corals would both do GREAT.

 

That said, corals are very adaptable, so there's plenty of room in that "equation" for personal preference.

 

Some folks use all one color/emitter for white and all one color/emmitter for blue.

 

Some folks go with an even higher ratio of blue, some folks go with a lower ratio (i.e. 20,000K-10,000K'ish).  

 

Some folks like to use a variety of blues and whites.  

 

If you spend any time looking around, you'll find someone obsessing about some aspect...or maybe even all aspects of a DIY LED rig....all of more or less value in the final analysis.

 

So pick what you want – just remember they are all variations on the same basic theme.  (Don't get too caught up in it all....make what you need.)

 

That GU10 build I linked is so cheap to build and simple/friendly to use  – the bulbs are plug and play – that you might want to build that first just to have something to use for experimenting with different blue:white combinations – find out what you like the best.  

 

For a "full build" GU10 setup for your 10 Gallon, you would only need (20" long/2=10-1=) 9 bulbs in a strip across the top in a basic WBWBWBWBW bulb-layout.  

 

Bulb cost is about $1-$5 per bulb...prolly cheaper for the cool whites....so on average about (9 bulbs*$2.5=) $22.50 for a 10 Gallon and about a $1 each for sockets....buy extra sockets...they are cheap, but also brittle ceramic, so breakage is possible.   So maybe $35 for all the main parts.  If you want to get some extra bulbs to have more color ratios to try, maybe add another $5-$20.   Very inexpensive to try out!  👍  (If you're good at shoppng you might come out way cheaper than that.)

 

[Reefkid88]

I would do:

-6 Luxeon Rebel ES Royal Blues ($2.50 each)

-2 Luxeon Rebel ES Warm White (.99 each)

-2 Neutral Whites ($2.50 each)

-2 Luxeon C Mints($2.25) 

-2 Luxeon ES Rebel True Blue($2.75)

-2 Luxeon ES Rebel Cyan ($2.75) All from StevesLeds

-2 SemiLed 390-400nm ($5) RapidLed

-2 SemiLed 400-410 ($4.25) RapidLed

-2 SemiLed 420-430 ($4.25) RapidLed

 

 Do the royals and on 1 channel,all the violets on 1 channel,all the rest on the on the last. This is my sps suggestion,not everyone is going to agree and everyone has a different input. If you don't plan on sps or mainly Acropora eventually then you could cut some of the leds out of the equation. 

 

 I currently run 4 luxeon es royals on 1 channel,3 violets 390-430 on 1 channel and 1 warm white,1 mint,1 cyan and 1 true blue on 1 channel over my 4g cube and the color is just AMAZING. The cluster reminds me of a mini Radion. If it were me I would do 2 clusters,to get the best coverage light wise and spectrum wise.  

 

[Jimpens71]

I purchased a current USA orbit marine IC led and absolutely love it and so do my corals