LED Fuge Light - DIY

[calvin]

true, but the bigger one has a 3.5" diameter. the smaller one has 1.75"

[sNEIRBO]

calvin started to worry me, so I did a little surfin' this evening. A couple of articles I read in engineering forums said that White LEDs are full spectrum. That's just going off of what someone posted on a forum though . I guess we'll see how my chaeto does with these LEDs . . . I also just turned off the tank lights, and slid my chamber 2 fuge hood over a little so I could see how much light was dumping on to my LR rubble - it's pretty bright in there with the 24 bulb LED going. I'm hoping I can get some chaeto from one of my LFS tomorrow - struck out at 2 different stores today - they just thinnned their crop a week ago. X){d'oh)

[sNEIRBO]

I did some more surfin' today -

 

White LEDs are in the 4500K (min) to 8000K (max) wavelength range.

 

Checked for light spectrum requirements for a refugium - the White LEDs are in the required range. Based on the light output (lumens) for the LEDs, looks like the 24 LED board from superbrightleds.com will work. The board size for the 36 LED light is not any bigger though . . . might as well go as bright as possible.

 

I added some Macro Algae today - not chaeto - my LFS didn't have chaeto. Sorry, I can't remember the species now. I'll check back at the LFS tomorrow and write it down if necessary. I also ordered a bag of chaeto from sk8todd on fragbay.com. I'm going to add that along with the macro I got today. Some posts in the refugium forum suggest mixing macros to improve performance. Based on the small size in back of the Cube I'm looking to improve performance to the max.

 

Again, I just slid my Chamber 2 hood over so I could see how much light is being dumped on the macro - it's pretty bright in there with the 24 LED light. I can see all the way to the bottom of the macro and see the tops of the LR down there.

[sNEIRBO]

Back to the drawing board - there was a failure!

 

Do NOT try running the LEDs w/o a light cover! I pulled my light cover off of my 24 LED Light the other day - I decided I didn't like my self made diffuser. The lights ran for about 36 hours before they died. Looks like despite being "weather proof" they are NOT saltwater proof. The post-mortem on the light board - RUST! Put them in a plastic container and seal them good!

 

I ordered a 36 LED light from superbrightleds.com - it arrived today. I found a small plastic box (actually for a deck of kids playing cards) that I've both superglued and caulked to my cover. I made a clear plexi cover to go over the box. I caulked the LED Board in place this afternoon - I'm waiting 72 hours for the caulk to cure as the directions said (mark that one down - an Engineer actually read some directions). Once the caulk holding the board and the box in place cures I'm going to caulk my cover onto the box, and wait another 72 hours before I put the cover back in place. Until then I'm hoping the light spill from the mains will be enough to keep the macro in the back chamber alive.

 

Another problem I had was that the wire connections to the back of the board came disconnected as well. Looks like putting the LED light hood on and taking it off wore on the connections (solder) and made them fail. I'm going to superglue the wire to the top of my cover. At least that will stop the soldered connection from being wiggled back and forth.

 

I will post pix once I've got it all back together - hopefully Sunday or Monday.

 

Cheers -

sNEIRBO

[artarmon42]

Thanks for the update sNEIRBO! Really appreciate you telling us about the problem so that we don't run into it

I think the LED's are probably weatherproof, but the legs aren't ???

[rickjg]

We had similar ideas on fuge lighting that I used for my NC6.

I used this setup from besthongkong.com http://www.besthongkong.com/modules.php?na...products_id=161

The light has 48 - 5mm 12v LEDs, top set & pre-wired

This LED setup is designed to replace a 12 volt halogen spotlight bulb.

If you have enough space you could mount it right over your fuge.

I didn’t have enought space in the nc6, so I broke off the reflector

and it left a nice round flat light that I mounted over a small fan w/heat sink.

I fits right between the two fans just like it was born there.

Rick

[rickjg]

Specs on the LED

http://www.besthongkong.com/files/spec/BUW...4-09-marked.pdf

The fuge LED is under the splash guard and does not have a hole thru the top

of the hood or thru the splash guard.

I have a timer to run day/night cycle with the PC lights & two fans running 10 hours,

then The LED and fan is on 14 hours. I have not checked the LED temp yet.

The LED fan just blows around air from inside the hood, it’s not pulling fresh air.

[rickjg]

nc6 LED Fuge Light Pics

[Web Guy]

Looks good! Let's see how the Cheato grows under it.

[steelhealr]

Hi...I have my halogen submersible in for almost 2 months and my halimeda is still alive, tho' paler and my chaeto is very green after 3 weeks and is doing great and increasing in size. I will admit tho' that the led light by Rick and DonCB is intriguing. I still haven't seen any concrete posts on what the specturm is. There definitely is a spectrum needed for photosynthesis. A few questions:

--you mounted it over a fan, how hot does it get? did you drill out a hole for the fan? I can tell you that mine gets hot and had it in the same place as you but decided to keep it submersed

--how did you protect it from the SW?

--what kind of dc converter did you use?

 

Thanks. SH

[rickjg]

I put a half-dollar size ball of chaeto & a macro that looks like red leaf lettuce

in the fuge when I started the tank this weekend,

The picture shows the 6-6-05 starting point to compare growth.

I’ll take more pics in the future to see if anything grows.

Pay no attention to that black cord, it’s just the temp probe.

[gil716]

Any updates on the experiment?

[sNEIRBO]

My Chaeto has been in Chamber 2 under an LED Fuge Light / Cover for about 2 weeks. Still healthy, dark green, and growing. Don't have time tonight, but I will snap photos in the near future and post.

[gil716]

Fantastic! Time to whip out my worn out Mastercard.

[rickjg]

I’m sorry to report no growth in my fuge,

BUT it’s because my Chaeto & macro decided to swim:*(

(Bet you didn’t know they could swim???)

to the third chamber where the pumps are located.

Small oversight on my part not separating the chambers better.X)

I dug the Chaeto & macro out of the third chamber

& they are not looking too bad for wear.

I blocked the top of chamber two with a piece of sponge to keep

the Chaeto in place and moved the macro to the display area.

I still have high hopes for the LED fuge light

[sNEIRBO]

Yeah, that's something you need to consider when you do a fuge in Chamber 2 - you need to contain the chaeto / macro in Chamber 2 some way. I took a piece of plexi, cut to size and drilled a series of holes near the top. That blocks off the mid-height flow through between chambers 2 & 3 and makes the water move all the way up Chamber 2, through the LR and chaeto, before spilling over into Chamber 3.

 

I pulled the cover off to look at the chaeto just now when I fed my fish. I started with a baseball lump of chaeto on 6/8/05. I'd say it's about the size of a Grapefruit now. Definitely bigger, definitely dark green.

[rickjg]

Getting good growth in the fuge now that the Chaeto can’t escape

Chaeto has doubled in size in just a couple of weeks

The piece of sponge keeps the Chaeto from getting into the pump chamber

and the eggcrate keeps the Chaeto up close to the light

 

:bling:

[steelhealr]

FYI....it takes time to determine if the light will work in the long run. My chaeto doubled under my submersible in the first few weeks also, then, growth sorta stalled but the chaeto is still alive. Keep us posted. SH

[sNEIRBO]

My chaeto is looking good under my LED Fuge Light cover as well. I rotate the clump of chaeto at least one time per week. I notice when I do, that the bottom is looking a little paler green than the top. After having the chaeto in there for about 4 weeks now, I would say my chaeto has at least doubled in size.

[steelhealr]

..give it another few more weeks before declaring total victory tho'....to be sure. If it works well, I'll switch over from my submersible. Although it works, I'd say it is borderline for long term survival. SH

[rickjg]

Originally posted by steelhealr

.. If it works well, I'll switch over from my submersible. Although it works, I'd say it is borderline for long term survival. SH

 

Maybe you could try both,

submersible shining up from below and LED shining down from above

[steelhealr]

Hmm...interesting thought.....(lightbulb above head). SH

[sNEIRBO]

I kind of liked that idea too - it would keep both sides green . . . hmmmm

[lavalars]

Originally posted by steelhealr

Hmm...interesting thought.....(lightbulb above head). SH

 

Don't you mean lightbulb above and below head? I just ordered the 36 LED panel from superbrightleds also. I have some smoked Lexan to make the cover for it...although I've thought about actually mounting it in my hood.

[Nico]

Question?

 

What if a section was cut out and peeled off in the back exposing the second chamber, then fixing the 36 led panel on the cut out section...or maybe even two panels. Would this work?

Is the 36 led panel bright enough to penetrate through the glass?

 

Thnx,

 

Nick