Zakk's LED thread

[Zakk]

Okay, so with 96 LED's installed and running, I figured I would start a thread with what I'm specifically doing with them.  I have a 2-1 ratio of blue to white at the moment.  Mostly white runs from 10am-5pm, and full blues run from 3pm to 9pm. 

I just ordered up 5 each of 3W CREE - CYAN, UV, RED.  I'll hook them up to a power source and sort of experiment with what those bulbs do to the tank (if anything).

As it is, the Roal Blues act like blacklights for mostly green and some yellows.  Blues and reds are very subdued.  So we'll see what kind of a mix I get.  I have a video of the LED construction, maybe I can get off my ass and actually put it together so it makes some sense. 

Corals definitely had an acclimation period.  I should have moved more SPS to the bottom of the tank, or it might have been an idea to put a mesh or screen over the tank for a period.  But, so far nothing died, definitely established colonies were affected less than 1" frags.

So stay tuned, and we'll see what I can come up with in terms of what the new bulbs can do to the tank. 

 

[Zakk]

New 5' heatsink and Mixed LED's just showed up.  ;D

I will say this...the red CREE LED's are as bright as the Royal blues.  Maybe more so.  The UV's output is pretty weak, but of course that's not the magic of the UV bulb usually. 

So got 16 Royal Blues, 4 reds and 4 UV's .  I'm going to replace the 3 strips of Royal Blues I have in there now with this one large strip of Royal blues, then use the smaller sinks for the multicolour LED's.  Mix and matching this should result in some pretty interesting results. 

I still can't get over the brightness of the reds.  I couldn't get any CYAN bulbs from rapidLED yet, but I'm going to leave room to add them in later. 

Stay tuned!

 

[pulpfiction1]

cant wait to see what the reds look like

 

[davesolo29]

would like to see the construction video

 

[Zakk]

I know I know, I really have to put it together, I think I even transferred the video to the PC (build was the same as these are).  I built the 5' actinic strip to get it up and running, I'm just setting the pieces up for the 'mixed colour' blocks.  I've got a party thingy tonight, and house showings tomorrow, hoping to have it up and running tomorrow evening. 

 

[davesolo29]

that would be great.  im considering a DIY but want to see how complicated it is before i make up my mind.

 

[Zakk]

Wire snips and a soldering iron.  That's as tough as it gets  ;D

I'll check how detailed I got in the contruct video.  I might add in actually soldering in a pad if it doesn't show it.  Put it this way, I just did up 26 LED's on a heatsink, and with the supplied sticky pads, and a good soldering gun, I had it done in less than an hour.  That's worth $1000+ on a light fixture to me.  Plus, I'm willing to help anyone put a kit together for a few cans of Guinness

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

i gotta do my aquastyle set soon i have the 92 led set  i can get a heatsink in detroit  but waiting to figure out what size tank i gonna get to upgrade to  either a 36 or 48 

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

heres the one in detroit....http://www.heatsinkusa.com/

 

[Zakk]

I really can't photograph it, and I'm sure that it's personal preference....

However, I can honestly say that the red LED's, while impressively bright, are almost completely useless in a reef tank.  I can only imagine that if you want a tank to look like a 60's laval lamp then this is the way to go.  But considering you can go from 8500K to probably 22000K look with whites and royal blues, and that the royal blues make a lot of corals glow bright neon, I don't think there's anything the UV bulbs really add to it.

Very likely the red LED's will get used somewhere else, likely in my bar or something similar, they are bright enough to see with at night, but in the tank, they're outright creepy, and I don't really think there would be a benefit to having a bunch and messing around with dimmers. 

So far, the best look in the tank seems to be a mix of 3-1 RB to COOL WHITE.

Heh, since a week ago when I ordered, they have added green and cyan LEDs.  I'm kinda glad I missed them, would have been more money out of pocket. 

 

[Zakk]

Okay, well running it at night is a little different.  The REDs do have an interesting effect on some of the fish and the cleaner shrimp, but is pretty subdued when all the royal blues are going.  So I wonder if I spaced them out with the RB's they might just light up the livestock, which could be cool, and not do the freaky lava lamp effect. 

 

[Neopimp]

I have my reds on my rb string and with no whites my orange clowns turned blood red it was scary lol and I have just one red on each side of the tank

 

[Zakk]

I have my reds on my rb string and with no whites my orange clowns turned blood red it was scary lol and I have just one red on each side of the tank

I got it!  When the blues and reds are on, it's like looking at a 3-d movie without the blue and red glasses!  I wonder if I find an old pair the tank will be real3D lol

 

[Neopimp]

Lol it's a weird effect

 

[Blob-79]

I wonder if I find an old pair the tank will be real3D lol

Lol