Step by step full spectrum diy led build

gmoney243 · Apr 4, 2013

Those cheap par meters dont tell u anything with leds. They are wrong. You would need a highly expensive one calibrated to work with leds. U need to watch ur corals and see how they react. Think of it this way. Leds without optics is like being outside in the sun getting a tan. Optics are like a magnifying glass the tighter they are the more concentrated the light is to the corals even tho a par meter may say otherwise. I run my leds at a low par reading because any higher and corals bleach and fade. If i had wider optics i would get highr par even though it wouldnt increase growth or color. Hope i explained this well

Sacohen · Apr 4, 2013

gmoney243 said:
Those cheap par meters dont tell u anything with leds. They are wrong. You would need a highly expensive one calibrated to work with leds. U need to watch ur corals and see how they react. Think of it this way. Leds without optics is like being outside in the sun getting a tan. Optics are like a magnifying glass the tighter they are the more concentrated the light is to the corals even tho a par meter may say otherwise. I run my leds at a low par reading because any higher and corals bleach and fade. If i had wider optics i would get highr par even though it wouldnt increase growth or color. Hope i explained this well

Mike that explains it fine, but I still need a starting point.
With 6 different channels you have to have some idea where to start and what needs to be adjusted, the UV or the 10K or the pinks or the Blue or Royal Blue.
I can't just make the thing and stick it in my canopy and guess.
In an earlier post Greg said that in my tank I should probably go with 80 degree optics or none.

gmoney243 · Apr 4, 2013

Right but what i do is just start at like 30% rb and adjust the others to get the color u want and wait a cpl weeks and go from there. And def 80 or none o have 60s and run rb @ 50% over 2' depth. Mrsaltwatertank runs his radion pros at 18% max on his 31" depth tank.

gmoney243 · Apr 5, 2013

Here Mark put out his video of true led par using a licor meter this is a must watch for led users and should make u turn down your leds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob1PYQ9buKY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sacohen · Apr 5, 2013

Thanks gmoney. Interesting video from Mr. Saltwater TV.

So you're saying I can set the system up without the use of a PAR meter?

I'm about ready to go on this. I'm trying to get a quote from Aqua Online, but they don't get back to me very quickly.
I Sent them something 2 weeks later they got back to me. I answered some questions they had on what I wanted earlier this week and they still have not gotten back to me.

gmoney243 · Apr 5, 2013

Sacohen said:
Thanks gmoney. Interesting video from Mr. Saltwater TV.

So you're saying I can set the system up without the use of a PAR meter?

I'm about ready to go on this. I'm trying to get a quote from Aqua Online, but they don't get back to me very quickly.
I Sent them something 2 weeks later they got back to me. I answered some questions they had on what I wanted earlier this week and they still have not gotten back to me.

Yea the common apogee par meter everyone uses is way off. I wish he would have posted results from that meter as well showing how off. But.he said it was about 35% off meaning its showing lower than it should. But also shows that even the g1 with no tir lense has plenty of par in a deep tank even at 25%. Im not sure what degree optics any of the radions are but im guesing the g1 with no lense is the same as no optics on a diy. While bridgelux are not as bright or effecient as the crees they use u still dont need to run them all that high to get great color and growth.

Sacohen · Apr 6, 2013

Thanks. I gotta save a bit more than I thought.
The 72 LED kit with 2 extra MEANwell drivers and upgrading the ones in the kit to MEANwells is going to be $341.

gmoney243 · Apr 6, 2013

I think 36 leds is plenty for a 55g especially if your going to add t5 to it

Sacohen · Apr 15, 2013

Thank Mike.

After getting a quote from Aqua Style Online, I started looking at other options, but it all comes out to be around the same.
I looked at Reef Breeders Value LED's and sent them an e-mail and was told that for my tank I would nee 2 of their Value LED fixtures @ $179 each, totaling $359 which is still more cost wise then what I would get from doing this setup myself and I would not have the control and flexibility with the Value LED then I will with this.

I'm gonna go thru with this in time and I think I will keep the 72 LED kit, I don't save that much by going to 36 becuase I still want the 6 channels of LED's and to upgrade to the MeanWell Drivers so I can use them with a Reef Angel, Apex or Reefkeeper or go with pots Like Greg did until I get a controller.

c_healy · Apr 15, 2013

I went with 3w eBay leds and meanwell 60-48 drivers and an as is heatsink from rapid led....to build 2 fixtures over my 55 it cost about $160 with plenty of leds leftover.

Of course I plan to upgrade leds at a later time, but plenty of people on my local forum have had great success with the eBay leds.

50 pieces for $26 shipped

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

Sacohen · Apr 16, 2013

I only see them in Cool white. Do they have other colors. I'm using Blue, Royal Blue, 10K, 6500K, Violet, UV, Green, Cyan, Pink, Red

c_healy · Apr 18, 2013

They have the eBay 3w in every color...when I get home from work I will pm you some links..or email wholesale_led on eBay and just tell him what you want.

Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

osteopth · Apr 19, 2013

Great build. I'm thinking of doing a similar build over my 2' x 2' x 8' 240 gallon SPS dominant reef.

Just one question, I was wondering if LEDs draw less power when they are dimmed? For instance, if only your LED driver was plugged into your Apex, how many Watts does it use at 100% and at 10%?

mrpillow · Apr 21, 2013

I have always been tempted to try some DIY LEDs but up until now have only used pre-made products. Maybe next time...

osteopth · Apr 25, 2013

This is the pattern I'm thinking of using over my 8 x 2 x 2 240 gallon SPS tank. I'll have 4" spacing between LEDs to make a 84" x 16" fixture. The bottom row is the front of the tank.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1366930094.285749.jpg

That's 27 Royal Blue (RB), 17 Blue (B), 21 White (W), 10 Violet (V), 10 UltraViolet (UV), 5 Green (G), 6 Cyan (C), 5 Pink (P), 4 Red (R). All Luxeon ES from Steve's LEDs except the V, UV and P which are Bridgelux from AquaStyle.

This is the view from the side. I'm going to angle the front rows with 60 degree optics to avoid light on the glass.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1366930220.414018.jpg

I don't know if I want to use optics on the back three rows or just allow for the spread. Any recommendations or thoughts? I'm debating Steve's drivers versus Mean Well ELN 60-48D's (Apex).

Sacohen · Aug 12, 2013

greg0385 it's been about 6 month since you built these lights, in hind sight is there anything you would have done differently?

I'm still working on everything, but my plan has changed a bit. I'm leaning towards the Meanwell LDD drivers because they are far less expensive and can be dimmed to true 0.

Others are telling me that the color combination in here is not necessary.
Things like ...
"Don't use pink either, it is worthless and you'll hate the look. Don't mix green and cyan either, just use cyan. 660nm red only. Neutral whites only."https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member.php?u=14873

greg0385 · Aug 12, 2013

It has been almost 6months with these lights!! WOW!! Has time flew by.

Anything i would do in hindsight?- i would have added more blue leds(blue, royal blue, UV, violets). Reason is i run those 3 channels almost at 100% and white(10k,6.5k, red and green) at 70%.

I used a par meter to set the lights up and had the par at 300-350. I had the lights at 90% blue and 60% whites.

I have had a explosion in color but still lacking much growth

So funny you ask, but i just got the par meter back and i bumped up the par to 400-450- 100% blues, 70% whites.

The reason i thought to bump up the par is to see if that had any effect on growth and color.

With the new setting i have maxed out my 3 blue channels and still have some more dial on my 3 white channels.

So to answer your question i would replace a few of the (10k, 6.5k) leds for a few more blues.

As far as "dont use this color" speech, i love my color leds and cant say they are hurting or helping. So if thats the case then i say why not have them?

Will post pics in a bit(r2r app isnt allowing me to post pics)