DIY ATS LED Light - need some ideas

[danh]

I've got a couple of these LED strips. I figure I've got plenty of color combos to try to get my ATS growing best. I've got a grow light already on one side but it's pretty directional. I need to light the other side and I want to try to get better coverage on this side or replace the grow light completely with this. There are 300 5050 LEDs on this strip. I think I can light the whole thing. The problem is that the strip is laterally very rigid. It bends easily to to wrap around the spool it's shipped on but it won't bend around corners laterally.

I've got some leftover acrylic that I can make something to mount the LEDs on that I can remove, like a cap of some kind. Still the question is how do I mount them? I can figure out how to adhere them I think, but I need some ideas on how to direct the light at the from this strip in one direction.

I've got two controllers for the strips so I could do one strip on each side.

https://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT-Waterproof-300LEDs-Changing-Flexible/dp/B00DTOAWZ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467291976&sr=8-1&keywords=5050+rgb">https://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT-Waterproof-300LEDs-Changing-Flexible/dp/B00DTOAWZ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467291976&sr=8-1&keywords=5050+rgb</a>

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[danh]

I could take 3 pieces of acrylic and make a piece to drape over the PVC to the feed the ATS. Still the question on how to run the LEDs. The strip is covered in silicone so it's called "waterproof."

 

[FutureInterest]

Danh;1089778 wrote: I could take 3 pieces of acrylic and make a piece to drape over the PVC to the feed the ATS. Still the question on how to run the LEDs. The strip is covered in silicone so it's called "waterproof."

Ideally you want 2 light sources in there but it is not a requirement to have an effective ATS. A really cheap alternative might simply be to put a mirror in there. Doing so would stop the extra light from bleeding into areas you don't want it... like that skimmer... and would give you a surprising amount of return light as algae is translucent by nature. I would recommend using mylar that you can get from any automotive store as it's plastic, cost effective, and inert.

 

[Adam]

That's a great idea! When I bring the piece of acrylic to you next week you could attach the mylar to it.

I bet if I cut the piece a little oversized you could add a slight bend to it and lens the outside light back the center of the curtain. Two birds one light, less wiring too.

 

[danh]

I had thought about a mirror too. Anit pointed out to shield the skimmer which he was going to provide a piece of black acrylic as he mentioned to use. That piece I asked for is a little over sized.

I was thinking that once the algae was really built up not much light would go through the mat itself and it would shield the skimmer mostly.

If I can make a device that I wrap my LED strip around somehow though, and then also cover it with mlyar it would be much more contained unit. I just can't figure out how to wrap the dang led.

 

[morganatlanta]

I don't think I would use those lights. You want specifically 660nm red, with maybe a little 430 or 445 blue mixed in. Look on ebay and you'll find them. Also, you might do better with strips already cut to the right length. Again, ebay.

 

[danh]

MorganAtlanta;1089860 wrote: I don't think I would use those lights. You want specifically 660nm red, with maybe a little 430 or 445 blue mixed in. Look on ebay and you'll find them. Also, you might do better with strips already cut to the right length. Again, ebay.

I can cut what I have and theyre fairly controllable.

 

[morganatlanta]

It doesn't matter if they are controllable if they aren't the right wavelength components.

 

[danh]

Ok then. So another light like the one that I have? If I had another more water resistent option that wasn't too expensive I'm all ears.

 

[Adam]

I just got one of https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015R3PD24/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">these</a> for my fuge. Read a lot of good things about them on RC.

There's 10w [IMG]https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Daylight-Outdoor-Spotlight-Equivalent/dp/B008XZAPV8/ref=pd_sim_60_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41IxqpkNOML&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=E2551WEP65EXT35PZGZ7">versions</a> too that a lot of people are using and they're really cheap. I just felt with the depth of my fuge 20w would be better.

If you search around you'll find a ton of these on Amazon. Both of the ones above are 5500-6500K.

*Edit* Although I would submerge either of these...

 

[danh]

I don't need to submerge it. I just need it to be water resistant. This seems like it's going to be way too bright. The red and blue LED that I've got is pushing it in my bedroom at night.

 

[axio]

What about just running the LED strip through a plastic clear tube? Should be more then enough to make it fully "Splash proof". I have a bunch of these types of tubes laying around... They hold True Lumen LED fixtures during shipping... just used them to relight my store so I have extra. They are 48" long... or if you don't need something that long maybe the vacuum tube off of a gravel vac...

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[morganatlanta]

This is what you need. Inexpensive, the right spectrum, water resistant, and 12V so less risk around the water. It's not worth messing around with other stuff.

 

[danh]

Jakub the lights that I have are called water proof but I'm not trying to put them under water anyway. I wanted to use like 20 or 03 of them per side and the issue is really how do I manipulate the strip so I can get that many to face the scrubber.

That one looks good. It's pretty much what I have on the other side just housed differently. Cheap though. And it looks like it will shield the skimmer itself. I think that one looks good.

 

[danh]

While I'd rather not have so much metal 2 of these might do the trick well and I can spread the light out across the mat better?

 

[morganatlanta]

I think you are better off with just 660nm red than the mix on those. Lots of people use only 660nm red. 430nm or 445nm blue can be mixed in, but the ratio should be like 5:1 red:blue. Also, those have only five one watt LEDs, and remember that the power is usually overstated, so it may only be using 3W, which ain't much. I'm sure you can find a goose neck fixture with a standard socket and add whatever bulb you want if that's the way you want to go.

 

[danh]

The light I'm using seems to be growing pretty well. It's consuming 9 watts. I feel like two of these would be better than the one I have to cover the mat. You're right though, I can probably do better finding a goose neck and bulb separately.

 

[danh]

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[danh]

I ordered 4 more lights today. I'm going to run two more 7 watt listed lights on the other side of the ATS. This one normally uses 9-10 watts (listed at 12). They're goose necks and smaller units so it should cover the other side a little better than this one larger unit covers this side. The other 3 will go on my new 140g ATS.

 

[terry]

if you look at the led strip you will see either 2 or 4 gold dots every 3 leds. That is where you cut them. You can cut them anywhere you see the dots and then solder wires on them and reconnect them with the wires. You can then manipulate the leds any way you want that way.