DIY supplemental LED for 400w MH

[russ]

I thought about putting LEDs over my tank to cut down on Electricity cost, since it cost a lot to run the guts of my tank (returns, skimmer, chiller...)

After research, I don't think LED Technology is quite there for SPS so I am going to use the 400W MH I already own with 20k bulbs.

Obviously I want to add supplemental lighting so I was considering making a DIY LED unit. My tank is 220 gal 72"x24"x30" so I was thinking about an 6' LED strip across the front and back of the canopy. I could just use T5, but being able to dim the LED to simulate dusk/dawn would be nice.

Has anyone done this? How many LEDs would I need to give a good Actinic color range? I honestly don't know anything about LEDs so I was thinking about 1 LED every 2 - 2.5 inches.

Someone shed some LIGHT on this.

I was thinking about repeating this for a total of 31 lights on each side.

However, I honestly do know ANYTHING about these lights LOL

Front Strip LED
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xp_e2 Blue" (specialty blue)
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xp-e Blue" (specialty blue)

Back Strip LED (Specialty blue lights off set to the front row)
"xp-e Blue" (specialty blue)
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xp_e2 Blue" (specialty blue)
"xt-e Royal Blue"
"xt-e Royal Blue"

 

[russ]

Acandoit - did you add any White? how do the lights look when you MH are off?

Also, you would put 3 strips front to back instead of one in the front angled down 45deg +/- and one in the back angled down 45deg +/-?

Do you have any pics?

 

[morganatlanta]

Did you use the square tube from Stevesleds? Do you run a fan through it?

 

[russ]

That looks like regular Square Aluminum tubing.

 

[lee_steffen87]

You could also try buildmyleds.com they have a 72" for around $400 and you can tell them the spectrum you want and it comes with a warranty.

 

[enderg60]

I was planning on doing this as well but I was looking at two of the 36 LED dimmable DIY kit on aquastyleonline.com

With the AL tubing it would still be under $250. Since its just for actinic supplementation Im not all that worried about the lesser par of the cheaper LED's.

Just been waiting till I can get working on building my stand and canopy to do that at the same time.

 

[russ]

I like the idea of the square tube heat sink. It will take up very little space and should be fairly easy to mount. I have changed my thought on the lights a little and think I will add some UV lights and whites (See Below). I think with this, if I put these on a 4 ch dimmer, I could dial in color how I want using my Neptune and maybe have less MH time?


How high do these need to be mounted from the tank? will the 400w MH cause them any issues? Is this too many lights?

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Has anyone used the fan that stevesled sells?

 

[russ]

Here is the count of the LEDs

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[russ]

Acan, do you have any heat issues with the MH and LEDs on?

How do you like that stand?

 

[russ]

When I talk about the heat, I am talking about the LED overheating when the MH are running. It looks like you have 3 MH with reflectors and the LED strip correct? What reflectors do you have, are they mounted to the top of the canopy?

I have the same Stand and Canopy, exactly the same.

 

[russ]

Acandoit;942345 wrote: Oh, ok. So far no issues. The fan on the led heatsink cycles on more when the MH is on, obviously, but other than that, business as usual. The tube heat sink does a great job of cooling the leds.

What reflectors do you have for your MH? Are they just mounted to the top of the canopy?

 

[russ]

Thanks...

Sorry I am asking so many questions. You have 49 lights on a 60" tube next to 3 MH and you don't have LED heat issues?

I have 27 lights on a 60" and I am thinking I may add more.

What about optical lenses? I don't see those on the Invoice....

 

[ringo®]

russ;942395 wrote:
What about optical lenses? I don't see those on the Invoice....

If all your leds are in a row on a 1 1/4 inch tube, you probably don't want them.

 

[russ]

Acandoit;942356 wrote: I know we are geographically challenged, but if you bring a six pack over, I will show you my setup...;-)

I am going to take you up on that one day.

 

[russ]

What are your thoughts about the mixture of lights I have above? I think I will add more lights to each bar like yours...