Bridgelux LED DIY kit for 55 gallon

[Divan_24]

Hey guys, i have a 55 gallon tank with a couple softies running under 6 T8 sinces i had some ballast at home. It's time to upgrade and im thinking on getting this lights?

Aquarium 72 LEDs Dimmable DIY LED kit with optics

I believe I can make a good lighting system under 300 bucks. Do you think 72x 3 watt bridgelux LEDs would be enough for my 55 tank? or any other suggestions?? I would like to go DIY since i have a custom canopy only 6'' from water. Also since canopy only 6'', are optics necessary?

 

[Reefs-A-Lot]

i have a bridgelux setup on my 10 gallon started off with 10 blue and 10 white each 3 watts- it was bright and way to bright so i narrowed it down to 4 white and 3 blue 3 w led's and it puts out enough to sustain most corals- havent tried SPS though- as bright as my old aquatrader 18" metal halide fixture.--- get a quality heatsink and fans you will be about the 300$ mark after that. i have mine mounted that high and no optics and its perfect with optics you may want to go higher. -- even if it wasn't bright enough you could always get a 36 led package for $100 or so. but it will be plenty bright for a fish only or polyp and med light lps

why not go eBay led fixtures? its the same LED's you buying but in a nice fixture with dimmable features also. each one is around $160-

10 Leds but poor camera on my 10 G

BTW i was useing this tank as a QT at the time lol

 

[grumpy-crab]

72 3w leds are way to much for a 55g... all you would need is half that and a 36 led kit would work.

Also look into www.rapidled.com thats where im most likely going to get mine from. And im going to go with either 36 or 48 leds on my 30x30x24 cube tank. Also they are 3w CREE leds.

 

[dorky]

for that price go with rapidled if you are planning to add sps or other type of corals that require high lighting. if u sticking with softie than go ahead and get it but u will only need about 48 led. reason i prefer rapidled mainly cuz cree will have better pars for the tank that is deep.