Future tank build....LED question

fyrfytr · Jul 23, 2012

I am a fan of LED lighting, didn't used to be but I am now. I have LED flashlights for work (see name for why) and the equipment has LED warning lights, and by gosh they work. I also like LED for the fact that they last a long time and dont take up a lot of energy (love my job but it doesn't pay me for what we do)

ANYWAYS...lol....as I research/prep to build my fish only (fake coral and MAYBE an anemonie) tank I have been looking at all of my options to have everything in my mind before I spend the first $ and right now I am working on lighting. My plan is to DIY a hood or hanging system and I would much perfer to do an LED system over anything else. From what I can gather in my reading, the LED does give the water shimmer on the surfaces of the tank which I like, and I like how you can do a lot of mixing of colors with the LEDs vs say florescent or MH lighting. My question is, can I get some of those strips of LED lights you see on eBay or at your local big box home stores and use those? Currently I have up in another browser window 12V ribbon LED strips, 120 deg wide angle. Doesnt give their temp.

Singlefin · Jul 23, 2012

Streamlights Rock!! Sorry, but don't think you can use those to grow corals. They don't have the PAR or strength and intensity to match the sun. If you are only doing fish you may be ok. Why are you doing fake corals? How big is your tank?

...Layered in salt....

Singlefin · Jul 23, 2012

This is my DIY led build over a 40b. Tank just got wet last week.

...Layered in salt....

fyrfytr · Jul 23, 2012

kept digging on the site...the whites come in 3 shades and varing temps

Cool white wavelenght: 467nm luminous flux: 34.8 lumens Color temp. 16494 deg. K
Neutral white wavelength: 494nm luminous flux: 47.7 lumens Color temp. 5973 deg. K
Warm white wavelength: 581nm luminous flux: 58.7 lumens Color temp. 3256 deg. K

fyrfytr · Jul 23, 2012

Dont have a tank yet...will probably be doing a 50gal or something depends on what I can find at the time

Steelerfan747 · Jul 23, 2012

led strips will work fine for shimmer effect but not to maintain life. by the way why are you going with fake coral?

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fyrfytr · Jul 24, 2012

Going with the fake coral for the reef look. With this being mainly a tank for my 3yr old to enjoy (and for my newborn to stare at and fall in love with fish too) there isn't the need for the expensive lightings just to grow the corals. He will not notice the slow growth of coral nor will he understand that the "rock" is alive and growing. We are members at the Newport Aquarium and when he looks at their reef tank he doesnt even notice the bright colors of the corals he is so focused on the fish.

With the money that is saved from not having to have the heavy duty lighting and buying the frags I can put some more fish in the tank, get a little bigger tank, and maybe be able to get a ro/di system

cparka23 · Jul 24, 2012

sounds like a plan. Can you link to the LED strips you're looking at?

fyrfytr · Jul 27, 2012

I wish I could, lol, but I cannot find the site I was getting the information off of. I knew I should have linked it in the initial post.

I THINK this is it though:
Waterproof Ribbon LED Strips