Help with DIY LED lighting

[mnace91]

Hello, does anyone have any information on how to wire your own LED lighting for a reef tank? I want to experiment and redesign the lighting for my nano 12gal reef aquarium and then hopefully build a larger system with LEDs for a bigger reef tank once I have a good design. I would also like to know a reputable supplier of materials for this project. Any recommendations are welcome. Thank you.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Rapid LED
How to DIY LED | Reef LED LightsReef LED Lights
DIY LED Lighting - DIY LED Kits - AquaStyle Online
Steve's LEDs, discount DIY LED supplies

 

[mnace91]

Thank you. This is really helpful. When I upgrade to a bigger tank I plan on using all LEDs. Right now I have a Halide lamp in storage from my 40gal. reef tank from a few years back. I was happy with the lighting at the time because the corals grew great. But, it was a fortune to run and threw alot of heat. LEDs are obviously cooler and more efficient but I'm worried also about how the corals take to them. Does your system run off of LED lighting and if so are you happy with the results (coral growth and health)?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea, my corals are gorwing like weeds, but I just keep softies.

 

[mainereefer]

fiy you can buy a led fixture cheaper than you can build one...

 

[mnace91]

This may be true with building a bigger system. But, with my nano it's a special case. I had my lfs build me a retro fitted led lamp for the canopy of the tank but I'm not happy with it because it is a tall version of the fluval edge and its very difficult to get the light right because its normally focusing in towards the center of the tank leaving me with eclipsed spots around the edges of the tank. Also, I had to take it back several times for shorting out. I've researched lightings fixtures but none seem to fit for this awkard sized tank. I want to just do away with the nano and get a bigger tank but that is going to take awhile to do until I get the funds. Right now my plan is to build a larger canopy for my fluval edge, this will give me the room to put more LEDs and spread them out more so the lighting doesn't paroscope to the center anymore.

fiy you can buy a led fixture cheaper than you can build one...

 

[mainereefer]

Biocube 8 Dimmable Retrofit Kit - Rapid LED

Nano CREE Pro - Reef Radiance

there are lots of kits or pre-made lights... I originally built my led 5 years ago price has come down ALLOT...