JT's 120 - time for another DIY LED build

[jaytizzle]

So I'm looking to DIY some LEDs for my 120 now. This fixture will cover the basics - Blue, Royal Blue, and White diodes. In addition, I'm thinking about playing with other colored diodes to get some coloration effects... specifically Red, Green, True Violet, and Turquoise diodes. These additional colors will be used very sparingly and intend to have controllability so they can be dimmed down.

Does anybody have any experience in fooling with these additional colors?

Ideally, this fixture will have 7 independently controllable light channels (1 for each color). This may prove to be quite a challenge and far too costly (7 individual drivers alone will run around $275 and I'd need more than 7 drivers total). I'm not set on build plans yet so if anybody has any ideas, I'm open to hear them.

Definites:
Reefledlights pre-drilled and tapped heatsinks (2 of the 18" x 8.460" non-anodized)
Inventronics drivers
Solderless connectors for all Cree diodes, will solder the others
Connected to Apex through VDM for dimmable control
Additional EB8 for this project
Cree XM-L Neutral Whites
Cree XP-E Blue, Green, and Red
Cree XT-E Royal Blue

Just ran some numbers...
Assuming
12 x NW
24 x Blue, Royal Blue
6 x Green, Red, TV, and Turq
$367.74 for diodes
$389.00 for drivers (each color gets independent control)
$212.50 for heatsinks
$61.20 for solderless connectors
$1030.44 + around $50 for miscellaneous (wire, thermal grease and adhesive, solder, etc.)

Add in $150 for a EB8 and $100 for a VDM and the project cost is coming to..

$1330.44.

May look at combining some colors or something to reduce the driver costs. If I remove the Green, Red, TV, and Turq, the total cost for the project is $1084.30 (give or take a little bit).

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

[jaytizzle]

Can't wait to see what you come up with!

Thanks, Rev.

If anybody's got any advice on the color selection or input on my build plan, please don't be bashful. I'm trying to do this thing right with all of the extra colors that I may need. Any input or constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!

 

[XavierZ06]

I've read That there is no benefit to the red leds aside from algae growth... I may be wrong but that's what I've found.

On a different note I just got my green and turquoise leds from ledgroupbuy in today, so as soon as I get home I will be hooking them up. I will definitely take pictures when I do. (Although I have eln 60-48D's and can drive 8 minimum, I only have 2 of each color... how do you drive just 1? Can I use wires from a 9v battery?)

 

[ReefLEDLights]

jaytizzle

We've been experimenting with these for a while.

For growth all you need is the 420-470nm Range. This is the most common spectrum in the ocean as the deeper you go the Reds and Greens are filtered out quick.

I cannot recommend Nuetral or Warm XM-L, XP-G or XP-E White as they will make you tank look bad. They are simply too yellow.

Here is a chart of our "High Noon" XM-L which is around 6-6.5K. If you notice it has a very nice 450nm spike for growth and a mid range spike of 550 which does little for growth but given our research will have a positive impact on certain coral pigments. The Neutral and Warm have their spike closer 600 which may promote nuisance algae along with a weaker 450nm Spike.

We have had much discussion on whats best and simplified it.

The Royal Blue, Blue and White (with 450nm spike) are for growth. The ratio is what you find most appealing.

Reds and Greens along with UV are like a spice. They are used to excite certain pigments in corals to maximize colour. Too much spice will ruin the meal.

For this "Tweaking" we like the Mean Well ELN30-48D which can drive 3-12 LEDs and is fully dimmable.

Bill

 

[jaytizzle]

Thanks for the info there, Bill. I like the spectral plots on the Cool White XM-L but I am going to let my practice override you here. I put neutral white XM-L's on my recent DIY fixture (6x XM-L NW, 12x XP-E RB, 12x XP-E B on 18" heatsink over 20" cube tank) and they look fantastic. Alone they're not an appealing color at all but who runs their whites alone?! The XM-L's are driven with 1750mA max, XP-E's at 700mA max. The power level settings have the NW's at 50 percent, RB's at 80 percent, B's at 60 percent. I have yet to get PAR readings but this mix gives a very crisp and vivid 20K color without the windex look (any higher on the B's and windex creeps in!).

I agree with you fully about the additional colors. They're going to be used very sparingly and will be independently dimmable (on my Apex) so that I can dial in the colors just right. Also, this will be set up on 2 18" heatsinks over a 48" x 24" x 24" tank.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

Thanks for the info there, Bill. I like the spectral plots on the Cool White XM-L but I am going to let my practice override you here. I put neutral white XM-L's on my recent DIY fixture (6x XM-L NW, 12x XP-E RB, 12x XP-E B on 18" heatsink over 20" cube tank) and they look fantastic. Alone they're not an appealing color at all but who runs their whites alone?! The XM-L's are driven with 1750mA max, XP-E's at 700mA max. The power level settings have the NW's at 50 percent, RB's at 80 percent, B's at 60 percent. I have yet to get PAR readings but this mix gives a very crisp and vivid 20K color without the windex look (any higher on the B's and windex creeps in!).

I agree with you fully about the additional colors. They're going to be used very sparingly and will be independently dimmable (on my Apex) so that I can dial in the colors just right. Also, this will be set up on 2 18" heatsinks over a 48" x 24" x 24" tank.

jaytizzle

Totally agree with that mix, if your using the neutral.

As a tactician in my last job, I fully agree with "battlefield experience" There are many ways to do LEDs right and after it simply works there is the Art or Tweaking to obtain the best coral colour/look.

As long as your tank is without excessive nutrients you should have great results. Our concern was more with nuisance algae and looks.

One hidden thing that should be brought up is the benefit of the High Noon. You have chosen a bit warmer (NW) at 50%.

Any thoughts about upping it from 1100 to 1300 then lowering it.

We have had great results doing this with the warmer Cool White XP-G.

Please keep us posted as we are using similar but slightly different approaches.

Bill

 

[jaytizzle]

That's a good point about upping them for a short period during the day. I'll test it out with some corals in the near future. There's only two corals under my DIY fixture right now and they've been looking good so far. I really need to get a PAR meter on this setup and see what it's putting out!