T5/LED hybrid build

[ToXIc]

ok guys this build may be a little slower than i want but im off to a good start..

just picked this up

a brand new 48" 8 bulb tek light off craigslist..

the fixture itself is awesome but i want to add LEDs to give some shimmer and also blue LEDs make corals pop like nothing else.. below is the bulb layout its split 4x4 on 2 switchable cords..

below are proposed locations of the strips.. it will be 2 strips of 12 LEDs ea.. total 10 blue; 8 royal blue and 6 white.
yes im adding some white in there also so i can do some dimming to simulate dusk/dawn..

i will also be adding 3 blue LEDs for moonlights..

nothing is set in stone, please share you advice..

 

[bknapp]

This should be awesome.

 

[creefer]

Interested to see what you do with this.

 

[ToXIc]

ok R2R one of my friends mentioned that by taking bulbs out it will over-drive the ones left in...

that being said i wanted to put the LED strips like below..

but the 4 middle are driven by 1 ballast and if i do so the 2 bulbs left will have a lower life span compared to the other 4 bulbs..
so reluctantly ill have to go with this layout..

ill have to confirm with sunlight supply about over-driving the remaining bulbs.. what do you guys think?

 

[ironworker]

i,m no electrician but i think the light will only use what it needs. unhooking the ballast from those biulbs will not exactly put all the power to the others i may be wrong though. but i think you will be ok. the ballast just wont have to work at full capacity, possibly extending its life, but as i said i may be wrong.

 

[Nebraska Reef]

You can easily rewire to use either of the ballasts to any of the slots. You will only need some spare wire and wire nuts. The better way would be to use butt connectors or solder and heat shrink since you'll be soldering anyway.

I was thinking about doing something similar to my 180 sps tank and I still may. I'm currently running 6 t5s on icecap ballasts but am in the process of building a 105 emitter cree setup. Testing par and will go from there.

You may not visually see as much of the t5 because the led will overpower them, but your corals will!

Looking forward to your progress and will help answer any questions on the build if I can.

Daniel

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[ToXIc]

Thinking about bulb choices. Not sure which 6 bulbs to use with the LEDs. This will be my 1st T5 fixture I'm currently using MH. I'm thinking I should have either 1 or 2 10k bulbs because of the extra blue from the LEDs.


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[Dowtish]

I think you would be better off with only one 10k. It will whiter than you think, if you use more. Even the new coral plus bulbs from ATI come off whiter than I thought they would. I would do 4 Blue plus, 1 Corals plus, and 1 purple plus or fiji purple.

 

[Phyber]

Highly interested in this build. I have the Tek 6 bulb and would love to either add a stunner strip in or replace my "dusk" ATI Blue+ with a 36" led blue strip

 

[gmoney243]

I know the big t5 thread from grimreefer or w/e his name was the recomended bulbs was
20k look
5 blue+
1 purple

14k
4 blue+
1 purple
1 aquablue special


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[ToXIc]

Yes but with the led strips and 4 blue plus bulbs might be too blue?



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[ToXIc]

ok guys.. time to get some leds..

thinking now..
9 Blue
9 Royal Blue
6 White
3 dimable drivers
moon light kit..

any recommendations? things i should change?

 

[mixer911]

Why so many Blues?

 

[ToXIc]

the 6 T5 will be my primary light source the LEDs will be for supplement and dusk/dawn dimming..

 

[ToXIc]

should i run the 18 blues parrell on one driver or be safer and run them on two drivers?

 

[mixer911]

I would run them on 2 drivers. Its safer and also allows for more controll ot them.

 

[ToXIc]

ok so parts list..

XP-G (or XP-E) Cool White - 6ea
XE-E Blue - 9ea
XT-E Royal Blue - 9ea
Mean Well ELN 60-48D - 2ea
80 degree lenses - 24ea
50 pk black 4-40 allen head screws - 1ea
Artic Alumina 14g - 1ea
63/37 Rosin Core Solder - 1ea
Fuze Holder - 2ea

 

[ToXIc]

ok so parts list..

XP-G (or XP-E) Cool White - 6ea
XE-E Blue - 9ea
XT-E Royal Blue - 9ea
Mean Well ELN 60-48D - 2ea
80 degree lenses - 24ea
50 pk black 4-40 allen head screws - 1ea
Artic Alumina 14g - 1ea
63/37 Rosin Core Solder - 1ea
Fuze Holder - 2ea

Thinking about going 18 Royal Blue instead of splitting them between blue and royal blue.


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[gmoney243]

Really don't think there's a need for anything other than RB, CW and maybe a few reds. Esp since ur just doing it for actinic.

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