INTRODUCTION
Unedited version can be found here at ReefFrontiers.
Date: December 13, 2010
For months now, I have been wanting, reading, planning to phase out my current T5 setup to LED. Right now I have 4x39 watt and 2x54 watt.
I believe, I have reach a point that Im going to make one for my 75 gallon tank. 48(W)x18(D)x18(H). I am not going to replace all my T5 all at once, but will be replacing them one strip at a time, thus going for this "linear" approach instead of the traditional square/rectangular heatsinks.
I will try to make it as simple as possible and as clear as possible so that people who also want to make one for their tanks can follow.
Disclaimer: This is my first LED build so I am in no way an expert. Everything I know are all based on previous builds I found on the internet.
REFERENCES
Here are some of the references. If you are new and does not know anything about LED build but wanted to make one for yourself, then may I suggest to start reading....
Reeffrontier Link build page here.
DIY LEDs - The write-up - You can find the concise and summarized version of it on Page 200 of that thread, post #4994 by TheFishMan65
Taqpol's Diy LED Build - Complete with PAR readings.
Santoki's LED Build - Also with PAR readings.
Widmer's Build - Ceiling mounted with 6 degree optics.
Soundwave's - original build before it became a monster thread.
$100 DIY Cree LED Actinic Supplement 48" Strip - actinic supplement for 2x Metal Halide setup.
CURRENT SETUP (November 2010)
This will serve as a baseline for our future comparison with LED.
75 gallon all glass - mixed reef tank, mostly softy and LPS and some SPS
4x39 watt Giesemann T5 (3 Blue+, 1 Fiji) mounted 6" above water line.
I came from 1x400 watt + VHO's, down to 2x250's and then to T5's, all because of wanting to save on some electricity.
PARTS LIST
12 - Cool White Cree XP-G R5 LEDs (Rapidled)
12 - Royal Blue Cree XR-E LEDs (Rapidled) Note: XP-E is more efficient
12 - Cree XR-E Lenses (60 degree white lenses!) (Rapidled)
2 - Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable drivers (Rapidled) Note: 48P is better in with Arduino PWM
1 - Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive or 1 tube of Thermal Grease (Rapidled)
4 - Water resistant wire nuts (Rapidled)
2 - Power cords (US orders only) (Rapidled)
23 - Pieces of pre-cut wire (Rapidled)
1 - 8' aluminum 1" square tube (Home Depot, local hardware store) $15 Note: C Channel is better that square tube
2 - 1 ohm 2 watt resistor (Frys, local electronic store) $1 Note: Any 2-10 watt resistor will work.
2 - 5K potentiometers (Frys, Radio Shack, or local electronic store) $8
2 - Knobs for potentiometers (Frys, Radio Shack, local electronic store) $4
1 - Screw terminal Strip (Radio Shack, local electronic store) $4
1 - Soldering wire (Frys, local electronic store) $1
1 - 25' #18 wire red (Frys, local electronic store) $4
1 - 25' #18 wire black (Frys, local electronic store) $4
2 - 14' RJ11 extension chords (Frys, local electronic store) $4 Note: Anything bigger gauge than phone wire will work.
1 - Plastic shoe box (Target, Radio Shack, local retail store) $2
1 - Regulated 9 volts (should be 10 volts) Power Supply (RE-PC, Rapidled, Radio Shack, local recycle store for PC's) $1
TOOLS NEEDED
Wire cutter
Soldering Gun
Steel saw (to cut aluminum)
Digital Tester $3 @ Harbor Freight
For comments and questions, Email Me