I have been watching LEDs progress for many years now and have been waiting and waiting until I felt it was mature enough technology to use on a SPS reef tank... well.. this was the year I felt that happened. So I have been researching all the different fixtures out there and DIY methods and finally decided on which route I want to go.
So.. first I ordered a new controller. I went with the Reef Angel controller because it is open source and you can write code for it to make it do pretty much anything you want, especially in the LED area. With the PWM signal and WiFi attachment I can finally do what I have wanted to do for over 5 years now, which is to write software to be able to lookup weather anywhere in the world and have my LED lights mimic the weather. If I set it to read weather from the Great Barrier Reef, I can have it offset the time to match my local time (ie, raining at 2pm there will create rain effects at 2pm on my tank). I plan on having several different "cloud" settings from partial clouds to complete overcast as well as various degrees of lightning storms for the advanced effects. Of course it will do gradual ramp up and down of the blue/white LEDs for a smooth dusk/dawn setting. It will also control moonlights and alter intensity based on the phase of the moon. So that is the controller part of the equation. Total cost was $368 for that part.
Next is the LEDs.. I am going to order from rapidled.com but I am still trying to fine tune my order before I place it. Since this is my first attempt at a MH replacement LED fixture I am not 100% sure on how many LEDs and what colors to go with. They will all be Cree XP-G for whites and XR-E for Blue/Reds. I am not sure about which lenses to go with though nor the exact amount of each type of LED. I am thinking a total of 48 LEDs and 4 meanwell drivers. The DIY kit comes out to around $500 for a 48 LED kit. I will order the heatsink from heatsinkusa.com because they have more sizes and ones that will fit perfectly where I want to place it. I am also going to use my 4 T5HOs along with the LEDs, ATI Blue Plus bulbs, since I am planning on a 1:1 ratio between white and blue/red. One concern I have read about LEDs is the complete lack of UV light from them. They are addressing that issue now with UV LEDs but I think my 4 T5s will provide enough UV to keep the corals happy and healthy. The negative with 0 UV that I have read is UV is used by the coral to help create the "slime coating" they make for protection. To me that related directly to long term health of corals and I think current LED lights without any UV may eventually lead to sickly corals. How long that may take or if it would even happen I have no idea, just a guess from what I have read. Total cost for the LED portion is going to be about $600 making total cost for a top of the line DIY LED fixture w/ controller to be around $1000. Not the cheapest but I should make my $ back within 12 months just on electricity and bulb replacement.
So anyway... this is the start of the project. I should get the controller tomorrow and start programming code for it. Rapidled.com is on vacation until the 29th so I have until then to get my LED configuration worked out before I place the order. I will update this thread as I get parts and start building the light. I am guessing it is going to take about a month before the conversion is completed but I am fine with that. My current lighting is ok now so I am in no rush to put it all together asap. I would rather take my time and do it right.
That's all for now..
So.. first I ordered a new controller. I went with the Reef Angel controller because it is open source and you can write code for it to make it do pretty much anything you want, especially in the LED area. With the PWM signal and WiFi attachment I can finally do what I have wanted to do for over 5 years now, which is to write software to be able to lookup weather anywhere in the world and have my LED lights mimic the weather. If I set it to read weather from the Great Barrier Reef, I can have it offset the time to match my local time (ie, raining at 2pm there will create rain effects at 2pm on my tank). I plan on having several different "cloud" settings from partial clouds to complete overcast as well as various degrees of lightning storms for the advanced effects. Of course it will do gradual ramp up and down of the blue/white LEDs for a smooth dusk/dawn setting. It will also control moonlights and alter intensity based on the phase of the moon. So that is the controller part of the equation. Total cost was $368 for that part.
Next is the LEDs.. I am going to order from rapidled.com but I am still trying to fine tune my order before I place it. Since this is my first attempt at a MH replacement LED fixture I am not 100% sure on how many LEDs and what colors to go with. They will all be Cree XP-G for whites and XR-E for Blue/Reds. I am not sure about which lenses to go with though nor the exact amount of each type of LED. I am thinking a total of 48 LEDs and 4 meanwell drivers. The DIY kit comes out to around $500 for a 48 LED kit. I will order the heatsink from heatsinkusa.com because they have more sizes and ones that will fit perfectly where I want to place it. I am also going to use my 4 T5HOs along with the LEDs, ATI Blue Plus bulbs, since I am planning on a 1:1 ratio between white and blue/red. One concern I have read about LEDs is the complete lack of UV light from them. They are addressing that issue now with UV LEDs but I think my 4 T5s will provide enough UV to keep the corals happy and healthy. The negative with 0 UV that I have read is UV is used by the coral to help create the "slime coating" they make for protection. To me that related directly to long term health of corals and I think current LED lights without any UV may eventually lead to sickly corals. How long that may take or if it would even happen I have no idea, just a guess from what I have read. Total cost for the LED portion is going to be about $600 making total cost for a top of the line DIY LED fixture w/ controller to be around $1000. Not the cheapest but I should make my $ back within 12 months just on electricity and bulb replacement.
So anyway... this is the start of the project. I should get the controller tomorrow and start programming code for it. Rapidled.com is on vacation until the 29th so I have until then to get my LED configuration worked out before I place the order. I will update this thread as I get parts and start building the light. I am guessing it is going to take about a month before the conversion is completed but I am fine with that. My current lighting is ok now so I am in no rush to put it all together asap. I would rather take my time and do it right.
That's all for now..