Like to do a DIY LED project

S

SiNiStEr

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Jan 11, 2010
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I like to do a DIY LED project for my 75g cichlid tank that I'm currently working on building. This tank was originally was going to be use as a reef tank, but that project got put on the back burners for now.

Anyway back to topic. I know FW tanks doesn't need the light requirements that a reef tank needs.

1> So with LED's can the LED's that is rated under 1w work for a freshwater tank?

2> IF yes then what would the lowest LED should be used?
 
Look up CoryKeeper
he's got a few different LED links in his sig.
 
well how important is the lighting for a african cichlid with little to no plants. would it be low or medium or in between. my tank is a 75g AGA 48 x18 x (height kinda forgot it's like 20" - 22") Planning on having a 2" sandbed.
 
I did some research to find existing arrays that could be used and everywhere I looked the story was the same. Anything other then mood lighting where lighting was needed for work or reading the wattage did have to be high and the arrays very expensive. Looks like you were right Cory-Keeper.

I for one am leaving the technology alone until the pricing comes down, that is if our money is worth anything by then.
 
http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1885

these along with a 5v power supply turned down to 4.5v could power crees and luxeons for less than 50 bucks for a 10 led array, if you stepped it up to the 1400ma ones and cut the current in half by running in parallel you could drive 20 leds to 700ma for just about the same price.

20 leds at 5.50 each =110 dollars + 20 (power supply) + 20 (drivers) =150+heatsink for a ton of light. enough to light a 20 long reef or a 29 planted ( maybe?)

i will be working on a similar project soon, drivers are on the way
 
Trust me I understand what you guys/gals are saying. I'm the person that want to take you can't do that with this with what you want to do, and do it. Yes this is gonna be a lake malawi mbuna tank, but if down the road when I get tired of the tank and want to change the biotope of the tank, to a biotope that would be a planted tank with the correct species of fish for it, I will do it and the one thing I won't have to worry about is providing the proper lighting for such tank, since I would already have the light fixture.

So I know lighting is important for a planted tank. This DIY LED lights, I'm planning on having a pot or pot so I can adjust the brightness. I know I should of been a little bit clearer about this to begin with, and I'm sorry that I wasn't. I realize anything under 1w LED won't work.

Would 1w's work even for a planted tank (in the future) I'm seeing them being the cheapest a this. If you say no, that I should go with 3w LED's that would be fine. It would be kinda rough on my monthly budget, I will do what I need to have a successful tank.

The tank is 75g, the dimension is 48" x 18" x 20" this tank does have a center brace. So more than likely it might have to be 3w LED's because of the height, but if 1W with optics can be use then I would go that route.

1> How many rows would it take to give me a good coverage in this tank?

2> How many LED's per row and roughly the spacing between each LED's?

3> I know white, but what other colors can be mix in betwen blue, green, red, etc, etc?

4> With optics what degree be good to not create a spotlight effect?

by the time you get down this far, and want to ask is this tank going to be a planted tank or not. Let me say again, This Fixture will be built as if it was for a planted, but with dimmer control to turn down the brightness for a FO, and when this tank does go to a planted tank then the brightness can be increased.
 
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