# DIY LED lighting, I have no idea where to start



## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> I am looking into making a light fixture for my 55g planted tank, it may be a replacement for my Ray 2, as I would like to add dimmability and better color rendition through the color of the light. I have no clue where to start, I have knowledge of soldering and basic electronics, and I can read a schematic, but when it comes to making my own fixture I don't know where to start.


Hmm.. tough question really, though the execution is fairly straight forward..
Personal recommendation is to build around LDD drivers and use PWM 5V dimming..
Only exception would be if you are planning on going really fancy w/ an Apex controller..













What you sort of need to do is define a target budget and exactly what you want to do.
high output/low
controlled dimming
spectral components
what "tone" you like.. 

Keep in mind all the above can be put in the same unit.. but one should design around an objective..

Say you like a very cooll white looking tank you wouldn't use all warm white diodes..

A basic multi-channel setup would include (since adding channels is almost always as cheap as running one "color" w/ a controller 
no point in limiting yourself to this.
1)warm white
2)cool white

Getting more complicated add:
3)red (orange to deep red)
4)green (green,cyan)
5)blue (blue,royal blue,violet)

Even fancier.. and not usually done
6)IR or deeper than 660nm red)
7)UV

There is no harm in combining various colors onto one channel but ach channels cost is only about a $7 driver (and of course the diodes) so somewhat pointless.
Like some combine colors ie. red/blue/green into one channel but you are now limited to not being able to 1)run a solid.. i.e blue "moonlight" or 2) adj the overall K of your whites..



At this point it just gets messier.. high quality vs low quality chips
large COB's vs ind. 3W emitters.

I'm purposely leaving out strips and ribbons though it is still a viable option in the 5630 (ect.) (.5W) diodes.
most would run constant voltage and waste some power (current limiting resistors) and isn't really preferred..
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...50-liter-66-gallons-fresh-water-aquarium.html









Keep in mind there are dozens of variations really..........
Heat sink type, lensing, and fans come to mind, as well as "all in one drivers"...i.e ps and constant current driver in one unit.
Problem w/ these is 1)cost and 2) generally other than 5V PWM complicating the controller..

A bit on the basics:
http://www.instructables.com/id/A-Complete-Idiots-Guide-to-Make-LED-Light-Unit/?ALLSTEPS


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## PrimeObsession (Jan 8, 2015)

In addition to everything Jeff said, when I wanted to build a light, I started off reading through the threads of others who built their own lights. I remember, one guy even has the entire process documented on video somewhere. Read up on what others have done, so that you can learn from their mistakes and build a better light the first time.

IMO, after switching to LEDs, the ability to dim the output is the single most important feature in a light now. Makes controlling algae so much easier.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

sohankpatel said:


> but when it comes to making my own fixture I don't know where to start.





jeffkrol said:


> Personal recommendation is to build around LDD drivers and use PWM 5V dimming..





PrimeObsession said:


> IMO, after switching to LEDs, the ability to dim the output is the single most important feature in a light now.


Don't know where to start? Does your tank already have a canopy of any kind?
A canopy is a great place to hide things! What is your budget?

I agree with JeffK, LDD drivers and PWM 5V dimming.

I am with PrimeO on dimming as an outstanding feature.

My opinion that doesn't count for much.
StormX controller and LDD drivers would be my only choice, having tried cheaper things I was not really happy with.
I will write the cheaper things off as an experimentation with my first several LED builds.

Power supplies are just that, I go cheap, add up to meet voltage if needed, etc...
Not the cleanest power solutions but we are only driving LED's based on a duty cycle.

LED's I go the cheap 3 watt boat from China route.
If every now and then I replace one I don't care.

My first build with a puck type disk.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/1005129-new-led-build-126-watt.html
I have modeled all others after this original build.
Now I am building identical canopies for all tanks.
I like the available room and the hinged lids.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol 
What are good LEDs to use in this type of fixture, brand-wise. I want to be able to get 150 PAR at 18" on max brightness, obviously I would lower this down as I like to have headroom in terms of dimming the light.

Another question:
What is a good heatsink that looks good as well as is not terrible expensive? I am planning on lighting a 55g, and want to use it on a larger tank if i can, will a length less that 48" suffice, or do I want a full 48" heatsink so I can have even spread?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> @*jeffkrol*
> What are good LEDs to use in this type of fixture, brand-wise. I want to be able to get 150 PAR at 18" on max brightness, obviously I would lower this down as I like to have headroom in terms of dimming the light.


For simple strip type setups (no big COB chips) many prefer Luxeon Rebel chips of the 3W variety.. Or CREE..
About $3 each..
There are some available at eek bay for $1 each that I've had good luck with..
PARmax2 Extreme 14-up LED Array - Solderless
Never saw these at Steves before.. Kind of interesting
anyways:
LUXEON ES 3 Watt LEDs, Page 2
Not sure why they were listed as $9.49.. never were that expensive..


sohankpatel said:


> Another question:
> What is a good heatsink that looks good as well as is not terrible expensive? I am planning on lighting a 55g, and want to use it on a larger tank if i can, will a length less that 48" suffice, or do I want a full 48" heatsink so I can have even spread?


Makers heatsinks are more the cadillac of heat sinks..
There is a Chinese knockoff that is somewhat more affordable.
Then there is heatsinksusa..
HeatsinkUSA

Size will depend on how you design and mount the light..
don't really see why you wouldn't want diodes within about 3" from the edge..


> 150PAR @ 18"



Are you sure about that???
Anyways figure about 40 diodes total..and use 90 degree reflectors..

Takes 64 3W diodes w/ 90 degree lenses to get this:









They are probably 1/3 as efficient as the Rebel emitters.. but you still need the overall density if you want it fairly even throughout the tank..
http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/luxeon-rebel-es-lime-pics-and-par.160894/

Luxeon Rebel ES 'lime' - pics and PAR | REEF2REEF Saltwater and Reef Aquarium Forum


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

jeffkrol said:


> For simple strip type setups (no big COB chips) many prefer Luxeon Rebel chips of the 3W variety.. Or CREE..
> About $3 each..
> There are some available at eek bay for $1 each that I've had good luck with..
> PARmax2 Extreme 14-up LED Array - Solderless
> ...


I am a little confused on the heatsink, do I need some thing that is meant for LEDs? What have you used in the past? I looked at Makers, and DANG those are expensive. Is heatsink USA a good place to order from? I like the pricing for the heatsink but are there options that are better to work with? Also, how many of the CREE LEDs would be enough for my desired PAR? I'm sorry the noobish questions, but I have almost no knowledge on this.
Also, what are good controllers? I know the StormX was recommended, but I would rather not spend $100 on it just yet.

Ok, so about 40 CREE LEDs for my desired PAR, what is better the luxeon rebel or the CREE led? from a cost perspective and from an output perspective. @jeffkrol


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## SingAlongWithTsing (Jun 11, 2015)

jeffkrol said:


> Makers heatsinks are more the cadillac of heat sinks..
> There is a Chinese knockoff that is somewhat more affordable.


do you have a link or item number?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> I am a little confused on the heatsink, do I need some thing that is meant for LEDs? What have you used in the past? I looked at Makers, and DANG those are expensive. Is heatsink USA a good place to order from? I like the pricing for the heatsink but are there options that are better to work with? Also, how many of the CREE LEDs would be enough for my desired PAR? I'm sorry the noobish questions, but I have almost no knowledge on this.
> Also, what are good controllers? I know the StormX was recommended, but I would rather not spend $100 on it just yet.


Cheapest pre-built controller is the tc-420 modified to run LDD's.. About $30 and 5 channels
Just use the gate signal (which is 5V PWM approx) bypassing the MOSFETS..
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/980633-how-use-tc-420-control-ldd-drivers.html
Coralux Storm (6 channel 8bit dimming) and steves Hurricane (4 channel 12bit dimming) is 60-70


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## mikluha (Dec 4, 2015)

it may be cheaper and easier to buy a Chinese black-box LED with dimming/remote control/etc off eBay. They cost nowadays close to nothing and quality is good.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

SingAlongWithTsing said:


> do you have a link or item number?


No, just ran into it once or twice. Still costly over U channel or flat bar or even "proper" ones from heatsinkusa...
Come to think of it they have it

8.460" LED T-Slots - HeatsinkUSA
$3.37/foot

thinking outside the box.. All sorts of aluminum at all sorts of prices
191970312854
1x 3" x 48" $50...

Flats look to be about 3/4" so it isn't exactly right but an example..


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol
Is u-channel inadequate for cooling CREE leds? 
What is a good color mix of white, red and blue LEDS to get optimum color rendition?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> @*jeffkrol*
> Is u-channel inadequate for cooling CREE leds?
> What is a good color mix of white, red and blue LEDS to get optimum color rendition?


The amount of cooling needed depends on the drive current you use for the LED.
u-channel (or flat stock) works fine for lower drive currents and lower density LED's like 500-700mA and one per 3"
and of course the design of the chip.
The 1" actual heatsink material is about the same a u-channel.. 16 cents a foot.
1.83/ 66 cents a foot is more robust though.. 
http://www.heatsinkusa.com/1-000/
Really no hard and fast rules here..
Standard wisdom is usually one every 21/2" inches on center.. 

A simple color mix is cool white/warm white in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio..
Additional colors are more personal choices..
Add a red channel (660nm for photosynthesis peak absorption) if you like deep red sunsets/sunrise..
Blue if you want blue moonlight.

Or both if you want to just tweak the K (warmer or cooler) value but still run whites on full (really your main source of PAR)

cyans and violets for the fact that they are the missing or under-represented wavelengths.. 
no need to ever add greens..
Oh and Red/Cyan/Blue do make a white in combination (Any RGB mix really)

I personally usually add cyan to help w/ green definition.. i.e w/out it many shades of green will look like one color..

White K values are somewhat additive (over simplification) but assume you have 2 6500k and 1 2500k diodes.. When all 3 are on full you get the look of 5167K
2 10000K and 1 2500 K = 7500k
Design around your primary "look" that you like..

Playing w/ this calculator will help visualize some of this:
SPECTRA


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol
I know I want to mix in some 660 nm reds, but I am messing around with the SPECTRA thing and with 20 cool white, 10 warm white and 5 660nm reds, i get this:








Does this mean I am lacking, as it is saying something (negative I assume) about chlorophyll a and B


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> @*jeffkrol*
> 
> Does this mean I am lacking, as it is saying something (negative I assume) about chlorophyll a and B


you need to change to "FRESH" in the setup menu..

SETUP
Graph
Type: FRESH


Unless you add violets you won't ever get a 100% score btw.. (AFAICT)
410,420,430 have absorption bands.
420 violets will cover that part IF you insist.. 
Plants adjust to spectrum btw..
Not really lacking..

420,cyan, 660nm red and cool white/warm white will cover all bands..

chlorophyll a and b have peak abortion on both sides of the spectrum..










http://plantphys.info/plant_physiology/light.shtml


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol
Will 25 cool white, 8 warm white, 3 660nm red and 5 violet be sufficient for 150 PAR at 18" or will it be too much?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> @*jeffkrol*
> Will 25 cool white, 8 warm white, 3 660nm red and 5 violet be sufficient for 150 PAR at 18" or will it be too much?


you plan on using a controller right? There is no such thing as too much.. 
As to too little I can only guessitimate that you won't have too little..50 though is questionable..

Calculator estimates PAR but I have yet not figured out how or how accurate it is..
Which diodes did you use?




> Cree XM-L CoolWhite (5000-8300K) [120°] x25
> Cree XP-G WarmWhite (2600-3700K) [120°] x8
> PhilipsLumileds Luxeon-Rebel DeepRed (650-670nm) [120°] x3
> SemiLEDs P2N-U-A UV (390-420nm) [120°] x5
> ...












OPP's used the 1W CREE's.. Using the 3W XM-L's didn't change much..
PAR went to 66.9 @ 46cm (18"). 4438Lux.

According to the calculator you'd need to double the whites to hit 125PAR @ 18" Seems excessive..

for comparison purposes:


> and we hooked up the D120 to his rock vat. The light was approximately 2' off the surface of the water and he measured the PAR at 18" water depth and it was 150-200. 350 just below the surface.


Evergrow D120:









55 3W diodes..listed as 120W though..Reasonably under-powered to extend the LED's lifespan. ..
So maybe not so unreasonable..

Ignoring the colors.. 65/15 cw/ww\
Added colors and adjusted.


> Cree XM-L CoolWhite (5000-8300K) [120°] x61
> Cree XM-L WarmWhite (2600-3700K) [120°] x14
> PhilipsLumileds Luxeon-Rebel DeepRed (650-670nm) [120°] x6
> SemiLEDs P2N-U-A UV (390-420nm) [120°] x10
> ...


roughly $300 worth of diodes..

Switching to Luxeons and adding a few things:


> * MIXING LIST
> ----------------------------------------
> PhilipsLumileds Luxeon-Rebel PLUS (5000K) [120°] x66
> PhilipsLumileds Luxeon-Rebel PLUS (3000K) [120°] x33
> ...


roughly $200 w/ the $1 eek bay rebels..


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol I was using 5x 420nm violet, 3x 660nm red, 25 8000k and 8x 5000k
So, the PAR recorded by the calculator is pretty unreliable? 
I plan on using 25x CREE XP-G2 Cool White LED 
8x CREE XP-G2 5W Warm White LED 
and probable instead of 3xred,
5x CREE XP-E Photo Red (660nm) LED 
so, 38 diodes, I plan on running them at 1000 mA, except for the reds (I think they are rated lower)

Bump: Also, how do the Luxeon Rebels compare to the CREE LEDS in terms of output?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

sohankpatel said:


> @jeffkrol I was using 5x 420nm violet, 3x 660nm red, 25 8000k and 8x 5000k
> So, the PAR recorded by the calculator is pretty unreliable?


Besides the fact that they have to make some assumptions (drive current in particular) I wasn't sure..
After a bit of comparisons it seems like a fair baseline though possibly on the conservative side
calculating less PAr than was possible in general use.. 



sohankpatel said:


> I plan on using 25x CREE XP-G2 Cool White LED
> 8x CREE XP-G2 5W Warm White LED
> and probable instead of 3xred,
> 5x CREE XP-E Photo Red (660nm) LED
> ...


Depending on the BIN CREE efficiency is 120-160 lumens/watt
Luxeons may average around 100L/watt..

comparisons would depend on BIN and cost.. but considering the CREE's are say 20-50% more efficient..but the Luxeons are 1/3 the cost..
see it gets a bit complicated..
Cree XLamp XP-G2 LEDs

Bottom line is they are both about equal w/ CREE winning "if" only less than, equal to, or only 20-50% more expensive than Rebels..
Once you go 2x the cost.. the CREE loses..

don't forget what the diode is stated to be, like the 5W warm.. doesn't mean they are driven at 5W.
Using 1000mA you will only drive them to about 3w regardless of what they "say".. 
Guess naming them "UP to 5W LED" is too complicated...

On a side note Luxeons whites are noted to have better "color" uniformity off axis than the CREE's..though probably not really a noticeable difference..


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

jeffkrol said:


> Besides the fact that they have to make some assumptions (drive current in particular) I wasn't sure..
> After a bit of comparisons it seems like a fair baseline though possibly on the conservative side
> calculating less PAr than was possible in general use..
> 
> ...


So, if I get 60 of the eek bay itm/10pcs-PHILIPS-LUMILEDS-LUXEON-Rebel-ES-3W-Cool-White-6000-6500k-High-Power-LED-/221668699366?hash=item339c7bece6:g:gcsAAOSw8d9Uv6-l
Just as an example of cost, then it would be more worth it to buy 60 of these rather than 40 of the CREE ones, as these would be cheaper, but I could buy alot more for the same price as 40 CREE ones


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

@sohankpatel I looked through about 200 pounds of heat sinks yesterday.
I have 5 I would be willing to part with for your cause.
They are very similar to the build I posted.
Nothing wrong with them they are just a different style.
They are not all banged up either.

If you are interested I will post a pic with dims.
I would only ask you to pay shipping via USPS.

No hurry they are not going anywhere.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Maryland Guppy said:


> @sohankpatel I looked through about 200 pounds of heat sinks yesterday.
> I have 5 I would be willing to part with for your cause.
> They are very similar to the build I posted.
> Nothing wrong with them they are just a different style.
> ...


Thank you for the generous offer! I am debating whether to go through with this right now, or wait a while, as the number of CREE LEDs will cost me over $120, I may find some cheaper Luxeon Rebels on evilbay, but I need to do more research, the controller and LDDs alone are almost $100, not to mention a power supply. I am interested however, and I would like to see the pictures. 200 pounds of heatsink! That is a lot that you have, have you done many projects like this or only a few?


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

sohankpatel said:


> That is a lot that you have, have you done many projects like this or only a few?


Lighting project #5 now following the build that I posted.
Previous builds without the LDD drivers were not so good.
I began retro-fitting old fluorescent hoods with LED's and cheap drivers.

Now for me, only LDD drivers with PWM dimming.
I still cheap on the 3 watt LED's from China.
I have been scorned for this by some.

Once every 4-6 months I come home to a dimmed down puck.
I don't mind changing an LED every now and then, it's quick.

Work related heat sink acquisition for me.
Hundreds of motors on variable frequency drives all over the plant floor.
When they fail I re-purpose the heat sinks and toss the guts in the electronic waste bin.

I will post a pic with dims and you decide if they will work for you.
I just thought to help if at all possible.
The heat sinks are manufacturer specific without a common extrusion profile.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

You know.. as a DIY you can always proceed in stages.. and if you come down from that 150PAR at the substrate it gets fairly manageable..


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

@sohankpatel here are some pics.
I have 5 of these and I would include a fan with each and 1 12VDC power supply.
This 120 plug in can run all 5 fans.
If they will work for you let me know.
If not let me know and that is fine too.

Reckon you could mount singles all over this, just not sure how many.
I moved to the disks to eliminate lots of drilling and tapping, PITA.
Some thermal adhesives work too well.
Also eliminated lots of little pieces of wire to be soldered.

Dims are 4-11/16L x 2-13/16W x 1-31/32H
Each weighs 328.3g / 11.589oz 
Fans are 12 volt @ .18 Amps each.
Fan power supply is 12V 1.0 Amp
About 4lbs. includes all.

Still facing parental opposition?


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

Maryland Guppy said:


> @sohankpatel here are some pics.
> I have 5 of these and I would include a fan with each and 1 12VDC power supply.
> This 120 plug in can run all 5 fans.
> If they will work for you let me know.
> ...


Ok, so these are multiple small heatsinks, think that each one with 15 diodes will light a 55g? In terms of even light spread. I'mnot facing parental opposition as much as realizing I can't afford this all right now, so these heatsink are great, but I need to figure out how I am going to pay for the diodes, LDDs and controller


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## sfshrimp (May 24, 2016)

sohankpatel said:


> I am looking into making a light fixture for my 55g planted tank, it may be a replacement for my Ray 2, as I would like to add dimmability and better color rendition through the color of the light. I have no clue where to start, I have knowledge of soldering and basic electronics, and I can read a schematic, but when it comes to making my own fixture I don't know where to start.


best signature ever. Did you look on instructables? We can start with ordering a 3d printer and an arduino.


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

sohankpatel said:


> Ok, so these are multiple small heatsinks, think that each one with 15 diodes will light a 55g? In terms of even light spread. I'mnot facing parental opposition as much as realizing I can't afford this all right now, so these heatsink are great, but I need to figure out how I am going to pay for the diodes, LDDs and controller


20mm stars showing 18 on the sink, a bit too many, 15 should work.
Fans would be a must on these no way around it, they will get hot.
I use 2 disks per heat sink @ 42 watts per disk, 3 on a 75G (126 watt) dimmed down for med-light.
Extra thick glass with no center brace helped.
Thinking of moving to 4 on this tank very soon.
Should have used 4 for better distribution with a bit more dimming though.









I recovered these heat sinks later in the game.
Drives were from the early 90's and have started to fail recently.
Had already started with the slightly larger ones.

This was just my solution from re-purposed parts from work.
It saved me money and I have these 5 I doubt I will use.
Is it ideal, does everyone approve, who knows?
Just thought to help someone out if they can use them.

These are not going to the scrap yard anytime soon.


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

@jeffkrol
Its been a while since I have posted on this subject.
I was wondering where to buy Luxeon Rebels. They seem difficult to get a hold of, and I cant find them anywhere except ebay, and I don't know if they are any good if they are the ones direct from China.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

stevesled . So far had no problems w/ the eek bay ones though.
Not sure if they are clones or, my better guess is royal blue w/ added phosphors but have no proof one way or another. ATM they def last a lot longer than the eek by bridgelux ones 
$3 vs $1 each..Not my tank btw..
This tank used them.. 








http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/8...43218-my-large-planted-tank-experience-2.html


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