# 45g rimless cube, 11g rimless "glass shoebox", DIY LEDs and stands galore!



## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Okay, here's the official build!!

First, the 45g cube (23") was originally a "70g tall" (23X23X31), but I took a diamond saw to it and lopped off the top. So, now it's a rimless cube . 

Here's proof . Cheezy phone pic, but you get the point. 










All woodworking here is made from birch 3/4 plywood, birch and ash hardwood (trim), and some 2X4 for the main frame. Stain is a custom color I mixed myself, and the finish is catalyzed conversion varnish.

Here is the stand, custom build. Notice, first, my lil prowler. That's Isaac, Daddy's little helper.... or something like that .

Notice the stand is designed to "engulf" the tank--- this hides the gravel totally. [EDIT: due to a couple of miscalculations (that's what I'm calling it!) the gravel isn't hidden in the least lol) The plywood outer is just a shell. The actual stand is the 2X4 frame, and they are totally removable. Doors to come soon, I just have a bit more work to do on them. Doors will be on all three sides!











Here is the stand for the 11g rimless, which is 36X9X9, like a long glass shoebox. This is basically a bookshelf with a beefier top than I'd normally do. 

Ignore the dust 










A closeup of the top. Again, ignore the dust.









Here is the big pendant that will hold the LEDs. 

It's 3/4 plywood and will be attached to a hinged arm (you'll see in a day or two )

The front is sheet steel, sprayed with hammered-look rustoleum, and will hold the digital amp (current) meters for the LEDs. Three drivers, three meters, and three dimmer knobs. I'll make custom wood knobs on my lathe in the coming weeks.


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## roni (Aug 28, 2006)

Very nice! I wouldn't have the cuts to even think about "chopping" off the top of a tank


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

roni said:


> Very nice! I wouldn't have the cuts to even think about "chopping" off the top of a tank


Lol. I was nervous, but I've cut enough tile to know how to use the diamond saw. I only paid $50 for the tank, believe it or not, so it made the risk more tolerable.


For the record, the cut wasn't clean enough to leave, so I spent about an hour with a belt sander, followed by a random orbit sander, to polish the glass back to a bit of a satin/matte finish. It's not glossy on the cut area, but doesn't need to be. It's smooth, that's all that matters.


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## labgeek (May 16, 2011)

I like the recessed top idea on the stand. I'm Interested in seeing how it turns out.


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## sqtran (Jun 12, 2011)

Oh!!! I can't wait to see the next updated pictures.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Whew. 

Both tanks are 80% done. Both have water in them (the 11g rimless was already established).

The 11g kept all it's inhabitants intact since it just got a new stand, but the 45g only has a few panda tetras in it. The water was aged RO water and the Filstar was fully established. 

Tomorrow--- finish planting the big boy, add the rest of the fish, and assemble the LED canopy for both tanks. 


Pics to come soon.... but for right now, the big tank looks like a big box of chocolate milk from the Flourite, even though I rinsed it a LOT.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

OK everyone, PROGRESS! 

I still have a lot of wrinkles to iron out (not the least of which, is the horridly crooked light canopy lol, but it's functional so I can take a breather for a couple days ).


Here is a full shot. My recliner, in between. Bookshelf (and soda shelf ) to the left, with the 11g rimless shrimp tank. The big boy to the right. I can still see them quite well even though they are so tall. Plus, all that light makes reading nice and easy .

Cabinet doors coming soon. They are already stained/clear coated, just need hardware added.











The LED array is done. I didn't do moonlights yet, maybe in the future (I have a few LEDs unused up there I could give a power supply once I find an appropriate one). Three channels of light. TOP--- white. MID-- Blue. BOTTOM--- Dawn/Dusk (white, red, and cyan LEDs). 













45g rimless with canopy. It will be adjusted soon.... I know it's crooked .











The plants are in the big tank, along with the driftwood (that's actually a shrub root ball that I baked for 4 hours at 275, and then soaked for 6 months).












Top shot. The overflow thingy in the back is not a true overflow (it's not drilled). This is just a false back to hide heaters, CO2 reactor, etc..... It's made from 1/4" acrylic and covered with 12" square floor tile.












The 11g rimless. This one has all colors on 1 channel, and it's a mix of warm white, cool white, neutral white, and royal blue. I took a risk on it because I had no real idea what it would look like, but it's gorgeous to me! I love it!

More blue than some people like on a planted tank, but the warm whites and neutral whites really balance it out. Very lovely, looks a lot like some of the cooler color T5 combos.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

By the way, I made a miscalculation on the depth of the gravel... the inset obviously didn't hide it well. I forgot about the 1/2" thick bottom, plus the 3/8" the bottom rim adds, plus the fact that I had more gravel than I realized. 

It's about 3.5" deep total. That's about right since I have all those root feeders, esp. that tiger lotus.


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## TwoStrokeKing (Mar 24, 2011)

Damn nice! keep the pics coming! u do a good job


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

I can't wait until the dwarf sag starts turfing in the 45g. I got a lot of room for it to fill.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Here are the newest inhabitants, two stunning angels that are a mated pair. A very good friend of mine housed these while I built this current build (which were given to me by another good friend a couple months ago). During the time in a bare 20g, with only gravel and a sword plant, they spawned repeatedly, the last batch producing about 40-50 viable wigglers. 

These two are now in my tank. I do not plan to spawn them and raise the fry, but I know they will spawn. I'll have to watch them to make sure they don't make a mess of the place when they do (aggresiveness). 

Female- the red/green glimmer in the background is real, it's from the few red and cyan LEDs in my canopy I'm experimenting with. More on that to come later.









Couple together, they definitely are "close knit". And eating healthy.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

And by the way, I dug up the prototype image I made nearly a year ago that was my "ultimate goal" and I'm pretty sure I pulled off what I wanted. Only the canopy is different.











Tomorrow I'll get a FTS including the stand w/ doors on it, they are on and done!


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## MartyD (Dec 29, 2006)

> I took a diamond saw to it and lopped off the top. So, now it's a rimless cube


That takes balls


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

MartyD said:


> That takes balls


And safety glasses..... and.... willingness to call it all "education" if something went really wrong . Being a cabinet maker, I've had more than my share of "expensive education".


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Current FTS (June 26 2011)









Angels!


















Peacock goby, female. Took me forever to get a shot this nice! 









Sterbai cory:









Brochis splendens (new addition).









Some sort of yo-yo type loach. Sold as "burmese misc. loach".


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Wow great DIY on all of this stuff.

And you have excellent fish too.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Here are some LED shots. 3 different strings, all on their own dimmable driver. I can adjust color temp from about 5,000K up to way over 20,000K. TOTAL OVERKILL but I got the drivers, heatsink, fans, and some LEDs used... so it wasn't as costly as it could be. 

Whites only (8 Cree XPG neutral white, 2 10-watt Bridgelux 402). 









Blues only (12 Cree XRE blue.... one of them I somehow skipped when soldering the blue string). 









Dawn/dusk cycle (Merry Christmas!).... very experimental and a hodgepodge of LEDs leftover from when we did spectral analysis. It is 2 red Cree XPE, 4 Rebel Cyan, 1 20-watt Satistronics 15,000K white, and 4 Cree XPG cool white. Run at a fairly low current. 










All on! Looks like something from Area 51 or Roswell. 










I can't get a pic of the dawn/dusk cycle very well, but it looks a lot like a one of those greenish 8K PC bulbs.
FTS of them all on--- when adjusted properly, it looks very, very lovely. Whites at 500mA, blues at 120mA, dawn/dusk at 190mA. 










Hood in place (albeit kinda crooked, still needs adjustment).









Hood moved to the side for tank access.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Here is a look at the color of the crazy dawn/dusk combo. Note that I did have to mess with the color on software since my camera won't get a good pic, but this is a quite good representation on my computer monitor. 

Notice the color shimmer on the tile baffle. It's a touch overexposed and not quite that bright in person but you still see it. Actually kinda nice, looks like a scene out of Stargate Atlantis.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Angelfish just spawned today, after barely two weeks in the tank! They laid eggs on the tile overflow. 

Unfortunately I can't remove them without making a terrible mess, and I'm not set up to actually raise the fry right now anyhow.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

*Par data!*

Got some PAR DATA!

Borrowed a PAR meter a good friend who runs a reef farm locally. 

Please note that he has told me that this machine is calibrated for sunlight and not electrical light, such that it can skew the results, low, by around 20%. That's not really enough to cause problems. (PAR levels at 60 would read only 50, no big whoop). The reason is the blue range, these meters tend to under-read blue from what I'm told. 


So at the worst, add 20%, but I think the values speak fine enough. This is the first batch of data, I should be able to get more info on light spread soon. 

Reminder about what I'm testing. One white string of LEDs, one blue string, and then one "Roswell Delight" UFO looking red/cyan/white combo, which is my dusk/dawn color.

For more info on what exactly is in these LED strings, please refer to post #18 http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/t...ess-cube-11g-rimless-glass-2.html#post1429256
But in a nutshell, 

Whites--- 8 Cree XPG Neutral white, 60 degree optics, and 2 Bridgelux 402 cool whites (10w class) with 65 degree reflectors. 
Royal Blues-- 12 Cree XRE with 60 degree optics. 
"Roswell"-- A 20-watt 15,000K Satistronics white, 4 Cree XPG cool white, 4 rebel cyan, and 2 reds.






*All of these readings were done directly in the center of the LED array. LEDs are 12" from water surface. More data on light spread coming later.*


*My normal setting: Whites at 600mA, royal blues at 200mA, and "Roswell" at 200mA. *
1" below surface, 149 μm
10" below surface, 76 μm
15" below surface, 50 μm


*Everything on full blast: Whites at 1,000mA, royals at 1,000mA, "Roswell" at 700mA. *
1" below surface----- 320 μm
10" below surface----- 170 μm
15" below surface----- 98 μm



*ONLY the "Roswell" string on, 700mA:*
1" below surface---- 84 μm
10" below surface --- 36 μm
15" below surface--- 23 μm


*ONLY the Royal Blue string on, 1,000mA* (a very ODD looking tank!)
1" below surface--- 85 μm
10" below surface--- 47 μm
15" below surface--- 31 μm


*ONLY the white string, 1,000mA.*
1" below surface---- 130 μm
10" below surface--- 79 μm
15" below surface--- 48 μm

*
Whites, 1,000mA and Royals at 1,000mA (Whites/Blues ONLY).*
1" below surface--- 246 μm
10" below surface--- 129 μm
15" below surface--- 76 μm


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Oh, by the way. 

Here are the wooden dimmer knobs I made on the lathe. 

The wood is Pao Ferro, aka Morado. Gotta wear a fine particulate mask when machining this mess, the dust is very allergenic.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

That custom 45g setup is one of the cooler ones I have seen in a while. Very different. The 11g also looks a lot bigger then its actual capacity.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

It does look a lot bigger than 11g. I think technically it's like 12 or 13g, but I was originally told it was "11g" so that's what stuck in my mind....


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

I broke one of my rules and officially named my Synodontis eupterus "Wawazi". 


Today I was working with my ear phones in, listening to Rush. I told my friend, who is also a Rush fan, "I love YYZ!". 

He gives me a confused look and said "who?". 

He thought I was talking about one of our international students at the seminary (we have a LOT of folks from African and Asian nations).

Apparently he thought I knew some dude named "Wawazi", so that's what I named the eupterus, which is from central Africa.


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## 40GallonsOfDoom (Jul 11, 2011)

Great looking tanks.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

The big angels are spawning again, as I type (7:45 in the evening). They seem to be nearly done, there are several hundred eggs laid (and more being added right now), but unfortunately they are on a piece of driftwood that would require the total demolition of the aquascaping to remove. 


This is the first time I've ever seen fish in captivity spawning (catching them in the act). 

I've watched black crappie "doing it" in ponds before when the water was clear enough.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Caught the pleco eating the eggs. I figured as much.


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## moonshinetheslacker (Sep 13, 2010)

Nice DIY and woodworking skills. I REALLY like those knobs you turned.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

The angelfish are spawning AGAIN. 

Here is a short (and low quality) video of them "doing it". 

Female is the koi pattern, the gold is the male. Note all the other fish in the tank. These eggs don't stand a chance and I have no other tank to put them in.

(direct link if the thumbnail no workie)
http://s347.photobucket.com/albums/...ff/aquatics/?action=view&current=DSCN4931.mp4


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Is the video above working for y'all? 

Try this..


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## WingoAgency (Jan 10, 2006)

Do you find driving so many different walks of LEDs a bit hectic? 

What lens are used in your array?


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

WingoAgency said:


> Do you find driving so many different walks of LEDs a bit hectic?



Not at all. You can mix and match any combination of LEDs, brands, and voltages you want. One of my array has a huge 20-watt 15K white along with a few 2 watt reds, and it all runs just fine. 

The only problem you have is keeping an eye on your weakest link, in terms of current. I think the reds (or maybe the cyans) have a max current of 700mA so i don't run any higher than that.




> What lens are used in your array?


The XPG and XRE just use the normal 60 degree optics you can get at any of the common LED retailers. 

The Bridgelux 402's use the 65 degree reflectors from Ledil. I really, really like those reflectors.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Since I've decided to convert the 11g shrimp tank to a reef, I modified the LED array tonight with a hodgepodge of different LEDs to get more of a reef color. 

Right now it has:
10 royal blue
5 neutral white
3 warm white. 

Notice the overgrowth lol. Dwarf saggitaria is some fast growing stuff.


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

Looking quite jungle like.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Yeah it looks even better/worse in person lol. 

I actually kinda like it but I rarely see my A. cacatuoides.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Well crap. 

Woke up this morning, did some online class lectures, and apparently my Church History class bored by poor female Koi angel flat to death. 

I just stopped for a lunch break and found her dead on the substrate. 


No symptoms. She had been acting just fine. No visible problems with any other fish or strange behavior. No major changes done to the tank recently other than cleaning the filter a few days ago. 


I'll keep an eye on everything, but she was a HUGE and beautiful angelfish. Crud.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Full tank shots!!!

The 45g planted tank got overrun by black beard algae, but dosing the glutaraldeyde at 1 ounce per day has really socked it out. 

Plants are growing OK, but for some reason I can't get the tiger lotus to grow well. I gave it a Miracle-Gro stick yesterday so hopefully it will sprout and take off. 


FRONT:









RIGHT:









LEFT:










11g rimless, I converted it to a reef in early October 2011: (yes that is an encrusted beer bottle that was taken from a reef in the Pacific).

It's not completely established "broken in" yet but there are a few hardy corals in there. 
More rock to come at some point but I won't need much.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Just added a wavemaker to both tanks. 


Scored one of those expensive Red Sea Wavemaster Pros, used, for $50. 

It's running both tanks. My 45g planted tank gets two MJ900's on and off (all at once) for around a 20 second blast of current, and 20 seconds of calm. The fish seem to actually enjoy this, especially the botias. 

The 11g reef gets 1 powerhead on the same on/off cycle as the 45g tank, but it also has a second powerhead on "random" mode, meaning you get all sorts of odd circulation. 


I need to upload a full tank shot of the reef and planted tank soon. The planted tank hasn't changed much but the reef is now full of corals


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Minor update on the reef, hopefully y'all don't mind me tying this up in the freshwater thread, but the two tanks just go together so nicely .

Here is a FTS of the reef. I added the braces to hold up the light, and changed the LEDs out to have 3 warm white, 3 neutral, and 12 royal blues. 

Need to find a way to hide the wires... next....


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Couple shots from my BBA filled 45g, but the fish are fat and happy. I need to put CO2 on the 45g but I'm probably going to be moving in the coming 8 months and I don't know how long it will be before this tank gets set back up after the move.... so I'm not spending the cash on a CO2 right now. 



This male angel would like to be the king of the tank but he's a total pansy. Afraid of anything that moves. The real king of the tank is the S. eupterus I have, but I can never get a pic of him lol.










Best pic of a yo-yo loach I could get. Bummer, he's awesome.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

I may be taking this tank down soon (temporarily). We'll be moving to another state in the coming 6 months to year, and I need to make a few mods to the stand to hold up that crazy LED pendant. Right now it's anchored to the studs in my wall, but I can't be sure I'll be able to do that at the new home (ie, it will be a rental of some sort and they may not let me). 


I can't decide if I want to put up a temporary tank to hold a few of my favorites or not. I'm already decided I'm taking 100% of that small reef, and freshwater stuff is far easier/cheaper to replace than reef stuff.......


What do you think? The plants would be easy enough to move, but here's my current stocking list. I can't fathom toting all these fish 300-600 miles. 

Large (6-7") angelfish
A dozen cory cats (Sterbais, B. splendens, dwarf corys).
8" gibbiceps
6" bristlnose
3 A. cacatuoides
3 pearl gouramis (which are fighting horribly now! two males together in this tank don't work!)
Several yo-yo loaches
4" red tailed shark.


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

Any updates? Did you move the freshwater and livestock? 
I'd love to see what you do with the cube.
I've got a couple pico tanks (2 gal and 3 gal) and want to play with some leds. Using a halogen desk lamp on the older 2 gallon, have to watch the temp (the mini h.o.b. keeps water moving and that helps) and my dwarf hygro and amazon sword pup love it. I'd like to move to led to keep water temp (and my electric bill)lower and shift the spectrum into something more plant friendly.
Any suggestions for a simple 1 or 2 led build? There are too many choices in leds for someone in my position with no experience. I was looking at a 3 watt cool white but would appreciate any advice.
Apologize for the hijack, please post pictures when you get set up again!


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

The tank is still up, but only to hold a few fish until next week when I take them to a friend out of town. I'll store everything for a while until we move off campus.



I'd love to help you select a light for you picos. Chances are, you only need about 3-5 watts worth of LED light over those. You do not need to worry about getting the most efficient or costly LEDs or anything. 


A single Cree XPG or XML would definitely be enough light for a 2 or 3 gallon tank if you run it at 1,000mA and put it on something you can raise/lower to adjust your intensity.

Finding a single LED driver for 1,000mA might be a bit tricky--- you could use a dimmable Buckpuck, but your going to spend $30-40 by the time you buy a power supply and the Buckpuck, not counting shipping. 


In your situation, I'd order from somewhere like DealExtreme.com and order two Cree whites (6500K cool whites) and then a single 12v input, 600mA driver--- they have them for $2. Buy several of them, they are fun to mess around with. If you are really handy, most of their $2, 12v drivers can be modded to accept a potentiometer for dimmability.


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

I would really appreciate the help, thank you!

I have 2 x 2 gal right now with a JBJ 3 gal pico upgrade on the way, I love the smooth all glass look. I'll be rehoming the dwarf sag, sword pups, driftwood and 3 shrimp and retiring one of the 2 gal. I was thinking of gutting the 9w cfl that comes with the JBJ and using it to house the leds but I'd like the power source (meanwell? buck puck?) to look o.e. not diy-sloppy-addon .
I've been reading diy led threads. Some folks are using wall walts from cellphones, etc but I understand they are unregulated and the output shown on their label is only accurate when used to drive the device for which they are meant. Does that sound correct?
Am I overthinking this? LOL


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Ryi said:


> I was thinking of gutting the 9w cfl that comes with the JBJ and using it to house the leds but I'd like the power source (meanwell? buck puck?) to look o.e. not diy-sloppy-addon .
> I've been reading diy led threads. Some folks are using wall walts from cellphones, etc but I understand they are unregulated and the output shown on their label is only accurate when used to drive the device for which they are meant. Does that sound correct?
> Am I overthinking this? LOL


I'm sure this can be done. A cheap/free recycled CPU heatsink will probably fit up inside this and act as your LED heatsink. 

You could use a 5v wall wart to drive two LEDs but the current level will be unpredictable, and probably low (2.5v each). 

If you can find a legit 6 volt that can put out 1,000mA or more, and put that on two LEDs in series, you'll be in much better shape-- I suggest the Cree XPG in this case. 


The cheap $2 drivers from DealExtreme are a way easier bet though. They are very easy to wire up and regulate the current quite well, you just need a 12v power supply which is easy to find anywhere since so many electronics use a 12v supply.


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## gtu2004 (Feb 17, 2010)

redfishsc said:


> I'm sure this can be done. A cheap/free recycled CPU heatsink will probably fit up inside this and act as your LED heatsink.
> 
> You could use a 5v wall wart to drive two LEDs but the current level will be unpredictable, and probably low (2.5v each).
> 
> ...


you happen to have a link?


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

A 12v power supply is not problem, I have a shoebox (somewhere) full of assorted ones. 

CPU heatsink/fan combo is also not a problem, I'm an old-school build-your-own box type, have 2 or 3 (or 8 or 10) of those around also.

I'm having a little problem finding the driver, though. Wouldn't I have to wire this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/700ma-3w-led-constant-current-source-power-supply-driver-90-265v-81780
in parallel if I ran 2x 3w leds?

Or is this more appropriate:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/450ma-6w-led-constant-current-source-power-supply-driver-90-265v-81774

Something like this for the leds?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cree-xp-g-r51b-7000k-350lm-emitter-with-16mm-base-44306

Thanks for the help, it is very appreciated.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

gtu2004 said:


> you happen to have a link?


I have a couple of these, they are pretty good. They take anything from 8-40v input, but a few people have had problems using anything over 32v input. 12v, with at least a 700mA capable power supply, works wonderful. You can remove those pin terminals with a soldering iron very easily and solder a wire directly to the PCB board. 

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mr16-1...urrent-regulated-led-driver-8-40v-input-13557


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Ryi said:


> A 12v power supply is not problem, I have a shoebox (somewhere) full of assorted ones.
> 
> CPU heatsink/fan combo is also not a problem, I'm an old-school build-your-own box type, have 2 or 3 (or 8 or 10) of those around also.
> 
> ...


According to the specs, you only get 3-4v output, and 1A current, so you have two options. 1 LED per driver at 1A, or 2 LEDs in parallel at 500mA. You'd want one driver per LED. 

Also, if "wouldn't have to wire this" means you don't need a 12v, you are right, you just need an AC plug cord, and make sure you get the live side correct. 



> Or is this more appropriate:
> http://www.dealextreme.com/p/450ma-6w-led-constant-current-source-power-supply-driver-90-265v-81774


That one doesn't list an output current (Dealextreme is awful about this). I suspect it's either 500 or 650mA output, since they call it a "6w" but has a 12v output potential. At 500mA it would actually drive three XPG in series. 

]quote]Something like this for the leds?
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/cree-xp-g-r51b-7000k-350lm-emitter-with-16mm-base-44306

Thanks for the help, it is very appreciated.[/QUOTE]


Yes, that would work quite nicely. If you use two LEDs, try to find a "warm white" to balance it out. This 7,000K LED will look great to my eyes but some folks may find it lacking in the reds. Plants won't give a rip. 


You won't need optics either. Just increases intensity and algae growth over a small tank lol.


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

How about something like this, takes up less space:
http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/vollong-2w-3w-dual-white-high-power-led/900/

I'd just need some help figuring out how to wire it so each emitter only got 350mA at 3w.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Ryi said:


> How about something like this, takes up less space:
> http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/component-leds/vollong-2w-3w-dual-white-high-power-led/900/
> 
> I'd just need some help figuring out how to wire it so each emitter only got 350mA at 3w.


Speaking from actual experience with a PAR meter and radiometer in hand (a while back), that double 3-watt LED you linked will literally only put out about the same PAR as a single Cree XPG LED. That is a common chinese import often branded as "bridgelux" and is just not efficient. Literally, I get double the PAR (at the same wattage level) with a Cree XPG, so not only is that LED in your link more costly than a Cree XPG, it's also going to use more energy than a Cree XPG, and possibly not be as attractive. Chinese whites are notorious for having odd color outputs.


As for wiring it up, the drivers are pretty straightforward as long as you know how to wire up AC or DC (live/neutral or +/-) depending on the input requirements, and the LED wires are as simple, just solder the + to the + on the LED, - to -. 

Regarding running them at 350mA, that will be 1 watt of output (roughly). At 350mA they only have a voltage of about 3.0v, which is roughly 1 watt. If you want the full 3 watts you need to run them 750-1,000mA (if the LED is rated to go as high as 1,000mA).


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

Please don't pay $8 for that LED in your pic (EDIT, it's $8 for two of them, which is still twice as much as you should pay lol), you can get that exact same individual 3w LED from E Bay for $2, or you can also order them as "Bridgelux" whites from www.ledgroupbuy.com


LEDgroupbuy also has Crees for $5, which is a GREAT price.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

By the way, I edited my reply above, be sure to read the edited version if your email inbox shows the original post. I was confused over something that I figured out after looking at the LED link closer, I didn't realize it was a double 3-watter on one LED star (which still isn't an impressive LED). 


If you want to jam a bunch of LED power in a single star, look up a Cree MCE and get a driver that can run 4 LEDs at 500mA in series. It's 4 Cree XRE on one single star. I have an MCE-based flashlight that's wicked bright.


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

The only way I can buy the Crees is in a 6-pack from LEDgroupbuy When I tried to order 2 singles, the site says "We do not carry these options"
The only reason I was looking at the double was the small footprint, and it gives me a cool white AND a neutral/warm. You had mentioned a warmer led supplement might be more visually appealing.
Ok, found some cheapies on ebay, should be here about the same time as the DX order.

Got the new 3gal today! Setup, EcoComplete and some plant scraps to cycle, should be ready for leds about the time I get them 

Thanks for the help so far!


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

The bill from DX hit my account today, I hope this means they'll be shipping soon


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## Ryi (Mar 29, 2009)

*Cancelling the DX order*

I'm going to try Steve's LEDs, ledgroupbuy or Rapid Led instead, maybe even eBay. I've already got some chinese leds from eBay, now just need drivers and optics.
DX didn't pull or ship my first order from March 6, there is no status on my second order from March 26 and I'm reading lots of comments about DealExtreme orders that haven't shipped from February 
Thanks for the offer of help, I'll post when I have parts in hand.


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## redfishsc (Aug 29, 2010)

DealExtreme is still reeling from the Chinese New Year, this happens every year with them. 

Steve's LEDs or Aquastyle.com will be fine, if Aquastyle has some cheap smaller drivers.


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