DIY LED's for cheap!

[Mugwump]

Can you change out the LED's for more light intense ones??..or would you need to change power supplies too?

[BallAquatics]

Well it's been almost 4 months since I set-up this LED's for cheap tank.  At the time, it never occurred to me to take a before photo.  Oh well,  I planted the tank with 3 very small crypts, a very small narrow leaf java fern, a very small windelof java fern, and a 3 inch piece of java grass.  No ferts, no fish, no CO₂.



To look at the tank, it is not nearly as bright as my other tanks, but it is obviously supplying the plants with what they need and using just a fraction of the power in the precess.  I guess I need to repeat the process with a larger tank, perhaps a 40 breeder.

Dennis

[Mugwump]

They did pretty good with that light......cool

[PaulineMi]

Success!!!   Good for you.

[LizStreithorst]

I'm impressed.

[EdKaz]

I realize this is an older thread but.........

Im looking at these LED strips and considering making up an 8-10 ft long section to sit atop a row of 29's and or 20's instead of separate lights for each tank. No plants, basically breeder tanks Im looking to light for viewing and maintenance type tasks.

First thought is to use several rows (2-3?)of LED strips along the length of the row of tanks set inside a piece of gutter perhaps(?)
and possibly adding short sections of dimmer (blue?) lights that can be turned off and or on separate of the main lights,and for individual tanks at night for parent raising fish.

My "Plan" is to use a  12v power supply away from the tanks ( I have several to choose from up to 40 amps) to power this up

Can anyone point me in the right direction of where and what LEDs to buy to try to make this happen?

THANKS
Ed

[Mugwump]

Power supply:
http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Power-Suppply-Driver-Transformer/dp/B0034GUEY4/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y


Dimmer:http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Dimming-Controller-LED-Lights/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_z


16.4 foot 300 LED strip:
http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-LED-Flexible-Waterproof-Sleeve/dp/B003G9408K


Get all 3 for 45.75 Not bad I must say!!! 

This was in Aron's post...I'm sure Dennis has some others....

[Mugwump]

another

http://www.dhgate.com/wholesale/led+light+roll.html

[EdKaz]

 Seen that and checked them out........per the part number and description Im assuming the LEDS  in those strips are the 3528's.

Dennis mentioned 5050 LEDs and those being bigger, and much brighter. The "Tim Allen" in me says BIGGER....BRIGHTER.....Better 

[Mugwump]

Seen that and checked them out........per the part number and description Im assuming the LEDS  in those strips are the 3528's.

Dennis mentioned 5050 LEDs and those being bigger, and much brighter. The "Tim Allen" in me says BIGGER....BRIGHTER.....Better 

Not actually, look at the Marineland lights...big LED's but not inefficient...look at the Beamsworks lights...smaller LED's but much brighter.....altho the Mariineland lights use fewer bulbs than the Beamswork lamps.....to me the increasing the number of the smaller, intense; led's....makes a better lamp...

[Mugwump]

Here's some more info.....

http://www.diyfishkeepers.com/forum/showthread.php?2848-DIY-LED-light

[BallAquatics]

Dennis mentioned 5050 LEDs and those being bigger, and much brighter. The "Tim Allen" in me says BIGGER....BRIGHTER.....Better 

To sum it up, the SMD 3528 chips are more power-saving and cost effective but not as bright as the SMD 5050.

Flexible SMD 5050 LED lighting strips are high-performance, bright and have a wider array of options such as their availability in single colors and also as a RGB color-changable type. The SMD 5050 RGB version requires an additional control unit but features highly flexible multi-color mode and can easily be adjusted into various colors and color combinations. SMD 5050 is about 3x brighter than the SMD 3528 type and is often used where higher light-levels are needed and can be used as a replacement for traditional fluorescent light tubes.

Both the SMD 3528 and the more powerful SMD 5050 version are usually supplied in 5 meter reels, with the average power consumption of SMD 3528 being ca. 5W per meter, while SMD 5050 consumes more power and a ca. 7.5W per meter, while sometimes LED manufacturers might also offer extra powerful ultra-white SMD 5050 LED light strips that can emit up to 720lm per meter with a power usage of up to 14.5W per meter.

http://www.ledluxor.com/flexible-led-light-strips-smd-5050-vs-smd-3528

LED's are getting to be like common light bulbs in that they come in seemingly endless varieties.  I purchased my reels from a seller on E-Bay, I think the link is here on the site somewhere.....

Dennis

[EdKaz]

 Mail man just dropped off my roll of LED's.  I got the 5050's, "cool white", 60 LED's per meter.

  HAD to try em real quick to see how well..or badly they might work out. These Things are AWESOME!

Rather than Hijacking this thread, Ill start a new one with my trials and tribulations with them.

Just wanted to pop in here and say THANKS for posting this DIY project and for pointing me in the right direction

[BallAquatics]

Have fun with them Ed!

Dennis

[Mugwump]

GOOD GRIEF !!!!!!...I can see the glow from here.....looks light the northern lights.....