Nano DIY Led Light Build.

[Gofish.LED]

Ok Here is the Start of My LED build for My 5 gal Nano Tank.
Low cost we will see how it works once its done I am still waiting on a few parts to arrive.

you will see some of the parts in the picture above.

1 Power supply salvaged from old printer, 32 volt 1000ma FREE
2 12 volt fan salvaged from old desk top Pc FREE
3 8x4 piece of billet aluminum plate by 1/2" thick scrap piece from local Fab shop FREE
4 Assorted 3w and 1w Cree leds 99 cents each total 24 bucks from Ledsupply.com look under close out Items
5 not shown Buck puck driver 17.99
6 Thermal Paste 7.99
7 Solder 5.99 local Hardware
8 24ga wire 10.99

total plus time 66.96 and I have enough LED's to make another light system only would need another Driver

Follow along with me and see how this turns out.

Pat

 

[IPisces]

We are following along.
Looking forward to the finished product.

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[Krish]

Cool beans! Good luck with the little DIY project!


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[spllbnd2]

Sweet!!! Ive been waiting to see a diy led build for a nano tank here on RF. Guess I'll tag along and see how this comes along. BTW :welcome: to RF!!!

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Peppie]

Goldf,
It is always nice to welcome another DIY guy to RF.

GITER DONE !!!!

 

[Gofish.LED]

Thanks for the interest. I am waiting ont he last few parts to arrive then the fun will begin. Should be within the next couple days.

 

[Gofish.LED]

Ok my Buckpuck with POT arrived so lets get the layout done

Ok general Layout is done and tagged next we will stick them down with the thermal adhesive
after we strike a few lines to make sure all is squared up and even.

With the Buckpuck you can run up to 6 3w leds or 18 1w leds I am going to split this up between the 1w and 3w with 4 3w and 6 1w Leds
Bow after i look up I hope everyone reading can follow that. That's a lot of numbers and w's sorry guys

stay tuned more to come

Pat

 

[Guerry]

I've never heard of anyone mixing 1watt emitters with 3watt emitters, not sure how you'd do this and still have propper ma for both anyway good luck looking forward to see how this works out for you

 

[Krish]

Bulb placement looks good! I'm also interested in seeing the 1w and 3 w used together.


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[Gofish.LED]

Guerry, I can see you concern about the mixing of the LED emitters But since it seems most others I have seen usually only run their 3w emitter at 1w using the POT.
So I figured I would give it a shot especially since its going on a 5.5gal. nano tank This way I can use more emitters on the same driver for better coverage and will just set the POT on a limit to 1.5 w

Sounds good but will it work? not sure! but whats the worst to happen I will burn up a few 1 w LEDS we will never know if we dont try.
I have not seen this done before either so I wanted to be the first to try LOL:drum:

 

[Gofish.LED]

I Have not left I have just been to busy the last couple days to sit down and finish this build. I believe I should be able to get it completed this weekend..

 

[Guerry]

cool, waiting to see how the 1 and 3 watt mix works. Keep us up dated

 

[Gofish.LED]

Will do I am excited to see if it does work.

Guerry I see you have built some really nice set ups . Nice work:rockon:

 

[tat2z_21]

But mathmatically you will find out that you can not run the 1w and 3w in the same string without damaging the 1w LEDs. Though the LED's might be rated for 3.4vdc, the max current for them is 350mA. Which means unless you run them on different strings with a current limiting resistor inline with the 1w to bring the line current down to a safe working current you will burn them up.

 

[Gofish.LED]

Well I guess some can say I told you so , But I backed out of the 1w and 3w mix. I had them wired and lit up but it was a lot of heat and I dont know how long they would last plus it was way too much light for the little tank.

I cut it back to 6 3w bulbs 3 coolwhites and 3 royal blues although this seems to be too blue? Any thoughts here Maybe I am just not use too looking at the LEDS
I did have them dialed down low to start off.

Pat

 

[Guerry]

Can you adjust blue seprate from whites ? also start low! It may not seem like alot light but par is way higher than any MH light with leds. If can't adjust seprate I can give you emitter combination of diffent spectums that will give a 12K look but still bring all the colors out.

 

[Gofish.LED]

Ok well I cant adjust them seprately . when I put it over the little tank it made the colors of the corals pop but it just seemed like too much blue. And I was starting on the lowest on the POT.

I was trying to get some photos but the glare was just too much picture was not to good.

Pat

 

[Gofish.LED]

this is the beginning stages of the drilled 5.5

Ok Now we got some frags and some rock scape going on

Here is the new led light
6 3w cree with a dimmer glad I went down to only 2 blues the three blues was too much.

In this photo the lights are only 15 to 20% I think they look pretty good any thoughts

I will get some better shots up later of the light fixture


Pat

 

[tat2z_21]

I think it looks good. This should be more then enough light for that little tank.

 

[Guerry]

look nice good job