Red C Aquarium
Well-known member
cant wait to see the final outcome , you were going to demo it here right!!!
Simple multi-chip LED
- Thread starter TheKraken
- Start date
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Dear Rob,
Thank you for your support and while I think this will be a great lamp to expand my SPS colection it does have some faults I am discovering. I was hoping for a fancy dual dimming whites/blues like your fixture but all LEDs light together so it looks more like a halide lamp than the awesome colors of actinic alone. My plan is to run a pair of actinic VHO for color so this is nowhere near as fancy as the fixtures you have in the store. The other problem is mounting as I simply drilled two holes in the halide canopy and place the lamp on top with the heatsink sticking out. This works fine but when i moved them the lens fell off...
Once I get something robust with actual connectors on the wires I would like to drop by.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
In some ways the blue/white is what I wanted and if you look closely at the add the 1st chip has an unbroken contact line in the rim while the second has three zones (or foots in the ad) to power one side or the other.
The reason I did not pick this chip is that the emitters are not symmetric so builds report that the color separates. The other fun part is the constant current dimmable driver. If you apply a 1.5 A supply to both you are fine. If you only connect one terminal it will try to melt the chip. I was figuring on 6x white (slightly undercurrent) and 4 chains of blue but I just don't have the skill to modify the connecters to make a single Chanel into 5 channel.
The chip I am excited about is the "dream chip" as it has symmetric white/blue/UW and takes well to constant voltage/LDD drivers based on PWM control.
I have some time before I will be able to switch the big 8' reef over so I am just going to play with the led on a 120. I am sure the technology will accelerate in the next year with more colors on the market and a clear consensus on how many led based PAR is needed as I know I am over on mine.
The reason I did not pick this chip is that the emitters are not symmetric so builds report that the color separates. The other fun part is the constant current dimmable driver. If you apply a 1.5 A supply to both you are fine. If you only connect one terminal it will try to melt the chip. I was figuring on 6x white (slightly undercurrent) and 4 chains of blue but I just don't have the skill to modify the connecters to make a single Chanel into 5 channel.
The chip I am excited about is the "dream chip" as it has symmetric white/blue/UW and takes well to constant voltage/LDD drivers based on PWM control.
I have some time before I will be able to switch the big 8' reef over so I am just going to play with the led on a 120. I am sure the technology will accelerate in the next year with more colors on the market and a clear consensus on how many led based PAR is needed as I know I am over on mine.
This is the chip I would like if posting hyperlinks is acceptable. Note that this is the 42um chip driven at 300mA that can easily do 700 mA according to the epistar lit. It also includes 4 colors and not just the same die with different phosphorus.
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=161016572471&cmd=VIDESC
This is overkill IMHO in cost, power, and complexity. I needed the first attempt to be a "kit" as I was having a hard time matching drivers and heatsinks. When this becomes an easy to package 3 channel DIY I think the hobby will switch over to multichips.
http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=161016572471&cmd=VIDESC
This is overkill IMHO in cost, power, and complexity. I needed the first attempt to be a "kit" as I was having a hard time matching drivers and heatsinks. When this becomes an easy to package 3 channel DIY I think the hobby will switch over to multichips.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
Not sure what you are talking about, each emitter, lights in almost a 180 degree lambertian scattering. Therefor, the light blends perfectly. The "Dream chip" is built exactly the same way. With the same die stack, and electrical connections. The only difference is that you have different perceived bandwidths. The phosphorous coating you are talking about is on all white LEDs, and it is a photo reactive compound that adds the perceived white light, however all white LEDs have a huge spike in the 435nM to 475nM range.
seedlessinseattle
Well-known member
I use one 50 watt multichip for my garage (exterior light) and that is an awesome light, it puts at least the equvalent to a 200 metal halide, olso did a DIY for my 75 with 56 leds, whites, blues, royal blues, cyan, red,uv, green with 4 dimmable channels, it works great, honestly is a bit to strong but it works nicely no more overheating issues, lower power bill, better color and faster growth on all my tank guest, just my 2 cents, only have use to about 50% max, been on my tank pretty close to 2 years now
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
I love those flood lights, not only do you get the power savings, but you get twice as much light.
1guydude
Well-known member
One of my led fixtures isn't even dimmable. Prob at least three yrs old and has 1w bridgeluxs.
Its an evo150 1g
Blends the light perfect with the reflector style unit. The ones with the optics and the newer lens style imo r having the light scatter beam problems.
Imo lighting and filtration will b changing as the tech gets there.
Prob there now just not cost worthy.
Without looking at ur hyperlinks or knowing much electrical stuff...I'd say its better to just wait on some things. Lol
D
Its an evo150 1g
Blends the light perfect with the reflector style unit. The ones with the optics and the newer lens style imo r having the light scatter beam problems.
Imo lighting and filtration will b changing as the tech gets there.
Prob there now just not cost worthy.
Without looking at ur hyperlinks or knowing much electrical stuff...I'd say its better to just wait on some things. Lol
D
I get in trouble when I try to make a technical post from my phone. Lets give it a try anyways : )
• I have two variants on emitters with 3/5 coated and 2/5 uncoated. Mixing is not a problem as the emitters are 180* as posted. The use of a lens (or condenser) is importaint IMHO as it makes a nice cone of light. In this build the placement means no light on the center brace and little light on the glass which is reported to reduce nuisance algea. The concerns I have read on the 50/50 chip is not mixing but rather separation when projected from a lens. I have not seen this for myself and accept that I could be wrong.
• where my chip and the chip posted are using all the same dies with partial coating the dream chip is using bare 420 and 430 for UV and then bare 450 for actinic and coated 450 for white.
Yes, I see the LED evolving away from single color/single channel to two color white/blue next. Someday we will likely have RGB+royal blue+uv as a 5 channel individually controllable source.
The title of the thread has "simple" in it. I home to do another build soon that is "complex."
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
IMHO the lens is only needed if you are mounting the light from the ceiling. The reflector by itself helps take the light and focus it to where you need it.
Yep, my plan is to mount on the top of the halide canopy to get good coverage. I did not consider running just the reflector alone.
tat2z_21
tat2z_21
The light has a huge amount of PUR, PAR is a nice little number to make us happy, but PUR is what is important to the coral.
To wrap this project up I feel that the 50W multichip LED is capable of lighting 2'x2' with enough light to grow coral. I have both LED mounted about a foot over a 120gal tank (4'x2'x2') that i am using to test and grow out some corals. I will start a new thread for that build thread...
With 2 point sources I do get shimmer which is controlled by how high I place a Korilina 4 powerhead to make surface ripples. Right now it is "gentle" but with lots of surface movement it is possible to drive to "chaotic".
I had a few goals to test coral growth:
* I have "neon green button polyps" that went turd brown in my display. As you can see in the middle left the polyps have really perked up and have the green color.
* I have a purple rim monti that bleached to a light pink. In this tank it has continued to decay and it on the back rack somewhere. The red/brown/green morps are happy in the grow out tank. The red and green in the foreground were the same size and the red took off in the display and the other was fading. In this tank the green has recovered.
* My display has a green slimmer SPS that is neither dead or thriving and a pocillopora that is doing just fine. With the LED I am seeing happy SPS and some growth.
When I am able to build the next set I will be using 2 channel ("4 feets") as posted by Taz where the blue is up front vs side by side. I want to control blue separate from white as I am using actinics as supplements in my grow out tank. I need 4 to cover all 8' and will use a big power supply with LDD dimmers. I would like to drive the fans off the main power supply as I already had one problem (passive cooling is ok).
With 2 point sources I do get shimmer which is controlled by how high I place a Korilina 4 powerhead to make surface ripples. Right now it is "gentle" but with lots of surface movement it is possible to drive to "chaotic".
I had a few goals to test coral growth:
* I have "neon green button polyps" that went turd brown in my display. As you can see in the middle left the polyps have really perked up and have the green color.
* I have a purple rim monti that bleached to a light pink. In this tank it has continued to decay and it on the back rack somewhere. The red/brown/green morps are happy in the grow out tank. The red and green in the foreground were the same size and the red took off in the display and the other was fading. In this tank the green has recovered.
* My display has a green slimmer SPS that is neither dead or thriving and a pocillopora that is doing just fine. With the LED I am seeing happy SPS and some growth.
When I am able to build the next set I will be using 2 channel ("4 feets") as posted by Taz where the blue is up front vs side by side. I want to control blue separate from white as I am using actinics as supplements in my grow out tank. I need 4 to cover all 8' and will use a big power supply with LDD dimmers. I would like to drive the fans off the main power supply as I already had one problem (passive cooling is ok).
Attachments
dhnguyen
Pain In The Arse
Any updates on this build? How is the growth of SPS under this?
I am in the process of putting together a build for my 125g tank (SPS dominated) and am trying to decide whether to use 50W or 100W chips.
Any thoughts?
Was thinking about
this chip
100W Cold White 15000K Royal Blue 455nm LED Light 100Watt for Aquarium Fish Tank | eBay
this driver
Dimmable IP67 Waterproof 100W Power LED Driver Input 110V 264V 30V 36V | eBay
I am in the process of putting together a build for my 125g tank (SPS dominated) and am trying to decide whether to use 50W or 100W chips.
Any thoughts?
Was thinking about
this chip
100W Cold White 15000K Royal Blue 455nm LED Light 100Watt for Aquarium Fish Tank | eBay
this driver
Dimmable IP67 Waterproof 100W Power LED Driver Input 110V 264V 30V 36V | eBay
The growth is fine. Right now I have red algea so I am shorting the photo period.
I have nuisance algea so I will get a cuc from RedC and add my huma huma trigger.
The parts you selected are fine. Each chip is good for 2' at best. Is this a 6' tank with 3 openings in the brace? I have mine 12" above the water on top of a halide canopy.
The dimmers are manual with a potentiometer. One blew up on me as the enclosure put too much stress on the face and popped open. I would say the useful range is 50-100%. If you are lower like 30% the lamp may not turn on.
If you are adjusting the potentiometer manually and using a time for photoperiod you should be ok. If you are usi g a computer or expect to use a computer PWM is the way to go.
My lamp is a "hybrid" like the posting in that all the chips are 450nm blue with half coated to make white. The result is way blue although the tank has become more white due to water or maybe I just got used to the color. The link TAZ used above with 4 feets to drive the blue independently is compelling. I am using VHO actinic supplements to bring out the color which negates the energy savings.
I have nuisance algea so I will get a cuc from RedC and add my huma huma trigger.
The parts you selected are fine. Each chip is good for 2' at best. Is this a 6' tank with 3 openings in the brace? I have mine 12" above the water on top of a halide canopy.
The dimmers are manual with a potentiometer. One blew up on me as the enclosure put too much stress on the face and popped open. I would say the useful range is 50-100%. If you are lower like 30% the lamp may not turn on.
If you are adjusting the potentiometer manually and using a time for photoperiod you should be ok. If you are usi g a computer or expect to use a computer PWM is the way to go.
My lamp is a "hybrid" like the posting in that all the chips are 450nm blue with half coated to make white. The result is way blue although the tank has become more white due to water or maybe I just got used to the color. The link TAZ used above with 4 feets to drive the blue independently is compelling. I am using VHO actinic supplements to bring out the color which negates the energy savings.
dhnguyen
Pain In The Arse
My 125g is a 6 footer but it only has 2 openings, the middle has a 12 inch glass brace over it. I have 2 rock islands on either side and not growing anything in the middle anyway so I figured 2 X 100W should be ok.
dhnguyen
Pain In The Arse
And like yours, my goal for this build is to keep it as simplistic and low tech as possible (for now)
I may do another build at a later date using one of the dream chips. Something like this
Aliexpress.com : Buy 90w 100w PWM dimmable Panel 5 channels suitable for fish tank ,Lighting for Coral Reef,for aquarium led light from Reliable aquarium led light 100W suppliers on Shen Zhen Future LED Light Technology CO.,Ltd
I may do another build at a later date using one of the dream chips. Something like this
Aliexpress.com : Buy 90w 100w PWM dimmable Panel 5 channels suitable for fish tank ,Lighting for Coral Reef,for aquarium led light from Reliable aquarium led light 100W suppliers on Shen Zhen Future LED Light Technology CO.,Ltd
I think I found the same part for $107 but it has 5 drivers! I wonder if they will just sell the chip.
mobile site-DreamChip LED 90w 100w Panel 5 channels in a chip, best collocation for marine tank,for aquarium led light
I am running my LED like a metal halide in that it just is on/off and grows corals in my farm. Simple. Just be aware of the options that are new to market since my build.
You can (could?) order the lamp/lens/heatsink/driver like mine with a 12v input vs ac like mine. The advantage is that you not need a second source to drive the fans.
mobile site-DreamChip LED 90w 100w Panel 5 channels in a chip, best collocation for marine tank,for aquarium led light
I am running my LED like a metal halide in that it just is on/off and grows corals in my farm. Simple. Just be aware of the options that are new to market since my build.
You can (could?) order the lamp/lens/heatsink/driver like mine with a 12v input vs ac like mine. The advantage is that you not need a second source to drive the fans.
dhnguyen
Pain In The Arse
I think I am going to go with 2 X 50W chips instead. Almost every multichip builds I have read about have people running their 100Watters at 35-50% only. If that's the case then why not use a smaller chip to begin with?
