Reef Discussion

DavidS · Jul 21, 2011

OK - got a response from AquaStyle.
"The bin code of royal blue is BXCB4545452-D2-z. the datasheet is also attached
please kindly check it out. For 10000K white, since this is customized so the supplier
has not provided the specific bin code to us"

ifyalucky · Jul 21, 2011

aquastyleonline.com also does 12000k white if you do require them

MagicJ · Jul 21, 2011

Hi David

Good to see that you got a response from AquaStyle :)

My thoughts :

It appears that the die used has recently been superceded (new datasheet was issued 26/5/11) with a reduced die size and higher brightness levels - maybe not a big issue
Corals require a spike in the blue spectrum from 400-550 nm, with the optimum blue being in the 465-485 nm range
When people started building LED fixtures for reef aquariums they were generally mixing cool white and royal blue led's. Royal blue emits light in the 450-465 nm range. More recently, blue led's have been added to the mix which emit light in the 465-485 nm range. With this mix we are able to cover the 450-485 nm range i.e. all of the optimum range plus a bit extra on the bottom side.
The datasheet provided indicates that the led's used emit light in the 452.5-455 nm range, which is a very narrow range!!. This totally misses the range of optimum blue light.

Would I be happy to use these LED's - probably not. Maybe you could buy 3 or 4 blue led's locally and swap these for some of the supplied led's? Something like this might work.

As I said, just my thoughts ;)

DavidS · Jul 21, 2011

MagicJ said:
Hi David

Good to see that you got a response from AquaStyle :)

As I said, just my thoughts ;)

Ta muchly for your thoughts. I think this was a worthy exercise.

I may go with the RapidLED kit, and get the dimming kit and pre-drilled heatsink. Will cost me three times as much, but I think I'll just bit the bullet and do it. I don't like the idea of spending $ 300~ on the whole lot when I can buy premade for $200, but at least with this kit I get dimmable. I think I'll be annoyed if I don't have that option.

MagicJ · Jul 21, 2011

Which RapidLED kit are you looking at? And what dimming kit?

DavidS · Jul 21, 2011

Based on Matt's suggestion of going with 24 LEDs, I reckon the below batch looks like it will do what I want.

http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-54/24-Ultra-Premium-LED/Detail
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-95/Drilled-and-Tapped-4.25"/Detail (I'm lazy, and don't want to drill it myself)
http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-150/DIY-2-color-dimming/Detail

Really want to control the blues and whites seperately.

MagicJ · Jul 21, 2011

Good LED's in that kit - R5 is the best bin in XP-G's.

For the dimming, are you happy for the whites/blues to just be turned on or off, or will you want sunrise/sunset type options?

I know it is a few more $$ but this http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-159/DDC-dsh-01-PWM-Controller/Detail could be useful.

DavidS · Jul 21, 2011

I looked at that controller. Not a whole lot more dollars. The sunrise type functionality looks cool. Not really enthused by the open terminals at each side. If they had caps to cover them, they might be a little more interesting.

MagicJ · Jul 21, 2011

They are only low voltage connections (10v) so not really an issue from a safety perspective.

Personally, I have built an Arduino micro controller to control, amongst other things, my lights - I probably would not have gone done the LED light track if I couldn't have sunrise/sunset type effects as I don't like subjecting my fish to lights full on/lights totally off. LED's are worse than MH's - at least the MH's take a while to warm up and reach their maximum intensity.

Also, you will need an adaptor for the 10v power supply - might be easier to get this removed from the kit and buy one locally.

DavidS · Jul 21, 2011

Wasn't worried so much about safety - I just wanted to mount it above the front top of the tank, and those terminals look ugly :(
Had figured on trying to get a local 10v supply for it, though I have a million adaptors laying around if it does support 240v. Probably have a box full of them anyway.

ifyalucky · Jul 27, 2011

My led turn up today put my first lot down on my sink have some photo along the way will post up when i have time granted 14 of them up look good so far will keep ever one updated

MagicJ · Jul 27, 2011

:poidhWould be interested to see how they look.

MTG · Jul 27, 2011

you will have to make a thread with the way you did it. goodluck:rolleyes

ifyalucky · Jul 28, 2011

ok a big day at work not long been home time in min to get stuck into working on these lights i hope to have them all down to the sink tonight then it will just be a matter of wiring them up moro night. have few photos along the way and will get more for you all to see once it closer ill spent the time on lights for now and will do a post on how i did them once i have finished;) Scored a old steel frame desk today on job sight so a early start moro will get that welded up for the tank..

MagicJ · Jul 28, 2011

Hope you didn't forget to tin the led terminals before you fixed them to the heatsink ;)

ifyalucky · Jul 29, 2011

The first lot i did that but i also tried one with not doing it they are done already for you in vid kit it is only a little but still works fine

MTG · Jul 29, 2011

MagicJ said:
Hope you didn't forget to tin the led terminals before you fixed them to the heatsink ;)

By tin do you mean presolder?

MagicJ · Jul 29, 2011

Matt Green said:
By tin do you mean presolder?

Yes - if you don't the heatsink draws the heat away from the LED (which it is supposed to do ;)) and makes it difficult to solder the wires.

MTG · Jul 29, 2011

Thats what i thought you were trying to say. i did that on my second diy build and it made it alot easyer to solder to. i found the cree leds were very good to solder to and the solder stuck well but with the chinease ones i found the solder didn't want to stick as easy?

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