55 gal + 20 gal + 20 gal le cheap

[nissannx]

take 2
one file was two large and i lost everything i typed. oh well

Hello Everybody

So the stand will house 3 tanks. 2 x 20gal on top as seperate displays and a 55 gal sump/display. The lighting will be done in leds.

One of the 20 gal will have 12 blue and 12 white led. The other 20 gal will have 8 blue 4 white and im not sure what im doing about the sump yet. The driver will be the Mean Well LPC-35-700W constant current driver, not sure if i want to spend extra on dimming as this is the build on le cheap.

blue led


white led


Driver


running total
20x blue led 33.88 shipped to my door
20x white led 33.88 shipped to my door
3x meanwell 30 bought from ovas for sale section
20 gal tank free
55 gal tank free
need to buy another 20 gal tank
50x lenses $20 shipped to door
3x hard drive cooling fans $20 shipped to my door
acrylic $20 canus plastics

I would have to put this project at 170 for 36 led setup over 2 light fixtures with dimmable controls. Not bad at all i would think.

[JetJumper]

If you are going to just go with Blue and White LED's make sure you get Blue LED's that are around the 440-450 (Cree Royal Blue is this wavelength) (420 if you can locate them) wavelength range and not the ones that are 470+.  You will enjoy the colours sooo much more in the lower wavelength.

[nissannx]

these ones are 460-470 i will try them out and see what they are like. if i need to swap them so be it. trying to get a low entry into led so we will see what they look like.

[nissannx]

here are some tank stand pictures

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[nissannx]

more

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[nissannx]

and more

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[nissannx]

you guesed it

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[nissannx]

finally

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[salvini55]

lookin good, I love a la cheap builds! cant wait to see it come together obvs   

[Vincenzo.]

nice job man. crafty stand so far, cant wait to see the stain or skinning

[nissannx]

tomorrow im hoping to have it in paint. the gf choose the colors to match her furniture so not my first choice but i do what i can to keep the peace.

[Vincenzo.]

always a wise choice man. btw im glad to hear ur going led, cant wait to see that build to

[ordi260]

tomorrow im hoping to have it in paint. the gf choose the colors to match her furniture so not my first choice but i do what i can to keep the peace.

Wow its like i heard myself planning a new tank!   

Keep up the good work!  Can't wait to see the LED system!

[nissannx]

got the led's in wooohooo
the stand is also in paint i was able to convince the gf to keep it solid white.

I am leaving in 30min to go salmon fishing all weekend so i wont have time to work on the light. I'm pretty excited about it. There so small

[nissannx]

So I'm back, Salmon fishing was alot of fun. I had 8 on this weekend but didn't land any. The only fish i managed to land was a rainbow trout.

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[nissannx]

So back to the led's. They are in, i need to build my array as well as order the drivers. I should be picking up aluminum tomorrow time permiting. Stay tuned for futher updates

-update tried the leds with two aa batteries. i am now seeing stars. these are really bright.

[nissannx]

UPDATE!!!!

I made the two led racks.

[nissannx]

i also made the two acrylic cases for each rack

[nissannx]

update

[nissannx]

update

[nissannx]

also ordered these lenses

[nissannx]

as well as these fans to cool everything down

[nissannx]

final pictures for now. Waiting for some thermal adhesieve to arrive to start mounting the led's

[nissannx]

I have one fixture up and running. Just waiting for the cooling fans and optics to come in but it is up and running. I have it running at max 500 ma.

[nissannx]

this is my test tank. Salt water mollies!!!

[nissannx]

just got the optics in from the mail. just doubled the brightness  very impressed

[JetJumper]

I ordered similar optics as you did and get the 60degree ones for my  Maxspect unit.  I find it is very fine now and almost seems like they sent me 40degrees or less instead of 60's.  I would be curious to see how the beam looks from your unit when you get a minute to snap some pictures.

[nissannx]

when i have the light directly on the aquarium it is very focused when i have it 6 inches above, it is nicely spaced out. now this test is on my small 12 led light. i dont have my larger 24 led light setup yet. i am also waiting for my fans. with teh leds on the lowest setting you cant even feel them, with them cranked up they get warm to the touch. doesn't burn but pretty warm.