Chin Lee's upcoming very slow LED build inside Coralife Fixture

[Chin_Lee]

After seeing Seahorse_Fanatic's LED lights, I've also decided to venture down this route.
My first decision is I am going to put my LED's inside an old Coralife Aqualight Pro fixture. So most people know what the Aqualight Pro look like. I removed 30-40 screws holding down various parts inside and this is what it looks like gutted.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/chin_lee/IMG_20120218_115621.jpg

My plan is to put the LEDs into the two outside channels where the PC's used to be. I will put some LED's in where the MH's used to be but I do not want to create a spotlight effect.
Upon gutting the Aqualight Pro, I learned two things:
Firstly I am pleasantly surprised that it has nice sized access holes down the channels that will vent the heat very well.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/chin_lee/IMG_20120218_120105.jpg

Second thing I learned is that the unit is comprised of three pieces that are put together via interlocking channels. Once i've slid them off, it looks like this:

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/chin_lee/IMG_20120218_121016.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/chin_lee/IMG_20120218_121028.jpg

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o309/chin_lee/IMG_20120218_121055.jpg

I do plan on spray painting after I've finished putting in all the LED's and working on it.

Thats the only update I'll have for the next month or so...... but i rather do this little by little rather than trying to catch up.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

If you're planning to spray paint the inside, why not paint it first? If you're doing the outside only, then it doesn't matter. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

[Tom R]

Hi Chin

I will be following your build.

Tom R

[Chowder]

Hey Chin,
Looking forward to watching this light being built.

Chris

[hillegom]

interested, following along

[mseepman]

Ha, just took apart my Aqualight pro tonight as some of the modded t5ho lights that I put in there 4 years ago failed. I was frustrated enough that I almost started putting led's in there myself...but this light has to limp along only two more months until the new tank is in place for me.

Looking forward to seeing how you choose to do this.