LED brand discussion

[msjboy]

also check Philips LEDS.... they are actually better than the CREES in spectra and watts per lumens...

stevesleds.com for DIY , www.nano-box-reef.com for builds... also I some brands use a combination of both CREES and Philips in their product.

Also futureelectronics.com has lotsa specs and is in Canada but stevesleds.com is cheaper.

Goodluck with build. Lotsa new stuff/technology comig out everyday like 5W leds, 10W, etc... check reefbuilders.com for latest gadgets if you have not already.

msjboy

PS.... where does one in Port Alberni buy saltwater stuff? I heard one of the Cyr brothers ( ie former NHL player ) is into reefing from there.

[Cal_stir]

I have a DIY 72 3w LED, all cree XPG and XPE bin 5(clearest optics), 36 cool wh and 27 rb and 9 blue, dimmable meanwell drivers(0-10v) controlled with a RKE, spread out on a 48"x12" finned heat sink, no optics, it's about 2 years old and has worked flawlessly.

I wish I had went with 27 whites, 27 rb and 18 blue, those were all the colours at the time.

If I was doing it over I would add red, green and UV,( I might pop 9 of the whites and add 3 of each ) but I don't think I would change anything else.

Do the research, with some of the new fixtures on the market, I'm not sure if DIY is the way to go anymore. Personally I like the looks of the new Sunbrite fixtures (and the price for that matter).

[StirCrazy]

cree, bridgelux, phillips are probably your top 3 brand names. anyone of thoes will give good results. as for the lumen/watt wait an hour and one of these three will bring out a new LED that is the best...... Cree is the name because they were the first to bring out a powerfull LED at a reasonable price plus they have realy been pushing the new developments, which is why you see about 4 different versions of cree LED being used in DIY builds over the last two years.

bang for buck I would have to say I am leaning towards bridgelux myself for my build now. at 1/2 the price people want for the new cree's its a no brainer. just for info I am looking at using one nutral white one royal blue and one true violate per cluster. I am not sold on the green and reds, and have seen tanks looking just as good with out them. now if your using 10K for you white I can see where the red and green might help.

Steve

[GinaReef]

I have a DIY led build, It has 18 cool white, 13 royal blue 3 watt Bridgelux leds and chinese drivers that came in a kit from china. I added 2 red and 2 UV 3 watt leds from rapidled. After only 6 months, one of the cheap chinese drivers failed.

The colour was fine but the colous don't 'pop'. I haven't figured out which colour I need to add to get the 'pop' but I know the 3 watt reds are too strong to use except in very high ratios (1:20, 1:30) or maybe very deep tanks. I had to build filters to damp them down.

I have new drivers on order from rapidled (meanwell elm 60-48 dimmable) and some more royal blue and cool white to swap out some of my existing leds to see if there is a colour change.

Just some thoughts on my experience.

Gina

[bioload]

I've used 50:50 Cree XPG CW & RB and wasn't entireley happy with the colour. 48 LED's to cover 48"x18" footprint.

Using Bridgelux 50:50 14K's & RB's and please with the improvement so far, but I'm also using 80 LED's on a 48"x18" footprint.

Haven't used the Phillips

[daplatapus]

Thank's everyone for all their comments and input. I made my decisions and have ordered a whack load of stuff for my nano that I'm building to hook onto my existing system. I'll play around with it and make adjustments before I build an LED for my main DT. I'm excited!

[symon_say]

I know you already ordered, but to share my experience, i was in the same debate a few months back when i was setting my tank, but i'm kind of a cheap guy and don't like to spend more than necessary, so i went with the bridgelux route simply because they are cheaper.

Given that setting a new tank from 0 is a lot of money specially a 160g system i could'd afford all the leds i planned for my tank, i wanted 90-100 leds over a 66x20 tank, but i buy 36 in front given that i would put any corals to start with, but destiny change my plans and i get a few corals for cheap and put then in the tank on the sand bed, to my surprise they open and start to grow with just 36 leds in a 22" depth tank, i even add LPS and they were doing fine.

A few months later i purchase 36 more leds, and grow was even better so i decided i didn't need any more leds and this fixture is enought for what i want to keep LPS and some softies.

If you have the money and don't care spending it, go for the cree, they are better and give you more lummen per watt, but is you are like me and put money up front a evaluate by the cost of the things not the price, bridgelux put more lummens per dollar than cree and that makes it a winner for me.

Other thing is LED technology is going to fast and is not that smart to invest in the best product in the market, simply because there will be something better in a few months and the one you pay high price is now cheaper, better go with a medium range and wait until the market settle down a little.

A friend of mine told that i just throw my money because bridgelux won't last 5 years, i just tell him, in 5 years leds will be one of the cheaper equipment for a SW tank, last year high end leds fixture were $700+ today you can have a lot of then for less than $500.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by GinaReef

I have a DIY led build, It has 18 cool white, 13 royal blue 3 watt Bridgelux leds and chinese drivers that came in a kit from china. I added 2 red and 2 UV 3 watt leds from rapidled. After only 6 months, one of the cheap chinese drivers failed.

The colour was fine but the colous don't 'pop'. I haven't figured out which colour I need to add to get the 'pop' but I know the 3 watt reds are too strong to use except in very high ratios (1:20, 1:30) or maybe very deep tanks. I had to build filters to damp them down.

I have new drivers on order from rapidled (meanwell elm 60-48 dimmable) and some more royal blue and cool white to swap out some of my existing leds to see if there is a colour change.

Just some thoughts on my experience.

Gina

Magenta/violet helps colors pop not sure if bridgelux makes them though

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by Nano

Magenta/violet helps colors pop not sure if bridgelux makes them though

Bridgelux makes a TV (true Violet) LED


Steve

[blair]

i just built a 120 bridgelux with a few of the uv,s in there not overly bright, i would think you need alot of them to make a difference also got the pinks there pretty sweet but they do make an actinic violet i wish i would have bought im sure that will add sum pop, i love the bridgelux kit so far, the only prob is dont expect much from there manual pots and be carefull which drivers you get alot of them you can not hook up a nice digital outfit to dim them, anybody good with figuring out a decent manual pot??