DIY LED Light Questions

[Beanz]

Hi all, so i want to build a LED light fixture for my new 45 gallon tank. I have now decided that i want to keep SPS corals in the tank. I don't really know all that much about the PAR, lumen, lux stuff that the SPS will require or how to achieve these amounts with LEDs. Anyways i will come back with more questions but if someone could please explain these things to me that would be very helpful.

Thanks, Ian

[Cal_stir]

check reef central, there are some good build threads there, lots of info, i built one for my 90

[hillbillyreefer]

Check out Ron99's build thread on here. Lots of good tips.

[Beanz]

Well i was thinking of buying a combination of CREE XR-E G5 Cool White and CREE XR-E Royal Blue how many would i need of each like what is a good amount of each to combine with each other and also what optics should i use? (would using optics enable me to use less LEDs?)
My tank is a 45 gallon tank that is 18" tall(but the water is only about 14 1/2" deep due to the sand depth and stuff), 12" wide and 48" long.

Thanks, Ian

[NanoHuman]

I custom built a CREE system like you are describing and although I ordered a whole variety of optics, none of them work on my tank. The water is 14" deep, and I believe you really have to get over 20" to have the 40 degrees as a requirement for deeper penetration.

Since your tank is quite long you may want to utilize some 80 or 60 degree optics for spreading the light out, or use a lot of LEDs.

I would recommend Nano-reef for learning how to build the system. Evil has many posts there and the documentation is excellent.

[Twinn]

Just another thought if you are going to order the LED lights. Both the Vertex LED fixture and the new Aqua Illuminations light are now using a combo of white, royal blue and blue LED's.

[Beanz]

Thanks guys. So do you think that 13 CREE XR-E G5 Cool White and 13 CREE XR-E Royal Blue with 80 degree optics would b enough to keep SPS (More or less of which lights or is having the same amount of each type beneficial for the corals?) Also the light would be more at the back of the tank where the SPS corals would be, so like an 8" area. Cause i wanna have some swimming room for fish at the front of the tank. I don't have a very large budget probably $400-$500 so would more of the whites b better or would this 50% blue 50% whites work well?

Thanks, Ian

[Cal_stir]

i built a led lt for my 90, 2 48in x 6in heat sinks welded together, 36 cree xpg cool white, 27 xpe royal blue ,9 xpe blue, 6 eln-60-48d drivers, diy sunset/sunrise simulator, no optics, lt @ 1 in above tank, glass canopy, tank 48x16x24high, driving the whites @ 1300ma and the blues @ 900ma, the penetration is good, the distribution is good, and it shimmers, it is definately brighter than my Current USA 4xt5 ho 4ft fixture, i am lps dominant with some sps, all are doing well. you definately should use the cree xpg and xpe leds, i got mine from cutter electronics in australia, got free shipping and $30 COD for taxes & brokerage (before HST), got my drivers from rapidled and they do sell xpg but i don't think xpe. i am new to this forum and not sure how to send pictures. all my leds are bin 5. this link has a few pictures, it is post #34
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...r#post17418032

[Beanz]

Ok thanks Cal

[Beanz]

Ok so i was looking on rapid LED and i think that imma just get the 24 LED kit with dimmable drivers i'll order it with 80 dsegree optics, and then i'll get 2 23" heat sinks and 92mm vantec stealth fan kit. while i work more to get money i'll build the fixture, what would be a good design and what is a good material to build it outta? i was thinking of designing the fixture so that it its on the inside rim of the tank so it will have enough weight that my eel won't get out. (atm i'm using ziplocks with sand, not all that attractive of and appearance ) Anyways what r ur guys' opinions on this and also about the fixture?

Thanks, Ian