DIY LED list

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#1
I was wanting to buy (2) Orphek compact's to go along with my Cebu fixture but $ 1,600.00 is kind of steep. So I have decided to build my own LED light fixture's after a lot of reading, videos, and forum threads.
I have chosen SOLDERLESS LEDs from Rapid and have the heat sinks down to two choices.
Here is my LED list per fixture:

15-Philips ES Royal Blue @ 440mm to 460mm
5- Cree XP-E Blue @ 465mm to 485mm
2- SemiLED True UV @ 400mm to 410mm
2- SemiLED UV @ 410mm to 420mm
6- Cree XM-L2 Cool White @ 5000k to 8300k
4- Cree XM-L2 Neutral White @ 3700k to 5000k
3- Cree XM-L2 Warm White @ 2600k to 3700k
3- Philips ES Lime @ 566mm to 569mm

* Not looking to use Red LEDs.

Looking to use the Coralux X controller..........
Still learning so any feed back is welcome about anything with DIY LED builds:)
 
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#2
Your not going to regret the lime, good color but I still think you add red but it's your choice.


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#3
Those Cree xm are going to be super bright and overpowering...I like the Cree xm-l2 CW 5k-8k, not much of a fan for the rest of the white. The WW&NW are to yellow...great choice with going with solderless..highly recommend using thermal paste and screw them down. Square aluminum is another option if weight is gonna be an issue...
 

Spinner

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#4
Was thinking the warm and neutral hits enough of the red spectrum so no reds?
The Cree whites combo for peak lighting hours was the plan? Using LIMES to balance color?
Will look into the Cool white LED you like:)

Thanks for feedback!
 

planbtypea

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#5
Storm X is the way I am going to go for my hybrid build. Had quite a few email discussions with the guys about it controlling T5HO and LED setups. It WILL control standard T5HO ballasts with a capacitor from them, and WILL control dimmable T5HO ballasts... Storm X is more channels than I will need, but leaves me room to put fans and fuge lights on the same controller and still have room for expansion. Customer service from them is amazing, they said to let them know when I am ready to actually start my project so we can map out the build supplies/specs.
 

Six2seven

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#7
When I built mine years ago I got a lot of different colors but they have so many now.

What does the like look like?
 
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#8
I honestly think adding all those different colors is a total waste. Just my opinion though. Ur gunna be running metal halides right? So What's the reason for running leds? Accent lighting? That extra "POP"? If so, ditch all those whites, and stick with 90% blues and maybe 10% whites. Ur almost a 50/50 blue to white. U will have to run the whites very VERY low or they will overpower the blues. The only reason I have white leds is so that when my t5s kick off, I have something to balance the color. If I had no white leds, it would look like strait windex. Some of the guys online go INSANE with the different color leds. I think it's unnecessary for hybrid lighting. I like blue/Royal blue/420nm/ and some 4000-5000k white.

It's tough to explain how to choose the correct led ratio to someone that has never messed with diy leds before. If I were u, I would order enough leds to make a mini light and experiment with that before u drop big $$ on all those leds, and then end up not happy with it. To give u an idea, I have 150-3w leds and only 10 of them are white. I actually wish I had added maybe 5 more whites just to make it look more even. But when all my t5s are on, I love the color and shimmer I get from my lights. If I had more whites, I would have to keep them a lot lower to not over power the t5s. Blue/Royal blue LEDs blend much better.


Ps- I'm super tired and apologize if that ^ doesn't make sense. Haha
 

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#9
I understand what your saying and thank you for the feed back:)
My tank is 96" x 24" x 30" I bought a 36" dual 250 watt Cebu fixture for the center part of the DT. This leaves a 24" x 24" x 30" area on both sides of the Cebu for DIY LED fixtures to light these area's. My first thought was using Kessil 360we, then ATI x2 LEDs, and finally Orpheks to finally DIYs.
I need two fixtures between 18" to 20" long to keep spacing of all three fixtures the same with DT. I know I will get some over lapping light from the Cebu on each side as a little spectrum back up for DIY areas. This is what I was talking about the other day on another thread about no base line knowledge with LEDs, stick a MH over a tank and you know what your getting not so with LEDs.
To me I am thinking what spectrum gives the best growth 5500K? What spectrum gives the best color Royal Blues? So I want a LED fixture that gives me the best growth and color................What would that be?:) H...E....L....P....LOL
I am willing to learn so teach you LED guru's..............
 
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#10
I agree with Schnitzel. More blue, less white. I've got 75 royal blue with 10 Cw 3w Crees over my frag tank. I run the rb@100% and the white@10%, and there's still too much white. Maybe you can find someone around you with a diy fixture to check it out to see first hand what you like, before you drop a lot of money and not be happy with what you get.


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