LEDs - Good, Bad or just another addiction?

[pecan2phat]

Kathy,
How did you like the Acan/Eco-Lamps that you saw last Friday? Really nice sexy sleek fixture but the msrp on them is a bit pricey.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

hahaaha

Warren

See your addiction strikes again.

Kathy,
How did you like the Acan/Eco-Lamps that you saw last Friday? Really nice sexy sleek fixture but the msrp on them is a bit pricey.

 

[pecan2phat]

I'm waiting for James to give me the "family" discount to try one out :lol2:

 

[ming]

Warren,
Do you know which type of LED's are in each fixture? I'm more specifically asking about these 2 LED bulbs:
White Cree XP-G
Royal Blue Cree? XR-E Q5

If you like them, how do they compare in intensity and colors compared to other fixtures? I'm asking because I'm thinking about making a DIY LED lighting with these bulbs, I'm thinking either 60 or 72 bulbs total for a 4 feet tank, probably 60% blues, 40% white since XP-G's are stronger then XR-E's

 

[pecan2phat]

Ming,
If you are referring to the Acan Lamps, I don't recall James mentioning if they were Cree LEDs or not, so I can't help you there buddy.
72 Cree XP-G & XR-E Q5 + other material will run some cheddar. The pricing for the LEDs are still pretty high and add a few hundred for the proper heatsink, fans, and drivers and that is why I did not DIY one

 

[cali_reef]

Ming,
If you are referring to the Acan Lamps, I don't recall James mentioning if they were Cree LEDs or not, so I can't help you there buddy.
72 Cree XP-G & XR-E Q5 + other material will run some cheddar. The pricing for the LEDs are still pretty high and add a few hundred for the proper heatsink, fans, and drivers and that is why I did not DIY one

Time to bash on someone else :lol2:... Point made

72 Cree's is the equivalent for which Acan\KR units? which size? Don't they use some higher power LED's in the middle?

Who has the best price on LED and drivers? time to do some experimenting my self.

 

[ming]

Ming,
If you are referring to the Acan Lamps, I don't recall James mentioning if they were Cree LEDs or not, so I can't help you there buddy.
72 Cree XP-G & XR-E Q5 + other material will run some cheddar. The pricing for the LEDs are still pretty high and add a few hundred for the proper heatsink, fans, and drivers and that is why I did not DIY one

Power supplies are cheap here
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS
The dimable buckpucks w/pot would be $20 each here (10/12 needed for 60/72 LEDs based on the power supply above) I would get a different driver if I had a profilux, but they're expensive
http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php
For LED's, I heard you can call http://www.etgtech.com/ and they will sell you the royal blue for about $6 each, not sure if they carry the XP-G which is $7-8 roughly online
A cheaper option for whites would be dealextreme, if you dont mind slow shipping and XR-E Q5 instead of XP-G (XP-G about 30% brighter, also about 50% more $)
I might want for another groupbuy on nano reef, they had better pricing on the LED's
You can get the heatsinks from
http://heatsinkusa.com/

Cali, if you know cheaper sources then above, LMK
:Hydrogen:

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Power supplies are cheap here
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS
The dimable buckpucks w/pot would be $20 each here (10/12 needed for 60/72 LEDs based on the power supply above) I would get a different driver if I had a profilux, but they're expensive
http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php
For LED's, I heard you can call http://www.etgtech.com/ and they will sell you the royal blue for about $6 each, not sure if they carry the XP-G which is $7-8 roughly online
A cheaper option for whites would be dealextreme, if you dont mind slow shipping and XR-E Q5 instead of XP-G (XP-G about 30% brighter, also about 50% more $)
I might want for another groupbuy on nano reef, they had better pricing on the LED's
You can get the heatsinks from
http://heatsinkusa.com/

Cali, if you know cheaper sources then above, LMK
:Hydrogen:

So what the total cost and power of this build so far?

 

[ming]

Approximately $900 for 72 LED's and not going the cheaper option

 

[cali_reef]

Approximately $900 for 72 LED's and not going the cheaper option

This is for a 4' tank? I can get a 36" KR92 for around $1k the last time I checked in HK.

 

[rafal07013]

can you post a link to this deal?

This is for a 4' tank? I can get a 36" KR92 for around $1k the last time I checked in HK.

 

[cali_reef]

RIF...

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

My buddy saw them in HK at slightly below that price in the Gold Fish Street. But he said it's too big to carry onto the plane. I might get one ship it along the luggage when I am back this summer. In fact, I just want a 24" for comparing.


Note: for me, it's OK not to care about the warranty as I can fix them myself. I do not advise others to follow suit.

 

[pecan2phat]

Cali,
You cannot compare what Ming wants to build with a KR92. A better comparison would be towards an AI unit but without the controller capabilities.

Ming,
Where's your cost for focal optics, wire, flux, solder, stainless screws etc.

 

[AlohaTropics]

RIF...

Ahhhh...more useless sarcastic comments...You really must not have much going on in your life.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

Ming,
Where's your cost for ,...stainless screws etc.

Yup, if going stainless screws, they are CRAZILY EXPENSIVE.

 

[ming]

ETG has the optics for I believe $1 each, worse case scenario, its like $1.25 each on http://ledsupply.com
Stainless steel screws http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000FMYC5M
Solder http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00030AP48
flux = profilux? I'm gonna go el cheapo route and just use potentiometer to dim to the color of my liking. Then I'll use the aquacontroller to turn on/off the lights, blue leds for dusk/dawn like other lighting.
I don't really need to do clouds.. I don't think they really serve a purpose to corals, and my corals never seemed to mind with the lights suddenly on and off. The sunrise/set are really just "WOW" effects to me

 

[juiceguy]

I think he meant "flux" as used for soldering

 

[pecan2phat]

Ming, you do know how to solder sensitive electronics right? :biglaugh:

 

[cali_reef]

Ming, you do know how to solder sensitive electronics right? :biglaugh:

Anyone can learn with a little practice :lol2:

Ming, since you need to practice, I found a place you can get the whites for $3.82 a piece, if you buy 1,000 minimum.

Wingo, How many you want to bring back? I can carry about 16 metric tons into either Victorville Ca, or Jacksonville FL in Sep.