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T5 / LED hybrid DIY
- Thread starter Xavier613
- Start date
I have tested all of the led strands and the balasts, but I do not have them finalized wiring wise inside the fixture. I was unsure of how I was going to mount them and run the power cords etc so I didn't want to do anything final till I figured that out. But technically, yes they all work haha
The rapid led UV leds do not want to work for some reason. I purchased these brand new from rapid. I have them in a series with the reds, and when I connect power to them, the reds light but the uvs don't. Unless they are invisible lol
Aside from that everything is working very well. I am trying to figure out how I want to run the power lines so that they are somewhat organized. I am trying to avoid 14 wires coming off this thing lol.
Aside from that everything is working very well. I am trying to figure out how I want to run the power lines so that they are somewhat organized. I am trying to avoid 14 wires coming off this thing lol.
Attachments
Controller wired up, fans wired up, t5s wired and ready to go.
But I only have 3 outlets in my garage lol so here's the leds first
And the t5s now.
Since it got late and I don't want to wake the neighborhood, ill cut the acrylic sheild for the fixture tomorrow morning and mount the optics on the blues.
But I only have 3 outlets in my garage lol so here's the leds first
And the t5s now.
Since it got late and I don't want to wake the neighborhood, ill cut the acrylic sheild for the fixture tomorrow morning and mount the optics on the blues.
Thanks Mike,
All that is left is to cut the acrylic shield and throw the legs on, ill have some shots over the tank tomorrow. Going to set it up on the aquacontroller for timing etc, and figure out what T5 bulbs i want to run. im pretty set on a KZ fiji pink but im not sure what to do with the other bulb... Possibly a giesemann super actinic or something along those lines.
Finished shots, on the tank. Whites at 40% blues at 70%
T5 off
T5 on
Im pretty sure om going to take the optics off when I get a chance, creates too much of a spotlight on the two larger rocks, and leaves a gap in the middle on the bridge.
More than enough power to run them without the optics so I'm not worried, just wanted to try them out.
Overall I'm pretty happy but I think it will be even better with a kz pink bulb instead of the blue plus.
T5 off
T5 on
Im pretty sure om going to take the optics off when I get a chance, creates too much of a spotlight on the two larger rocks, and leaves a gap in the middle on the bridge.
More than enough power to run them without the optics so I'm not worried, just wanted to try them out.
Overall I'm pretty happy but I think it will be even better with a kz pink bulb instead of the blue plus.
Thanks Jose,
I'd have no problem doing it again, just figuring out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to put things was the hard/time consuming part. The actual work was quite easy and enjoyable for me. I'm going to go back In and rry to get the stupid uv's to work, if I can get in touch with rapid and see what they say may be wrong. Later tonight ill post up a full spec list
Haha im still trying to get it all down pat, figure out what my exact cost on something like this would be retail wise and for all the extra costs you dont think about (solder, tips, connectors, wiring, etc) but im only working part time right now so its a possibility if the interest is there.
If someone is seriously interested and want to discuss something like this, please PM me and ill shoot you my phone number or email. I would be happy to assist anyone who wants to take on a project like this, as far as building for someone, there are a lot of details to discuss. It is a clean looking fixture on the tank, but unless you have an apex or RKE or similar controller, be ready for 8 plugs to be taken up haha.
Still looking into ways to improve it and streamline, then ill think about building them for people.
Still looking into ways to improve it and streamline, then ill think about building them for people.
Im interested, only problem is Im also broke right now. But when/if you come up with a rough estimate cost wise let me know. I may have to get a coral sale going. If it helps Im running a 8x54W Tek but am kind of stuck on T5 so i'd probably want to keep at least four of them going. Question though, Why would it take 8 plugs with out a controller? How does the controller get around that?
Certain drivers (the kind i used spoecifically are eln-60-48D) need an external 0-10v power adapter to control the dimming of the lights. You can do this through hooking them up to a wallwart manual dimmer or a 10v power supply and a potentiometer. Using a controller with a specific module such as the apex VDM module, you eliminate that power source need and just run the ballasts through the apex directly. With out one of these, for example you would be doing something like this:
1 power strip with all blue led ballasts plugged into it, as well as the fan power supply, and the 10v power adapter, hooked up to a timer that turned the whole strip on when you want the blues on.
1 power strip with all while led ballasts plugged in
1 strip with any supplemental colors, unless you want them on with the whites etc.
Not really a big deal unless you want a clean setup, and/or do not have space for power strips and wires running everywhere.
There are diferent ballasts that run differently and eliminate the need for such expansive wiring, like the eln 60-48P version which can hook directly up to a dimmer and does not need a 0-10v source because it is built in i believe. I have these because i got the whole package for ridiculously cheap so i cant complain. still ahve 3 of these drivers left over actually lol.
here is a good article to explain how it works with a controller:
http://www.reefs.com/blog/2012/12/1...-lights-with-neptune-systems-apex-controller/
As far as cost goes and running with T5's, running any more than 2 t5's is going to overpower the leds, so t5 will be primary lighting. you can use Aluminum U-Chanel to mount where a bulb would be, requiring little to no modification of your fixture, and you can add as many of those as you want. i did this initially on my old 75 before changing to a full LED light. This is also cheaper and can be done relatively easily. It will give you good coverage as well.
Here is a pic of an example
What you would probably want to do in that case is just do two strings of 12-13 royal blue leds. which you can bridge together and run off of one ballast.
With new leds, depending on what type you get, you are looking at $30 for ballast, $20 for power supply, $5 for potentiometer, maybe $15 in aluminum IIRC, and $50-$100 in LEDS. All depends on what ones you get like i said. That would be for two strips of LED's in the fixture, all set and done. for four, double it. etc.
All depends on what you want to do. with 6 t5 and 2 led strips, you really wont be noticing a whole helluva lot of a difference, minimum id say is at least half and half. Gotta remember LED's give off a lot less Visible light than T5 or Halides etc. so they appear a lot "dimmer" but you cna fry the crap out of your corals if you pump them with too much. And too much to me would be 4 t5 and 4 led. For it to be worth anything, id say you would want to go primary LED and supplemental T5 so 4 strips of LED and 2 T5 or something of the sort.
1 power strip with all blue led ballasts plugged into it, as well as the fan power supply, and the 10v power adapter, hooked up to a timer that turned the whole strip on when you want the blues on.
1 power strip with all while led ballasts plugged in
1 strip with any supplemental colors, unless you want them on with the whites etc.
Not really a big deal unless you want a clean setup, and/or do not have space for power strips and wires running everywhere.
There are diferent ballasts that run differently and eliminate the need for such expansive wiring, like the eln 60-48P version which can hook directly up to a dimmer and does not need a 0-10v source because it is built in i believe. I have these because i got the whole package for ridiculously cheap so i cant complain. still ahve 3 of these drivers left over actually lol.
here is a good article to explain how it works with a controller:
http://www.reefs.com/blog/2012/12/1...-lights-with-neptune-systems-apex-controller/
As far as cost goes and running with T5's, running any more than 2 t5's is going to overpower the leds, so t5 will be primary lighting. you can use Aluminum U-Chanel to mount where a bulb would be, requiring little to no modification of your fixture, and you can add as many of those as you want. i did this initially on my old 75 before changing to a full LED light. This is also cheaper and can be done relatively easily. It will give you good coverage as well.
Here is a pic of an example
What you would probably want to do in that case is just do two strings of 12-13 royal blue leds. which you can bridge together and run off of one ballast.
With new leds, depending on what type you get, you are looking at $30 for ballast, $20 for power supply, $5 for potentiometer, maybe $15 in aluminum IIRC, and $50-$100 in LEDS. All depends on what ones you get like i said. That would be for two strips of LED's in the fixture, all set and done. for four, double it. etc.
All depends on what you want to do. with 6 t5 and 2 led strips, you really wont be noticing a whole helluva lot of a difference, minimum id say is at least half and half. Gotta remember LED's give off a lot less Visible light than T5 or Halides etc. so they appear a lot "dimmer" but you cna fry the crap out of your corals if you pump them with too much. And too much to me would be 4 t5 and 4 led. For it to be worth anything, id say you would want to go primary LED and supplemental T5 so 4 strips of LED and 2 T5 or something of the sort.
This reminds me of the project i was working on a while back.
I took this MH/T-5 fixture:
And was going to replace the MH's with two AI SOLs. Here is on of the AI's on with the T-5's:
Made a new face plate at work for it:
Back on topic, have you checked the UV LEDs with 3V? I vaguely remember something like I had to use the + & - on the same side of the star for them to work.
Here are 3 UVs down the center along with the RB's.
You might want to separate the UV from the Reds. You have to drive the UVs high and you might not want the reds that high.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I took this MH/T-5 fixture:
And was going to replace the MH's with two AI SOLs. Here is on of the AI's on with the T-5's:
Made a new face plate at work for it:
Back on topic, have you checked the UV LEDs with 3V? I vaguely remember something like I had to use the + & - on the same side of the star for them to work.
Here are 3 UVs down the center along with the RB's.
You might want to separate the UV from the Reds. You have to drive the UVs high and you might not want the reds that high.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I actually got the idea from someone who did what you did, retroed ai sols into a mh/t5 fixture lol.
Thanks for the tip with the uvs. I might have to order a few more of them or throw some royals in the strand to meet the minimum for a meanwell (which I think is 8) if I take out the reds, so that's what I will probably do.
Won't need the reds anyway since I'm getting ati purple plus and kz fiji pink, both bulbs have a warmer pinkish temp to them which is why I wanted to go hybrid. Hate the look of amber, red, or any other warm led. And all blue and white looks way too sterile.
If I get a chance tonight ill pull the sheild off and try a tester on same side of the uvs. Other problem I was having with them was that I can not get solder onto them for the life of me. Just won't work. At all. Tried different tips, different solders, and different wattages. Nothing worked.
Thanks for the tip with the uvs. I might have to order a few more of them or throw some royals in the strand to meet the minimum for a meanwell (which I think is 8) if I take out the reds, so that's what I will probably do.
Won't need the reds anyway since I'm getting ati purple plus and kz fiji pink, both bulbs have a warmer pinkish temp to them which is why I wanted to go hybrid. Hate the look of amber, red, or any other warm led. And all blue and white looks way too sterile.
If I get a chance tonight ill pull the sheild off and try a tester on same side of the uvs. Other problem I was having with them was that I can not get solder onto them for the life of me. Just won't work. At all. Tried different tips, different solders, and different wattages. Nothing worked.