Step two: COMPLETE.

Step three: soldering LEDs in parallel: COMPLETE.

Step four: Attaching LEDs to canopy with epoxy: COMPLETE.

Step five: Wait until sun down...

Verdict: needs about double the amount of LEDs!

It's a very eerie light right now, almost dark and you can sometimes barely make out a fish. Blue is definitely the right colour though.

Okay, it seems I have wired it up all wrong :lol:

LEDs are supposed to be in series, not in parallel. Back to Jaycar, to thank them for their lovely advice and heaps of stuff they sold me, and to get a completely different adapter, and more LEDs.

If you want info on how to properly wire up LEDs, this page is quite nice:

http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/Ligh ... gLEDs.html

And after more research, I've decided to just follow this handy guide:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fish-ta ... nlighting/

They can be installed either way, the critical thing is having the voltage right. All in parallel on about 3.5-3.7(iirc) volt or series of 3-4 on 12 volt so that each sees the correct voltage.

The reason for putting them in series is that it helps limit the current if you get the voltage too high so you don't blow them.

Oh yeah, I see. Good explanation. I've just returned from the shop and spent about $80 on LED strips that take 12V. You can chain them as long as you have enough mA to support them. It's a bit more expensive, but should be heaps easier to install. I'll follow that Instructable that I linked up earlier, with the addition of a dimmer (potentiometer) so I can regulate the brightness of the LEDs.

Yeah, works a treat, that Instructable.

I ended up using and paying:

- 10 x "12VDC Flexible Strip with 3 SM LEDs- Blue" at $7.50 each

- 1 x "24MM POTENTIOMETER LOG SINGLE GANG (A)" at $2.70

- 2m of audio (speaker) cable at $0.30

- 1 x little plastic box to put the potentiometer in at $3.50

- 1 x 20VCD adaptor at $20

- 1 x timer for the mains plug at $4.00

- some glue from the glue gun, solder...

TOTAL: $105.50 and about 4 hours of DIY geekdom

For that price you can buy one in the shop, of course. I did have heaps of fun building it. I'll post a pic soon.

With both lights on, full strength.

Only blue LEDs, full strength. Doesn't really come across...

In retrospect, I might have benefitted from mixing white with blue LEDs. This is quite blue. It's cool though, it a "thousands of miles below the sea" sort of way.

Oh and the dimmer is definitely a bonus. I've just set it to the lowest possible setting, and the fish are really relaxed, slowly checking out the tank. It's very hypnotic sitting in the dark with that pale blue light and slow moving fish.

There are some blue led strips on dealextreme.com that may do the trick, not sure on their brightness however.

Oh yeah, they look good at first sight. And cheap!

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5111

Oh yeah, they look good at first sight. And cheap!

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5111

I was thinking more like this one

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8345

looks to be a bit more finished then some of the others. Hard to tell from the pics, They shipping is quick tho so if its no good you just order some other one and put what you got up on trademe, and usually sell for more then you paid

Oh yeah, that looks like it'll definitely do the trick. And I paid so much for all of this ha ha!!

I was thinking more like this one

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8345

looks to be a bit more finished then some of the others. Hard to tell from the pics, They shipping is quick tho so if its no good you just order some other one and put what you got up on trademe, and usually sell for more then you paid

just brought one so will be able to tell ya what it is like in a week maybe