PENEJANE Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 Hi again guys I would like to know apart from dicksmiths where can I get LEDs from in the right spect for marine tanks? I have been reading up at nano-reef and they have Pico tanks which are really fasinating and interesting. So I already have a tank (1.5g) with built in filter and already has a small circle of 8 LEDs. This setup all runs off one 12w big box plug thingy (yes thingy lol don't know its name) which runs the filter and lights. Would this still be enough to run the lights or would I be best to put an extra one in for the new lights? I have seen that Dicksmiths have 10,000mcd (or what ever it is) LEDs but they are in green (even though the bulb is clear). Do I even need 10,000 or can I get away with lower? This will not have any fish in it as I very much doubt that any would fit hehe but small crabs and if able to some small stars with a couple of corals would still look very interesting. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 Better to get the LEDs from trade me or someplace like http://www.dpt.co.nz Much cheaper than DSE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 well went light shopping yesterday need new lights for kitchen good sales on at the moment saw theses $70 just like the ones i got a fews weeks ago from the garage sale just diffrent brand but looks the same good for moon lighting IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 bunning sell leds to dont know if theres one near you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 A good site for moon lighting LED's http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23890 Another http://www.kaotica.com/frag/diy/moonlight/ Iam interested in this project so let me know whos keen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 Its not moonlighting I am after. I am wanting to use the LEDS instead of a fluro as I don't thing I would be able to fit a small fluro in the 17cms of space I have available to me in the hood area suitable for a light. Thats why I thought LEDS but it seems I need a LOT of them (min of 50) which I just can't fit so I am not looking for other options. Cheers for the replys though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 well they do come in white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Gunner Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 A big issue that people have run into with LED lighting for nano's is the huge amount of heat that they crank out. I'd plan for some decent ventelation on the hood. Please keep us posted on how you go with them - I'd like to see your progress on the project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 22, 2006 Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 17cm sounds like just enough room for a 75wMH :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2006 Ok Slappers that LED light that you got in the picture there come in white? and at least 6500K? The tank is a hex 1.5gallon in size. It states that its an all in one as it all runs off the one plug. It has an AC Adapter which runs the filter and the small centre piece of LEDs I am wanting to house a couple of corals or so and a crab or two but no fish as it just won't have the space lol Here is a pic of the tank, filter on top, light hood flipped over (white square has the LEDs in it) and the AC adapter. I have already resized the pic so I hope I dont' get into trouble! lol (just hope its small enough but still big enough to see) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Jarcar has some waterproof led setup, but they aren't cheap. link Hope that link works, if not goto www.jarcar.co.nz and search on "led waterproof" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 hey they look pretty cool might go and have a weeeee look at theses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Ok I have decided that I am going to rebuild the hood and put a Aqua Mini HOB filter on the back. Now the best bulb that I have come across is the 10W coralife 50/50 bulb. Are these available in NZ? If so where? They are big on them over in the states where there are a number of people doing pico tanks that require small light fittings with out all the extra ballasts and stuff. So if anyone could tell me where I can purchase these bulbs that would be great. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Theres this guy with LED lights on TM. Auction is for red light, but he has them in white too. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Members/0001-0877-1242-4029-/auction-57109131.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Coral Man Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 I have a 10gal nano and i've been using LEDs as my actinic lights. I use about 50 blue LEDs and 50 white LEDs and the colour comes out so nice. I also use a 8000K 11w PC. I got all my LEDs from EBay, they sell them cheaply (about $30 for 100LEDs), they ship to New Zealand from Hong Kong. Try to run your LEDs a little under the manufacturer ratings otherwise the LEDs burns up really fast due to overheating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Yeah but the thing is with thoes LEDs I need them to be strong enough to allow corals to grow. I have been thinking of rebuilding the hood and putting a budget brand (pac n save has them) energy saver bulb in which is 6500K. For this size tank would that be enough for some corals? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Just check the bulb that I have in another tank and its a 14w 240v 6400k energy saver bulb. Would that be enough for the 1.5gallon pico tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Ok I am going to go with the budget brand 6400K 14watt bulb. I am going to be making my own hood so the light will sit about 4-5cms above water. I have been told that this would burn any corals that I put in there. I have now been told that this is not true. The tank is 1.5gallons as mentioned earlier so that would make it just over 9watts per gallon. I am only going to have a small 1-2cm sand bed and I am thinking of making a mini mountain of rocks in the middle or having a small wall of rocks going around 3 sides of the hex tank. I was wondering, knowing that its a high wattage bulb (I am going to see if I can get lower wattage), what can I keep in this? frags, mushrooms??? I don't know whats available and I am able to have some corals higher up than others. So if someone could list me some names that i can google for what will be ok in this setup would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 it's almost impossible to have too much light , I would put in as much as you can. Since your just starting off you should just go for soft corals, leathers mushies etc. Its very hard to keep the water stable in a small tank (the reason most people reccomend a 4 foot tank as your first) you can get away with alot more keeping soft corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 i got a multi-led spot from surplustronix in auckland today, cost about $14 for the light and holder, needs to run off a 12v 200ma power supply. [im using one from a set of old computer speakers :] for each 200ma that the power supply has, you can run one - ie 600ma 12v power supply can run 3 in series. they have purple, white, red, blue, yellow and green. they also do 240v ones, a bit brighter but not much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 awesome Josh they look like the one for me, can you put a photo up when uv'e installed them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 With the LED spot lights do they have a mcd rating? because the 10,000kelvin is apparently the same as 10,000mcd. I still don't think I would be able to fit enough of them in the hood to make it suitable for any form of coral but I could probably wire one up for a moonlight. I have seen them on trademe ...... MR11 holds 15 leds http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 845389.htm MR16 holds 21 leds http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 727455.htm There are a number of the MR16 available in an array of colours. If these are suitable (MR16 has an Ice White) how may would I need plus one blue and are they still suitable for corals. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostface Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 ben ill grab a power supply from work for ya, theres surplus boxes of them.. i am running it off a 9volt adapter at the mo, they are rated for 12volt, so they will go that much brighter. scuse the pics my sony cam is shizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted May 24, 2006 Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 With the LED spot lights do they have a mcd rating? because the 10,000kelvin is apparently the same as 10,000mcd. Yeah, that's right in the same way that color is the same as horsepower. AKA, they're measurements of totally different things. Kelvin in this case is color temperature, mcd is brightness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Ohhh ok Ira. Sorry I was informed that they were the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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