# DIY Lighting Questions



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

I want to get my lighting up to the medium catagory. I want to grow some carpet plants. I want to DIY the whole set-up.
I believe that 2 T5HO will do the trick. I have a 36 gallon bowfront, 18" to bottom and 4" from light to surface.
But I was thinking of designing a LED set-up. I have friends and co-workers that work in the development of electronics and circuitry, so I am not intimidated there.
I have browsed other forums to try to get my head around LED lighting. I am beginning to grasp PAR values and the like. But when I begin to look around for individual LED's themselves, the jargon kills me.
Does anyone have a good site that can break down what I am needing to look for to find good LED lights for Aqauriums, specifically for plant growth?
Thanks!


----------



## Dgnoj (Apr 11, 2012)

I have used this site before to buy LEDs. If you are good with wiring everything up yourself, they have plenty to choose from. For plants you are looking at a color temp of 6000K-6500K. If you look through the details of the high power ones at superbrightleds .com there are several to choose from.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

LED Aquarium Lights, Lighting; emitters, PAR, DIY, How they work | Aquarium Article Digest


----------



## gar1948 (Jan 25, 2012)

This site had good led info.
Cree LEDs | Authorized Cree Distributor | Mouser
I still think buying a good pre-made fixture is almost a cheap and holds up better in use.
Just my opinion


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

gar1948 said:


> This site had good led info.
> Cree LEDs | Authorized Cree Distributor | Mouser
> I still think buying a good pre-made fixture is almost a cheap and holds up better in use.
> Just my opinion


ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting Reef Aquarium Lighting ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting


----------



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

THANK YOU ALL.
This forum has been so much better than any other, I swear!
I often ditto my post to several forums; a wider net gets more fishes. But more often than not, on other forums, the responses are weak, due to half read, followed by speedy snarky responses.
I just REALLY want you all to know how much I appreciate these responses here!


----------



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

Is there any guru on this forum, who could help me with some more specifics. Perhaps I could PM a link to a specific LED that I find, then they could walk me through the pros and cons of a specific LED.
My tank is 30" x 12" and 18" from water surface to bottom, plus the light will be about 4 inches from the surface. I know all this plays a part. Even if I find the right light, at the right price, I have NO idea how many to use...


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Post the link, I'll tell ya. You don't need an extraordinarily bright light, your dealing with FW plants. In a nut shell, if its a LED without a focusing lens, its not very good, it spreads the light out all over the place, not alot of penetration. An LED with a focusing lens is very good. Most don't use 120 degree lenses, anything 80 or less would be ideal.


----------



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

I see a bunch of 3W CREE Q3 LED emitters for half the price of the Q5's
Would the Q3 work for my aqaurium? IF so how many would I need?


----------



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

Cree XR-E Q5 Emitter High Power LED base 228lm w/ 20mm 
How many of these would I need?


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Depends, are you just using the White ones you listed?
If thats it, 25-35 of them would do you. They do have an angle focus of 90, which isn't the greatest, but will work just fine for yout tank. I'd also recommend throwing in some blues LED's also, as this color penetrates water depths better than the white. 
Also, here is a good read on LED's and how they work.
LED Aquarium Lights, Lighting; emitters, PAR, DIY, How they work | Aquarium Article Digest


----------



## benjaminleebates (Dec 27, 2011)

Wow, that is WAY more than I though I would need!
I thought that 10-12 could do it. There is no way that I could DIY LED for that much saltiness! Thanks for the answer, tho.
I am thinking of going to 2 - T5HO 24" grow lights. Would this bring me up to medium to high light? I may even you in a small blue led strip, always on, to suppliment the color during the day and look like moon-light at night.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

T-5s will be fine.


----------

