MY 1.5m DIY LED Unit Build

[FoundNemo]

Hi guys, so over the past couple of weekends I have been building a DIY LED unit, progress has been slower then I thought (this happens when building at a friends place and beer is involved) but here are some pics and steps up to where I am now.

Parts ordered from Improved Living PE cost around 2600, this included a Powersupply, Controller with sunrise, sunset and moonlight (5 channel) 100x 3w LED's, 100x heatsinks & then 20 dimmable drivers, over and above this they sent some extra LED's ect for spare o and of course loads of instructions

The above they calculated on my tank size of 1.500x450x450

I have 5 channels with 20 lights per channel, this was pre-programmed for me by Improved Living

So what I had to get extra mostly Builders warehouse
Stick Like Sh1T glue
2x Cans of Black Spray Paint
1x Can of clear coat
9 meters of trunking
Black Silicone
30 meters of wire

MrPlastic
I decided on doing a perspex box instead of a aluminium frame cause I might want to go top less soon and suspend i, I worked out the sizes and had black perspex cut to size sizes are 1.400x300x50

Unboxing & Pics

Then some random pics on the build

By no means am I done, last night we completed 1 channel tested and good to go, I am confident 2 hours of work we will complete the other 4 channels hoping to finish this weekend

 

[FoundNemo]

some more......

 

[FoundNemo]

And then of course some more

 

[Rossreefer]

im also thinking of going the Improved living route, how many of each color did they send?

 

[Rossreefer]

What is the length and width of the light unit going to be?

 

[Jason]

Quick question. I see no heatsinks? Will there be a thin heatsink placed behind the leds?

 

[FoundNemo]

im also thinking of going the Improved living route, how many of each color did they send?

Will do a breakdown tonight of the lights and how many of each

What is the length and width of the light unit going to be?

My tank is 1500x450x450
My Light I made 1400x300x50

 

[FoundNemo]

Quick question. I see no heatsinks? Will there be a thin heatsink placed behind the leds?

Heatsinks are there, the lights had to be soldered on individually

 

[Rossreefer]

Are you going to have your drivers in your light unit or by your sump?

 

[FoundNemo]

Are you going to have your drivers in your light unit or by your sump?

It will be located in black box together with the controller and psu in the sump area

 

[Rossreefer]

Looking forward to seeing completed unit

 

[FoundNemo]

Looking forward to seeing completed unit

Yeah so am I, must say fun build thus far

 

[Rossreefer]

How high is the unit going to be above the water?

 

[FoundNemo]

How high is the unit going to be above the water?

With my hood on its will be about 150mm above water line

 

[BigshowZA]

@FoundNemo Hi, i did the same on a TL550 that might look familiar.

 

[FoundNemo]

@FoundNemo Hi, i did the same on a TL550 that might look familiar.

O snap dude looking good I left that tank in good hands

 

[yusufp]

@floh

 

[viper357]

Nice DIY. Is it finished?

 

[FoundNemo]

Nice DIY. Is it finished?

I wish, made serious progress but not done as yet, need a couple more hours

In total i have used around 60m of wiring its madness, All 5 channels lights in and connected, box has been drilled, its just a question of now placing channels and tucking wiring and drilling my for my extendable arms

Some pics again, it looks like a mess but its been well planned step-by-step

 

[FoundNemo]

im also thinking of going the Improved living route, how many of each color did they send?

Light breakdown as follows;
20x White 1
20x White 2
20x White 3
30x Blue 1
4x Blue 2 (looks purple)
2x Green
4x Magenta

Total 100 lights for my size spaced about 50mm apart