Real Reefer's 5g AIO DIY
- Thread starter RealReefer
- Start date
Now that the tank is finished, i'll be moving onto the DIY led unit. I'll be using a PAR38 54W led unit with a few modifications. For starters i'm going to change out all the led diodes with custom colours.
15k Cool White
Royal Blue
Deep Blue
Violet
I'll keep you posted on the progress! Enjoy!
15k Cool White
Royal Blue
Deep Blue
Violet
I'll keep you posted on the progress! Enjoy!
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Helo followers. Update time
Took the par38 apart. Very easy to do. What you left with is half of a heatsink with a big hole in the middle. Not very effective at cooling. a 50w driver, the led PCB and acrylic lens cover. This one is 60deg. Too narrow for my liking. I'm going to use it without the lens.
I desoldered all of the old led diodes. Cleaned the PCB and replaced with new ones. I don't have any deep blue leds at the moment. when they come i will replace 2x RB in the middle circle with 2x Deep blues.
Thinking of doing another 2 or 3 PCB's with different colour leds so that i can just swop the PCB in the future if i want to play with colours.
Have an awesome weekend!
Took the par38 apart. Very easy to do. What you left with is half of a heatsink with a big hole in the middle. Not very effective at cooling. a 50w driver, the led PCB and acrylic lens cover. This one is 60deg. Too narrow for my liking. I'm going to use it without the lens.
I desoldered all of the old led diodes. Cleaned the PCB and replaced with new ones. I don't have any deep blue leds at the moment. when they come i will replace 2x RB in the middle circle with 2x Deep blues.
Thinking of doing another 2 or 3 PCB's with different colour leds so that i can just swop the PCB in the future if i want to play with colours.
Have an awesome weekend!
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Vleis Visagie
Be good or be good at it
Helo followers. Update time
Took the par38 apart. Very easy to do. What you left with is half of a heatsink with a big hole in the middle. Not very effective at cooling. a 50w driver, the led PCB and acrylic lens cover. This one is 60deg. Too narrow for my liking. I'm going to use it without the lens.
I desoldered all of the old led diodes. Cleaned the PCB and replaced with new ones. I don't have any deep blue leds at the moment. when they come i will replace 2x RB in the middle circle with 2x Deep blues.
Thinking of doing another 2 or 3 PCB's with different colour leds so that i can just swop the PCB in the future if i want to play with colours.
Have an awesome weekend!
Dik busy u are indeed
Hello followers. Incoming update. Led DIY is still a work in progress, but i couldn't wait any longer so i did a quick mock-up of the tank with the led over it. Was sooooo excited to see the result, and i'm happy with it! Also started working on a design to house the PCB. Opting for a single arm led mount with a custom led body. Doing a test run on MDF. Ultimately i want to laser the unit out of acrylic. But if the MDF works out, ill prime, paint and seal it. It should last a long time.
Did my very first run at wood kerving. A bit tricky finding the correct cutting depth and number of slots. Already messed up 3 times. Well the 3rd was actually a success, but in my hastiness i forced the curve to fast and it broke
. I'll try again this weekend. 
Not the best freehand routing on the PCB mount , but i'll give it another shot. This was fun!
A few pics. Enjoy!
Single arm in progress
Got a nice bend on this one. To bad it broke.
3mm reccess on a test piece. The recess for the led cover to sit flush.
Lens sitting flush.
PCB mount
Some pics of the mock-up
Have a GR8 week!
Did my very first run at wood kerving. A bit tricky finding the correct cutting depth and number of slots. Already messed up 3 times. Well the 3rd was actually a success, but in my hastiness i forced the curve to fast and it broke
. I'll try again this weekend. Not the best freehand routing on the PCB mount , but i'll give it another shot. This was fun!A few pics. Enjoy!
Single arm in progress
Got a nice bend on this one. To bad it broke.
3mm reccess on a test piece. The recess for the led cover to sit flush.
Lens sitting flush.
PCB mount
Some pics of the mock-up
Have a GR8 week!
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Hello followers. Incoming update. Led DIY is still a work in progress, but i couldn't wait any longer so i did a quick mock-up of the tank with the led over it. Was sooooo excited to see the result, and i'm happy with it! Also started working on a design to house the PCB. Opting for a single arm led mount with a custom led body. Doing a test run on MDF. Ultimately i want to laser the unit out of acrylic. But if the MDF works out, ill prime, paint and seal it. It should last a long time.
Did my very first run at wood kerving. A bit tricky finding the correct cutting depth and number of slots. Already messed up 3 times. Well the 3rd was actually a success, but in my hastiness i forced the curve to fast and it broke
A few pics. Enjoy!
Single arm in progress
Got a nice bend on this one. To bad it broke.
3mm reccess on a test piece. The recess for the led cover to sit flush.
Lens sitting flush.
PCB mount
Some pics of the mock-up
Have a GR8 week!
This is such a neat DIY build, you really have skill!
Helo fellow reefers and followers. In the meantime i decided to start the 5g. Waiting patiently for any signs of life. Not even Lance moved since last week Sunday. 
Looks like he is trapped in quicksand. Poor thing. Will make a post as soon as the micro pods starts exploring the front glass. Can't wait. Also dosed 5ml Seachem Stability for some bac activity. Lance is supplying the ammonia. Still busy with the led DIY. Maybe a change in plans. I'll keep you posted.
Have a GR8 week!
Water still murky because of Lance.
Looks like he is trapped in quicksand. Poor thing. Will make a post as soon as the micro pods starts exploring the front glass. Can't wait. Also dosed 5ml Seachem Stability for some bac activity. Lance is supplying the ammonia. Still busy with the led DIY. Maybe a change in plans. I'll keep you posted.Have a GR8 week!
Water still murky because of Lance.
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Awesome build, Especially on the light
Vleis Visagie
Be good or be good at it
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- Joined
- 7 Dec 2017
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Also waiting for more updates...
Vleis Visagie
Be good or be good at it
Also waiting for more updates...
The thing is, I KNOW there are updates.....
Probably Shutdown by now!
Vleis Visagie
Be good or be good at it
Helo followers and future followers. Happy to do another update after the weekend! Almost finished with the LED unit. A change of plans and the kerving project is now on the back burner. Would have loved to actually finish the kerving at least. It was quite a challenge to get the perfect curve without the wood breaking. In the end i ran out of off cut MDF and then realised that a removable led housing would make it a lot easier when working in the tank especially when the plan is to do a WC every week. That could increase to 2 times a week when bio load is high. So i ended making another simple DIY led unit and i am happy with it. Still planning to do a proper acrylic version in the near future. Be on the lookout for that!
I primed the wood with pink plascon wood primer. Let it sit over night to dry properly. Finished it with 320 grit sandpaper. Applied 3 coats of gloss white paint.
Lance has left the building and the water is now crystal clear. So without further ado, here's some pics of the tank after a 2 week cycle.
Enjoy!
View attachment 190539
Have a GR8 week!
I primed the wood with pink plascon wood primer. Let it sit over night to dry properly. Finished it with 320 grit sandpaper. Applied 3 coats of gloss white paint.
Lance has left the building and the water is now crystal clear. So without further ado, here's some pics of the tank after a 2 week cycle.
Enjoy!
View attachment 190539
Have a GR8 week!
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Really like what you did with the mount!! Looks great!!