DIY LED for 135g tank

[c42480]

Im setting up another Saltwater tank after being out for a while because my 220 busted at the seams. I have been doing a lot of looking at the DIY LED I have only used T-5 lighting before. I looked through the threads and could not find exactly what I was looking for. I found the Cree LEDS seem to be the best but are expensive. I have found a Bridgelux 120 LED DIY kit that is less expensive than a cree 72 LED kit. The kit uses a Meanwell CLG-150-48b driver same driver brand people seem to like with the cree LEDS. My tank is a 135g I will be doing some soft corals and a few frog spawns and hammers and at some point I hope a clam. Do you think the 120LED dimmable Bridgelux kit with 60 degree optics and a 6"x58"x1.75" heat sink do what i want? It seems some people dont care for the Bridgelux LEDS and really like them and just say they are not as powerful as the cree.

 

[2quills]

I think that kit would definitely be plenty enough for what you're looking to do. Bridgelux are not bad chips. And they do make ones that are more powerful that can even rival many of the Cree's. It's just that the ones you see being marketed in these kits to hobbyists aren't quite as powerful as the Cree's that are being marketed. It seems like they're trying to find their niche in the hobby as the cheaper alternative. But they are definitely capable and many people are using them with real success. If more PAR ( or output) of light is what you really need than you simply just use more of the less powerful ones to make up for the lack of efficiency compared to the more powerful leds out there.
I also agree with the idea of using Mean Well drivers over the cheaper ones.

 

[c42480]

Thank you very much thats what I was thinking. I know that electric cost will be more with more leds but its only 7.9 cents a kwh where I live so that wont hurt me much.

 

[2quills]

The cost of running is more or less an afterthought unless you were running halides and or a halide/T5 combo before. But you will still save some money. The initial cost of a led build upfront isn't always the cheapest. It's the cost of maintaining a diy fixture over a period of time that is where the real savings comes into play vs alternative lighting sources. Especially when it comes to bulb replacement.
But that kit would use roughly in the range of 240-280 watts or so when all the leds are running at near full intensity. You can compare that to the lighting that you were running before and kind of gauge what you're running costs/savings might be.

 

[c42480]

I was running 8 60" T-5 over driven with icecap ballasts so some where in the neighborhood of 1100w for just lights so thats quite a improvement.

 

[2quills]

Gotta love innovation.