FishinBobs 90 gallon reef journey!
- Thread starter FishinBob
- Start date
FishinBob
Active Member
Well started my led build and it's going amazingly easily... I have barely any soldering experience (besides gps for my boat some misc car audio and the occasional o2 sensor) tinned all the wires and all 52 LEDs(all 4 pads) in a couple hours just some basic Internet reading an keeping that tip clean was all that was needed!! In that moment I decided 56 LEDs didnt seem like enough so I ordered another 12rb,12cw plus 4 neutral whites, 4 420 uv bulbs!! Lol 82 seems like enough so total 36 rb, 36 cw, 4 blues, 2 reds, 2 greens, 4 neutral whites, and 4 uv bulbs and I have a semi broad spectrum fixture!!! Here are a couple quick
pics
pics
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Well started my led build and it's going amazingly easily... I have barely any soldering experience (besides gps for my boat some misc car audio and the occasional o2 sensor) tinned all the wires and all 52 LEDs(all 4 pads) in a couple hours just some basic Internet reading an keeping that tip clean was all that was needed!! In that moment I decided 56 LEDs didnt seem like enough so I ordered another 12rb,12cw plus 4 neutral whites, 4 420 uv bulbs!! Lol 82 seems like enough so total 36 rb, 36 cw, 4 blues, 2 reds, 2 greens, 4 neutral whites, and 4 uv bulbs and I have a semi broad spectrum fixture!!! Here are a couple quick
pics
Even Better!
FishinBob
Active Member
Thanks blade an matt!! Blade I have read through some previous posts u made about the 3 watt 420 uv LEDs I heard they we not to noticeable except in like a moonlight mode... I have heard in small amounts they help sps color up a bit what's your thoughts? Yeah started attaching to heatsink and soldering up and noticed I need some nylon washers and a new tip for the iron... Going to try and get most of one heatsink done minus the LEDs that are being shipped now total of 40-42 LEDs per heatsink!!
FishinBob
Active Member
Took a break on the LEDs for today I need the rest of the kit to finish... And I noticed that I have some shorts where the screws hit the solder pads so I'm going to need some nylon washers.. But then shouldn't be more than a couple days and should have a good first test then jut need to make a canopy so I can hang them and enjoy my work!!! On another note I added my sand and DSB in my fugue finally looks like a tank!!! Tank has finally cycled I believe!!
Temp. 78.7
Ph. 7.9(need to up tonight)
Amn. 0ppm
Nitrites. 0ppm
Havnt tested nitrates or phosphates yet but once the sand settles I will!!
Here are a couple pics!! Also I like this caribean pink sand but my powerheads blow it around to much might have to add a bag of crushed coral ;(
Sand added to tank
DSB and some mangroves
The whole shabang
Temp. 78.7
Ph. 7.9(need to up tonight)
Amn. 0ppm
Nitrites. 0ppm
Havnt tested nitrates or phosphates yet but once the sand settles I will!!
Here are a couple pics!! Also I like this caribean pink sand but my powerheads blow it around to much might have to add a bag of crushed coral ;(
Sand added to tank
DSB and some mangroves
The whole shabang
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Looking great!
FishinBob
Active Member
Well continuing to build my led panels got a bit sidetracked last night and built a 14 LED fixture for my 10 gallon reef tank I'll get some pictures later tonight wow is all I can say it's bright and I love that shimmer!!
The fixture
Waitin on some nylon washers and have to get some main wire then i should be able to hammer these fixtures out!! 90 gallon has finally cycled!!! Added some cheato and a couple snails last night for the he'll of it!
Temp. 79.5
Ph. 8.2
Ammonia. 0
Nitrites. 0
Nitrates. 20
Phos. .36
Will be doing after my first PWC here in a few days gotta start bubbling some saltwater!! What do you guys recommend for first PWC? 20 gallons?
The fixture
Waitin on some nylon washers and have to get some main wire then i should be able to hammer these fixtures out!! 90 gallon has finally cycled!!! Added some cheato and a couple snails last night for the he'll of it!
Temp. 79.5
Ph. 8.2
Ammonia. 0
Nitrites. 0
Nitrates. 20
Phos. .36
Will be doing after my first PWC here in a few days gotta start bubbling some saltwater!! What do you guys recommend for first PWC? 20 gallons?
FishinBob
Active Member
Still waiting on a few parts to finish up the fixtures about 50% done with both just need washers and blue LEDs and maybe another driver do I can dim the reds, greens, UV's, and blues then have the royal blues and whites on their own dimmers soni can fine tune the color!! Here is a quick pic of the 10 gallon fixture its 14 crees 7 royal blues, 5 cool whites, and 2 blues! Love the color excited to see what the big heatsink looks like!
Before with 2 par8 5k fixtures
After with the crees the picture do no justice!
no optics hung about 10-12" from water line lowering to about 6" once I get a splash shield and corals acclimate! Hope to be done with the 90 gallon fixture by the end of the week...hoping!! Then canopy and livestock!! WOOT getting
Closer every week!
Before with 2 par8 5k fixtures
After with the crees the picture do no justice!
no optics hung about 10-12" from water line lowering to about 6" once I get a splash shield and corals acclimate! Hope to be done with the 90 gallon fixture by the end of the week...hoping!! Then canopy and livestock!! WOOT getting
Closer every week!
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
Nice pics!
FishinBob
Active Member
Hey guys been trying to keep my head down and get this project going!! Added a light to the fuge used the 2 par8 5000k lights for now untill I save some monies and make a small Cree fuge light... Also added some cheato and snipped back some of the grape and feather calupra in the display and added to fuge also added a bunch(too many mangroves prolly red, black, and white) have a nice steady diatom bloom added a few mexicans and like 10 astreas! Killed a few aptasia and learned I was killing light bulb nems not majano's! Recently have seen couple Isopods and am removing any one I see and feeding to the mantis(I got a video too) sorry I'm pretty excited!!
Tank stats:
Temp. 78.5
Ph. 8.1
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrates. 15
Phosphates. .68
Cal. 420
Alk. 8.2 dkh
Mag. 1150. (raising slowly)
Hoping the macros will start working and ina couple days do a 25 gallon PWC as my first change! Well led is coming along just have to solder 120 more connections and wire it all up!!
Fuge setup
The money makers WOOT almost done!!
Tank stats:
Temp. 78.5
Ph. 8.1
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrates. 15
Phosphates. .68
Cal. 420
Alk. 8.2 dkh
Mag. 1150. (raising slowly)
Hoping the macros will start working and ina couple days do a 25 gallon PWC as my first change! Well led is coming along just have to solder 120 more connections and wire it all up!!
Fuge setup
The money makers WOOT almost done!!
FishinBob
Active Member
Getting closer everyday... Finished both heatsinks wired one whole heatsink in 3 hrs... Took me
Longer to route the wires...tomorrow hopefully wire in the molex 12 pin connectors to the ballasts and the individual heat sinks( want it plug and play so I can add or change colors as wanted).. Only problem I have is that each heatsink has 18 of each rb, 18 cw, had to split the last 2 drivers between both heatsinks so will have to make a y adapter so I can run one heatsink at a time need be! I'll quit rambling!!
Longer to route the wires...tomorrow hopefully wire in the molex 12 pin connectors to the ballasts and the individual heat sinks( want it plug and play so I can add or change colors as wanted).. Only problem I have is that each heatsink has 18 of each rb, 18 cw, had to split the last 2 drivers between both heatsinks so will have to make a y adapter so I can run one heatsink at a time need be! I'll quit rambling!!
FishinBob
Active Member
Well finally got it alll wired up just have to make my final wire solders then loom it and call it a day!! I have a short somewhere they all light up but when one string gets power the other string lights up lightly!! Need to address that then over the tank they go!! Here are some quick pics iPhone doesn't like all that light!
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