got the goahead 4 led's.. r these good?

[Akshay]

Don't buy the ready made DIY kits... those are just rip offs.
Get the basi components like the Cree chips, a heat sink to fix them on and a transformer for power supply and wire up.
Should get everything on ebay pretty cheap.
Fun with DIY is you get to fiddle with the light combos & optimize lighting for your corals setup.

 

[reefer gladness]

Just remember you usually get what you pay for.

I've never seen a budget-priced LED fixture that didn't skimp out somewhere. Nearly always they use poor heatsinks, noisy fans if they're included at all, cheap Chinese LED's and same for the LED drivers. They also like to toot their 'full spectrum' horn with 6 or 8 different colored LED's but then they only give you the ability to tune 2 channels...

Have to disagree about DIY kits being ripoffs. Price the components individually first but most people don't accurately factor the cost of the heatsink in the kit. I buy my LED components from rapidled.com and my heatsinks from heatsinkusa.com. Only reason I buy my heatsinks separately is because heatsinkusa will do custom cuts for free.

 

[kyle4201]

I got the 60 degree things for my lights, now im worried I might have wanted them stock 90,, due to the height rrestrictions. R they just a cover or am I stuck with the 60's? I wanted to try both thinking it was just a cover but now im thinking about it im worried .

 

[Akshay]

LEDs with lenses.... I know a couple of reefers who got bleached sps because of these.
Lenses create hot spots & although the water acts as a diffuser some corals do get burnt, specially in our tank which are not very deep.
For shallow tanks, if you are going to use lenses then go with 90-120* or better still no lenses.
This is mostly 2yr old tech..... Presently I don't think I know any reefer who uses them anymore.
Most use the CREE chips directly or have modules where chips are without lenses.
Better talk to the reef lighting experts, before you finalise.

Here is a write up on hotspots caused by LEDs... http://marinelifetech.wordpress.com...y-beam-angle-and-led-optics-explained-part-2/

 

[kyle4201]

Thx Akshay, but My question was are the optic changes I ordered just like snap on covers, or are they permanent ?

 

[reefer gladness]

Thx Akshay, but My question was are the optic changes I ordered just like snap on covers, or are they permanent ?

Usually they are snap-on covers and can easily be swapped out.

With respect to those that bleached their corals - that happened because they didn't plan their DIY correctly and/or they didn't use a PAR meter.

 

[Reef Commando]

Those LED units are chinese imports being knocked out by many firms on ebay and alibaba, by the way.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, if they do the job...................

One of my local LFS had an old chinese LED knocking around and it twigged it was nearly the same as an AI Sol. Took the two apart and identical components.
They also had to send a Maxspect Razor back for repair. It was all being delayed because the original factory which assembled that part of the light was now not doing them in favour of a cheaper factory. If you google, scan for long enough and get lucky you can find the Maxspect Razor available straight from China. Slightly different body to it.

 

[lbiminiblue]

What about kessil pendants?

 

[lbiminiblue]

 

[lbiminiblue]

The aqualight LEDs by coralife make me drool, but they're like 3000$

 

[marcgrantphoto]

well, I was in contact with Rick over at reef radiance all day and what a great guy. Customer service is AWESOME!!! I went with these per Ricks sugustion, more power than the 132i and on sale this week for same price. http://reefradiance.com/dm-155e.html .

I'm anxious to see how they work. That's a heck of a price. Are you going with 2 of them or 3? A buddy of mine that owns the LFS here says he saw some LED's recently at a show that were very inexpensive and allowed you to add lights to it easily as time and money permitted. He couldn't recall the name of them but did say they weren't shipping yet. According to him, the new LED's are really starting to come down in price.

 

[kyle4201]

I'm anxious to see how they work. That's a heck of a price. Are you going with 2 of them or 3? A buddy of mine that owns the LFS here says he saw some LED's recently at a show that were very inexpensive and allowed you to add lights to it easily as time and money permitted. He couldn't recall the name of them but did say they weren't shipping yet. According to him, the new LED's are really starting to come down in price.

Yes, im using 2 of them. I will be posting pix of the build today. Pix of the tank tonight. Im not exactly super happy with them, but im not entirely disappointed either. got done hooking them up 5 min b4 I had to walk out the door to DJ last night. Will be fine tuning them after work.

 

[Ratpack]

Kyle, did you get your 155's in from Reef Radiance already? Is that you you hooked up last night?

 

[kyle4201]

Yes, 2 of the 155e if I remember right.

 

[Ratpack]

I need to give them a call and ask where mine are then. I ordered mine about 4 days before you posted on here that you ordered yours and I have not seen them or got any communication. Did you get an email or anything about them being on the way?

 

[kyle4201]

Yes I did. Prob the best customer service I ever had actually. thats weird.

 

[kyle4201]

empty canopy

all the "guts" I removed

THE BOX, THE BOX, THE BOX IS HERE!!!!

1 side done

a whole lot of f$#@^ing holes!!!

Perfect fit.

Looking good so far, and I double side taped my moon lights to the led's

all wired, zip tied ans ready to get placed.

 

[Ratpack]

Can't wait to see the finished product. I contacted Reef Radiance and since you ordered special optics, they completed those before the standard units. Hence why I haven't received mine yet. Seems odd to do that, but I guess I will have to enjoy your photos until mine come in.

 

[Akshay]

Yup kyle jst waiting to see ur tank pics now.

 

[marcgrantphoto]

Looking good Kyle. I see your QC manager checking the hood out.