schoolie 553 Posted July 5, 2013 (edited) This looks pretty amateurish, but I wanted to try creating some LED lighting for my fish tank. First I bought a 36" piece of U-channel aluminum from onlinemetals.com, around $12 plus shipping. Then I bought 5 Cree XM-L cool white and 4 warm white LEDs from rapidled.com, $48, as well as a 1.05A constant current driver, $21. The cord is a $2 extension cord that I got from home depot and cut up. I used two of my son's wood blocks to make the ends, a mounted a turret board to connect the DC source to the string of LEDs. To use the aluminum as a heat sink, I glued the LEDs using Arctic Alumina which provides a good thermal connection from the LEDs to the channel bar. I guess that I put in around $100 on this project. The fixture uses 31 Watts and put out around 3400 Lumens, around 110 lumens/Watt. I just need to cut some acrylic sheet for a splash guard, and water proof the connections. Thanks for reading! Edited July 5, 2013 by schoolie 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dnalex 13,633 Posted July 5, 2013 Rob, that's awesome! Recently, I paid the same amount of money for about 1/3 of the luminescence. Have you tried it out on the tank yet? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yafashelli 9,540 Posted July 5, 2013 Awesome DIY! I have no electrical skill whatsoever, or I'd have tried this myself. The important thing is to keep trying; you'll get better with each build. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel 5,668 Posted July 5, 2013 Very enjoyable read! Good work. How are you mounting it over the aquarium? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shellbell4ever 1,381 Posted July 5, 2013 i would also love to see it on the tank 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Narny105 1,992 Posted July 5, 2013 That looks great! Definitely an awesome DIY Make sure to post pics of it on the tank! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaylaj2355 464 Posted July 5, 2013 This looks great! Certainly not amateurish at all to me 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
schoolie 553 Posted July 5, 2013 Thanks, all! I really appreciate the positive response! I'm crazy busy today, but I'll put up some pics of the LED fixture on my tank, and I'll reply to comments tonight. Thanks again! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haley_tichonuk22 1,157 Posted July 5, 2013 Oh wow! You are really handy! I am great at building things, but electrical is not at all one of my skills haha. Your fish is massive by the way!!!!! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey 6,788 Posted July 5, 2013 That is beautiful!!!! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shellbell4ever 1,381 Posted July 5, 2013 I love it!!way to go!! And your fish is AWESOME!!!as is your tank i love the seamless look 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Poseidon 73 Posted July 5, 2013 You have golden hands, goldebn skill I consider led to for my next tank. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
schoolie 553 Posted July 6, 2013 (edited) Rob, that's awesome! Recently, I paid the same amount of money for about 1/3 of the luminescence. Have you tried it out on the tank yet? Thanks, Alex. The efficiency and output of these new LEDs is pretty amazing! The lighting manufacturers seem to be using older generation LEDs for cost savings. If I were going to do it right, I would have connected the LED assemblies with screws, so they could be removed easily, but I was too impatient:) I'm curious how well plants will grow with this setup. Awesome DIY! I have no electrical skill whatsoever, or I'd have tried this myself. The important thing is to keep trying; you'll get better with each build. Thanks, Tammy! Anybody could build one. They even have some solderless LED modules, so you don't even need a soldering iron:) Very enjoyable read! Good work. How are you mounting it over the aquarium? Thanks, Dan! My tank is acrylic, so I'm just resting the the whole fixture on the top of the tank. I coated the wood blocks in liquid electrical tape, so they should be sealed pretty well. i would also love to see it on the tank Thanks! That looks great! Definitely an awesome DIY Make sure to post pics of it on the tank! Thanks! Hope you liked the pics This looks great! Certainly not amateurish at all to me Thanks so much, KJ! Oh wow! You are really handy! I am great at building things, but electrical is not at all one of my skills haha. Your fish is massive by the way!!!!! Thanks, Haley! I'm sure you could build one too! And, yes, he is massive. Wish he were a bit smaller, so I could keep two in there:) That is beautiful!!!! Thanks so much, Mikey! I love it!!way to go!! And your fish is AWESOME!!!as is your tank i love the seamless look Thanks, Shelly! Very nice of you to say! You have golden hands, goldebn skill I consider led to for my next tank. Thank you, King Poseidon--very kind! It's really not too difficult to put together. Edited July 6, 2013 by schoolie 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dnalex 13,633 Posted July 6, 2013 Wow! I want! That is amazing, Rob! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
