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Re: [APD] Help With My New Tank!! -- or - LED into the light
I think you'll find LEDs a bit more trouble than other
options andthe results not any better.
The out of the LEDs depends on how the LEDs are designed;
not all LEDs have the same voltage requirements or the same
outputs when operated at design levels.
You need to be careful when putting together an array of
LEDs that the voltage acrosss each LED is within design
limits. Otherwise, the LED will prematurely fail and being
wired in series with other LEDs, the voltage across other
LEDs in the series will be even higher, etc. . .
The spread of light is rather narrow and you need an awful
lot of LEDs to light up a planted aquarium. Not that it
cannot be done, but when you finish, I think you'll find
that, for effective lighting levels comparable to MHs or
PCs, you're not saving an electricity and you put in a lot
of wiring work.
Otoh, you can do some interesting with LEDs. For example,
use multiple arrays of red, green, and blue LEDs. This will
have an overall effect of a whitish light where the colors
mix but at the upper water levels, there will be places
where the individual colors are noticable. Sort of
sixtiesish but ot without it's merits ;-)
If you want to get started working with LEDs, try making a
moonlight/nightlight for your aquarium. Chuck Gadd has a
nice article on his informative web site, among the DIY
ariticles:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_nightlight.htm
After that exercise, you'll be in a better position to
decide if you want to try to fully illuminate a whole
aquarium with LEDs.
good luck, good fun,
Scott H.
--- Shalom Levytam <shalominc at yahoo_com> wrote:
> Thanks everyone again for providing me with all this
> information.
>
> Now I know this is a kinda crazy question; but since
> you mentioned it...
> How many white LEDs would be required to provide
> enough light for my tank? I know 3 LEDs provide one
> watt of output but that is about all...
>
> These LEDs are really cheap (50 for 15bucks) - I
> thought it might be interesting to try making a hood
> with a grid of these. I have a degree in compsci and
> my friend has one in compeng. I'm sure we can rig
> something up :)
>
> The other option I am considering is using a few of
> the 13watt cf tubes from ah.
>
> I have already laid down the soil and sand into the
> tank. I'll try to post my pain or happiness as it
> occurs.
>
> In case anyone is interested I have posted my DIY
> Stand build here:
>
http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/index.php?board=19;action=display;threadid=20129;start=new
>
> Shalom
>
> --- Bill Wichers <billw at waveform_net> wrote:
>
> > ----- snip 8< -----
> > There are several primary types of lights around,
> > and those are
> > incandescent lights (with filaments), fluorescent
> > lights (which use a
> > primary light source of one wavelength to stimulate
> > the emission of other
> > wavelengths from one or more phosphors), HID (High
> > Intensity Discharge, or
> > "arc") lights (which generate an electric arc --
> > basically a big and
> > continuous spark -- in a rarified atmosphere), and
> > solid-state lights (LEDs).
> > ----- snip 8< -----
> >
> > I left out LEDs in my last post! For the sake of
> > completeness I wrote this
> > part anyway:
> >
> > LEDs are solid-state emitters that operate on an
> > atomic level, except for
> > the white LEDs which are currently phosphor-based
> > like fluorescent lights
> > (they use a blue (silicon carbide) LED to light a
> > phosphor that then adds
> > in some other wavelengths to give a white light).
> > There are some new white
> > LEDs being working on that don't use a phosphor, but
> > not too many are
> > commercially available yet. LEDs are very efficient,
> > and last a *very* long
> > time, but are not currently of much use for general
> > aquarium lighting due
> > to the high cost to build a fixture sufficient to
> > light a mid- to
> > large-size tank. Eventually we should see more
> > economical LED-based
> > aquarium lights, but that is probably several years
> > away yet.
> >
> > -Bill
> >
> >
> > *****************************
> > Waveform Technology
> > UNIX Systems Administrator
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
> >
> http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/aquatic-plants
> >
>
>
>
>
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=====
How long can you wait until the good air fares are gone?
The AGA 2004 Convention is bit over two months away. But "last minute" fares can be pricey. Not to mention the Banquet and Field trip have limited capacity. Take time to make your plans but don't wait too long.
Convention Details/Registration at aquatic-gardeners.org & gwapa.org
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