LED Testing

[StirCrazy]

3rd Jan 03
I ordered 4 different types of LEDs today .. should be ariving in 4 to 7 days and then I can play around and get some hard numbers to determen there usefullness.

the ones I got are
5 of the "blue" with a wave length peek of 430nm
5 of the "blue" with a wave length peek of 470nm
1 of the "white" high intensity
and 1 of the "blue" with a wave length peek of 470nm high intensity

this order got sent back as they did a switch and shiped it USP instead of USPS and I wasn;t paying 20,00 in brokerage on a 14.00 order..
they have reshipped with USPS and I am still waiting for them.

in the mean time I found some 470 nm blue and white localy and have been playing with them.

I am using three 470nm blue LEDs for now untill I get my order from the US.

set up on bread board
http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_led_setup.jpg

Pic from the side
http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_led_side.jpg


Pic looking down to show the brightness
http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_led_top.jpg

the next two pics didn;t realy turn out good, I will post them anyways but they look a lit darker than they realy are.. I will get better pics tonight to show what I mean

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_led_tank.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_led_tank1.jpg

it is hard to see in thoes two last pic but the 3 LEDs actualy did a good job of lighting up the tank and even made the corals flouress a fair amount.. so tonight I will set my white ballance and try to capture some pics that show the real look of the tank.

Steve

[StirCrazy]

Ok, so I got the pics done tonight that show the actual look of the tank.

I also got one of a red mushroom to show how it glows under the 470nm lights.. it is fuzy but it gives you a idea. in the first two pics you can see the green glowing on the mushroom, it actualy glows pretty hard but due to the movement the close up pics I got were just totaly horable.

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_tank_proper.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_tank_proper1.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/diy/led/3_370nm_tank_redmush.jpg

[tang_man]

Looking good!

What size tank is that?

How tall?

[afss]

wow. thats kinda impressive.
What kind of comparisons can you make between led and MH? how many LED would you need to hook up to be comprable to a 250 MH or a 400 MH? Can you get them in a color spectrum that is similar to the 10, 15 and 20K ranges?

Scott

[Trent]

If only 3 LEDs get you that effect then many mixed diodes would give you precise spectral management. Very interesting.
Please keep us posted.

I think I feel a DIY project coming on.

[afss]

That makes 2 of us:D

Also forgot to ask what are the heat issues and what is the bulb life span for holding true to its spectrum?

Scott

[StirCrazy]

Originally posted by afss
That makes 2 of us:D

Also forgot to ask what are the heat issues and what is the bulb life span for holding true to its spectrum?

Scott

the rated life of thease LED's is 100000 hours.. so that is 32 years at 8 hours a day.. at the end of this time I think they are rated to drop in intensity/spectrum 23%.. but it looks like almost no drop for the first 15 years.


as for comparing them against MH.. I don't think so my self.. not near emuf power with these ones and the new high power ones are 15.00us each and you would probably need way to many (I doubt these would beat MH either but the could rival VHO)

what I have in mine for these ones is a alternative for lighting fish only, replacing NO actinics, nightlights, or for highlighting corals.

Steve

[ian cooper]

I like the idea of using the LED for bringing out the blue in a tank or as you say, for moonlight simulation. Just a thought, but it might be cool if they were available in a red wavelength so that you could flick a switch and check out the nocturnal goings on in the tank without disrupting the critters. Very cool idea you have.

[StirCrazy]

they are available in Red! but I am not so sure that the fish cannot see red light.. has ther ebeen any documented proof of this? or is it just folk lore.. I know that red light for us does not screw up our night vision but we can still see everything better.

Steve

[ian cooper]

I think fish can see red light okay, however, some invertebrates like amphipods and copepods and crabs do not seem to take notice of it.

[Fishlips]

I've been wanting to set up a tank using only LEDs for a while now. But still waiting for the prices to drop.
I've read that with the white the intensity drops quite a bit in the first year (only read that once and didn't look into it further).
Check out http://www.servangle.net/reef/led/

[afss]

I just checked out the link you posted. The pics have been up since jun 2000, so i just e-maild the guy to see where he went with it. If i hear anything back i'll post it.
scott

[socrates]

I like the idea of LED's as well. I'll try and locate any other information as well.

[gogogo]

How do you make that? :idea:

[gogogo]

does anyone know?

[rottn]

I really like the look too! Very nice. :D

As far as red light goes... I know my fish definitely see it when I go poking around in my tanks at night. Pretty sure my worms see it as they have a "snapping rubber band" effect when I shine the red light in their area. Copepods/amphipods - not so sure. I almost think they are scurrying away when I shine red light on them, but as they are ALWAYS scurrying around anyways... I don't know.

I know that the deeper in the ocean you go, the more red becomes a camaflauge. That's why a LOT of really deep sea fish are red in colour. I can't remember the details of it all right now, but I did see a documentary about it somewhere or another. Maybe that's where the "red light" theory comes from?

[gogogo]

How do you make that?
what kind of wires do you use?
what and how do you add power to the leds?
and what are all the things you need to make the leds lighting?

[ajx22]

Here are some links to DIY L.E.D. lighting systems:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=140759

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=205488

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=249772

[grouper]

Looks like a few people are interested towards a new and maybe better method of light....LED might be the next generation of your Aqurium lighting.
I have been designing LED products for automotive interior and exterior lighting, and in the process of extending the technology to aquirium lighting.
I will have some pics of a few fixtures that I was working on.
Looking forward to introducing a few ideas in the next few months.

The attachment is an LED lamp with 120 White LEDS.

Pas B