DIY LED Full Spectrum Marine Light with PAR Readings.

Hi all, just a quick post of a DIY light that Shannon and I have been working on.

As a test system for his new marine tank (8x2x2) we setup a small full spectrum light over his curent coral tank.

This light uses an Inventronics 75w driver and is dimmed by a pot. The LED setup is 4 clusters over a 190x140mm area. The light is activly cooled by a 140mm fan.

Each cluster uses
4x royal blue (440-460nm) Epistar/Bridgelux
1x true violet 390-430nm chips
1x red 660nm Epistar/Bridgelux chips
1x Cree XML U2 6500k
1x 6500k cool white Epistar/Bridgelux
and 1 turquoise 495-505nm or green 520-535nm Epistar/Bridgelux emitter.
an additional 6500k Epistar/Bridgelux white joins the 2 side by side clusters together.

Below are the photos before and after with the 6 month old 150w 20000k Metal halide. PAR values are in red. All values checked 3x and recorded with the senseye reef aquarium monitor.

PAR plots of the LED array.

I didnt have time to do the plots with the MH I'll have to do it next time. the Potenemeter failed during the test and the light is now stuck on full power.

This array uses 2 types of optics, 30 degree on all the Epistar/Bridgelux chips and 60 degree on the XMLs to stop them overpowering EVERYTHING.

Regardless the spectral output is GREAT.

results look great, Could i ask what were the dimensions of the tank used in the test and how far off the water was the Pendent when the results were taken?

Oh and are these running any optics at all? Results seem quite promising and sure bang for ya buck for any people looking at building their own..

Perhaps turn off the powerhead's next time when recording to get a solid reading

Keen to see updates! Will be upgrading to a 75x75x40cm Starphire eurobraced tank soon
Will definitely need some sort of supplementary illumination as the current LED unit wont suffice.. Either that or i buy an ATI unit lol

Light is high to get the spread right it's somewhere between 45 and 60cm above the tank.

The metal halide was only 30 cm from the tank. The led is putting out atleast 4x the output with 40% of the power consumption.

Tank is 2.5 long but I've got no idea on the other dimensions sorry no time on the day to measure.

As said above the light uses 30 degree optics on all epistar/bridgelux chips and 60 degree on the XMLs