pogodzib, yes is do have photos but how do I post them? as for my units I made them myself, they are built off of a rebel star unit the light output falls between a solaris and an AI 88 I see that you are a moderator so please help me out here, if I say anything that should not be on here please cut it out of my post.
I am running 12 three led clusters six white and six royal blues (special built for me since no one sell them), the whites produce a 6500k spectrum the blues put out a .455nm wavelength (actinic), they are placed on a 14 inch by 5 3/8 heat sink that is fan cooled. holding the led pn junction to only a 12-15 degree c heat rise over room temperature. the light matches the light output of a 150 watt 10k metal halide and two 98 watt compact florescent bulbs one in .420nm and one actinic 03. this was checked with an underwater light meter at the top of the corals in my tank.
I designed and had built a PCBs that gives a constant current output each Led is independently controlled by it own circuit in case of led failure it will not damage the other leds on the array. an issue with other lights systems. in one case the replacement board is $500.00.
then I covered the leds and boards with an acrilyc cover and sealed them from the outside environment. so all electronics are encased and protected.
it is a dyi project but a person in Bolivia has asked me to make 50 of them for his frag tanks.
this has allowed me to make a production run of the lights. setting up jigs, test fixtures, cnc programs and having a true OEM part number made for the blue LED clusters. this has lead to the first steps of setting up a web site to sell all the parts needed to make one yourself for you dyi guys or buy the finished light for you non dyi guys. it is a small light that works as a pendent or you can retrofit to an existing hood.
I do not wish to cross the line and turn this into a plug. anyone can make a led light for $600 that will work with the best of them, and you do not need me to do it. just some electronics knowledge and time. buy the way you can not get a good mh/pc set up for under $500. and with leds you do not have to change the bulbs for over 10 years saving you $200 or so a year.
pogodzib please let me know first how to post a pic and second what is considered crossing the line here. I started this because I had a total light failure in my tank (five year old and a baseball in the house bad mix, I never knew how fast salt water kills a salt system when it falls in the tank
) and wanted to replace my lights for less then the $1500.00 per side price tag for leds, if I can help other dyi guy do the same then please feel free to let me know.
you do not need massive amounts of light,power, heat and chillers to make corals look good and grow fast.
thanks
Mike