DIY Planted LED, what cree LEDs to get?

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Mekong
Puffer Fry
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:21 pm
Location (country): USA

DIY Planted LED, what cree LEDs to get?

Post by Mekong »

I use to keep a successful SPS/LPS reef with my takifugu niphobles, and had various freshwater tanks including an arrowhead puffer. Eventually I took them all down and sold of most everything due to a remodel, and then a large move for work. I have settled now and want to get back into the game. I would like to do reef keeping again, but what I have planned for "if I ever do a reef again" is just too grandiose. I think a high tech planted would satisfy me for lower maintenance. So I am in the planning stages of a planted. I want to DIY the light as this tank is also going to feed my geek side with using a raspberry pi to control as much as I can with my own programing, so PWM controlled drivers are a must.

I have the perfect spot on my new house for a cube tank in my open living room/kitchen which will get a good amount of indirect sunlight, never direct. So I am thinking of the innovative marine 24"x20"x19" 40gallon. I want the light to be able to grow just about any plant and not limit me for wanting to upgrade. When I kept tanks before, T5 was the new tech, and there wasn't anywhere as much of options in terms of bulbs as there are LEDs. Now with so many LEDs avalible for DIY I am kind of lost.

My best thought now is to copy the AI Prime Freshwater HD light, and do the same mix of LEDs they do. Is there any reason to include other spectrums?

So build list is:

http://www.makersled.com/products/makersheatsink/

same cree LEDs as AI Prime

meanwell PWM drivers

80% optics

Also, are there better newer cree LEDs than the G2 for the cool/warm white spectrum, same for the e/e2 for the RGB?
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