LED / rimless reef Project.

[David Schmaus]

Getting ready to start a Nano project.   Here are a few things I ordered and I will post details with pictures when they arrive..

MR. Aqua 18x18x18 Rimless




12 Premium LED DIY Kit with Dimmable Drivers


10x10 heatsink

[ghurlag]

Looks like fun!  Be sure to keep us posted!  I am in DIY withdrawal due to a combination of school, work, family, and lack of disposable income.  I will be living vicariously through you

[jd]

Awesome! I've been waiting for someone local to try out LEDs. If you don't mind, how much was the LED kit? Pm me if you'd like.

[cyberwollf]

I was about to click send
on the EXACT same question!

What LEDs are they?

[David Schmaus]

The kit was $150.  Its 6 6700k 3w Q5 whites and 6 20000k Royal Blues.  Has everything I need except the heatsink which was around $24 bucks.

I just ordered this from the filter guys




I picked up a used wet/dry that measures 18x8.5x15.  Still had the old bio balls.  Im going to build a PS for it.   I need to research live rock and macro algae in a sump.  Ive been out of the money pit for about 6 years! 

[jd]

Thanks David. The price on that kit is great!

[cyberwollf]

Probably do it a little cheaper if you did complete diy. But the powersupply and driver in one brick is cool.

The problem with crees is they have become super popular and actually drove the price up by almost $2 an LED. Which is the opposite of normally cutting edge technology as they mature

[HUNGER]

very cool cant wait to see more

[David Schmaus]

Anyone want to help me design the overflow?   I have been reading reefcentral threads for the past couple days and my head is swimming.   Here is what I know I want.   Drilled for sure and the overflow to be in the back center of the tank.  It doesn't have to be dead silent but I don't want to hear it over the TV   Maybe I just order a system from glass-hole.com? 

[cyberwollf]

I'm going with coast to coast when i redo mine.  Not sure how that would look with a rimless/cube

[David Schmaus]

Yea I looked at that but I think on a rimless cube it wouldn't look right from the side.   I'm going to paint the back glass black so I thought a centered overflow out of black acrylic would be almost invisible..

[lazylivin]

The Solana System is from end to end. It is black ABS plastic with teeth cut in it for the overflow and a hole for the Return. If you are going to do sump in the rear of tank it would work great. I removed the Loc Line from mine for looks.

[Riderc82]

I've heard different things about the glass-holes overflows.  I've heard they are dead silent and then I've heard they are loud.  When I was going to set up a 30 gallon oceanic cube I was planning on using a glass-holes overflow since they are small.  I guess if it's too loud you could just get a surround sound system 

[HUNGER]

well what seems loud to you may not be loud to me so when some one  mite say its loud  mite not be loud
but most of the time its the pump or the stand pipes that makes it loud

[David Schmaus]

Thought I would post an update.   I received a few things in the mail today.

Here are a few pics of the MR Aqua 25 gallon frameless 18x18x18   $89

 

This is a sump that I bought used.   Its 18x8.5x16.     I am going to try to use this but looks like I will only have room for a protein skimmer and return.  



Here is my RODI from thefilterguys.   Very happy with this purchase




Here is the DIY LED KIT

[jd]

Wooo! Can't wait!

[David Schmaus]

I could really use some input on internal overflow design.    I'm thinking about centering the overflow on the back wall.   Here are a couple of ideas.  I would have to make the overflow out of glass so it will attach to the glass walls of the tank.   Then I could cover it with black acrylic.   Im thinking 6"x2". 

[HUNGER]

looks good dont see anything to change

[jungliztkruger]

on needing to make the overflow out of glass...

i designed an overflow chamber on my 10 gallon and it was secured into place with only silicone and held perfectly fine. i have an mp10 on the tank and even opened at full throttle this thing does not even budge.
something i figured out staring at this thing for hours... even a slightly lower water level in the overflow area will cause the water in the aquarium to push against it from higher pressure? it is being held in place not only by the silicone but the water pressure in the aquarium.

some food for thought if you dont feel like building two overflow chambers together in place of one. our nanos have a very limited supply of real estate every 1/8 inch counts

[lazylivin]

BRS sells the DIY overflow teeth if you need them

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/catalogsearch/result/?q=back+drilled+tanks&x=29&y=12

[HUNGER]

thats a shap overflow box

[UDJustin]

why drill so low in the tank why not make the hole up closer to the top then you wouldnt need the overflow box all the way down the back, would leave more space in the tank

[jd]

Agreed, drill the tank up and put an external durso on it.

[David Schmaus]

Agreed, I think I am making it to difficult.   I think I am just going to go with a overflow kit from glass-hole.com
http://glass-holes.com/Super-Nano-con-Dientes-Overflow-Kit-nanodienteskit.htm  I have to balance work and the time I have for DIY as much as I like it...

[David Schmaus]

Had some time this evening to work on the LED fixture.  Here are some pictures.   The rapidled.com kit comes with a 2 part epoxy to attach them on the LED.  This is  special epoxy that will transfer heat.   The only downside using epoxy is if one unit goes bad you will need to grind it off to replace it.

This is the heatsink (Heatsinkusa)   10x8.46 by 1 inch fins



This is the two part epoxy that comes with the kit