LED DIY for a 65RR... Will this be enough?

[strgazr27]

I'm looking at possibly doing a LED DIY for a 65RR I may be setting up. My plan is to go with the following for the lighting.

24 Cool White Cree Q5 XR-E LEDs
24 Royal Blue Cree XR-E LEDs
48 Cree XR-E Lenses
4 Mean Well ELN-60-48P dimmable drivers or 4 Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable drivers

These will be mounted to 2 pieces of 30" L x 12" W Aluminum plates and cooled with 2 120mm fans.

The tank is 36X18X24. Should I go with 60 degree optics or 40 degree for better punch at depth?

ANY help would be appreciated.

Bobby

 

[fishman1069]

Do you plan on using any heatsinks?

 

[strgazr27]

The 2 pieces of Aluminum plate are 1/4" thick 7075 with 1/8" tall fins. Should be plenty of area.

 

[fishman1069]

Thats cool. I think you should go with 60* optics so you dont get the spot light effect. 40* is kinda projected straight down which will cause you to have to use more leds

 

[strgazr27]

That's the way I was thinking but wondered if the 40 would allow me to keep a clam or 2 on the sand. I thought the 40's would go a little deeper. Spacing would be 24 per side w 2" between LED's.

 

[fishman1069]

Im far from an expert on LEDs so I would wait till wingo or someone that builds these units chime in. Ive been doin alot of reading on them because I want to do my own fixture one day but I def need to to more research. Good luck with your build. I'll be following along

 

[qy7400]

60* or 70* should be fine, the 40* would really spotlight and are aimed more for 30" tanks plus you'll want the LEDs closer than 2"

 

[smoq]

I've got 48 leds above my 57g which has the same footprint as your 65g and it's more than enough. I wouldn't go anywhere narrower than 60 degrees when it comes to lenses, you don't need it. If I can suggest you something, put some more money into it and invest in real heatsink or at least glue some heatsinks on the plate. I used to have one light with aluminum plate and one with heatsinks epoxy'ed into a plate and it was much easier to keep the second light cool. I glued some intel heatsinks into the first one and it helped a lot.