Convince me to go LED. Update: CONVINCED!!!!!(Taotronic dimmable)

An electrical engineer offered to make me an LED unit using an arduino chip for $50 or so. we're goin to work up a prototype first.

 

Are there cheaper lights than the ones on rapidLED.com? I don't know very much about LED, but I assume not every blue led bulb available on the market has the same par rating.

 

There are cheaper led chips but cree is the best so far. or at least that what ive read. AI uses all cree, and so do many other manufacturers.

 

How many bulbs would I need for a 55 gallon and what ratio?

 

Would 36 bulbs on a 48" heat sink suffice? What degree lens should I get? Also, do they send you a the dimmable knobs when you get a dimmable BIY kit?

 

Whats your budget? That will help narrow down you're best options

 

Upwards of $350. The 36 bulb DIY kit is $275 and the heat sink is roughly $50. I just need to know if 36 bulbs spread across 48" is enough, and if the DIY kit provides the ability to dim without having to buy a separate controller.

 

36 will be enough on that tank, 48 is a little better, but no you need to buy a separate controller. I run mine using the typhoon controller by boostled, it allows you to have set hours, change the strength of each string and ramp up and down so you have a sunrise and sunset effect. $50 but def worth it.

Typhon LED Controller Kit by BoostLED
if you get this make sure you get the mean well P drivers

or from rapid you'll need there controller
DDC-01 PWM Controller - Rapid LED

or 2 of these, which doesn't make $$$ sense
DIY 2 color dimming kit - Rapid LED

personally, the boostled beats rapids IMO

I'd get 14 whites(10 cw, 4 nw)
22 blues (14 rb and 8 blues)
and add 2 rbs to the order

Don't forget that you need a multimeter with a 10A option on it, just get the rapid one its cheap
7 Function Multimeter - Rapid LED

OR,
just get 2 of the 120W taotronic dimmable leds from ebay for $300-$350
there are some great threads about them

 

Well I was thinking that with the DIY, I will have options of adding bulbs down the road if need be. Both the taotronics and DIY have the positives and negatives.

 

Yep I'd spend the extra for the plug and play kit then, plus its a TON easier, i assume