Kerrys 40G LED build

[kerry]

Almost 3 weeks worth, I know to long but impressive. I can tell you that with the test I was doing with the LED's paid off. The 4 red 660nm side verses the 4 red 660nm with 1 450nm side comparison is now done. The extra blue side blows it away the other side was not growing off the screen as the blue side was. The all red side has about an inch growth past the screen. I was so excited to get these posted I forgot to get the all red side pics. The red had better growth then the CFL that's for SURE.

Pic of screen pulled from Scrubber sump. Notice the credit card beside the pics for size comparison.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-22_13-28-21_940.jpg
Pic of the side scrapped.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-22_13-28-59_292.jpg
Pic of the bottom scrapped to separate huge amount of algae hanging off the screen!!!!
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-22_13-30-15_550.jpg

[mess7777]

looks great!

[Ace25]

Looks like your screen exploded and then puked on itself.. lol. Looks fantastic, another WIN for 660nm/455nm LEDs! :)

[kerry]

It sure is a win!!!! LOL. Its been doing that for the last few cleanings so the blue works. I want to add a blue to the other side and see what difference that will make. I am working on a build now that incorporates what I have found with this builds LED's configuration.

[Byron]

Great work Kerry, thanks for sharing!! I bet this does not surprise Ace, he advised me to use blues on my build. Any chance of a shot of the complete scrubber?

[kerry]

Great work Kerry, thanks for sharing!! I bet this does not surprise Ace, he advised me to use blues on my build. Any chance of a shot of the complete scrubber?
Here is shot inside of the scrubber sump. Its above the tank with a gravity drain.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-22_19-07-56_765.jpg

[shrimpman749]

HI GENTS, IM FAIRLY NEW TO THIS SITE BUT HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME" THANKS TO YOU GUYS".I AM LOOKING INTO MAKING A SCRUBER FOR MY 125GAL MIXED REEF TANK RUNNING FOR 17 YEARS NOW.MY SCREEN SIZE WELL BE 6X4IN.MY LIGHTING WILL BE 4 RED AND ONE BLUE IN THE MIDDLE ON OTH SIDES OF SCREEN .QUESTION WHERE IS A GOOD PLACE TO ORDER MY RED 660NM 3WATT LEDS AND MY 450 NM BLUE.I PLAN ON FEEDING 1-2 CUBES PER DAY IS THIS SIZE OK? HEAVILY STOCKED REEF.THANKS GUYS AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

[shrimpman749]

NICE WORK KERRY, I WISH I COULD GROW A MOP LIKE THAT.

[Byron]

Hi Shrimpman,
I bought my red's (and a couple of kits) from-
http://www.aquastyleonline.com/
These guys have been really good to deal with re advise etc
Cheers Ben

[kerry]

I use www.rapidled.com for the led sticker adhesives, driver(they have a good one for 16 bucks), and heat sinks. LED's I get from here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3W-x-10-PCs-High-Power-Red-660nm-LED-Specialist-for-plant-DIY-item-/110813289474?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ccfc9c02 this is the link for reds, they have blues also.

[shrimpman749]

Thanks for the info. guys and sorry about the caps .

[Garf]

Most of the regulars on here are perfectionists. They know a lot of stuff. You are in the best place. Welcome. Sorry but couldn't think of a shorter way of saying it.

[kerry]

Most of us here have many builds under our belt and we are still learning more all the time. The LED thing is newest hurdle we have conquered. I am blown away with the growth difference between my LED builds and the CFL builds. Keep the questions coming and show us your results!! We love to see how people are coming along.

[Nmcgrawj]

How far from the screen are the led lights?

[kerry]

About 3" (ish)

[Doompie]

That's impressive growth kerry!
Will you share a tank shot?

[kerry]

Here is a few shots when I was trying to get use to my new Razr phone. They are not all real good shots.
I dont have any problem growing coralline as you can see.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_20-09-37_370.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_20-08-58_952.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_20-08-49_338.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_20-08-38_336.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_19-54-15_420.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_19-52-55_364.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_19-52-48_752.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_19-52-40_533.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-04-26_19-52-35_236.jpg

[Doompie]

Very Nice Kerry! Thanks a lot for sharing! Looks nice and healthy.

[kerry]

Thanks, it does very well for me. Its a pretty humble tank, about all I ever do to that one is clean the front and side glass and dose it.

[Nmcgrawj]

About 3" (ish)



Thanks!

Do you have a picture of how the LEDs are oriented? Safe to say, 1 3watt led per 3sq inches of screen?

[kerry]

They are mounted to AMD processor chip heat sinks. I have the 4 reds in a square pattern and the blue in the middle. Sorry no pic. My screen is about 6x9.

[Nmcgrawj]

Thanks again

[kerry]

Here is this weekends cleaning of the waterfall scrubber. This thing MOPS it up!!!
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/new%20scrubber/2012-05-19_10-54-33_329.jpg

[kerry]

Here is this weeks pics before cleaning. This waterfall scrubber has 4 660nm on one side and 4 660nm and 1 450nm for a total of 5 on the other. Its pretty obvious what side has the blue 450nm. The growth speaks for itself. I have went many months waiting to see if it was just a fluke that one side did better then the other but it was like this every time. I even put the 5 count side further from the light and diffused it with two diffusers to make the light intensity more equal to the 4 count side. Still, the side with one blue blows away the all red side.

Here is a pic from the side showing the 3D thickness.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-10-06_11-19-20_916.jpg

Here is the blue/red side.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-10-06_11-19-38_813.jpg

Here is the all red side.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-10-06_11-19-54_234.jpg

A close up of the red blue side.
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-10-06_11-20-21_487.jpg

The algae grows right out toward the red/blue side, its crazy how is does this. This is almost 3 weeks worth and my screen is one cube over sized for what I feed.

[Garf]

I am also gonna "blue up" my cfl's. Everything I read on the subject points to healthier growth with both ends of the photosynthetic spectrum covered.

[kerry]

I hope to add a blue to the other side soon.

[cdm2012]

I am also gonna "blue up" my cfl's. Everything I read on the subject points to healthier growth with both ends of the photosynthetic spectrum covered.
Garf-I'd like to know how you are going to "blue up" your cfl's. That sounds interesting

[cdm2012]

Wow! The difference is incredible.

[Garf]

Garf-I'd like to know how you are going to "blue up" your cfl's. That sounds interesting

Gonna put a small 420nm actinic on one side to supply a level of blue, violet and uv. Although a 460nm actinic would supply blue to violet without the uv, I am curious as to the impact more UVa has on algae growth. Only gonna do it on one side though in case I have negative results and fry my screen.

[cdm2012]

Gonna put a small 420nm actinic on one side to supply a level of blue, violet and uv. Although a 460nm actinic would supply blue to violet without the uv, I am curious as to the impact more UVa has on algae growth. Only gonna do it on one side though in case I have negative results and fry my screen.

Thanks. I look forward to seeing the results. I found a bulb that includes both: AquaticLife 420/460nm T5 HO Fluorescent Lamp. This might be an option if yours proves to be successful with the 420nm actinic.

[Floyd R Turbo]

Kerry, that is perhaps the most convincing evidence I've seen thusfar to indicate that there needs to be a blue component. Thanks for posting those pics!!

[Garf]

The only screen I've seen with an erection !!

Oh yeah, you leave it 3 weeks ? No die off. Please say the red side dies off a bit, but the blue don't. That would be the icing on a very big cake.

[Floyd R Turbo]

You are one sick puppy.

[Garf]

You are one sick puppy.

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj597/Garf1971/b9327969d1be9bcf124cdf59b0a21c46.jpg (http://http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj597/Garf1971/b9327969d1be9bcf124cdf59b0a21c46.jpg)

[Ace25]

Sorry, but that isn't a sick puppy, that is an adorable puppy. :)

[Garf]

How things change. Hello to demon dog. Pic + 2 months

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj597/Garf1971/3a5cfe1de1ccded1276aac131677a17a_zpsdfc3eaf0.jpg (http://http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj597/Garf1971/3a5cfe1de1ccded1276aac131677a17a_zpsdfc3eaf0.jpg)

[kerry]

The red side does start to get brown but the red/blue side is pretty much all lush green except for where the algae creeps under my light shield.

[kerry]

Kerry, that is perhaps the most convincing evidence I've seen thusfar to indicate that there needs to be a blue component. Thanks for posting those pics!!

I was holding off for a long time to be sure it was not something else. The pics at the very first part/middle where its really long is only on the blue side as well.

[Garf]

I was holding off for a long time to be sure it was not something else. The pics at the very first part/middle where its really long is only on the blue side as well.

Even the little bit of blue I've got coming out of my flourescent visibly makes the light look a lot more intense. The blue LED your using must be dazzling. Are you contemplating lobbing a few more blues on?

[kerry]

Only one more on the other side. The blue give it a violet glow, almost purple.

[kerry]

4 Red/1 Blue side:
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-11-24_13-33-11_146.jpg
4 Red without Blue:
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/kerryconklin/2012-11-24_13-32-59_309.jpg
The 4R/1B side is consistently filled with 3D growth. I think I have tested this enough to say the Blue does add to the growth of 3D algae.

[alum]

@kerry : what wavelenght the blue led that you are using kerry ?

[kerry]

I am using the 450nm.

[alum]

I am using the 450nm.

so U meant, blue better than red ??

[kerry]

NO!! I use four red and one blue. You have to have the red as these are the base light and the blue just helps out.

[Garf]

Kerry - just found this abstract which describes increased photosynthesis with blues, but mainly under Co2 deficient conditions. Tests were undertaken on browns algaes but still may apply to greens.

ABSTRACTPhotosynthetic capacities of five species of brown algae in red light were found to be strongly limited by the inorganic carbon supply of natural sea water. Under these conditions, pH 8·2 and dissolved inorganic carbon concentration (DIG) of 2·1 mol m−3, a short pulse of blue light was found to increase the subsequent rate of photosynthesis in saturating red light. The degree of blue light stimulation varied between species, ranging from an increase of over 200% of the original rate in Colpomenia peregrins to only 10% in Dictyota dichotoma. Increasing the DIG concentration of sea water by bicarbonate addition resulted in carbon saturation of photosynthesis in all five species. Blue light stimulation was greatly reduced at these higher DIG concentrations. The response in Laminaria digitata was examined in more detail by manipulation of pH and DIG to produce solutions with different concentrations of dissolved CO2. At a CO2 concentration typical of normal sea water (12·4 mmol m−3), blue light treatment increased photosynthetic rate by approximately 50%. Blue light stimulation was increased to over 150% at CO2 concentrations below that of sea water, whereas at concentrations above that of sea water, the effect was diminished. Therefore, the effect of blue light on photosynthetic capacity appears to involve an increase in the rate of supply of carbon dioxide to the plant.

[Garf]

Right, figured out the mechanism for the blue light. It induces an acidification of the algal surface which liberates C02 from bicarbonate, increasing Co2 availability, but consuming alkalinity at the same time.

http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/101/3/907.full.pdf?sid=8d322697-1bcd-4365-a249-0c0b66c851e0

[SantaMonica]

DIG should be DIC

[Garf]

dissolved inorganic carbon concentration (DIG)

[kerry]

I do consume huge amounts of Alk, to the tune of a gallon a day to a 40G tank every day for 6 days and sometimes I can skip the 7th or just a small 1/2G top off. It works for me!!!!! I call it my zero tank LOL, this is because thats what the nutrient tests always read. Many times I even feed way past the screens ability by the rules of cubes used now days but the algae just grows even better/thicker/longer then and soaks it all up.

[ALENQUER A.]

Kerry, impressive results obtained, the issue certainly is more than clear.

but, what about 450nm vs 420nm?

in theory: what should work best?
in practice: is someone testing 420nm?

[kerry]

I have only used 450nm and 445nm so I am not sure. I would have to think it would still be ok.