Howdy from Scotland

[Jimbo1980]

Ive been looking over this whole thread and also a few others. Ive a 300 Litre tank and have just ordered some of the 7 plastic canvas mesh which should arrive this weekend. Im thinking of making my first very diy upflow algae scrubber as I have a air pump and a long air stone that I could use.

Im planning on having a screen size of around 6x10 inches so 15cm x 25cm.


Im just about to order some of these leds from the bay heres the link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-3-x-3W-Red-Grow-LED-650-660nm-w-Driver-Heat-Sink-12VDC-Input-Aquarium-/390540407355?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5aee05b23b

My question is this. How many do I actually require. they are 3x2w reds at 660nm with a controller so all I need to get is the adaptor which should be this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-DC-1AMP-POWER-SUPPLY-POWER-REGULATED-PSU-WITH-LED-/320656303810?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4aa89ae6c2


Im still unsure how Im going to fix these but I think ill be starting off with putting them in side a plastic food tray that they will fit into and then have the screen and airstone in the tank and attach each with magnets. Although the hangon version would be nice as I could come up with some contraption to have the bubbles come out from the top surface and not go into the tank.



So could Santa Monica or someone please confirm how many of these 3w red leds I would need for a screen approx that size as above.


In the long run Ill probabaly buy some acrylic plastic and make a thing box to go inside the tank to where I can simply slide the canvas sheet in and out without having to take the unit out the water.


Lats question so as Ive only just registered. AS my tank is glass and seeing as Im cleaning my glass twice a week to keep the glass clean surely there will be even more algae growing on the oposite side of where the light is and the canvas sheet. and surely this will also need to be cleaned regularly to allow light to get to the canvas ?


Regards
Juan from Bonny Scotland

[Jimbo1980]

I would really try to atleast give this a go for the first time hence the questions. :)

[SantaMonica]

Welcome.

6 X 10 = 60 square inches = 60 total real CFL watts or 30 total LED watts. So you would need 3 of those units; but if 2-sided you would need 1 on each side for a total of 2, or 2 on each side for a total of 4.

You don't want the lenses.

And really, those LEDs are too close together; you will end up with burn spots in the middle, and dark growth on the outside, unless you really diffuse them.

[Jimbo1980]

Ok would this be better ie 3 of them.

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/F772ADEA-5447-4A2A-8888-252C8B69EEF3-8901-00000E43AFFF2328_zpsc626ff8e.jpg


Or should I just go for single 3w LEDs and place them where I want

[Jimbo1980]

Or are these better.

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/E1A73F59-7F32-42B8-9E57-FE9A7375E5FE-8901-00000E4607413609_zps73111b86.jpg


Finding it tricky to find a simple controller for these to then plug into a uk socket

[SantaMonica]

The 10 piece 3w, and spread them out.

[inky]

Hi Juan, I was going to suggest the pack of 3W LEDs to you, but on (UR) you implied your electronics skills weren't that great, so I offered you the easy ones :) Agree with SM, I do, remove the lenses and maybe mount the LEDs further away from the glass to aid dispersion

[Jimbo1980]

Well those 10 off 3w LEDs are now on their way. Popped into maplins to see if they had some kind of controller for when I hooked the LEDs up but they said it was more complicated than that.

I messaged the guy where I got these LEDs from and he said he would get a controller in but it seems all ifs and buts and that the controller or power supply needs to be made for each individual case.

I've got mine up and running but using an 80w energy saving bulb. Just having a few issues with the amount of bubbles going over the screen. But I might need a stronger pump or simply put the small air stone back on as opposed to this longer one I just bought for a few pounds.

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/902FCD66-11CE-4C19-94FE-15B097457FE8-10636-0000108BBFD5E201_zps35d27fb4.jpg


Personally I hope I can put these red LEDs to good use when they arrive as I'm much happier with a red glow to the side of my tank to a bright 80w bulb :)

[SantaMonica]

Yea you kind of get used to the red :)

How are you going to get to the stone to clean/replace it?

[Jimbo1980]

Hi there Santa Monica,

Ive actually changed this air stone now and have basically used a plastic rigid pipe that you use for culturing phyto plankton etc. Ive then drilled out 1/16" drill through this. The air is coming out better but not fully going across the pipe the full length of the canvas so Ive just ordered a stronger air pump. Its double what you suggest for your one on ebay the hog.5 but im hoping to get a bigger screen in the future so I just ordered the larger pump and can simply restrict the flow with a valve.


As for cleaning this I can simply disconnect it from the tube and clean as required.

Really looking forward to seeing this all come into action after a few days or weeks :)

Once you get your bigger scrubber out Ill seriously look into possibly getting it so keep us updates :)

Regards
Juan

[Jimbo1980]

Heres a picture. As you can see the air is coming out but only half way :( Should be fixed by tomorrow.

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/5445A274-E970-4968-97C9-FE9C48A5A712-11892-0000118C568A9243_zpsc5f9fcb9.jpg

[Devs]

Try 1mm holes not a new pump :)

[Jimbo1980]

Thanks Dev,

Ive actually already ordered the pump from h20 aquatics. However Ill try drilling a 1mm and see how it pans out :)

Cheers :)
Juan

[Jimbo1980]

Hi there,

Ive just had a look here in the uk and have come across this led red cluster. All I seem to need to do would be to wire it up to a 12volt transformer and it should work. Heres the link.

http://www.rapidonline.com/electronic-components/kingbright-bl0307-50-44-52mm-u-b-red-led-cluster-56-2985

its 660nm although does not show a wattage. Would this work ok for an algae scrubber.


The reason I ask is the red leds 3w ones I ordered are now on there way but have no idea really how to connect them up where as this above might be easier.

Regards
Juan :)

[inky]

Hi there,

Ive just had a look here in the uk and have come across this led red cluster. All I seem to need to do would be to wire it up to a 12volt transformer and it should work. Heres the link.

http://www.rapidonline.com/electronic-components/kingbright-bl0307-50-44-52mm-u-b-red-led-cluster-56-2985

its 660nm although does not show a wattage. Would this work ok for an algae scrubber.


The reason I ask is the red leds 3w ones I ordered are now on there way but have no idea really how to connect them up where as this above might be easier.

Regards
Juan :)

It might work, can't really see the power and mcd to lumen is not obvious. The reason I gave you the ebay link to the 3x3W complete package (on UR) was because you suggested your electronic skills were not good enough

[SantaMonica]

Is 2.5 watts... about the same as a 3w star.

[Jimbo1980]

I know what you were meaning on ur. I will wait till these 3w LEDs turn up then by a 12v plug transformer and then see about soldering one of these or maybe two LEDs to it and then try.

Seeing as they're coming all the way from China I might as well try and use them. Maybe it will all make sense once I have them in my hands along with the 12v plug transformer which I should be able to get from bnq and look at it in person before I get it.

[Jimbo1980]

Ok the LEDs arrived and I've wired them up in parallel. Here are a few pictures. Switched them on. They came on briefly for a second and then went off. Has the fuse blown. Here are the pictures.


http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/086BCDEE-5504-47AB-B3F1-4861C073EA52-5375-000008955B99F1F3_zps6e5bd1ec.jpg

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/910290F4-2B14-43AD-A3EE-D8443857DAE6-5375-0000089F006ECFD0_zps1e86d69d.jpg



http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/CFB2B0E5-5DF6-4B1B-947A-485F32FDF2CC-5375-0000089F063E889F_zpsaed59067.jpg


I'm gonna take what I have to work tomorrow and see what the electricians think. Hopefully the 13 amp fuse has blown and nothing else

[sabbath]

Those leds don't look like they are wired right. They most likely should be wired in series not parallel like that.

[Jimbo1980]

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/95CB9F0D-D079-48A1-A4E3-98FE1AF3ADE3-5457-000008A550DB96D9_zps8a6ef3de.mp4

[Jimbo1980]

http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/95CB9F0D-D079-48A1-A4E3-98FE1AF3ADE3-5457-000008A550DB96D9_zps8a6ef3de.mp4

[Jimbo1980]

<a href="http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/?action=view&current=95CB9F0D-D079-48A1-A4E3-98FE1AF3ADE3-5457-000008A550DB96D9_zps8a6ef3de.mp4" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa396/Muckypup1980/95CB9F0D-D079-48A1-A4E3-98FE1AF3ADE3-5457-000008A550DB96D9_zps8a6ef3de.mp4" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

[Jimbo1980]

Ok as I'm impatient sometimes I just took all the other LEDs off line and soldered just one. And nothing happened.


I'll now need to wait and see what they say at my work :(