# Help... want to build in LED evening lighting to my tank lid



## FishGraves (Jan 3, 2009)

I have seen a couple posts in the past about this, I think I use small LED lights, maybe four of them. I am hoping to have it seem like evening lighting in the tank. I would probably use Blue LED's for it but I don't really know whats best...

Anyone done this with some instructions or pictures?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Check out reef tank lighting. Lots of these are available to add on to an existing light, and many reef lighting systems come with them included. Blue and 3 or 4 is the norm I think.


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## photofiveo (Feb 22, 2009)

I am interested in this DIY project also. Anybody have any ideas, suggestions, past projects to share.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

photofiveo said:


> I am interested in this DIY project also. Anybody have any ideas, suggestions, past projects to share.


 Here is a list of LED retrofits, strips, goosenecks, and others that can be built into an existing canopy, light fixture, or clipped onto the tank somewhere.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumP ... index.html

I used to have them on my living room 150 until that light unit had to be replaced, and the LED's ran 24/7 and still were working fine when the rest of the unit was toast. Because of that, I'd be inclined to make the LED separate or at least easily removeable so you can keep it when the FL or PC or MH part of the light unit fails.


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## aaronc (Mar 2, 2009)

I bought leds from autozone made for a car and just screwed them to a piece of wood and wired them up.


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## fishEH (Sep 15, 2008)

I have moon lights on two of my tanks. The first tank I bought the Current USA Lunar Light. It works well but the price is steep, almost $17 for a single fixture consisting of 2 LED's.

I went DIY on my second tank. I bought LED's from Superbrightleds.com
Bottom of the page: https://www.superbrightleds.com/light_bars-rigid.html 
Specifically the LBM2 series LED Module in Blue. I also bought some of the RGB-4Wire. These modules come chained together in the quantity you specify. They can be separated and spliced with wire to whatever length you need. I wired up two modules and tied them into a dimmer switch so I can vary the light intensity if I wish. The most expensive part of this DIY project could be your power supply. Be on the lookout for used power supplies from cordless phones and other electronics. I got lucky, I work at a place that holds electronics collections for recycling so I always snag a bunch of power supplies and CPU fans for other projects. For splicing the wire I used 3M Scotchloks. I got these compliments of my employer.

For both tanks the LED's are mounted in the existing flourescent light fixture.

First tank with Current USA LED









Second tank lights full intensity









Second tank lights minimum intensity









Dimmer switch from Superbrightleds.com









3M Scotchloks









Good luck!

PS: the haziness or "cloud" of smoke seen in the pics is from the Danios I have cycling the tanks swimming around.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

> For both tanks the LED's are mounted in the existing flourescent light fixture.


SWEET :thumb: 
Love the dimmer... :thumb:


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