# LED Lighting



## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

This is just an idea..

I was reading about LED lighting.. in a DIY LED project could you use LED's from radio shack or need special ones found only???

Has anyone thought of doing this or had done this???


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

I used blue LED's from RS for moonlighting, wired them in series with resistors to an old cell phone charger. They work great, I built 3 of them before I found cold cathode lights for cheap and they're way brighter.


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## rdaled (Dec 9, 2007)

Malawi_Junkie said:


> I found cold cathode lights for cheap and they're way brighter.


Link???


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

I'm wondering if I can use a string of christmas LED lights and 100 holes in some plastic, sealed up with silicone...


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## Malawi_Junkie (Nov 26, 2009)

Here's the link
http://www.xoxide.com/coldcathodes.html


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## jounderw (Nov 2, 2010)

I have LED lighting in my tank but had a friend install it that knew what he was doing. It would have been helpful to have the above link and tutorial. Thanks for that and hope everyone's LED lighting is looking great!!


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## Roger95 (Oct 31, 2010)

Jamey said:


> I'm wondering if I can use a string of christmas LED lights and 100 holes in some plastic, sealed up with silicone...


Thats what I've been using for two years now. Works great and real cheap.


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

awesome! already bought the stuff, now to find the time to finish it!


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

How about flex led for cars. I have 2 1 foot pieces. There water resistant super bright smd chip led's I pick it up from advance auto parts. If this would work and one know how I can hooks these up?? I'm good wiring cars but home electric is another story lol. Tags says 12v D capable of 10 amps.


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

they'd be set up for DC current, you'd have to get a converter, like those little box things you get on the ends of printers that dropped the 110v to 12v if I'm not mistaken but I don't know a whole lot about car stuff so don't quote me. I bet if you go to radio shack they'd point you at the right stuff.


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

Ill be near one tomorrow ill stop by and see what they say. but these should probally work???


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

the color will decide whether they will grow algae in your tank or not, but if you aren't trying to keep live fish, I can't see why not! Hook them up to your car and hold em over a bucket of water, see how well they penetrate, or if the penetration is splotchy... that's the biggest thing I've heard with LEDs is that they're very "directional" so you don't get the same all over coverage and smooth lighting that a full length tube offers. You should be able to tell by holding them over just a sheet of paper how patchy the light is or isn't.


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

Lucky enough that they where still in the package and had a button to try them turn out the light and turn the leds (blue leds) on and they lit up the tank nicely. Maybe mix with a white might get a nice color. Nothing better to due my truck is down and don't know when I can fix it.


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## Jamey (Jul 19, 2008)

so I put together my hood with LED christmas lights this weekend... I have pics I have to get off my phone that I'll post later, but I just wanted to give an update...

used a string of 100 LED lights, about 87 of them are actually in use, few stragglers didn't make it in, and a few at the end I left to keep some cord room to get it plugged in...

the verdict? It works! It's presently on a 55 gallon, It's not awesome, it's not as strong as a T5, it is energy efficient, and if you don't have fish that need real strong light (it's not going to grow corals, not even sure it's going to grow algae, we'll see!), it's a pretty darn pleasant light. In the fish room it'd be perfect (that's where mine will stay).

I'm going to do it again, only this time for a 75G with 200 lights, and this time I'll put more effort into it to get it cleaner, and then build it into a real full hood as it'll be going in my bedroom.


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

@jamey looking foward to seeing those pics.

I didn't have time to goto radioshack and see about the led strip yet cause Iost my wallet on friday and spent most of the day canceling stuff. But I might have time to check into it tomorrow


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## NJFisher (Apr 17, 2009)

Not sure about the rules on posting other retail websites, but there is one out there with extremely cheap lighting. I used the website and moonlit a 55 and a 20 for $25.00. This used 9 LED units and 2 old cell chargers. All LED units were waterproof. PM me if you want the website.


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

Wow funny someone posted on here. I just left radioshack and for about $31 I can make the led lighting usingmy car leds when I get it built ill post pics. We tested them at the store super bright with one strip used.


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## LoRyder (Sep 15, 2010)

Well as I was putting my daughter to sleep I looked on the floor and for some reason I find an old plug that I use to use for charging my recharge battiers that was a kit that used both ac/dc. The plug is 12v 1.2a. So I thought they might work with my LED idea I had. So with a few snips and some electrical tape for now I tried them well take a look at the pics and tell me what you think?!?!










2 1ft long 12v Flex LED strips for a car/truck










Testing on my 55 gallon Piranhas tank










Testing on my 30 gallon Red Devil tank










Same tank but from a little distant

What I want to do is get 2 more Flex Strips but white and put one blue and one white on one side and one and one on the other. I've talked to a guy at radio shack and I hope this Thursday I'll have some extra cash and go get the other parts and make a complete hood. Ill post more when I build it. Oh yea I got the LED's in a package of 2 at Advance Auto Parts I think for $25. I'll do a parts list and catolog numbers if anyone else wants to do this.


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## Teggy (Nov 5, 2010)

I like that it isn't too bright, but bright enough to get the moonlit appeal. I'm sure it will look even better once you get them housed and whatnot. The reflection on the water is distracting but I'm sure it wouldn't do that when your all done with it.


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## JimmyJam101 (Dec 6, 2010)

I have the same automotive strips on my 125. I used a spare power supply that I had laying around the house. when I hooked them up to a car battery with an ammeter in series, the meter showed that they where only drawing .27 amps. My supply turned out to be 800 Ma. which is at least 3 times hte current needed. hooked up in this way they are almost too bright, so I am looking to add a potentiometer in to make them adjustable.


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## JimmyJam101 (Dec 6, 2010)




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