new upgrade! drilled 12g aquapod

So im setting up my new tank, its a 12g aquapod. thanks Kyle! (KPotter) debating on lighting still but im pumped about it!

 

will 18w of leds be enough over a 12g? im not tryin to keep a clam (yet) but i also dont wanna buy something and have it die. im mainly interested in mushrooms and frogspawns maybe a nem at some point.

 

Hey man, glad you got a new tank going. How many leds are you talking with 18 watts?

 

6, 3w leds.

 

I think you said it wasn't a good brand right? I don't think so Travis.

 

i never said it was bad. others have said beamworks werent goos but then others have said they are. brand aside i just wanna know if 6 would be enough

 

Good brand or cheap brand, I think you would want to shoot for at least 12 3w LEDs.

 

crud. ok. maybe ill sell my fixture and buy a diy kit i found on ebay. i can get 12 leds on 2 drivers for $40

 

I knew the brand just didn't say. A year ago before I went with my AI I had 2 marineland leds over my 90 for 6 months and prob lost over half my stuff. I think marineland is better than beamworks. You might be ok with the mushrooms but idk about anything else. Just trying to help you out. Imo you might not be ok on 6.

 

marineland isnt 3w.

 

Do a DIY

 

id really like to but my soldering skills are terrible.....

 

They do have solderless connectors

 

heres a driver i found. http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=230845141538&index=13&nav=WATCHING&nid=02669901952

 

I would do it for you if I were closer. Check out stevesleds if your wanting to stay on a budget. I have used epistars from them with no problems and good growth, but have switched to the luxeons they carry. If you can find someone close to help you, you could put one together for around $50 on there and not have to wait 3 weeks like you would if you ordered ebay.

 

Use your lights! Try what you have! You will always get a great debate on here about lighting. And always about LED's. I have been told that the Odyssa T5 fixtures sucked and don't buy them, but I have had two and saved over 300.00 on them even buying new better bulbs to go in them. They are cheaply made,but do the job and look great. I also used a beamworks LED fixture on my 40breeder(24 3w leds) 36" long and it did an amazing job with my corals. It coast me 150.00 shipped, but to buy a Marineland that was not even 3 wtt led was twice the money. The only reason I went to t5 was the spread was just not right for such a wide tank like the 40 breeder. I would have needed another fixture. I also wanted to have separate power to blue and whites. The Led fixtures don't offer that and so I went with anther odyssa t5 fixture.


Try it and give us some feed back! you can always figure something else out if needed. It also depends on what you are putting in there. It would be fine for fish only for sure. If you add coral make sure there lighting needs are not as high. Mushrooms some leathers and so on...


Just my two cents!


KP

 

the ONLY reason im skeptical of using mine is because i dont wanna tear it apart to make it fit and it not work. lol and i wouldnt have moonlights. the 3 position switch would be behind the splash shield. unless....... someone whos a wiring guru could tear my fixture apart and wire it to the whit and blue switches on my nano cube hood!!!

 

the ONLY reason im skeptical of using mine is because i dont wanna tear it apart to make it fit and it not work. lol and i wouldnt have moonlights. the 3 position switch would be behind the splash shield. unless....... someone whos a wiring guru could tear my fixture apart and wire it to the whit and blue switches on my nano cube hood!!!

 

http://shop.stevesleds.com/5-12-LED-3W-LED-driver-5-9-driver.htm
http://shop.stevesleds.com/3-Watt-Blue-Epistar-CLEARANCE-EpistarBlue.htm
http://shop.stevesleds.com/3-Watt-Cool-White-Epistar-CLEARANCE-EpistarCool.htm

 

7 blue 5 white 12 led driver and shipping is $39. gotta do some thinkin...