DIY underwater chamber macro grow light

barderer · 12/14/2009, 10:47 PM

Ok we all know the cheap LED kits for sale on ebay etc. are not powerful enough for coral growth. However, I want to make chamber one in my biocube a cheato/macro grow chamber. Right now all that is in there is my heater. So the space is being wasted. The chamber is too narrow for a top mounted light, and the old scrape the back and mount a vertical light is a TOTAL pain. I was wondering. If I get a submersible LED strip light like this. http://www.oceanus-l...ceanusled.html. I could put the light vertically in the chamber and the macro could grow right up next to it. Getting the most bang for the buck in terms of surface area and distance from light! All it would require is an occasional cleaning of the strip.What do you guys think? Alternative suggestions? Does anyone know of any other submersible light options?

Nick

skunkmere · 12/14/2009, 11:40 PM

i like the idea, it would be nice to not have a big bulb over my cheato.

jonnybravo22 · 12/14/2009, 11:47 PM

hoping to do same thing with my biocube (but chamber 2). tagging along.

widmer · 12/15/2009, 12:58 PM

By occasional cleaning, do you mean pretty much daily? I would guess that that is the rate some of the microalgaes would accumulate against the surface. You might be better off simply mounting the LED fixture just above the water line, maybe putting it on some sort of bracket that it flips up easily.

PS link isn't working for me...

barderer · 12/28/2009, 08:17 PM

status update

Ok light came in today. Not bad for 5 bucks I must say! Here are the pics

Talk about turn key! Looks like plenty of light to grow my ball of cheato. Its running fully submerged. If you do this you might want to consider buying 4 of these guys and you can mount the lights on all 4 sides of the chamber. I will update after a few weeks and report growth.

salty joe · 12/28/2009, 08:41 PM

How many watts is that strip?
Interesting idea.

barderer · 12/28/2009, 09:19 PM

No idea. Its prob something like 4w.

dipan · 12/28/2009, 09:24 PM

Good idea trying to use LED's for growing chaeto ...

This has been done with halogen bulbs with great success from these guys. I ordered two of these to grow my chaeto without an over-tank light. I think it will work fine. Something about the yellower color temp of halogen that grows the algae better. You might have to try warm white LED's if they are available if you don't get good growth.

I couldn't get your link to work, BTW ...

endojoew · 12/28/2009, 09:29 PM

Place the light in a clear plastic bag before submerging. Just change the bag when you have algae film develop.

Daimyo68 · 12/28/2009, 09:52 PM

Not trying to slam your LED idea, I was actually looking into a submersible light but couldn't find one local, so I did this:

5th post down:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post16249667

going to HD and putting this together, as well as removing the backing (2 straight lines down the back with a razor blade and peel it right off) only took maybe 30mins total. I use a "zip-tie" to hang it from the cord retainer near the top ledge on the back on the tank. Chamber 2

It would be nice to just have the submersible (only need to set the cord into the slot in the hood).

Whats the K rating on the LED's?

barderer · 12/28/2009, 10:44 PM

they look pretty white I would say around 7k

barderer · 12/28/2009, 10:45 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/9-LED-Strip-Whit...ht_4153wt_1166

Daimyo68 · 12/28/2009, 11:13 PM

Let me know how your Chaeto grows with them. My DIY light was easy, and it's pretty much out of the way, but I'd rather just have something in the chamber, out of sight.

stugray · 12/29/2009, 12:09 PM

barderer,

I looked at the oceanus website and it does not specifically show that light.

Do they guarantee that it is submersible?

Also, is that an AC power cord going into it or is there a driver out of the picture?

Stu

AMDphenomx4 · 12/29/2009, 12:18 PM

Is it sealed 100%? Looks very cool though. Does it run on DC? i would be worried if it was AC.

dipan · 12/29/2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stugray

barderer,

I looked at the oceanus website and it does not specifically show that light.

Do they guarantee that it is submersible?

Also, is that an AC power cord going into it or is there a driver out of the picture?

Stu

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMDphenomx4

Is it sealed 100%? Looks very cool though. Does it run on DC? i would be worried if it was AC.

If you guys click on the ebay link the OP provided, you would see that it is a DC powered light and you have to provide your own power source. Any typical small wall wart 12V DC would do just fine.

barderer · 12/31/2009, 02:15 AM

yep running it with a old 12V DC wall wart.

-RYknow · 12/31/2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daimyo68

Not trying to slam your LED idea, I was actually looking into a submersible light but couldn't find one local, so I did this:

5th post down:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post16249667

going to HD and putting this together, as well as removing the backing (2 straight lines down the back with a razor blade and peel it right off) only took maybe 30mins total. I use a "zip-tie" to hang it from the cord retainer near the top ledge on the back on the tank. Chamber 2

It would be nice to just have the submersible (only need to set the cord into the slot in the hood).

Whats the K rating on the LED's?

Just curious if this DIY light would work well with an AC-70 Fuge mod? I plan to keep the cover, so I'm just wondering if the light will pass through the cover (It's somewhat tinted). Or will I have to DIY a new cover out of plexi?

-RYknow

stan zemanek · 12/31/2009, 08:13 PM

check ou this guys nano tank he used a eheim canister filter for refugium and used waterfall lites from a pond supplier for lights
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...njafish&page=2

erictorres0311 · 06/11/2013, 11:33 PM

any updates was considering doing the same

barderer · 06/12/2013, 01:15 PM

It worked, but needed to be cleaned a lot because algae would grow on it.

asid61 · 06/12/2013, 01:47 PM

Wow! I've never actually seen a response to a dead thread.

barderer · 06/12/2013, 02:04 PM

I had email notification turned on for this.

erictorres0311 · 06/12/2013, 06:51 PM

thanks for response, would you do anything differently? how oftern did you clean it ? and how fast did the chaeto grow?

BillJackson · 05/30/2019, 10:52 PM

Can anyone recommend me the best product from the list mentioned in this site. https://householdneed.com/best-under...ishing-lights/

12/14/2009, 10:47 PM	#1
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	DIY underwater chamber macro grow light Ok we all know the cheap LED kits for sale on ebay etc. are not powerful enough for coral growth. However, I want to make chamber one in my biocube a cheato/macro grow chamber. Right now all that is in there is my heater. So the space is being wasted. The chamber is too narrow for a top mounted light, and the old scrape the back and mount a vertical light is a TOTAL pain. I was wondering. If I get a submersible LED strip light like this. http://www.oceanus-l...ceanusled.html. I could put the light vertically in the chamber and the macro could grow right up next to it. Getting the most bang for the buck in terms of surface area and distance from light! All it would require is an occasional cleaning of the strip.What do you guys think? Alternative suggestions? Does anyone know of any other submersible light options? Nick

12/28/2009, 08:41 PM	#6
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	How many watts is that strip? Interesting idea. __________________ Time to roll the dice.

12/28/2009, 09:29 PM	#9
endojoew Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wildwood, MO Posts: 85	Place the light in a clear plastic bag before submerging. Just change the bag when you have algae film develop. __________________ Joe Current Tank Info: 150 G

12/28/2009, 09:52 PM	#10
Daimyo68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Palm Beach, FL Posts: 2,270	Not trying to slam your LED idea, I was actually looking into a submersible light but couldn't find one local, so I did this: 5th post down: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...7#post16249667 going to HD and putting this together, as well as removing the backing (2 straight lines down the back with a razor blade and peel it right off) only took maybe 30mins total. I use a "zip-tie" to hang it from the cord retainer near the top ledge on the back on the tank. Chamber 2 It would be nice to just have the submersible (only need to set the cord into the slot in the hood). Whats the K rating on the LED's? __________________ 120g, 50g Sump, SRO XP2000i, MP40W x2, DIY Hybrid LED/T5 Fixture, Apex PBMAS VP 2010-11 PBMAS 2017 President Last edited by Daimyo68; 12/28/2009 at 10:21 PM. Reason: spelling, i cant tpye

12/28/2009, 11:13 PM	#13
Daimyo68 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Palm Beach, FL Posts: 2,270	Let me know how your Chaeto grows with them. My DIY light was easy, and it's pretty much out of the way, but I'd rather just have something in the chamber, out of sight. __________________ 120g, 50g Sump, SRO XP2000i, MP40W x2, DIY Hybrid LED/T5 Fixture, Apex PBMAS VP 2010-11 PBMAS 2017 President

12/14/2009, 11:40 PM	#2
skunkmere Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: chicago Posts: 6,434	i like the idea, it would be nice to not have a big bulb over my cheato.

12/14/2009, 11:47 PM	#3
jonnybravo22 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,128	hoping to do same thing with my biocube (but chamber 2). tagging along.

12/15/2009, 12:58 PM	#4
widmer Drug Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Rochester, MN Posts: 2,958	By occasional cleaning, do you mean pretty much daily? I would guess that that is the rate some of the microalgaes would accumulate against the surface. You might be better off simply mounting the LED fixture just above the water line, maybe putting it on some sort of bracket that it flips up easily. PS link isn't working for me...

12/28/2009, 09:19 PM	#7
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	No idea. Its prob something like 4w.

12/28/2009, 09:24 PM	#8
dipan Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 342	Good idea trying to use LED's for growing chaeto ... This has been done with halogen bulbs with great success from these guys. I ordered two of these to grow my chaeto without an over-tank light. I think it will work fine. Something about the yellower color temp of halogen that grows the algae better. You might have to try warm white LED's if they are available if you don't get good growth. I couldn't get your link to work, BTW ...

12/28/2009, 10:44 PM	#11
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	they look pretty white I would say around 7k

12/28/2009, 10:45 PM	#12
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	http://cgi.ebay.com/9-LED-Strip-Whit...ht_4153wt_1166

12/29/2009, 12:09 PM	#14
stugray Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Longmont, Co Posts: 4,566	barderer, I looked at the oceanus website and it does not specifically show that light. Do they guarantee that it is submersible? Also, is that an AC power cord going into it or is there a driver out of the picture? Stu __________________ Some people think that I have Attention Deficit Disorder. They just dont understand that........ Hey! Look a chicken! Well, We KNOW GOD exists, but for US to exist without a GOD is preposterous….Umm wait a minute…. Sounds a bit circular to me… Current Tank Info: 125 Gal. display w/80 gal mud/caulerpa sump. Basement sump w/ LED Grow Light,Gravity fed Reeflo200 skimmer w/ ORCA Recirc, DIY calc reactor & kalk stirrer. Inline plumbed 75 Gal frag/settling tank.

12/29/2009, 12:18 PM	#15
AMDphenomx4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 170	Is it sealed 100%? Looks very cool though. Does it run on DC? i would be worried if it was AC. __________________ I often edit my post for 5-10minutes after for corrections Currently setting up 180G reef Current Tank Info: 40G reef

12/31/2009, 02:15 AM	#17
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	yep running it with a old 12V DC wall wart.

12/31/2009, 08:13 PM	#19
stan zemanek Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: new jersey Posts: 524	check ou this guys nano tank he used a eheim canister filter for refugium and used waterfall lites from a pond supplier for lights http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...njafish&page=2

06/11/2013, 11:33 PM	#20
erictorres0311 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 111	any updates was considering doing the same

06/12/2013, 01:15 PM	#21
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	It worked, but needed to be cleaned a lot because algae would grow on it.

06/12/2013, 01:47 PM	#22
asid61 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cupertino, CA Posts: 1,111	Wow! I've never actually seen a response to a dead thread.

06/12/2013, 02:04 PM	#23
barderer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 86	I had email notification turned on for this.

06/12/2013, 06:51 PM	#24
erictorres0311 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 111	thanks for response, would you do anything differently? how oftern did you clean it ? and how fast did the chaeto grow?

05/30/2019, 10:52 PM	#25
BillJackson Registered Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 1	best-underwater-fishing-lights ? Can anyone recommend me the best product from the list mentioned in this site. https://householdneed.com/best-under...ishing-lights/