[dixiesma]

hello everyone I have decided that I would like to build an led light for my 125, however I have no clue where to start.. I am looking for the cheapest way possible (which is why i figured i would build it).. I don't have anything too picky as nothing has died or wilted on me in the past few months and I have been using a 50/50 bulb in an old standard aquarium fixture. Some of my corals are xenia, polyps, zoas, frogspawn, and a kenya tree.... ANy help to steer me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks yall.. I want to do it the cheapest way possible without a dimmer for now

 

[xernex]

I'm not an expert by any means but I don't think making it dimmable will add too much to your build.

I know ledgroupbuy.com has some example builds and I'm sure a 125 is included in that...

I'm a big big fan of the makersLED heatsinks. I'd planned to build for my 24 but honestly I found one on ebay cheaper than I could build for...might be worth looking that route as well.

 

[dixiesma]

what exactly do I need to look for when buying an led also..I am clueless in this area lol..

 

[GnarleyMarley]

What are your livestock plans? If this is just going to be a softie/lps tank you will probably be better off buying a cheap led fixture. You can purchase one for around $200 that would be great on a softie tank. I know when I was looking at building my own leds for my 90 it was going to run me around $600 for a dimable setup, not to mention all the time to build it. And I opted to just buy a pair of fixtures.

If u do decide you want to build your own but want a dummy proof kit you should check out rapidled.com they actually sell complete dummy proof kits. The kits tend to b a little more pricey than buying all the parts yourself but you get everything you need in one place and you don't have to worry about forgetting a piece and having to wait for it to come in.

So it really depends on your tank size and what you plan to keep, ironically the cheap diy my not be the cheapest or most feasible option for your needs.

 

[Regalblue41]

Gnarley makes a lot of since,If you are totally clueless,or you don`t know what you want to keep,you are shooting yourself in the foot from the start,You might also want to consider If you sell the fixture,What do you think it would sell for..Since you want the most bang for the buck,something that has a proven track record,that is guaranteed to work,by a manufactured hood,save yourself a big headache,and a possibly bigger cashectomy in the future

 

[dixiesma]

I currently have a couple foxfaces, yellow tang, 3 clowns, blue damsel, fairy wrasse, bi color blenny and a lawnmower blenny as well as some clean up crew. As far as corals I listed all I have above and like I said they have been growing like crazy since I have had the tank. I just would like a "brighter" option lol I am not against t5s as I have used them in the past and they work well.. I just like the look of leds