DIY LED Reef light Introduction:
Are you an aquarium lover looking for a fun DIY project? If so, look no further than reef LED lights! In this blog post, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to make your very own reef LED lights. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
Benefits of your DIY LED Reef light
So you might be wondering to yourself, why would anyone ever make their own light system when you can just buy one. Well that right there is the first reason, which is the cost. If you have any tank over say 15 gallons, you will notice the cost of the lights is pretty high. And when you get into the larger tanks like we have had ( 135 and 180 Gallons ) the cost gets very high very quickly. So the first reason we love this DIY is that it will save you money, and the bigger the size tank you have the more money you will save!
The second reason is that the outcome is only limited to your choices. So if you are needing specific colors, or setups, you can make your system to your own design. When you buy an LED system from a store you just get the choices that are available on the market. Maybe you want more blue for your frags, or maybe a cleaner white for your fish. The choice of not only the density and color of lights is yours, but so is the positioning of the light output.
The final reason is that it is a great DIY to do. It isn’t hard and is something that you will interact with every day. Besides filtration and skimming, there aren’t many more important things in a saltwater tank than the lighting. You will take pride in your work, and when you couple it with the previous two reasons there just doesn’t seem to be any reason why you shouldn’t make your own lighting rig.
When we set ours up, we were blown away by how easy and cheap it was compared t other store-bought fixtures we were looking at, as well as how little time it actually took to put together.
Materials needed for your DIY LED Reef project
To get started, you’ll need the following materials:
-LED bulbs (we recommend using reef safe LED bulbs to minimize the impact on the environment)
-A power source (batteries or an AC adapter)
-A way to mount the LEDs (we recommend using suction cups)
-Wire (we recommend using thin gauge wire so that it’s easy to work with)
-A soldering iron and solder
Step for your DIY LED Reef lights
Step on: Prepare the Mounting Surface
Before you get started attaching anything, it’s important to prepare the mounting surface. This will ensure that your LEDs stay in place and are not damaged. First, clean the area where you’ll be attaching the LEDs. Then, if you’re using suction cups, moisten them slightly so they adhere better. And that’s it! Now you’re ready to start attaching your LEDs.
Step Two: attach the LEDs
The next step is to attach your LEDs to the mounting surface. If you’re using suction cups, simply press them onto the surface and then twist them until they’re tight. Once all of your LEDs are in place, it’s time to move on to wiring them up.
Step Three: Wire Up the LEDs
Now it’s time to wire up the LEDs. First, cut pieces of wire that are long enough to reach from each LED to the power source. Then, strip about ½ inch of insulation off of each end of the wire. Next, twist the end of each wire around the positive lead of an LED (the longer lead). Once all of your wires are attached to your LEDs, it’s time to solder them in place.
Step Four: Solder the Wires in Place
Now it’s time to solder your wires in place. This will help ensure that your connections are strong and won’t come loose over time. Simply touch the tip of your soldering iron to each connection point and then apply solder until the connection is covered. And that’s it! You’ve now successfully wired up your LEDs. All that’s left to do is connect them to a power source and turn them on.
Conclusion
If you followed these simple steps, you probably have an LED setup for your reef system that is ready to go. As you can see, it really isn’t that hard to do on your on. While it might not have the same professional finish that the other store bought options might have it will have saved you a lot of money that you can buy more frags or fish with. And honestly, it isn’t that hard ( as you have probably seen) to make your own reef LED lights at home! The nice thing is that as easy as it was if you ever want to change any aspect of it, you will know the ins and outs of the system so can change it a lot quicker ( and easier ) than if you bought a commercial option.
