My attempt at a diy backlight

[ChrisK1993]

Hey, got a 120x60x50 aquarium and was looking into getting a lightground or something of the likes but the price of them was a huge investment for something that I wasn't sure I'd actually like... did a lot of research into what goes into them and kept an eye out for all the products needed.
Took me quite a while to find and gather a lot of the item, because I'm a big of a gadget guy and wanted singularly addressable leds so I could change the gradient without a film and also make it not look "too over the top" which in my opinion most diy ones do.
I did run leds down all 4 sides but after finishing it, top and bottom on my size tank and bottom alone on smaller tanks is all that is required.
Took me around 2 months of planning and putting it together on a test bench then around a week to finalise it and get it onto the tank...This is it fitted and fully programmes to how i wanted it to be

This is the diy backlight off the tank prior to programming but set to approx half white half blue but without messing with it too much, this was purely to check the soldering held up 🫣

I then built a frame out of aluminium U profile and made some aluminium brackets to go over the rim.


It took some effort and a lot of times I just wanted to give up but I think the outcome was worth it. If you want any specific details feel free to ask, but if you are thinking to attempt to replicate how other backlight company's build it and you have a big tank, having the patience of a Saint and waiting for the items to pop up for sale is a mission on its own!

Thanks 💪

 

[Addryn]

You have a great result, very cool! Thanks for sharing your work with us.

 

[zozo]

Nice work! And looks good... Now I might be nitpicking a tad, but it's actually upside down, following the laws of nature... Since underwater, natural light always comes from above and goes from lighter at the surface to darker when it gets deeper.

 

[ChrisK1993]

I personally prefer it that way, but every led can be a different colour so I can change the look to however I want, its the only reason i went diy over a properly built one

 

[MichaelJ]

@ChrisK1993 Great job on the light!

Nice work! And looks good... Now I might be nitpicking a tad, but it's actually upside down, following the laws of nature... Since underwater, natural light always comes from above and goes from lighter at the surface to darker when it gets deeper.

I think I see what your saying @zozo and your right about the physics - it gets darker towards the bottom and the blue part of the spectrum penetrates the deepest, hence the blue and darkest part of the gradient should be at the bottom - of course none of that would be noticeable at only 60 cm, which I believe is the height of this tank Artistically, I think it works better with the blue gradient being on top - I suppose ADA might have been the inspiration for this - they do occasionally show both layouts.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[zozo]

@ChrisK1993 Great job on the light!


Artistically, I think it works better with the blue gradient being on top - I suppose ADA might have been the inspiration for this - they do occasionally show both layouts.

Cheers,
Michael

That's what it's all about, artistic freedom... And it still looks pretty. In the end, it's you who has to look at it and like it...I've seen that ADA one too and indeed thought the same thing "A Nature scape and the backlight upside down?"

The same artistic freedom actually goes for a lot of scapes with spider wood. Most are placed upside down too, since spider wood is rootstocks from Rhododendron shrubs. And roots grow towards and into the substrate and never up out of the substrate... But upside down it seems to have or show more intrigue and texture.

I am infected with the habit, once seen(noticed) can't be unseen...

 

[ChrisK1993]

@ChrisK1993 Great job on the light!


I think I see what your saying @zozo and your right about the physics - it gets darker towards the bottom and the blue part of the spectrum penetrates the deepest, hence the blue and darkest part of the gradient should be at the bottom - of course none of that would be noticeable at only 60 cm, which I believe is the height of this tank Artistically, I think it works better with the blue gradient being on top - I suppose ADA might have been the inspiration for this - they do occasionally show both layouts.

Cheers,
Michael

It was on a 50cm deep tank but to be fair I mainly run it random colours rather than gradient.
Downsized it from a 1200x600x500 to a 900x500x450 on a DD aquascaper 900 now 💪

 

[hypnogogia]

Would be good to see a list of parts your purchased and guide for now you built/assembled it for anybody wishing to do the same.

 

[ChrisK1993]

Would be good to see a list of parts your purchased and guide for now you built/assembled it for anybody wishing to do the same.

I went a bit overkill but sure.
2x side lit 1200x600 led panels (flat suspendable ones) had them laser cut to size.
4 meters of ws2812b leds
10amp 5v power supply
Esp8266 wifi driver board (driver for the individual leds)
I used 1 full panel consisting of 1 diffusion panel 2 of the light guide panels to reflect the width of leds, the reflective backing and wired leds top bottom and both sides, then wired to the esp8266 with power inputs on both ends of the led strip.
I think that's everything.. this can also be done with one of the light panels in cool white and purchasing a gradient and mounting.
I chose the geekiest way because I enjoy the programming side of things.