Question about lighting

[scbrooks87]

Hey everyone. I am making my lists for all the stuff I need to build my tank, and I am at the decision for lighting. I have 2 different options I'm looking into.

One option is a Marineland Double Bright LED lighting fixture (36") and I could do 2 of those actually...

Or a single Marineland Aquatic Plant LED lighting system, also 36", and I'd do just one of them.

I am planning on doing a planted tank, fairly low tech, don't want to be dosing co2 or anything right away. Would the aquatic plant LED be too much lighting for a low tech tank? I would have the ability to make a "pendant" out of it, and hang it from the ceiling, making it adjustable. By raising it a few inches off the tank, will this allow me to get the proper level of lighting needed to grow most aquatic plants without the use of co2?

I will be using a nutrient rich substrate, such as eco complete, or ADA aqua soil. Hopefully the question makes sense.

The things I like about the aquatic plant LED system is that if it can be dialed back by raising it up, then as I get more experience, if I decide to upgrade to a higher tech system with co2, I can maybe lower it down closer and get higher lighting. Also the timer system on it is nice!!

Thanks!
-Scott

[mizzoutank]

personally, I think you can get better bang for your buck on led options out there.

One that people are seeming to love (that I may purchase after I research more) is the finnex brand. tmc.

the double brights by marineland won't suffice for growing plants that will considered more than low light.

the planted version seems to be over priced IMO.
also, I haven't seen any PAR values for that planted Marineland version...and that is what you need to know if it'll be sufficient for plant growth.

[Goes to 11!]

Maybe a year or so ago I posted this picture of a 20G 'plant nursery experiment' [It's unscaped with filthy glass - Deal with it lol] that was grown entirely under only Marineland double bright LEDs.. Just to see if it was possible. This was before the 'plant version' came out.



I can tell you it is possible but growth wasn't exceptionally fast and I would be dubious of it's effectiveness in a taller tank. What size tank is this?

[scbrooks87]

Thanks for the replies. The tank I'm looking to light is a 40 gallon breeder. so 36" long x 18" wide x 16ish inches tall.

I was just checking out the finnex LEDs, don't know which is best suited for a planted tank. 7000k or 10000k? Also couldnt seem to find par values on their website, but I'll keep looking!!

Any additional advice is appreciated!
-Scott

[mizzoutank]

that is my exact tank that i'm going to get the finnex for. lol

good coincidence!

here is a link for the par values and it is in a nice graph.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=189944

[Goes to 11!]

7000K is closer to the actual spectrum of daylight [6500 to 6700].

I am wondering if the light is going to spread enough [no reflectors you know] for full coverage on that low wide breeder tank.

[mizzoutank]

+1 to that, 7k is what you would want in the finnex for the FW set up.

and great point 850R. after much debate and research on that issue (as it is a pain w/ 40b's) is the depth for the light. there are no reflectors to help (as with all LEDs), but the optical angle for the ray2's are set at 120deg angle, and based on the PAR chart in that link it is providing a medium range value at 16inches down and 9 inches out from center...and incorporating the substrate depth, take a few inches off. it should suffice as the higher end of medium light and will be high light directly beneath the fixture.

So that is what is convincing me that the ray2's will provide the needed spread.

[Goes to 11!]

Hope so, If not you will just have to plant where the light is lol.

[mizzoutank]

fingers are crossed.

its pic's like this that let me think that it'll work.

[Goes to 11!]

Understood but...

At that height the LEDs have far more distance to spread out. A 40B is nowhere near that tall.

Just saying.