Anubias Under LED

**Critterstruck** · 08-23-2011, 03:24 AM

I just bought an 18"-24" Marineland Single-Bright LED http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.co...m?pcatid=22442 , which has a brightness of 300 lumens, for my 10-gallon aquarium. Everywhere I look, people measure light in wattage, and if that's the case, then my light only produces 3.06 watts (0.06 per bulb). This is a very bright light for my little tank.

So my question is how bright is this for my Anubias barteri? Should I be trying to shelter my plant (which is the only one I have so far), or will it do okay out in the open light? I am given to understand they need lower lighting requirements, so I've been a little worried about it; although, in the past week since I got it, it seems to be fine. I don't have any pictures, though, sorry.

**genocidex** · 08-23-2011, 03:39 AM

http://www.specialty-lights.com/plan...3.html#compare

that will give you some good info point 13 will give you the lumen/watt of t5hos. but for a quick lesson: 92.6 lumens / watt so that 300 lumen would be equivalent to a 3 watt t5. hope this helped :P
seems like if that plants low light then you will be fine :P

**Brhino** · 08-23-2011, 03:43 AM

watts are a unit of power. A light source of any kind converts electrical power to light, but the conversion efficiency varies wildly from type to type. So, you can't make a direct wattage comparison between a incandescent bulb and a fluorescent light, or between a LED and anything else. So, don't worry about wattage.

lumens are a closer comparison because there you're talking about actual light output. It's still not an exact comparison because the ultimate question is not "how much light?" but "how much light AT THE PLANTS?" so location and tank dimensions also must be taken into consideration.

Anyhow, 300 lumens is not very much light at all. It's less than a single 40W incandescent, but then an incandescent projects light in all directions, whereas a LED projects it in a much narrower cone. I don't think it will be too bright... I think your anubias will do just fine. I also think that if you had plants with a higher light requirement, you would need something stronger.

**genocidex** · 08-23-2011, 03:58 AM

i think when people are measuring the lumen output of the t5s they are messuring it with a reflector like the ones used in tank lighting. that allows the lumen to lumen relatively effective source of comparison.
also thos leds i think have a 120 degree viewing angle (give or take) so they arent as focused as the regular leds. i just threw a link up in the technical section with the same chart and another calc to help figure out comparisons. i have not used all the lights but ive been told by several people that its a good chart for this stuff. if you wanted to get deep into comparisons then theres like 50 pages of pure info and then youd be too confused to tie your shoes :P. i know i can only take 3 paragraphs at a time. im hoping my thread would be stickied there or maybe moved here and stickied or both idk lol.