L.E.D Lighting?

Tosh said:

Anyone got opinions or experiences with LED lights.

I have a 15 Gallon tank which is planted and currently has a Halogen light which seems to work quite well. I've been told that some LED's will also work pretty good and are more cost effective while giving out less heat?


any thoughts welcomed?

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Check out the spectrum produced. Halogen lights output levels are much different than that from LED, and there are different 'temperature' bulbs (not refering to heat there) that will work better for different applications. I doubt you'll get enough penetration of red/blue spectrums from LED's to benefit plants, though they can be used for spotlighting a feature, or with a different color lamp for night viewing.

Yes LED's are great for moon light but in order to make a primary light out of them the cost to build them will greatly out weigh any cost savings for operation. The white LED's that would have enough intensity to penetrate to the plants are over $2 per LED wholesale. You would need a dozens and dozens to make any light that would work. You can easily have a couple of hundred invested in a LED system and it would draw as much power as a florecent. So you would be better off getting flourecent lights. They are more cost effective to buy, operate and run cool.

Well for reef lights that is differnt. But even then it is usually moon light that is used, and if you use the lunar cycle module it is beneficial to the coral. But as primary light the LED's just are not there yet. I put moon light on my FW tank, and I have plastic plants, but the fish were more active during the day and it was a benefit to my tank.