LED Lighting and Hi-Tech Planted Tank

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sonychemp

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Aug 1, 2014
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Hi

I have a 20G high freshwater tank with Live plants, I recently switched to Fluval P24 AQUALIFE & PLANT FULL SPECTRUM from Duel T5HO.
I had good plant growth, but now switching to the Fluval P24. Does anyone have any experience with planted tank with this product.

Lighting :
Before : AquaticLife Duel-Lamp T5 Ho fixture with Giesemann PowerChrome AquaFlora 24" 24W HO T5 Lamp & PowerChrome 6000K Midday 24" 24W HO T5 Lamp - on timer 8hrs/day
Now : Fluval P24 AQUALIFE & PLANT FULL SPECTRUM on Timer 8 hrs

Tank : 20G High
Substrate : CaribSea - Eco Complete Planted Black Aquarium Substrate & Seachem Flourite BlackFilter : Fluval 206 Canister filter.- Full time
UV - Corellife Turbo Twist - On timer - 4hrs/day
CO2 : Pressurized CO2 (GL - ATOMIC CO2 REGULATOR V2) On timer
2 X Timer GE 15 Amp 7-Day Plug-In Dual-Outlet Digital Timer - 16$ Homedepot/Walmart. (Best timer than any sold in Aquarium Shop)
Aeration - on Timer 8 hrs/Day

Timer setup
1. Timer - 8hrs/Day - Light,CO2 & Aeration
2. Timer - 4hrs/Day - UV

Plants:
Cyperus Helferi
Anubias, Coffeefolia (Anubias barteri v. Coffeefolia)
Aeterophylla (Anubias heterphylla)
Staurogyne repens
Hygrophila Pinnatifida
water wisteria

Fishes
1 x German Blue Ram
6 x Neon
2 x small angels
2 x Mexican Dwarf Orange Crayfish
1 x chines algae eater
4 x
Guppies
20140802_092950.jpg20140802_092818.jpg

My worry is, if the plants will grow good with this LED Fixture.

20140802_092950.jpg 20140802_092818.jpg
 

ROYWS3

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Aug 29, 2000
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Roy
I just did a little research on that specific light and what I found that I can comment on is that it is 1495 lumens. I have a Beamworks lamp that produces 1500 so that comparison is very similar and I get great growth of medium light plants (Ludwigia, Wisteria, Bylxa, swords and crypts).

The difference is my fixture has 78 - .2 watt diodes- the Fluval is listed as having 312 - so each individual diode is much less bright - if that makes a difference, I don't know
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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SF Bay area, CA
Can you point out your H. pinnatifida please? I am trying it again but not with LEDs. All your plants look happy & healthy. pretty tank! Are your anubias rhizomes NOT planted? It's hard to tell but they shouldn't be under the substrate. Is that a bacopa by the heater?
 

sonychemp

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Aug 1, 2014
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Its hidden behind plants, I had to trim it down. One new growth in right hand side, very difficult to see. Others are in between the plants, on right side of the tank. Once that grows I will post new picture.
anubias rhizomes are not planted in the soil, its trimmed down and attached to a ceramic brown pipe vertically planted. Only two in front, that is a different verity and its mostly Eco Complete Planted, which is mostly lava rock soil.
Yes - Bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana)
 

sonychemp

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Aug 1, 2014
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Hi All

See this article to understand whats needed for Plants to grow(what spectrum). Most said we need 660nm, not so, Fluval Aqualife & Plant Performance has the required components as any other LED manufacture.
Only thing to check is if this reaches all plants. I believe if you put 2 units for 24/29 High will be fine, same is tru with any LED fixture.


Photosynthesis and LED Grow Light Spectrum

Chlorophyll A and B are the two primary compounds responsible for photosynthesis. These compounds absorb wavelengths of light with the highest efficiency at 439nm and 469nm blue, and 642nm and 667nm red. Aside from Chlorophyll A & B, there are other accessory light-harvesting pigments, most notably carotenoids, which absorb light with the highest efficiency at 439nm and 483nm blue. The other less noted pigments such as xanthrophylls, account for less than 5% of the energy supplied forphotosynthesis, and absorb small quantities of light in the 480nm – 620nm region. Since Chlorophyll A & B along with Carotenoids supply over 95% of the energy necessary for photosynthesis, these are the only wavelengths a properly-tuned LED growing light should focus on for the greatest results.
Testing has shown that the only horticultural lights capable of creating such fine-tuned spectral outputs are Full Spectrum LED Grow Lights. By focusing the nm output of each LED to a corresponding wavelength absorption point (like 642nm), the rates of photosynthesis can be increased dramatically over HID lighting. Testing has also shown that if you do not focus directly on the wavelength absorption point (ie: using a 625nm or 630nm instead of 642nm) you will have dramatically lowered rates of photosynthesis by comparison. For these reasons you want to focus on making sure whichever grow light you purchase comes as close as possible to 439nm, 469nm, 483nm, 642nm, and 667nm.
 
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