225 led panel...cheap answer for low-light setup?

Ryi

Shrimp fear me
Feb 10, 2009
54
0
0
Sunny Florida
Has anyone ever used one of these?

I'm looking for something to keep java ferns and a couple swords alive in my sister-in-law's 30 gallon. I know it's not the most efficient or cost effective, but she and my brother are all about the "look" while I'm all about "I can set it up and forget it :)"
I'm thinking for under $40 it will satisfy both requirements.
 
Those are .05 mW LEDs.
The panel will light a fish tank, but not well. It will definately NOT light a tank of coral.
That panel has come up for discussion on numerous forums and the couple of people who purchased one have all offered to sell it after trying it. The distributor has finally come out with one that has all white LEDs which is an improvement over the first offerings of red and blue. Those were offered as no heat lights for some medicinal herb growers. ;-)
 
This is the all white one, 5600k.

But you've got a point: something that sounds too good to be true...probably is
 
I drilled 50 holes in a piece of lexan to make a top for a 10g tank. I wanted to try out a string of Christmas LED lights. The flat surfaced white Sylvania Micro Lights. I used gel type super glue to keep them pointing straight down.

It made a great night light out of a fish tank.
Less light than one gets in a medium light tank with a surface of duck weed.
 
I ebay'd some 3w chinese leds, just going to play with them. Have an endless supply of wall warts and heatsinks :)
 
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