LED Lighting?

Crat

Crat

AC Members
Apr 19, 2009
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I'm looking into new lighting for my 125g. I am running two 48" t12 shoplights with two 40 W bulbs each for 1.28 wpg. I was shopping around a little today and came across a few LED fixtures.
Does anyone have any experience with LED lighting? From what I've read so far they sound like a reasonable option, but I have no idea how much light they put out. Can't exactly go by the old wpg rule so how much is enough? I guess I'm looking for some meens of comparisen.

This is one of the fixtures I am looking at:http://www.aquariumplants.com/Current_Powerbrite_LED_Light_4x1_Watt_10_000K_p/cur01645.htm

I am aiming for at least two wpg, would like three. Any sugestions welcome and thanks in advance AC.
 
There are many benefits to LED lighting but the price isn't there yet for the average consumer. If you were to build your own unit you would still have to pay somewhere in the range of $400-500 for a 125g tank, not bad if you consider that they should last you for 10 yrs but the initial investment is high.
 
This is very interesting to me as well, not to hijack the thread but does anyone know right off hand how the useable spectrum of LED lights is measured? I know that a 6500K flourescent is in the right range for plants but are LEDs measured the same way? (I know that is heat not color, but I'm trying to squeeze a few ideas together....its the way I think lol)
 
phanmc said:
There are many benefits to LED lighting but the price isn't there yet for the average consumer. If you were to build your own unit you would still have to pay somewhere in the range of $400-500 for a 125g tank, not bad if you consider that they should last you for 10 yrs but the initial investment is high.
Click to expand...

i highly doubt that the price is that high if you're doing it your self
let take a 3w led for example
for 125 gal let say you need 30 of them + 6 current source + a 12-19v power supply.

30led x $3each = $90
6sources x $10 = $60
1 suplly x $50 = $50
+ wires, heat sinks, reflectors for ect for $70 more

so totall you'll looking at $280 or less if you can find a cheaper source for these components. I'll say not at all bad comparatively with some other light

And don't be fool by 30 x 3w = 90w. These 90w produces enough light to give your fish sunburn at the bottom of your tank.
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330335495941&ssPageName=MERCOSI_VI_ROSI_PR4_PCN_BIX&refitem=230339681841&itemcount=4&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&refwidgettype=osi_widget&_trksid=p284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%252BP%252BS%252BIA%26itu%3DFICS%252BUA%252BUCI%252BIA%26otn%3D4%26ps%3D10
I am using 6 of these on my 180 and so far I love them! I had to get a power adapter from the seller because I was burning up fixtures at first but once I got the adapters in place they started doing great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS - there are many different colors availabe! from 5K up to ??? 10K for sure
 
Arkangel77 said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...2BS%2BIA&itu=FICS%2BUA%2BUCI%2BIA&otn=4&ps=10
I am using 6 of these on my 180 and so far I love them! I had to get a power adapter from the seller because I was burning up fixtures at first but once I got the adapters in place they started doing great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS - there are many different colors availabe! from 5K up to ??? 10K for sure
Click to expand...


So what would be the best Kelvin rating for plants? I've read that 5600k-6700k was the best for plants. Is that about right? What would you guys reccomend? I just want my plants to do well so if I spend the $$, I want to make sure I get the right thing.


Thank you everyone for your input, I really apriciate it.

Peace,
Caleb

[Edit}
Or maybe this unit?
http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUARIUM-LED-LIGHT-TUBE-BLUE-10-000K-276-LEDS-4-ft_W0QQitemZ330335152031QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4ce982679f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A50

Would the blue and the 10000k together be good for the plants?
 
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kanvas said:
this is from another forum but it's very similar to what i'm doing
http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=264895
Click to expand...


These are some cool setups but I don't know if I want to get into saldering all the conectio0ns and all that. It would be a cool long term project though. I think I'm going to have to do some research and I might just go this way in the future. But for now I would like to get something that will help my plants do better without the big project. :) Thanks for the info though, sounds like fun.

Peace,
'Caleb
 
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