Which light for a 12" cube?

[im2smart4u]

Okay, well I got a 12 inch cube tank. I am still trying to decide exactly what I want to do with it. I know I want it to have around medium light. I don't want high enough light that I have to do CO2 other than excel.

There are several lights I have been looking at. Problem is, I don't know whether they would be low light, med light, or high light. I am thinking of having a lower water level and growing some plants out of the top of the tank. This would mean that the light needs to be suspended a little above the tank. I may decide not to go that route, though.

Does anyone have opinions on any of these lights?

http://www.amazon.com/BeamsWork-Doub..._petsupplies_1

http://www.amazon.com/Wave-point-6-I...aquarium+light

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-Might-L...aquarium+light

http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Brigh...ed-p/56270.htm

http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Reef-...On-p/56206.htm

I really want to spend under $50 on the light. Money is tight right now, so cheaper is better. If you know of any other lights that would work, please link them here. I would prefer something from amazon, since I have $30 of credit there.

[im2smart4u]

I think I am leaning towards the Beamswork 6 x 3 watt led or the 9 x 1 watt led fixtures, as long as this doesn't give me high light. These lights are not only more powerful, but are 11 inches long, which I assume will give better light spread on a 12 inch tank than the 6 inch Wavepoint or the 8 inch (?) Mighty Ray.

[blink]

Have you looked at the Fugeray?

I have one of the single bright Beamswork units and it's pretty low quality, it just feels cheap and appears to put out less light than a marineland singlebright (no par meter to prove it)
Perhaps the double bright ones are better, but I'd look at one in person before I spent the money.

[AnotherHobby]

I think blink has the right idea. A 12" FugeRAY would give you medium lighting on that tank. It's rated for 25 PAR at 12" from the substrate. Assuming 2" of substrate depth and the stand lifting it 1" above the tank, you'll be at a little more than 25 PAR. It's $37 shipped.

I have one and I'm really happy with it.

[im2smart4u]

Ya, I have looked at the FugeRay, too. I think I would prefer one that clipped on the back of the tank, though.

As far as the Beamswork lights, I have looked at the single bright fixture, but it is made up of 33 .06 watt LEDs, for a total of only 2 watts. I didn't think that would be enough light. The 12 FugeRay, by comparison, is 5 total watts, which is over double the single bright Beamswork.

The one I am seriously considering buying tonight is this one :
http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Brigh...ed-p/56270.htm

It has 9 1 watt LEDs, for 9 total watts, or almost twice as bright as FugeRay (theoretically, depending on optics, of course).

I was also looking at the 6 x 3 watt LED fixture, but if the 5 watt FugeRay is medium light, then I have would assume that 18 watts (even if they have worse optics) would be high light.

[Lia]

I have been loooking at these links as interested in light and bit confused.

What I don't understand is why the blue actinic bulbs for freshwater planted lights?

Seems all these lights have some blue bulbs and I thought it was best just white light for plants.

[im2smart4u]

Some of them have blue lights. Most of the lights come in a freshwater version and a reef version. The blue lights usually come on independently of the main lights. For freshwater, the blue lights are used as "moon lights", so you can see the tank without it being bright. That being said, the light I think I will end up getting is the one that has no blue.

[im2smart4u]

Well, I took the plunge and bought the 9 x 1 watt 6500k led fixture. It is a new product, so there wasn't a lot of reviews on it, but the reef one was rated okay. $29.99 and free shipping was too good a deal for me to pass up. If the light isn't bright enough, I will just make it a low light tank, and if it is too bright, I can just find a way to raise it higher.

[cclaeys]

i have a similar one of those beamworks things, they have poor dispersion, major spotlight effect, I dont even use the one I bought anymore, but I would doubt the longevity of them also, they seem to run really hot.