flood light LED's

[6Speed]

Originally Posted by james1542

My new 10W round LED floodlight came today. Compared to my 30W it is tiny, smaller diameter than a pop can. It actually looks.. nice.. The whole thing is an aluminum heat sink. It's sold as a 6000-6500k, and it is very white light. It does cause temporary blindness for about 30 seconds if you look at it so that's good. The deep reflector on it doesn't give the light spill that the square ones do. Also, compared to my 30w, it is no where near as intense, but it would be an awesome light for a small tank, maybe in the 5 gallon range and with it's narrower beam it should be able to cut through the depths a bit better than the other 10W floods. The body does get pretty warm when it's running for a few hours, but I can still keep my hand on it. I have no par meter, but here is the pic! I'm using it on my emersed garden.. paired with a big ugly CFL clamp light... if I had another LED I could throw that out..

that looks really slick! I might have to snag one now! thanks

[james1542]

Originally Posted by acitydweller

Cute lamp, have you tried the color effects. If you had two of them u can tech icily turn one blue and the other red to convert this into a plant grow out setup. Then revert to whites for your enjoyment.

I didn't spring for the color changer, this one was cheaper by about 30%, and I couldn't figure out how compatible the color change feature was with a timer! I didn't want to wake up to strobe lights over my tank with all the fish on the floor. The color changers do look really cool though..

Originally Posted by 6Speed

that looks really slick! I might have to snag one now! thanks

Yea it actually has the look of a high end light fixture, rather than something that should be hanging in a warehouse. And compared to what they want at home improvement stores for a much less potent led, they are a bargain. If you do get this model, the bare wires were blue and brown. I think brown was the hot, or the skinny prong on your power cord, and blue was the fat prong.

[acitydweller]

If the color changer is an option for a few dollars more, i recommend getting it. i acquired a LED lamp with an analog RGB controller and have been running the lamps in alternating BLUE and RED only. Ive seem the crypts and peacock moss grow a bit faster versus the same plants in my other tank under a 23w cfl with water parameters and fert dosing being the same. I'll continue observing to see if progress continues at this rate.

[GOJIRADOR]

IMO this thread deserves a sticky

[james1542]

Based on the info the sellers give on lumen output, it appears the RGB's don't put out as much light at a dedicated white, or blue led of the same wattage.

[Redtail84]

What a great thread! I'm hoping someone might be able to help me here. I have a 20 long and I want to try these lights. I'm using DIY CO2 and dosing liquid ferts. I'm trying to decide whether I want to get 2x 20 watt or 2x10 watt floods. Most of my plants are pretty easy going - Amazon swords, corkscrew vals, Anubis Nana, and some crypts - but I'm trying to fill in an area with glosso, and I understand that might need the higher light. I'm just concerned about too much light and not enough CO2. What do you all think?

[james1542]

Redtail84, I'd go with either 1x 20w, 1x 30w, or if you want to have high light across every inch of that tank, 2 separate 20W's. You might need to increase your CO2 production with all that light. With the 1x20 or the 1x30 you will have no trouble growing glosso in the area directly under the light, just don't plan on growing it behind a wall of crypts in the corner.

[acitydweller]

Originally Posted by Redtail84

What a great thread! I'm hoping someone might be able to help me here. I have a 20 long and I want to try these lights. I'm using DIY CO2 and dosing liquid ferts. I'm trying to decide whether I want to get 2x 20 watt or 2x10 watt floods. Most of my plants are pretty easy going - Amazon swords, corkscrew vals, Anubis Nana, and some crypts - but I'm trying to fill in an area with glosso, and I understand that might need the higher light. I'm just concerned about too much light and not enough CO2. What do you all think?

To relate, i have 2 10g tanks running a 10w and 20w LED FLood on each.

the 20g long tank has a height of 12" while the 10g is 12".

if and only if you are running co2, i would recommend two 20w LED floodlamps. 10w at 12" ( lamp sitting on glass versatop) is really medium light if unobstructed by floaters and low in all other areas.

the 20w will benefit from co2 and offer much brighter light which is nearly as bright of the 24" RAY2 over my 20g high tank at 16" height.

In short, go with the 20w version and use 2 to cover the 30" span of the tank. my 20W does have shadowed areas over its 20" length so running two lamps would be advisable.

i am considering to try out the 50W now over my 55g which is 21" tall.

[Redtail84]

Thanks for the info. I just ordered the first one. I will order the second one in a week or two (gotta stay within my wife and I's budget). Can't wait! And what a deal! $22 for a 20W LED!

[acitydweller]

you'll love the 20w. i was sorta mehhh on the 10w but considering it looks way better than the old clamp light i was using and using less electricity, i cant complain

[Shiggy]

Flood light works awesome! I have 2 ten watt and a 20 watt on my 20gallon long.

[In.a.Box]

How many lb is each? Those flood light look heavy.
I worry about glass top cracking.

You guys think 2 20w will be ok on a 75g?
I'm aiming for med light.

[acitydweller]

I dont think the 20watt will be enough to break through all that water to provide medium light on the substrate surface... even more so if you intend to hang the lamp above the tank, which was why i was debating the 30 - 50 watt version of these lamps. im trying to apply this towards my 55g which has the same height as your 75 but not as much depth.

[james1542]

Hmm medium light for a 75, probably 2-3x 20w, or might be safer to get 2x 30w.

My plants are growing like weeds under my 30w:

[In.a.Box]

Thanks ill look into the 30w ... One on each side.
Where the cheapest place to buy them?