[joe_fish80]

Well been awhile since i posted, my tank crashed awhile back now and I'm looking to well get it back up and going again and thought I'd switch to LED Lighting. So I dug around a bit and found these.

http://www.aquacave.com/Current-Usa...rackets-Power-Supply-Sold-Separate-P3189.aspx

Now my wonder is, how many of the bloody things would I need to get to a point where I could grow dwarf grass in the tank or some sort of ground cover?

Also, if anyone knows a good paintball Co2 setup, a link would be handy, My own well isn't the best its beyond jury rigged, probably leaks constantly and just isn't all that great of a design.. Mean it works.. But I'd like something better.

 

[Aurie]

That fixture that you posted is for marine applications. It will grow lots of algae for ya ..

I'd suggest maybe a Ray2 and Monster ray combo from Finnex or even 2 Fugeray Planted+

I've haven't used co2 in my tank yet but I can say that a paintball setup is going to run out really fast on a 55. It'll probably be like every week or 2 weeks. I've heard of a 5 gallon lasting maybe 3 months so a paintball tank would last far less.

 

[joe_fish80]

Well says the led's come in various options.
"" Four Color Combination Available:
* 8,000K Sun White - the perfect spectrum for freshwater planted aquariums or refugiums. ""

My painball system worked fine before, Ran about a month per tank or there about, I don't flood it with Co2 just enough to brighten the plants up a bit I suppose. Give them some breathing room and such, just a few bubble a second really.
old picture of tank below.

 

[Aurie]

Ah if you had it before then all the power to ya. I just didn't want you to get a specialized regulator for paintball and need to upgrade. I'd look at Green leaf aquariums. They have some nice regulators. I'm sure they have ones for paintball rigs

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[joe_fish80]

Oh yeah, i'm sure there's some out there, mines just like a huge mess of jury rigged brass fittings, its a damn disaster its at least five inches long with six parts. Its a just a mess really. Just trying to find a well simpler way I guess.

 

[Hardstuff]

I am growing medium & low light plants really well with 1 single 48 planted plus light on my 55. My Bocopa would blow away any CO2 setup out there currently . Dirt & Finnex is hard to beat. My Crypts are growing out of control & dwarf Sag is growing well carpeting the bottom with no CO2. I highly recommend Finnex planted plus. The blue light at night is stunning! I would not run T-8S, OR T-5'S AGAIN. I am also cutting back on my CO2 set ups in favor of dirted tanks.

 

[joe_fish80]

I don't intend to change the substrate really, kinda wish I'd gone with a more dirt based setup honestly but well little late for that now really, plus I'm not entirely sure how to go about it really without adding possible disease to the tank and such?

Ya lost me with the my Bocopa thing? Not entirely sure what ya mean by that. Have to admit though I'm pretty far out of the tank loop.

I will check into those Finnex lights.

I think this go i'm looking for a bit more on the high lighting spectrum though. Have a few idea's for my aquascape and I've always wanted a lush carpet so I'm going to shoot for it.

 

[joe_fish80]

So these are the three options I'm currently looking at, goals to grow a carpet. Wondering which would be the best for medium - high light plants?


http://current-usa.com/aquarium-led-lights/satellite-freshwater-led-plus/

http://www.finnex.net/index.php/fugeray_series/?___store=default

http://www.finnex.net/index.php/ray2_series/?___store=default

 

[exv152]

I'd go with the finnex ray2 only because you're planning co2 and it's one of the best bangs for your buck in terms of light intensity and price.

 

[Mojo028]

I have Satellite + LED's and I got great results with them, carpeted my 10 gallon with dwarf sag in a month with only ten starting plants.

I do have dirt as well though.

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[Mojo028]

Not to mention I love turning all my tanks with one remote, and all the cool settings and customization they have.

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[Raymond S.]

There are a couple of carpet plants which don't require high light.
This thread contains PAR charts for LED lights. The Planted + is not on there because
at the time it was made they didn't have PAR ratings for it. But it is the same as the
Fugeray so ommit a few white lights and replace them/w red in a plant spectrum and
therefore it should work better than the Fugeray.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=184368

 

[joe_fish80]

I've been leaning i admit to the Satellite Freshwater LED+, suppose Its a curiosity thing, mean i have a breeding pair of angels in there, I wonder if the lighting could set the mood so to speak so its just sparked my interest a little bit. Altering the temp of the tank ever so lightly and throwing it on storm setting for a week or so, little things like that. I just think it could be a fairly interesting experiment to try out. I think if its well believed that dwarf swords or some of the mossy mats would grow with the Current USA fixture, thats probably what I'm going to go with. I just like the thought of giving the tank a little added depth.

 

[Mojo028]

It's always nice to have variety I say.

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[joe_fish80]

I suppose this brings up a new question, My tank's substrate sits about 15-16 inches below the light, so if I did go with the Satellite Freshwater LED+, what would my options be for ground cover?

 

[joe_fish80]

Hmm, suppose maybe I'm back to pondering again, in theory, on the 55 thats only going to sit me at about 30 par at 17 inches or there about. Which is really the low end of the medium lighting qualification. This is all sorts of confusing really. Mean ya go to their site and it implies 1's enough and your good to go, but then ya dig more and start to think well maybe ones not enough? Sort of makes me want to bang my head off a desk.

 

[Mojo028]

Yeah I know, if you really want high light check out build my LED although they are pretty pricey, but their PAR's are insane.

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[joe_fish80]

Yeah I can't really afford to spend much more than 200 on the lighting really. Thats about the top end of my budget. I do like the idea of those Current USA Satellite Fresh Water LED setups. The concepts just neat. But looking at the math, I think even two would put me around a what 50-60 Par I think?

 

[Mojo028]

That sucks I love those things, I wish there was a way to try them at home before you buy them.

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[joe_fish80]

Would be nice, or if someone had a 55 gallon that was running them and had some pictures as evidence that its all gravy. I'd be cool with that too I think. I just want a nice lush green carpet for once, or least a grassy knoll.