[Squirtle =)]

Hey Guys

So I have been trying to decided on lighting for a long time now, plants I plan to use are low to med requirements, Dupla root ferts without a C02.

I am trying to decided between a LED light and a T5 my tank is 24 inch deep which is why I think from what I understand the LED might be better? The light will be 0.8 Feet smaller then my tank but
I believe I can always add another 1 F LED to the system as its modular?

heres a link to LED

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=5781&catID=88

Pretty sure I need red and white not blue? I don't understand any of this light stuff well :confused1: here I was thinking learning plants was the hard part.

This would be the T5

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=3654&catID=86

Price is not really a problem, I just want good results and easy setup, The long lasting and moon lights also seems interesting but I don't really understand much, I tried researching but everything was in too much depth
PARs and all?

From what I gather PAR is the amount of light that reaches the ground per a certain area?

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[HolyAngel]

hmm the led system looks nice and it's dimmable which is a big plus!

The 'T5' is actually a quad power compact fixture and most definitely over kill. especially with no co2. I run 1 t5ho 25" from my substrate and it still requires Pressurized co2..

 

[TactusMortus]

Hey Squirtle,
When I was just getting started out I asked hoppy on the forum what lighting I should get. That guy is amazingly knowledgeable about lighting and to my surprise gave me nice in depth answers to all my questions. I would pm him if it were me that being said.

As far as my opinion goes I think you should go with the led however there is nothing wrong with a T5HO setup either. I have three of the ones they sell on ebay and I swear by those fixtures. They are great quality some have complained about the ballast but I have not had a single problem yet. They are so cheap too it is hard to beat. I know you said price isn't a concern but still nice to save a buck. However as HolyAngel suggested the quad bulbs is too much lighting unless your running some serious co2. I would find a nice 2 bulb T5HO fixture if I were you.

However if I were you and money was of no concern to me then yeah splurge on an LED system which I have no experience with however so someone else is going to have to chime in and tell you about the light spectrums and what not.

 

[JasonG75]

WOW those fixtures are redic on the prices....Look!!! since you're not using co2 just go for a single or dual T5NO. Save yourself 300.00

 

[Squirtle =)]

Thanks everyone!!!

So from what I gatherd LEDs would work but for the price I would be better off going with a T5 and some replacement blubs would be required every 1-2 years correct?

I found this guys, not sure if it will reach the bottom of the tank? cheapest I can get.

http://www.aquariumproducts.com.au/catalogue_products.php?prodID=4315&catID=86

It is a shame how much items in Aus cost!

Will T5s use much more power then a LED or are they pretty efficient to run?

Thanks!

 

[wetworks]

I would check this page from the FAQ section of this site:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-tank-faq/21052-comparison-lighting-types-lumens-watts.html
There is a lot of good info there, and a lot of the lighting terminology is explained there as well. Also, it might not be a bad idea to go through some of the threads in the lighting forum and see what others are using for a tank that is the same size as yours. The LED you were looking at is super nice, but also super expensive. You can get a Marineland LED fixture for a fraction of the price if you shop a bit online or check out eBay. The Marineland does not have all of the bells and whistles that the fixture you linked to has, but I am not sure whether or not you will need all of those extras. You can also find T5 fixtures online for as little as $100 US that would probably be great for your needs. If you do not plan to inject CO2, then less light would probably be better, and you can always add another fixture to your tank later should you decide to use CO2 or to grow plants that need more lighting. Many of the online and auction sellers are located in Malaysia, Taiwan, etc. so you might actually be able to get a good light shipped to you for less than I would be able to here in the USA. The best advice I can give you, however, is to research as much as possible BEFORE you buy. I did not do this, and I have several lights in the closet of my fish room that I have absolutely no use for. One of the best things about forums like this is that you can always learn from the mistakes of others, and use that info to make good decisions. And +1 to getting advice from Hoppy- that guy really knows his stuff, and he is always kind enough to share his knowledge with newcomers.

 

[Hoppy]

That LED light looks very good, but unless it is dimmable it is too much light. I think it will give you about 300 micromols of PAR at a distance of 24 inches. If you can dim it down to about 15%, which I think you can, you would get around 40-50 micromols of PAR, which is low medium light. Or, you could hang it a foot above the top of the tank and dim it a lesser amount, and get about the same PAR.

The other light looks like a PC light to me, but I'm not sure. If it really is a T5HO, 2 bulb light, and if it has good reflectors, so you can see two complete images of each bulb, one on each side of the real bulb, when you look up at it, it would also give you too much light, sitting right on top of the tank. Raised about 6 inches it should give you around 40-50 micromols of PAR.

The Hagen GLO light doesn't have really great reflectors, so it might give you about the right amount of light for low-medium intensity, with the "feet" it comes with.

 

[Squirtle =)]

Thanks Hoppy and wetworks!

So silly me went and checked the tanks depth just to make sure and DOH! 2.8 feet so 32 inch! not sure if that changes much?

I think I might just give the LED a shot?, I summed it up as follows, Feel free to add anything.

Negatives

* Might require C02 at a later date

* discus and cardinals may look weird under blue and white or red and white? not sure which is better for fresh water? I believe the Blue is more for coral?

* bit pricey ok very pricey compared to some other options!

Postives would be

* No need to upgrade if one day I want to try and grow some more intense plants.

* Dont have to worry about changing bulbs for a few years.

* Can dim it when required.

*Good for a waterless head start grow?

* Moon light ^_^

* Save energy! Doing my part for the world!

I had a quick look at some plants and found a few I like and could work with that might also benifit from getting a LED

-Tonina fluviatilis

-Red Rotala

-Broad leaves hygrophyla

I guess the way I am looking at it is get a weaker light grow some easier plants then if I do get a kick out of growing plants I will need to get a better light anyways which would most likely put me at the same price as LEDs?

Thanks Guys Sorry for ranting this on a bit too much


ooo P.S One other thing! the LED lays on the tank so i might still be able to view my TV lol heres a picture of the tank encase anyone is interested!