[RipariumGuy]

A cheap and powerful LED light system. Everybody's dream, right?

This week I found out about an online site, "AquaStyle" that sells relatively cheap LED light fixtures and parts.

So far, I have found that they can grow corals: http://www.3reef.com/forums/led-aquarium-lighting/diy-kits-aquastyle-online-china-112497.html

What do you all think about these on freshwater tanks?

 

[WingoAgency]

You need 6,700K for plant growth. Plants do not do good with reef lighting.

I tested both warmer white and cooler blue on a planted tank.

The experiments were conducted in a Fluval Spec tank with all same 6W LED power and 60 degree lens

Blue will burn plants along the DIRECT path of the light in days; not remembering what happen to the rest of the tank.
12,000K will burn plants along the DIRECT path of the light in weeks but the rest of the tank grow fast while plant color are light green
6,700K will burn surface plants in months but the rest of the tank is growing fast and solid green

Of course setting the light higher or removing the lens will yield very different results, but that's not for this discussion.

To clarify better, please read on.
It's the intensity, not the color, that caused the sunburn. When we apply the same amount of energy to the LED, the bluer white LEDs yields higher PAR than the warmer ones.
Care must be taken because our minds may just think about the wattage applied(that how's we buy lights-6W LED, 60W LEDs, 54W T5, 150W MH...) and did not take into the consideration of that the different colors yield very different PAR values.

 

[RipariumGuy]

You need 6,700K for plant growth. Plants do not do good with reef lighting.

I tested both warmer white and cooler blue on a planted tank.

The experiments were conducted in a Fluval Spec tank with all same 6W LED power and 60 degree lens

Blue will burn plants along the path of the light in days; not remembering what happen to the rest of the tank.
12,000K will burn plants along the path of the light in weeks but the rest of the tank grow fast while plant color are light green
6,700K will burn surface plants in months but the rest of the tank is growing fast and solid green

Of course setting the light higher or removing the lens will yield very different results, but that's not for this discussion.

Yes, but I won't the "white" LEDs they give as an option instead of the blue work? I thought white LEDs were some where in the plant acceptable 10,000k range.

 

[redfishsc]

I've grown lots of freshwater plants and even terrestrial plants (basil, cilantro, mint, especially) under a 50/50 mix of cool white and royal blue LEDs with no issues that I ever would attribute to the light.


I don't know for sure what the color temp of that combo specifically is but it's definitely in the 10-14K range.


But in general the reef lights that have all that blue will look really weird over a planted tank.

We need to ask these companies to produce all-white versions.

Or just DIY like all the cool people do

 

[RipariumGuy]

I've grown lots of freshwater plants and even terrestrial plants (basil, cilantro, mint, especially) under a 50/50 mix of cool white and royal blue LEDs with no issues that I ever would attribute to the light.


I don't know for sure what the color temp of that combo specifically is but it's definitely in the 10-14K range.


But in general the reef lights that have all that blue will look really weird over a planted tank.

We need to ask these companies to produce all-white versions.

Or just DIY like all the cool people do

They do! :icon_smil Look at their "options".

 

[Noahma]

the 10,000k would do just fine, I find that a good mix of 6500-6700 / 10,000 brings out the colors best though. you might ask if they happen to carry the 6500 k LED's too.

 

[HypnoticAquatic]

I will highly doubt it was the color that burnt the plants rather than the intinsity of light as any significant increase can sunburn a plant. i would like to see some real data on how the blue 420-460nm caused the damage and not the intinsity as i highly suspect. after they adjust to the light i have had no damage from being sunburnt from my (other) led.

is anyone getting that link to work? mines not... as for the light i personally want a adjustable one so i can dim the blue and white as i wish as everyone likes to see different kelven on there lights.

 

[RipariumGuy]

the 10,000k would do just fine, I find that a good mix of 6500-6700 / 10,000 brings out the colors best though. you might ask if they happen to carry the 6500 k LED's too.

I am not sure if I am going to order from them... It will really all depend on if they will grow plants well.

I will highly doubt it was the color that burnt the plants rather than the intinsity of light as any significant increase can sunburn a plant. i would like to see some real data on how the blue 420-460nm caused the damage and not the intinsity as i highly suspect. after they adjust to the light i have had no damage from being sunburnt from my (other) led.

is anyone getting that link to work? mines not... as for the light i personally want a adjustable one so i can dim the blue and white as i wish as everyone likes to see different kelven on there lights.

Sorry about the link... I have had problems with their site on and off. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. :icon_frow

 

[HypnoticAquatic]

i bet they will grown plants just fine, expecially if they are working for corals. im curious on them now to i do like units that are already housed to protect them but i think i could make something like that work. has anyone made there own houseing units for them or just keeping them exposed?

 

[DarkCobra]

The linked fixture is just a kit of parts. You must assemble everything, including gluing on the LEDs, and all the wiring and soldering.

Most people don't know how to do that, so unfortunately I wouldn't call this a realization of "everybody's dream".

But if you have the skills to assemble this kit, then you also have the skills to build whatever you want; using cheap parts available from this vendor or many others.

Although if you're just more comfortable with a kit, I see no reason why they wouldn't substitute in 6,500K LEDs on request; which they sell for the same price as the 10,000K's.

 

[Dragonfish]

I just emailed them about a dimmable 24 LED kit with all 6500K LEDs. If they'll do it I'll build it and post a review. I did my own DIY LED fixture for my reef tank so I have something to compare it to.

 

[Dragonfish]

Yep, his name is Ray and he'd be happy to make a freshwater version. I'm waiting on pricing for a 24 LED version sans heatsink.

 

[reybie]

I might be interested in that too. I want to provide my own heatsink.

 

[RipariumGuy]

Yep, his name is Ray and he'd be happy to make a freshwater version. I'm waiting on pricing for a 24 LED version sans heatsink.

I heard from other various forums that they were pretty cooperative. Thanks for taking the initial dive! I look foreward to your review.

Would you be using this to actually grow the plants, or as just an add on for aesthetic purposes?

 

[reybie]

I'll be using mine to replace the bulbs in a Tek fixture. I think it will be a pretty good DIY.

 

[RipariumGuy]

I'll be using mine to replace the bulbs in a Tek fixture. I think it will be a pretty good DIY.

Very! To replace a Tek? You are gunna need lotsa LEDs my freind! :icon_surp

 

[reybie]

I think it'll be OK. I'm only running 2 bulbs of the 4 in it anyway, we'll see how this goes.

 

[Dragonfish]

I'm going to slap a row of 24 on this heatsink to replace a single T5HO

http://www.amazon.com/80-25-5013-T-SLOTTED-EXTRUSION-1220mm/dp/B001F0LV9I

 

[RipariumGuy]

I think it'll be OK. I'm only running 2 bulbs of the 4 in it anyway, we'll see how this goes.

That would be really cool. If all goes well, I will probably copy you, as I am looking for a replacement for my single strip T5HO.

I'm going to slap a row of 24 on this heatsink to replace a single T5HO

http://www.amazon.com/80-25-5013-T-SLOTTED-EXTRUSION-1220mm/dp/B001F0LV9I

Oh, okay. Makes sense. That will be the tank only source of lighting, right?

 

[Hoppy]

I don't believe you can just slap a random number of LEDs on a heatsink and expect to get light in a usable range of PAR for a planted tank. With the later Cree LEDs it is easy to get 4 times too much light that way, too much to be able to dim them down to an appropriate PAR. Your first step should be to figure our how many of what LEDs spaced how far apart at what height above the tank will give you a chance to have good lighting. It isn't impossible to do. And, a website that is selling kits like this should also be providing the information necessary to judge how much light you will get with that kit.