Marineland double bright vs. Finnex fugeray

3939 Views 30 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Chris_Produces, Mar 7, 2014

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2014

So some of you may have seen my earlier thread about looking for a light for my low tech tank. I've come down to two lights.

Marineland double bright 18"-24" fixture
Finnex fugeray 20" fixture.

My questions are
1) will 45 par at the substrate be too much for low-medium light plants? (Finnex)
2) has anyone used marineland double bright for a planted tank?

1 - 20 of 31 Posts

Raymond S.

· #2 · Mar 5, 2014

No not for low/med light plants it's not too high but still may give algae issues if
there aren't lots of plants and a few fast growing ones. What tank do you have ?
There was someone on here whio claims to have grown some med light plants under a Marineland DB, but others say they are mostly good for fish/viewing only.
I have one and tried it on a ten g tank(the 20" model) and had that AND one T8 bulb
on it and no plant growth...but the tank wasn't healthy at the time and I didn't realize that while I had the MDB on it so it's on the shelf in the closet.
I personally didn't like the way the beams shown their light absolutely straight down.
I guess I'm just a bulb man...T5/T8..too many shadows/w the LED's.
Probable wouldn't be that way in any tank over 12" deep as the light can spread then.

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jrman83

· #3 · Mar 5, 2014

For lower light tanks, ones without the higher demands for nutrients, it really is all down to the light for algae control. Control the light, control the algae. You should do okay with low light plants with the Marineland fixture, but I have no experience with it.

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 5, 2014

Ok, so 45 par at the substrate is too much for low-medium light plants?

prighello

· #5 · Mar 5, 2014

It's not too much more like you might have some algae unless you have the right plants. Remember though, 43 directly under the light, 3" to either side and it drops to 33.

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 5, 2014

So just go with the 20" Finnex?

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 5, 2014

I've decided to go with the Finnex fugeray, but now I can't decide if I should buy the 16" or 20" fixture. I would like the 16" fixture because the light isn't too strong, but it would not tech across my 10g tank. The 20" would, however I'm afraid the light it would give if would be too much for a low to medium plant tank. Can anyone help by
1) giving a way where I could get the 16" fixture to fit
2) giving proof that the 20" fixture won't be overkill.
Also gets a link to the par chart
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=189944

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 5, 2014

Bump

tattooedfool83

· #9 · Mar 5, 2014

Worse case scenario man you can always raise the 20" fixture above the tank a few inches.

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 5, 2014

tattooedfool83 said:
Worse case scenario man you can always raise the 20" fixture above the tank a few inches.

How so?

prighello

· #11 · Mar 5, 2014

Here's what I was talking about. Also on the 20" the legs raise it above the tank a couple of inches so something to think about.

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rcs0926

· #12 · Mar 5, 2014

fishkeeper01 said:
How so?

Someone is selling some risers on the Sale forum:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=567866&highlight=finnex

Also, if you have time, you can always create a hanging fixture using conduit pipe. Here's a link to the thread I created documenting how I constructed mine:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=402385&highlight=finnex

tattooedfool83

· #13 · Mar 5, 2014

The legs that come with it don't raise it much. And most risers that are made are for rimless tanks

ChadO

· #14 · Mar 5, 2014

tattooedfool83 said:
... And most risers that are made are for rimless tanks

That's what's kind of cool about the risers in the Sale section (just as an FYI), those do work on both rimmed and rimless tanks. The pictures in the ad show it installed on a rimmed tank.

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #15 · Mar 5, 2014

So with all the information given would the par readings for the 20" fugeray fixture be too strong for low to medium light plants?

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=189944

Chris_Produces

· #16 · Mar 6, 2014 (Edited)

fishkeeper01 said:
So with all the information given would the par readings for the 20" fugeray fixture be too strong for low to medium light plants?

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=189944

I would go with the 20" Finnex. You'll be fine with that, plus you can always raise it a few inches if need be. :thumbsup:

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #17 · Mar 6, 2014

R you sure, because the intensity of the light seems so strong. I just don't want the light to be too strong. After looking at that par chart, almost half my tank would be under high light conditions. Sorry I'm just asking a lot of questions because I'm new to planted tanks.

Chris_Produces

· #18 · Mar 6, 2014

fishkeeper01 said:
R you sure, because the intensity of the light seems so strong. I just don't want the light to be too strong. After looking at that par chart, almost half my tank would be under high light conditions. Sorry I'm just asking a lot of questions because I'm new to planted tanks.

Yeah IMO. It's a lot cheaper to raise the light up if needed, than it is to buy another light or the hassle of returning/exchanging, if the 16" isn't doing a good enough job for your plants. What I've done before is call the manufacture of the lights (Finnex) and discuss your needs/concerns and ask them if they think that light will work best for your setup. :fish:

fishkeeper01

Discussion Starter · #19 · Mar 6, 2014

Chris_Produces said:
Yeah IMO. It's a lot cheaper to raise the light up if needed, than it is to buy another light or the hassle of returning/exchanging, if the 16" isn't doing a good enough job for your plants. What I've done before is call the manufacture of the lights (Finnex) and discuss your needs/concerns and ask them if they think that light will work best for your setup. :fish:

Hire would I raise it, other than using risers?

rcs0926

· #20 · Mar 6, 2014

fishkeeper01 said:
Hire would I raise it, other than using risers?

Create a hanging fixture using conduit pipe. In my previous post, I linked my thread that documented how I created mine.

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