# Light for 20 inch deep tank. Fluval plant 3.0?



## deeproots (24 Dec 2019)

Hi all. I've got a tank which is 20 inch deep 18 wide and 48 long. Looking at the fluval 59w plant 3.0. Got medium and easy plants and my current light is dying. Not running co2 at the moment. Just wondered if the fluval will penetrate deep enough and wide enough? I can't afford two of these but I could afford two of the nicrew plant ones. I asked the same question elsewhere but not really had much of a response. Anyone got experience of the 3.0? Thanks!


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (25 Dec 2019)

The 3.0 should work just fine for the depth. You could probably get away with the 46w version if sticking with easy plants.


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## deeproots (25 Dec 2019)

Thanks matt. I will probably go for the 59w as I can always dim it. The dsuny I have is 4 years old and was seriously powerful when I got it but lots of the leds have burned out now. Interestingly the half of the tank with only blue working at 100% has almost no new growth but the other side which still has some green red and white working still has some growth.


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## jaypeecee (25 Dec 2019)

deeproots said:


> Interestingly the half of the tank with only blue working at 100% has almost no new growth but the other side which still has some green red and white working still has some growth.



Hi @deeproots 

That is a useful observation and what I would expect. White LEDs emit light in the blue, green and red parts of the spectrum - probably in that order of intensity. I'm not familiar with the Fluval range of LED lighting. Please note that blue light penetrates water the deepest, then green and then, red. Red light at 50cm depth will be approximately 60% of what it will be at the surface. So, if you have individual control of blue, green and red light, it might be wise to set blue lower than green and green lower than red. Then, at 50cm depth, each of the colours should even out. But, experimentation is the order of the day.

I'll watch your thread with interest.

JPC


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## noobscaper (30 Dec 2019)

Sorry to (sort of) take over your thread, but does anyone know of any high-output LEDs that would work for a 20" deep aquarium? I have a Chihiros A1201 right now, but my Staurogyne repens is struggling to the point where there is no visible growth and it has started dying back. Does anyone know of a light that wouldn't break the bank (ie. no more than £500)? It seems to me that the Twinstar S is a trifle overpriced.


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## noobscaper (30 Dec 2019)

Sorry I meant £300


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## tam (30 Dec 2019)

My tank is 18"x18"x36" low tech and the 3.0 sat on the top rim does leave a triangle shadow about 3-4" down/in on the top edge but otherwise has enough spread for the width - would disappear raising it a couple of inches. I only run it at around 30%, so I think it would easily cope with a 20" deep low tech.


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