# LED Spot Light Bulb E27 Screw



## Otto72 (3 Jul 2012)

I'm going to be using a hanging reptile light/s over my future shrimp tank  and I have a couple of questions regarding lighting.

This is the light I'm going to use which takes screw bulbs Max 150W load.






The bulb I was thinking of using is a LED Spot Light Bulb E27 Screw PAR20 Warm White





I seen this bulb on ebay for £7.99 Buy it Now which I'm guessing for an LED bulb is a fairly good price.

I emailed the seller and he said its equivalent to a 35W energy saving bulb.

More info on bulb here: http://www.jacksta-energy.co.uk/PAR20-LED-s/85.htm

There's also a daylight version too.

What I want to know is, is this too bright/not bright enough for growing plants? or would it be better to have two lamps and two of these bulbs? I don't plan on using CO2 so would I need ferts and what ferts shrimp safe?

Possible Plant list:

Various Mosses (I know mosses only need low light to grow)
Glossostigma Elatinoides
Rotala Butterfly (green and goes red with more light?)
Red Tiger Lotus
Hydrocotyle


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## hinch (3 Jul 2012)

thats alot of light for a non co2 setup and yes you will need ferts I always recommend the all in one from APF (one of our sponsors)


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## Otto72 (3 Jul 2012)

some of the plants on my list I think need high lighting, the reason I don't want to use CO2 is its not great with shrimp. Maybe I should go down lower wattage?

Also how low should the light be over the tank? I think I will be able to raise or lower the level of the lamp.

Btw I don't have to go LED, I just thought that would be a good bulb to use, what wattage energy saver daylight bulb would you recommend?


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## sr20det (3 Jul 2012)

Apologies, may have missed this, How big is the tank?

never grown it, but Glossostigma Elatinoides will need co2 IIRC.  High light, too but pending size of tank, your light should suffice.  Again, never grown it, as I know it is a demanding plant, but sure someone will come along and confirm


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## foxfish (3 Jul 2012)

I dont think you will find that light very bright at all!
Try one of thesse & see how you go http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 416680e415
You can just lift the light higher if necessary but I think you will be fine as I am using three over a 2' low tech tank with no algae issues


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## Otto72 (3 Jul 2012)

sr20det said:
			
		

> Apologies, may have missed this, How big is the tank?



Havn't bought the tank yet but it will either be;

ADA Cube Garden 45-P: L45 x W27 x H30cm

or 

ADA Cube Garden 60-P: L60 x W30 x H36cm


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## Otto72 (3 Jul 2012)

foxfish said:
			
		

> Try one of thesse & see how you go http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 416680e415
> You can just lift the light higher if necessary but I think you will be fine as I am using three over a 2' low tech tank with no algae issues



Is it the tank in your journal? the plants look very lush and healthy, you adding anything else special for growth?
I see you have a glosso carpet there, low tech with no CO2?


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## foxfish (3 Jul 2012)

That tank was a couple of years ago, it was powered by two T5s & C02.

I use LEDs mainly as a supplemental lighting either side of my main lighting.
I still prefer to use T5s but, I am experimenting with an 2' low tech & 3 9w LEDs
Nothing much to show get as low tech is pretty slow...


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## Aqua sobriquet (4 Jul 2012)

I've tried several GU10 fitting LED's in our Kitchen and found the cool white very blue, warm white is yellow but the daylight bulbs tend to be a bit pink which should make plants look nice.


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## wazuck (8 Jul 2012)

I have just put a 6w GU10 bulb over my nano to see what it's like for the up coming scape. It's cool white but I find it perfect. Sure the colour rendition isn't great but the trade off for the shimmer is worth it. I'm confident it could do a glosso carpet. Which I will attempt on my scape. Go led. It's worth it.


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## wazuck (9 Jul 2012)

Just buy a cheap gu10 fixture. Either a desk lamp or ceiling light, with the ceiling light you will need to wire in a plug. Then buy gu10 led bulbs off eBay. I searched for Cree gu10 and got my bulb on auction for real cheap. Talking less than £10.


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## sr20det (17 Jul 2012)

anatomcreview said:
			
		

> if i want to have a 8w ,how much is it ?
> and is it fit for my badroom ??
> 
> 
> ...



badroom, surely red bulbs would be suited here?

p.s. dedicated, how many accounts will you create to advertise your site, lol?


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## Skatersav (17 Jul 2012)

My experience of E27 and GU10 LED lights is really bad.  In my experience, when they tell you the wattage equivalent for these LEDs, they usually tell porky pies.  I'm sure some LEDs are good, maybe those designed for fish tanks which come in large banks of lights, but the ones designed to replace spots on ceilings are (again IMHO) a load of rubbish.  That's my 2 cents anyway.

I spent ages trying to pull together a cool hanging light fitting.  I ended up using compact fluorescents - you can get these in all sorts of sizes and different colours.  They are energy efficient and you can get them in a kelvin rating that works for plants.  I've got two massive ones (megaman) hanging in big polished steel domes above a 350 litre tank, but you can get smaller ones that might fit in your fitting.  see links below as examples.

http://www.lamps2udirect.com/pages/full ... ant_centre

https://www.interlight.biz/light-bulb/C ... FROOGLE-UK

There's an alternative for you.


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## HarryRobinson (17 Jul 2012)

Ive just got two 12w LED's (4*3w each) for my nano, look on my journal to see the difference from my old 3w ones. Defiantly go for led's, the use less power and give a lovely shimmer effect. Do not, do not, do not get those smd bulbs, the ones with lots of led's on the bulb, get the bulbs that have around 4 leds with at least over 1w each led. This way your getting more lumen output. Following on from lumen value, make sure the lumens are high, around 550-650 lumens, this means the bulb will have more 'penetrating' power through the water.

I was you i'd get this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Led-Gu10-1 ... 839wt_1396

The cool white version.

and the fitting: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Bar-Mains-S ... _913wt_905 

Any colour you want, this is what i have and they are amazing! Make sure to put the fitting around 8" above the tank, so you dont get the beams through the water, however some people like that


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## HarryRobinson (17 Jul 2012)

This is my setup:


new leds's in situ by Harry.R, on Flickr


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## Skatersav (17 Jul 2012)

wow, that does look really cool.  I take back my harsh criticism of all things LED.  Tank looks awesome as well.


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## HarryRobinson (17 Jul 2012)

You wait till next week, ill have it all planted up! The led's will then really show their true colors


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