# LED lighting?



## sanj (16 May 2008)

Do you think this will be powerful enough for plants?

The Tropical Marine Centre has designed these lights with suitable spectrum for tropical fish/planted aquariums.
http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/aquarium/aquaray-lighting.asp

This could be the future of aquarium lighting, major benefits being large reduction in costs and heat output. However I do not know anyone who has tried these.

The other thing ofcourse, this will involve retrofitting and manufactureres like Juwel are bound to be slow to act like they were with T5 lighting :S

With the cost of electricity going up these could be good for the hobby...that is if they can proved the cottect lighting for plant growth.


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## LondonDragon (16 May 2008)

George mentioned this to me on one of my posts since I am planning to build a large tank.
They seem good on paper but only seen them for sale in one location and they cost Â£370 a pair! so thats only 48w equivalent to T5! seem a little too expensive to me.


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## George Farmer (16 May 2008)

I'm getting the TMC units soon.  I thought they were about Â£120 per unit.

Jeremy Gay has reviewed them in the latest PFK too.


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## ceg4048 (16 May 2008)

Hi George,
                I'd love to see some objective tests using a PAR meter as discussed by VaughnH on this Barr thread => http://www.barrreport.com/articles/4265 ... arium.html

That's the only way to compare the amount of energy imparted by one type of lighting unit versus another.

Cheers,


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## George Farmer (16 May 2008)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> Hi George,
> I'd love to see some objective tests using a PAR meter as discussed by VaughnH on this Barr thread => http://www.barrreport.com/articles/4265 ... arium.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
> 
> That's the only way to compare the amount of energy imparted by one type of lighting unit versus another.
> ...



Yes, good idea.  I'm sure I can borrow a PAR meter from somewhere.


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## sanj (18 May 2008)

I read some reviews including Jeremy Gays, but i think more thorough testing is required. I ma going to wait a few years because it seems too much in its infancy at the moment.


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## LondonDragon (18 May 2008)

By the way I misread, was 370 for 2 twin packs with a single offered for free. so 5 units for 370! So Â£74 each!


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## Steve Smith (19 May 2008)

I guess the idea is they last 6x longer than standard setups, though a light balast will last longer than this.  Does anyone know if you can simply replace the LED's and not the whole unit?  Also, would this not actually be quite an easy lighting system to DIY with the right LEDs?  Like DIY moonlights?


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## Egmel (20 May 2008)

SteveUK said:
			
		

> Also, would this not actually be quite an easy lighting system to DIY with the right LEDs?  Like DIY moonlights?


This was what I was wondering!  You'd have to get the right LEDs though, the bog standard ones wouldn't be bright enough.

It was actually something I was considering doing when my jewel light unit first failed - but timing was bad and I never got round to it.   But you could also make your own controller so you can set how they switch on and off.  eg have n come on every 5 minutes for a wake up and vice versa for night-night time...  One of these days, when I have more time on my hands


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## Steve Smith (20 May 2008)

Hmn...  I wonder:

http://www.ultraleds.co.uk/water-proof-strip-cool-white-p-1037.html

Already waterproof too...


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## zig (3 Jun 2008)

Some interesting stuff here from a link over on Reefcentral. Elos have a new LED light fixture that they are currently showing at an aquarium trade exhibition in Singapore atm (think Jeremy Gaye was at this one last year?) 

Its a nice looking fixture but no doubt will cost an arm and a leg!! they reckon without the use of a PAR meter that its the equivalent of a 70W MH bulb, more importantly (for me anyway) in that thread they give a link to the actual LED that they are using which also comes in a 6500k version.

The tank this is over is about 20 gallons.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...6169&threadid=1215379&perpage=25&pagenumber=4


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## Garuf (4 Jun 2008)

Hey, they look the bee's knee's don't they!


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## George Farmer (4 Jun 2008)

Â£1000+...


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## Ray (4 Jun 2008)

zig said:
			
		

> Some interesting stuff here from a link over on Reefcentral. Elos have a new LED light fixture that they are currently showing at an aquarium trade exhibition in Singapore atm (think Jeremy Gaye was at this one last year?)
> 
> Its a nice looking fixture but no doubt will cost an arm and a leg!! they reckon without the use of a PAR meter that its the equivalent of a 70W MH bulb, more importantly (for me anyway) in that thread they give a link to the actual LED that they are using which also comes in a 6500k version.
> 
> ...



Very sweet.  I could go for one of those 20 Gallon, to coin a phrase, "American nano's"    , almost makes me want to try a reef  .  Unfortunately EOS are not showing this kit on thier website yet (http://www.eloseurope.com/en/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=71), not even the 20 gallon nano.  
They say 80 lumens per watt - how does that compare with T5?


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## sanj (25 Jun 2008)

I am considering what lighting to use and have trying to learn more info on these LEDs.

Based on info from a supplier whose discussions with TMC (producer of Aquarays):

1x LED strip = 45 par
1x 150 Watt MH = 150 par

Perhaps simplistic, but could suggest that 4 strips would be needed to substitute a 150W MH.

Ermâ€¦

Anyway I was thinking from the discussions relating to how much heat T5s and Halides generate often leading to the aquarium heaters being off for much of the year.

This could have a negative impact on the supposed gains of these LED lights in regard to Leccy bills. These LEDs are not supposed to emit much heat which could mean that the heaters would have to work much more. Considering the comparatively high wattage of aquarium heaters maybe the gains in regard to carbon footprint and reduced electricity bills might be small if any?


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