# Sorry if this question gets beat to death... but cheap LED's for a 100cm long, 30cm deep tank?



## The Red-Tailed Shark (13 May 2019)

It will be low tech - no ferts or CO2 and mainly mosses, buces, anubias, java fern etc.

Thank You


----------



## obsessed (13 May 2019)

Look at your budget and then research a bit.
So many options for low tech.


----------



## DutchMuch (13 May 2019)

obsessed said:


> Look at your budget and then research a bit.
> So many options for low tech.


my fav options are spot/flood lights.
they are cheap and range from high-low tech


----------



## obsessed (13 May 2019)

I agree for the price hard to beat and if your a bit of a DIY person then even better


----------



## The Red-Tailed Shark (13 May 2019)

Thanks both. From my research I've been looking at the LEDDY SLIM for £80 and would rather stay under if anyone has brand suggestions or other?

What do you mean by spotlights? Got any links or anything? I saw a few but they seemed very expensive for something that would cover a small area of the tank.


----------



## DutchMuch (13 May 2019)

The Red-Tailed Shark said:


> Thanks both. From my research I've been looking at the LEDDY SLIM for £80 and would rather stay under if anyone has brand suggestions or other?
> 
> What do you mean by spotlights? Got any links or anything? I saw a few but they seemed very expensive for something that would cover a small area of the tank.


https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/1...Qx5g63ZPmoAnAuhwYy-BGsj1ZKNZXEDBoCnhkQAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/LEPOWER-Outd...t&qid=1557786643&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Onforu-Water...s=floodlight&qid=1557786685&s=gateway&sr=8-26

https://www.amazon.com/Onforu-Water...ds=floodlight&qid=1557786685&s=gateway&sr=8-5


----------



## obsessed (13 May 2019)

Outdoor spots 6500k more or less, maybe 3 10w will be enough for low tech
Someone will chime in as I'm a lazy DIY person and bought a chirhios for my low tech but if I had more time and still may build a light type frame thing in the future.


----------



## DutchMuch (13 May 2019)

obsessed said:


> build a light type frame thing in the future


----------



## obsessed (13 May 2019)

I saw this but dont like the cable, i know its petty, that's just me though,  my OCD wont let me have it, its 1 of G.Farmers I think and he put white tape on the cable and it did help. But yeah nice and neat frame you can buy for the tmc,s.
I was a tradesman so its just a time thing for me.
Small strip of aluminium and stainless steel cable fixings and your off.oh hide all cables
Good shout dutchmuch even DIY peps can do this with ease


----------



## The Red-Tailed Shark (14 May 2019)

Thanks, the Onforu 4 pack of 20W looks pretty good for me. How should i attach it over my aquarium as hanging from the ceiling isnt really an option?


----------



## rebel (14 May 2019)

30cm deep means that you can literally use any light that's available in the market. I mean any light including IKea and Kmart. Just get one that you like the look of.

Cheap Chihiros lights are fine.


----------



## rebel (14 May 2019)

Like these
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/60cm-90...hash=item521985dd2d:m:mx-azIJNQAe0Xx1onf-YNBw


----------



## Tim Harrison (14 May 2019)

If you buy a LED light, it's best to buy one with a dimmer, especially if you don't have the option of attaching it to the ceiling and varying the height of the light.

Over the tank light hanging kits are available but cost a few quid so that might not be an option either; have a look on eBay, you never know.

My DIY floodlight luminaire below cost about £75.00 to make. Light spill can be a problem and the light can appear a bit stark at first but it should work well. I made it just for the heck of it, when there weren't too many other options available. Now there is plenty of choice so you might be better off with a dedicated LED light.



The Red-Tailed Shark said:


> Thanks, the Onforu 4 pack of 20W looks pretty good for me.


Either way, 20 watts will be too intense, the ones above are 20 watts and they gave me high light, 10 watts will be plenty for low-energy.


----------



## obsessed (14 May 2019)

Looks nice and neat. Clean
If any body is bothered to much by the light spill they could get a strip of aluminium and fix it to the lip all the way around of the spots to direct the light down a bit more and stop light spill. Similar to stage lighting. 
Nice touch with the end caps.


----------



## Ricardo Carvalho (14 May 2019)

I'm using two cheap 10W led floodlights here: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/60x30x35-low-tech.57526/
Got them for about 4€ each at aliexpress. To be able to use them i just needed to buy a cable with a plug and a switch for each one, i think i spent 5€ on this. I could plug them together but i like to have the possibility to turn them on and off individually. 
It would be nice to be able to dim them, but im having no issues. One of the floodlights has been working for about a year and a half and is still as new. I used it before in a 40cm tank, with the same type of plants and, again, with great results.


----------



## Craig Matthews (17 May 2019)

Sorry to crash the thread, Tim Harrison said 20w will be intense for a low tech, if I'm using one fluval aquasky 2.0 at 24 watts on 100% about 500mm above substrate level, high tech using co2 would you say this is too intense? I am having problems with BBA so I'm wondering if my lights are too strong or not strong enough. My Monte Carlo grows slowly but as new leafs slowly form the older ones attacked by BBA or die off .I have the 1 pH drop and good flow.


----------



## micheljq (21 May 2019)

DutchMuch said:


> .



For this particular tank the lighting is 2 TMC Grobeam 1500. 

Michel​


----------



## Gerrypfc (24 Aug 2019)

Tim Harrison said:


> If you buy a LED light, it's best to buy one with a dimmer, especially if you don't have the option of attaching it to the ceiling and varying the height of the light.
> 
> Over the tank light hanging kits are available but cost a few quid so that might not be an option either; have a look on eBay, you never know.
> 
> ...


What strength floods you think I need for my tank?  D52cm x W 68 x H 77cm
Wanting to run 2


----------

