# 6,500k,  1120  lm, 10.6 w ok for 80cm w, 45cm high tank?



## ojustaboo (10 Jan 2021)

Hi all

New Eheim Vivaline LED 126, the LED it comes with is a daylight bulb with 6,500k,  1120  lm, 10.6 w

Still in the process of setting up, hardscape arriving Tuesday.  Plants about another week away.

Just set the LED up to test it, it's a simple on off one.  I notice in the Eheim manual a special one for plants is available,
that one is a whopping £180 and is 8,350 k,  840 lm, 10.6 w , so it's lower Lumen but higher Kelvin.

No way on this planet I would pay that price for LED at the same time it's made me wonder whether mine is up to the job.
Will be a CO2 system, cant say which plants I will have yet  (Aquarium Gardens making me up a suggested list based on stock etc)

Slightly irked, the advert for my tank said



> EHEIM vivalineLED is the new freshwater aquarium combination in four different sizes and countless colour combinations, consisting of aquarium with –EHEIM LED lighting, cabinet, filter, heater and biological filter media. You only have to think about fish and plants.



I took that as presuming the LED was suitable for plants

Many thanks


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## Maf 2500 (10 Jan 2021)

Looking at it on paper the light seems way underpowered for a planted aquarium of that size at 10.6 watts .

Fluval Plant 3.0 for example is 32w in the 60cm version, so 3X the energy.

For an 80cm long x 45cm deep aquarium with added co2 you would need a minimum of 30 watts to see any real benefit from the co2, and many would go much higher. Many 60cm aquascaping lights are over 50 watts and that's shorter than you tank. The Eheim light may be suitable for growing low light plants in non co2 environment but would not be suitable in a high tech tank.


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## Zeus. (10 Jan 2021)

Watts, Lumens and PAR are three ways to compare the light output.

Watts is very inaccurate as it doesnt account for the lights efficiency and LED also change very fast so last months model may be more efficient as this weeks.
Lumens is better than watts as it measures the light output but plants only use Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), 
PAR is the true units of comparison for light output for plants and light manufactures should really give PAR outputs esp when its for plants - but few do.


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## sparkyweasel (10 Jan 2021)

Maf 2500 said:


> Fluval Plant 3.0 for example is 32w in the 60cm version, so 3X the energy.


But, at 2350 lm, only twice the light output. One reason why watts/gallon is not very useful.


I would see how your plants get on with the supplied light before spending any money on extra lights. And look at cheaper options than the Eheim one if you do find you need to upgrade.


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## MrClockOff (10 Jan 2021)

ojustaboo said:


> Hi all
> 
> New Eheim Vivaline LED 126, the LED it comes with is a daylight bulb with 6,500k,  1120  lm, 10.6 w
> 
> ...


Hi, 
I have the tank 80cm long and 35cm tall. Originally it came with 60cm 9w LED strip. Plants were growing OK but very slow, then I added CO2 but plants still grew at the same pace. Started dosing EI but again plants were growing slow. And after a year I have finally upgraded my light to Superfish Slim 74 which is 46watt, 7300k, 2984lumen and 230par. The difference it made was WOW! Also I don’t regret even buying the controller for sunrise and sunset despite that it is slightly overpriced for so basic functionality.. The lights it self are £60-£70 depending on the shop selling it. Also it comes with 2 years warranty. 
cheers, 
Dan


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## oreo57 (11 Jan 2021)

sparkyweasel said:


> But, at 2350 lm, only twice the light output. One reason why watts/gallon is not very useful.
> 
> 
> I would see how your plants get on with the supplied light before spending any money on extra lights. And look at cheaper options than the Eheim one if you do find you need to upgrade.


Simple "why lumens break down" w/ certain lights:
Composite, black curve is what a lumen (or lux) meter measures, or should measure:
Colored is the Fluval spectrum of course. Rough estimate.
Simple calculator:





						Convert Lumens to PPF - Online Calculator |         Waveform Lighting
					

Online calculator to convert luminous flux (lumens) to PPF (micromoles per second).



					www.waveformlighting.com
				



Notice 10 lumens of pure blue light is *1.16 PAR*
10 lumens of poor cri 6500k led is *0.13 PAR*
Green curve is night vision sensitivity or why a 4500k moon looks blue /white.
To be fair cheap 6500k leds also have a lot of blue.
Between the 2 posted lights the actual PAR may be the same since 8500K light is cooler (more blue) so more missed photons.
Not sure what makes their plant light soo special as to cost so much more. 
found this one but it's 9200k 9.8W 970 lumens but a row of 450nm blue diodes maybe. It's implied but not really stated.
100%-ish PAR and low "lumens" if measured on it's own.


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## ojustaboo (11 Jan 2021)

I've just put the supplied Eheim light on, and with an empty tank I can see there's no way that will be good enough.

About to order the Superfish Slim 74 that MrClockOff suggested


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## ojustaboo (11 Jan 2021)

MrClockOff said:


> Hi,
> I have the tank 80cm long and 35cm tall. Originally it came with 60cm 9w LED strip. Plants were growing OK but very slow, then I added CO2 but plants still grew at the same pace. Started dosing EI but again plants were growing slow. And after a year I have finally upgraded my light to Superfish Slim 74 which is 46watt, 7300k, 2984lumen and 230par. The difference it made was WOW! Also I don’t regret even buying the controller for sunrise and sunset despite that it is slightly overpriced for so basic functionality.. The lights it self are £60-£70 depending on the shop selling it. Also it comes with 2 years warranty.
> cheers,
> Dan



Watching the Superfish vid, the way it fits a lidded tank is by using brackets either side of the center support glass.  

















Mine doesn't have any center support, so I suppose I would have to knock something up to make it fit properly?

The Eheim one fits either end like


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## MrClockOff (11 Jan 2021)

ojustaboo said:


> Watching the Superfish vid, the way it fits a lidded tank is by using brackets either side of the center support glass.
> 
> View attachment 160420
> 
> ...


The light also has extendable brackets which may work in your case. Otherwise DIY something more suitable.
My original LED strip was attached to the lid with four screws. I have measured the distance between the holes in the lid and drilled two holes in each plastic bracket (which came with the light too) at the same distance. Attached the brackets with screws to the lid where the original light was fixed. Clicked in the new light in to the brackets and job done!

My plan B was to use Velcro heavy duty hook and loop straps if plan A would fail


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## ojustaboo (12 Jan 2021)

Gave in, also bought the controller as well


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## Luis Matias (10 Aug 2022)

Hi,
Thanks for your thread and congratulations, nice tank.
I am thinking about buying an Eheim Vivaline 126 like yours. Would you be so kind and tell me what is the glass thickness of the aquarium? On their official website it says something like 6/8mm
So I am lost.. is it 6mm or 8mm.  For a 80x40x45 tank I would feel better if it was 8mm
Really appreciate if you could confirm. Thanks


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