LightingBamboozled
Member
I've noticed the beginnings of light reduction from my latest T5 bulbs (Although it may have been my perspex being dirty...) and so I want to start looking at switching to LED lights. Last time I looked at this I got thoroughly confused and it inspired my username. The current set up is an iQuatics Aqualumi 2x80W controller with two 1449mm bulbs from Giesemann (One whiteish "Tropic", one pinkish "Superflora") attached to the inside of the hood lid with reflectors.
The tank is with 1500x432mm internally with 9-10mm glass. There are three 62mm braces running front to back (not perfectly straight, it's a bugbear, about 20- 25mm from each end and one roughly in the middle. There are also 45mm braces running below those on both front and back fo the tank. The top of the tank glass is about 95mm below the hood, front to back braces a further 15mm and the side to side andother 10mm below that. There are two 4mm perspex/plastic lids over the top of the tank. Water is about 360mm deep and comes up to C. 4mm below the lower, left to right braces.
Problems I'm trying to solve, approximately in order of importance to me.
I've seen LED bulb t5's that run 25 - 37 W. I'm not clear whether these are powered from the T5 socket or individual power cables. They all seem to be very wide angle and don't look that bright in images. And of course it doesn't solve the not mounted on the hood problem.
I've found that lots of LED fixtures aren't long enough for the tank, 1450mm seems a standard length at full extension, so they'd have to rest on the outer braces, not even clip on the outside of them. And I'm not sure I'd get as much coverage as needed from a light that's only over the middle of the tank, because they look pretty short once the legs are fully extended. They also often look tall.
So Should I get two long lights to run half the length of the tank? This will get in the way of the sliding lids so I'd need to retrofit a new answer for covering the tank
So maybe I should get 3 or 4 short lights and run them back to front. 38-40cm seems a common length for a light but I'd be worried about light and dark bands along the tank. overlapping zones being too light and also that could get pretty pricey. These lights tend to be around 60% the cost of their 140cm equivalents so 3 of them would be nearly double the cost.
So please, de-bamboozle me. Options, brands, items, ideas. I'm open for input.
The tank is with 1500x432mm internally with 9-10mm glass. There are three 62mm braces running front to back (not perfectly straight, it's a bugbear, about 20- 25mm from each end and one roughly in the middle. There are also 45mm braces running below those on both front and back fo the tank. The top of the tank glass is about 95mm below the hood, front to back braces a further 15mm and the side to side andother 10mm below that. There are two 4mm perspex/plastic lids over the top of the tank. Water is about 360mm deep and comes up to C. 4mm below the lower, left to right braces.
Problems I'm trying to solve, approximately in order of importance to me.
- Reduce energy costs. I'm spending 160W for lighting I could be getting for less
- Reduce heat. During the summer these lights keep the tank above my desired temperature and we're getting to that season again.
- Lights not mounted on the hood. With the lights on the hood lid I struggle to see what I'm doing when working in the tank, opening the lid illuminates the whole room and somewhat freaks out the fish as the tank plunges into darkness.
- Significantly less important
- Control over light colour (I'm not sure I'm 100% happy with the current colour from two distinct bulbs)
- Sunrise/sunset mode would be nice (The lights snapping off at night is a very sudden change to the mood of the room).
- Slightly brighter lighting, I think I might not have quite enough light for my carpet plants, but it's not a major thing.
- Potentially adaptable to a 6' x 2' tank in the future.
I've seen LED bulb t5's that run 25 - 37 W. I'm not clear whether these are powered from the T5 socket or individual power cables. They all seem to be very wide angle and don't look that bright in images. And of course it doesn't solve the not mounted on the hood problem.
I've found that lots of LED fixtures aren't long enough for the tank, 1450mm seems a standard length at full extension, so they'd have to rest on the outer braces, not even clip on the outside of them. And I'm not sure I'd get as much coverage as needed from a light that's only over the middle of the tank, because they look pretty short once the legs are fully extended. They also often look tall.
So Should I get two long lights to run half the length of the tank? This will get in the way of the sliding lids so I'd need to retrofit a new answer for covering the tank
So maybe I should get 3 or 4 short lights and run them back to front. 38-40cm seems a common length for a light but I'd be worried about light and dark bands along the tank. overlapping zones being too light and also that could get pretty pricey. These lights tend to be around 60% the cost of their 140cm equivalents so 3 of them would be nearly double the cost.
So please, de-bamboozle me. Options, brands, items, ideas. I'm open for input.