DIY LED floodlights any good???

[Keetchy]

I’ve just wired up one of these to see what it looks like.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07T8LZV9F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Perhaps not quite as cool white as I’d like but I’m sure it will be more than bright enough for the 60L Nano I have in mind. Just a matter of working out a suitable way of mounting it over the tank.

I was going to go for 3 of these over my tank but I didnt want the hassle of fabricating a bracket up for them and I dont think I could live with the light spill.

 

[sciencefiction]

You might also look at
Aqua Medic Qube 50 Plant LED - I prefer Kessil for appearance and 120* vs 90* lens but @sciencefiction gives it a good review here (you can also search her journal for photos)
(I found it listed at Charterhouse)

https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/led-lighting-for-24”-high-tec-tank.52502/#post-521909

Hey, the Qube 50's are still doing a great job and plants respond really well to them. They can be strong and burn leaves or cause algae if too close. I love that the Qube 50 is so light and so easy to position/twist around and they can be fit on any of my aquariums or plastic tubs. I love the color rendition. They are on the purplish side of color and they cause shimmer effect, so it all depends if this is what your are looking for. The kessil felt like a crippled giant in comparison, really heavy, and mine eventually fell in the water. Thank god it switched off the electricity. I find the color rendition of the Kessil really ugly, yellow and blurring the colors of fish and plants.

As far as Flood lights are concerned, I have one that has been brilliant in terms of supporting plant growth and health, and if it wasn't as heavy and difficult as the Kessil, and possibly bigger, I'd recommend it. But I find the convenience of the design of the Qube 50 way better.The Kessil was the worst of these 3 options, in terms of plant growth, color rendition and ease of use around tanks.

Both the Qube 50 and Kessil 360 have the controls to reduce the light intensity. My flood light doesn't.

 

[Mikeyd]

Don't know if it helps but these are the floodlights that mark uses at MD fishtanks
https://www.amazon.co.uk/V-TAC-Waterproof-Outdoor-Security-Floodlight/dp/B079LLRQ2Q

Video of one of his tanks using them here

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

I did fit the chip from the security light I bought into a suitable housing and it’s plenty bright enough but I don’t like the colour. 🙁

This is the one I bought and I don’t think it’s as white as it’s supposed to be.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07T8LZV9F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Guest]

but I don’t like the colour.

The colour temp can appear more than a little stark and lacking in the red end of the visual spectrum which washes out the colours in plants.
However, I found that after a while either you get used to it and/or the plants seem to green up a little more and it appears okay.

 

[Aqua sobriquet]

From what others have said I guess it would be ok for the plants but it’s a bit too yellow for my liking.

I also recently received another COB spotlight from China that’s supposed to be 15W as opposed to the 12W ones I’ve been using but it certainly doesn’t look any brighter to me though!

Due to the hardscape I’m using at present on the new tank I don’t think a single light source will be any good. I’m now looking at the Chichiros style multi chip type of aquarium lights. They can be had cheaply enough from China, it’s just how long it takes to get here at the moment. Then again I could spend three times the price for a Fluval Aquasky. Decisions, decisions. 🙂