• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Help choosing new lighting

Joined
2 Aug 2015
Messages
83
After my Dennerle scaper 24watt led light has let me down for the second time, I would like to go for something different/better. The light is for my 50lt scaper tank (45x36x31cm), but would like it to be good for an upgrade that I plan to do within the next year. The new tank would be either a 45x45x40cm or 60x40x40cm. It would be nice to have control over the power for different scapes. Another wish would be to suspend it over rather than sitting on the tank. As for budget ......... possibly up to a couple of hundred for a light that will last for a good few year. I don't know a lot about lighting so I could really do with some help!
 
Are you a DIY'er? Daylight LED floodlights have worked amazingly well for me at a fraction of the cost. I have them suspended by wire from a shelf mounted to the wall. They aren't the prettiest option, but effective and you can direct each light individually for more or less concentration in different parts of the aquarium. This is over a 75litre. For anything under, I would say you would only need 2. At $12 each you'd be far under budget. Just don't get the cheap flea-bay ones, get the LE's.

-1.jpg
 
I have 2 of the TMC 400mini tiles to light the forground of my tank,I find them great.Very bright and a good spread of light,gets all my carpet plants pearling like crazy.Mine are screwed in my tank hood,But i think you can get some gooseneck style mounts to mount them above the tank.
As you can run 2 from a single TMC 2 channel controller you can set sunrise,sunset times,ramp up,down timing and min,max light intensity.
 
Great idea j art, but I want just to buy something off the shelf.
Have been looking at the TMC lighting Dave, but more the 1500 tile. Do TMC do the brackets that fix to the stand?
I have also been looking at the Kessil a160, they look really smart, just not sure if one would give me the coverage on the 60x40x40cm tank.
 
yes TMC do a mountaray bracket that fixes to the back of your tank and suspends the tile above your tank,They are around 20 quid.If your looking at a 1500 tile,bracket and a controller for simular money you can get a kessil a160 on a gooseneck.
I personally would go for the kessil,Never used one myself,But have heard there fantastic lights.
 
I think I will treat myself to the Kessil, but I need to make sure one will be enough to cover a 60x40x40 tank.
 
I also read that it does from 30 to 60cm, but it would be nice to hear it from someone who has one. I guess that it the height that determines the spread of the beam, something else I would like to get confirmed. Kessil do two different brackets, the gooseneck, and a mounting arm. I would prefer the later, with it screwed to the stand. But to do that you need the extension mount, which both added together will cost over £100. I need to make sure it's the right one before I shell out £230-£300. I can't believe I'm even thinking about it! Lol
 
Back
Top