led 30watt 6500k security light (ebay).

[kirk]

Hi all, as a few of you allready know I'm well on my way with the new set up. So now its sorting suitable lighting. I'd like to go led for a few reasons, the effect less to run for a start. I was thinking it will be cheaper to strip one of these or use it as it is. EBay item no is. 330953504857. Let me know your thoughts guys and gals.cheers kirk.🙂

 

[Aquadream]

I have one of these LED lights. They create very nice shimmering effect just like the MH. Tge colour rendition is not as good unfortunately. Under these lights the red colours are very dead, looking more like some kind of brown. For this reson I don't use them.
Also 30Watts seems like a lot of LED power. Under water however this power dissapears. You will need quite a few of these to properly illuminate any aquarium.

 

[kirk]

I have one of these LED lights. They create very nice shimmering effect just like the MH. Tge colour rendition is not as good unfortunately. Under these lights the red colours are very dead, looking more like some kind of brown. For this reson I don't use them.
Also 30Watts seems like a lot of LED power. Under water however this power dissapears. You will need quite a few of these to properly illuminate any aquarium.

I'm not liking the idea now as colour for me is important, can't see the point in growing plants if you can't see them in their beauty. Any other cheap alternatives welcome please.🙂

 

[Curvball]

One of the other members is running 2 x20w units over his tank and has had great results. I will see if I can find the thread.


And Troi posted just 3 seconds after I posted this 🙂

 

[Guest]

That's an interesting observation. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed with the colour rendition at first (especially going from Arcadia T8s which give awesome colour), but within a week or two the plants seemed to have responded to the change in light and appeared to have coloured up...greens became more vivid, and ok reds appeared to be reddy brown but the colour saturation seemed deeper and more vibrant in a way that's difficult to describe accurately. But more importantly plant growth became phenomenal.

With regards lighting intensity, that's really just about getting the right combined wattage, for instance I use 2x20 watt for a 70 litre tank suspended about 20-25 cm above the tank and this provides what I would consider high-light. This configuration would also be ok for a tank around 45 cm deep and 75 cm wide. But obviously they will not be everyone's cup of tea, and I have to admitt I much prefer the colour rendition of my T8s, but that's balanced against the superb glitter lines of the LED floods.
However, I think it's perhaps a mistake to dismiss them out of hand.

This thread gives you the low down on PAR values etc http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=195589 page 7. A better FTS of the scape below can be found here UKAPS Members' Full-Tank Shots | UK Aquatic Plant Society

 

[kirk]

Wow now that's impressive🙂

 

[BigTom]

I tried them and absolutely hated the colour rendition, went back to my 70w halide shop spotlight (also cheap ~£20 second hand on ebay).

 

[Ichthyologist]

I sorted the colour rendition problems by covering the inside of my LED housing with orange fluorescent scotchcal tape. 100000 K LEDs driven at c30%, I think it looks great, the plants "pop" and reds and blues in the fish are equally vibrant.