LED lighting options for big planted tanks ?

[Trevor Pleco]

I've enjoyed the ATI Sunpower T5 x6 80w unit for many years on a 1.8M planted Co2 tank. However, given that our local electricity costs having tripled in recent years not to mention the dreaded load shedding debacle here where we loose power several times a day for two hours at a time, I need to try and find a less power hungry LED unit or units. To save costs I've been using x4 of the x6 tubes and this has been adequate for the tank. I would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions as to what's currently available on the LED front when it comes to lighting bigger 780L planted tanks or possibly adapting my current ATI unit ?

 

[hypnogogia]

Have you thought of getting T5 LED replacement tubes?

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I believe there are LED tubes you could swap out your current tubes for but I’m not sure how much power/efficiency you will get with them.

 

[hypnogogia]

I believe there are LED tubes you could swap out your current tubes for but I’m not sure how much power/efficiency you will get with them.

I suspect they would be half the current wattage.

 

[Mr.Shenanagins]

I suspect they would be half the current wattage.

My guess as well, but the concern I’d have is it going to be equivalent PAR values. I’m going to err on the side of caution and say no, but maybe someone who has tested or has any knowledge could help. Hb you @oreo57 ?

 

[zozo]

Looking at the specs of an Osram T5 80 Watts then it's 6150 lumens. Osrams offers a LED replacement 37 Watts and 5600 lumens

Osram LED Tube T5 SubstiTUBE (HF) Ultra Output 37W 5600lm - 840 Cool White | 145cm - Replaces 80W

Osram LED Tube T5 SubstiTUBE (HF) Ultra Output 37W 5600lm - 840 Cool White | 145cm - Replaces 80W starting from . Order ! Free LED-Advice: !

www.any-lamp.co.uk

So according to Osram, they're pretty close in performance and would safe you about half the power.

Another replacement would be using floodlights instead.

led flood light 6000 lumens - Google Search

About all 6000 lumens floodlights are 50 Watts
Amazon product ASIN B0776P9JJD
Tho without any PAR meter equipment, it still might be a shot in the dark if it's all true to what they say. I have no idea how a light tube factory determines the luminous output of a tube light. And in the LED industry, the formula of determination is simply to add the lumens per chip on the board/strip. For example, if the board has 120 LED chips at 50 lumens each then it should be 120x50 = 6000 lumen.

That's how it's done and I personally have my doubts if this is really this simple and correct. But what you see is what you get, bright or not so bright. To figure out if it's really sufficient is trial and error or the use of extra and pretty expensive PAR meter equipment and get first-hand data.

 

[Trevor Pleco]

Have you thought of getting T5 LED replacement tubes?

Many thanks for the feedback here, I was initially tolled the ATI units could not take the LED T5s, but I'll certainly look into this again. It might be because it's a dimmable unit and this is not compatible with the LEDS ?
The other major issue I have with the unit with living in South Africa given the load shedding crisis where we have several two hour power cuts per day, is that my ATI unit does not have an internal battery to keep the LCD control panel going. I fortunately don't loose the programme settings, but the clock reverts back to midnight each time.. so a nightmare to sort out each time and given that I'm usually not at home. If I could half the power with LED tubes then I could probably run the unit off our Lithium battery/ inverter system during the power outages which would be a game changer, not to mention the reduction in electricity costs !

 

[Trevor Pleco]

Value
Length Imperial	4.75ft
Length Metric	1449mm
Wattage	26 W
Lamp Size	T5
Lamp Base	G5
Fluorescent Equivalent Wattage	49W
Luminosity	4000 lm
Colour Reference	840
Colour Temperature	4000K
Colour Tone	Cool White
Voltage Rating	230 V ac
Series	ST5HO49
EU Energy Efficiency Rating	D
UK Energy Efficiency Rating	D

Not sure on the par comparison ? Would be limiting currently on the colour temp options I imagine ..

 

[fredi]

Many thanks for the feedback here, I was initially tolled the ATI units could not take the LED T5s, but I'll certainly look into this again. It might be because it's a dimmable unit and this is not compatible with the LEDS ?
The other major issue I have with the unit with living in South Africa given the load shedding crisis where we have several two hour power cuts per day, is that my ATI unit does not have an internal battery to keep the LCD control panel going. I fortunately don't loose the programme settings, but the clock reverts back to midnight each time.. so a nightmare to sort out each time and given that I'm usually not at home. If I could half the power with LED tubes then I could probably run the unit off our Lithium battery/ inverter system during the power outages which would be a game changer, not to mention the reduction in electricity costs !

Please take this with a pinch of salt
However I used to run 2x54w t5 fluorescent tubes using dimmable electronic ballasts, 18 months ago, when tubes required replacement, i enquired about led equivalents, i was informed by 2 manufacturers, that their led tubes work with choke type ballasts, not electronic
I went with fluval 3.0 lights, which i am happy with

 

[Trevor Pleco]

I gather from ATI that the freshwater planted tank version of their Straton Pro LED for reef tanks is coming out shortly and might be available in the UK already ?

​

 

[oreo57]

I gather from ATI that the freshwater planted tank version of their Straton Pro LED for reef tanks is coming out shortly and might be available in the UK already ?

​

I'd be surprised if a fw version will ever be available.
Word on the street (US ATI Dist.) is the orig ATI Straton is discontinued aand the Pro will not be sold in the US.
The reason stated is lack of availability of parts so ATI will concentrate on Europe.
Now these are reef lights and of course are not exactly cheap.
Freshwater being, in general, more "cost averse" I would actually be shocked by an ATI Straton Pro Freshwater unit.
There are the high end GHL Mitras lights available in fw though.
Never say never?

 

[Trevor Pleco]

I'd be surprised if a fw version will ever be available.
Word on the street (US ATI Dist.) is the orig ATI Straton is discontinued aand the Pro will not be sold in the US.
The reason stated is lack of availability of parts so ATI will concentrate on Europe.
Now these are reef lights and of course are not exactly cheap.
Freshwater being, in general, more "cost averse" I would actually be shocked by an ATI Straton Pro Freshwater unit.
There are the high end GHL Mitras lights available in fw though.
Never say never?

Hope this is not the case as I was told later last year by ATI themselves in Germany that a FW version was in the pipeline ..