Scouseboyblue
Member
Wondering if anyone has used LED strips the type you roll out and stick down to light aquarium / grow plants and if they would work ?
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LED strips
- Thread starter Scouseboyblue
- Start date
lazybones51
Member
I tried them briefly, however the colour temperature wasn't very pleasing (too yellow in my case). If you tried RGB strips with a suitable controller that allowed you to dial in a better colour it may look better.
How about two of these, remove the frosted cover and hang them over your tank (standard E27 mount). Then you'll have 50w x 2 worth of LEDs lighting up your tank.
I'm using these bulbs in softboxes for video. A lot cheaper than professional video lights but my videos are for inhouse rather than professional use. However, CRI is only 80, whereas professional lights its obviously going to be higher.
ScareCrow
Member
I used LED light strips for actinic light on a reef tank years ago. They worked well but they have a tendency to burn out quite quick as they don't have any heatsinks.
I've used small LED flood lights on planted tanks in the past. They worked well but my tanks have always been low tech, so can't say how they'd work on a high tech tank but I guess you'd just need to increase the wattage.
There was a guy on YouTube that had an amazing tank using e27 WiFi controlled bulbs similar to those erwin123 posted but the type that can change colour to what ever you want. Annoyingly I can't find the video but he just cut the frosted globe off and suspended them above the tank. I think I'll either go that route or WiFi controlled flood lights with the colour control option in the future. The flood lights have the benefit of looking less DIY and having a good spread. That said you can't suspend them too high or you'll flood light the whole room.
I've used small LED flood lights on planted tanks in the past. They worked well but my tanks have always been low tech, so can't say how they'd work on a high tech tank but I guess you'd just need to increase the wattage.
There was a guy on YouTube that had an amazing tank using e27 WiFi controlled bulbs similar to those erwin123 posted but the type that can change colour to what ever you want. Annoyingly I can't find the video but he just cut the frosted globe off and suspended them above the tank. I think I'll either go that route or WiFi controlled flood lights with the colour control option in the future. The flood lights have the benefit of looking less DIY and having a good spread. That said you can't suspend them too high or you'll flood light the whole room.
not called Bob
Member
Wonder if any one has used the waterproof Philips hue strip for this, the internal ones are very bright on the eye, and can dial in any colour you fancy
dino21
Member
Had exactly the same expereince as @ScareCrow with those blue flexible strips even mounted onto a small heatsink they soon became dim after a few months.
You can buy led strips that are factory mounted onto a metal strip which can be mounted onto a much larger heat sink, we have some 8520 ones which are still as bright 18 months later ( measured with a meter)
Some of the led types come in a choice of three types, Warm , Normal or Cool White and most are 12v dc working so easy to control.
The trouble is many are only available from the Far East though some of the less powerful bare strips and ones built into a small heatsink as cupboard lights can be supplied direct in the uk.
You can buy led strips that are factory mounted onto a metal strip which can be mounted onto a much larger heat sink, we have some 8520 ones which are still as bright 18 months later ( measured with a meter)
Some of the led types come in a choice of three types, Warm , Normal or Cool White and most are 12v dc working so easy to control.
The trouble is many are only available from the Far East though some of the less powerful bare strips and ones built into a small heatsink as cupboard lights can be supplied direct in the uk.
Scouseboyblue
Member
Cheers for the replies I’ve got 3 spare nano tanks so think I’ll give each a different light system and see how they all go 
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