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LEDs for 90x60x45(h)

CMac

CMac

Member
Joined
6 Aug 2014
Messages
30
Hi all,

TL;DR
Suggestions for a single hangable LED solution to a 90cmx60cmx45cm(h) low light/tech please.


The long bit:
I will hopefully be moving into our own place in the next few months so naturally I have already started planning the tank upgrade!

I have always liked the ubiquitous ADA 120p, great height and depth matched with plenty of length gives you lots of options when it comes to both scapes and livestock.
Unfortunately the terrace we are moving into has limited tank placement options. So the approved spot will most likely be next to the chimney breast, just shy of 110cm :'(

So I started looking at 90cm tanks as a nice match, and am fairly convinced by a rimless 90x60x45(h). This isn't a stock size but it actually matches the 120p for footprint and volume.

I am just considering how it would be lit.
The setup will be low-medium light, with easy, large leaved plants, jungle style. Low rate, supplemental Co2 is also a possibility but I'm not looking for fast growth, just a lush and healthy long term 'scape.

Whilst I am not opposed to dual 39w T5 setup I am yet to find a smart hangable solution. If you know of any, let me know!

So my ideal light would be a LED tile that could be hung, producing a 3:2 oblong footprint of even, lowish PAR throughout the water column. Without lighting up my front room like a dentist's.
Dreaming much? Haha

These are what I have looked at, let me know your thoughts on them or suggest anything else you can think of!

Kessil a160we
AI prime
Radion xr15 freshwater. (Pricey)
Tmc Grobeam 1500

They all rate a 60cm square footprint but they all seem pack a decent punch so raising them to cover about 75cm square is feasable and probably about as good as I'm going to get out of a single tile/module?

Failing this, my backup solution is a pair of 90cm TMC aquabars, well priced and flexible mounting options make them quite attractive but obviously not is the same league as those mentioned above.

I would like to keep the price under £300. If you have made it this far you are clearly avoiding better things you should be doing, but thanks anyway haha

CMac
 
What about 2 Kessil A80s for better spread and about the same price as the a160 - though I prefer the solid hangers at a whopping £65 each rather than the goosenecks but think they're included in the £150 for the a80 - you did say low light/tech. I'm not sure about the stats for par etc

ETA

Just reread and seen the "SINGLE" option at the start - apologies I need more caffeine
 
Vandal Gardener said:
What about 2 Kessil A80s for better spread and about the same price as the a160 - though I prefer the solid hangers at a whopping £65 each rather than the goosenecks but think they're included in the £150 for the a80 - you did say low light/tech. I'm not sure about the stats for par etc

ETA

Just reread and seen the "SINGLE" option at the start - apologies I need more caffeine
Click to expand...

No, no, don't worry, to be fair I had completely forgotten about those. I said single mainly because most of the dual options weight in way over budget. @15w a piece and pretty tiny they would look pretty good, I like the simplicity too, dim with a knob, fit and forget.
 
CMac said:
No, no, don't worry, to be fair I had completely forgotten about those. I said single mainly because most of the dual options weight in way over budget. @15w a piece and pretty tiny they would look pretty good, I like the simplicity too, dim with a knob, fit and forget.
Click to expand...

I doubt A80s would produce enough light, even in a low tech setup.
 
There's a thread in "tpt" where there's a whole load of numbers and graphs which is all a bit beyond me I'm afraid. Crux I think is that Kessil is questionable efficiency in comparison to competition. There's some nice pics though 😉

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/1102322-kessil-a80-tuna-sun-4.html (if link's not allowed I'll remove).

Some people have mid life crisis with sports cars etc but there's something about that light and in no way am I affiliated with Kessil (I wish).

P.S. I'd take MrHidley's advice as mines is purely aesthetic reasons.
 
After spending most of my lunch digging on the a80s (I should have probably been actually eating!) I really am no closer. I feel that they seem over-hyped rather than underperforming, 15w is 15w. At 45cm depth they seem more suited to 45cm square, so 2x giving a 90x45cm footprint. I could work with that, large swimming area at the front perhaps. But a single chirhiros 90cm would do that just as well for 1/3 of the price.

Considering this, a single 60cm square light such as the a160 would work, planted accordingly, with an island style (central or even asymmetrical). Maybe I should focus on the scape for abit and decide from there, I do plan on a long life for it, I am fairly hands off once it's all running.

Continue to drop any ideas you have here though people. Any thoughts on the Aquabars? I haven't seen any of the 'new' t-series but the older models were well received.

Thanks for all the replies!

CMac
 
Word on the A80's is the new reflector tech which gives much closer PAR to A160 than one would expect based upon watts etc - I've still to set up mine 😳

I've not looked at tpt link but Sanjay Joshi data showed Kessil to out perform the Radion XRFW15 in terms of PAR despite lower watt, the latter also shifts spectra with intensity (driver related, likely sorted in the new marine series from Radion but as far as I can tell they've not updated theIr FW LED) - Radion is also premium price in my area so easy choice for me to go Kessil


BUT if you want decent light across the 60cm width, you'll need to look at A360 ... forget the claims of 60cm radius on the A160 or XR15FW - outside 45cm radius, PAR is extremely low, enough to see by but not enough for anything other than mosses - maybe!

I'd add the new Twinstar 90cm lights to your consideration
 
I've got four kessil 160 tuna suns, there are good but I would go down the DIY route and do a custom COD LED array of I had my time again. LEDs are moving on very fast. Could save yourself quite a bit.

Sent from Mountolympus via neural interface
 
I've got a brand new chihiros a series 90 cm you can have for what I bought it for. Pm me if interested


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi, 4 X TMC Grobeam 600 would do (or 2 -1500 Ultima, but maybe overkill). Only 2 Grobeam 600 would give low, maybe low-med light. 4 Grobeam 600 would give better coverage, since front to back the tank is 24".

They are my preferred one of the reasons being the 5 years warranty.

Michel.
 
alto said:
I'd add the new Twinstar 90cm lights to your consideration
Click to expand...

I like the look and the price of these, cant see if they are hangable, so would be concerned about the spread. Would one manage the full 60cm?


Zeus. said:
I've got four kessil 160 tuna suns, there are good but I would go down the DIY route and do a custom COD LED array of I had my time again. LEDs are moving on very fast. Could save yourself quite a bit.

Sent from Mountolympus via neural interface
Click to expand...

A custom array would certainly solve this awkward footprint but not sure if I'm up to the job of doing it properly, it needs to be neat and just work, my track record is not great haha
Maybe I will have a go on a nano in the future.

micheljq said:
Hi, 4 X TMC Grobeam 600 would do (or 2 -1500 Ultima, but maybe overkill). Only 2 Grobeam 600 would give low, maybe low-med light. 4 Grobeam 600 would give better coverage, since front to back the tank is 24".

They are my preferred one of the reasons being the 5 years warranty.

Michel.
Click to expand...

This throws up some interesting thoughts. It is unconventional but splitting the tank into 2x 60x45 or 3x 60x30 and running lights front to back would make sense. Like you say, 3 grobeams would probably work in this formation each lighting 60x30cm. The only hitch with this setup would be the risk of it looking quite cluttered, something I was trying (unrealistically it seems) to avoid with a single unit.

Maybe two 60cm units of something like the Chihiros A or E series would work?


Thanks again everyone,

CMac
 
Twinstart Iberica facebook shows the new S light suspended in a display video - I didn't scroll further to see if there was an actual release video with light details
The new S light appears in one of the ukaps journals - I'll add the link if I recall which 😳

Not many lights will manage the 60 cm front to back with a single fixture (giesemann if that's in your budget), I believe ADA & Twinstar both have a "double array" wider LED unit so you can get the coverage that way, Kessil A360

Running lights front to back would work but do some cardboard box mock ups first as this will impact how your eye views the tank - in time your "eye" (as in how we perceive objects) will become accustomed to the alignment & you'll notice it much less
 
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