New lighting for new scape

[Carpman]

I'm thinking of upgrading the lighting in my Trigon 190, I bought the tank used 2 years ago with its current lighting 2 x t5's. I would like a more natural lighting regime rather than just the on or off.
I have been looking at the various LEDs systems that are programmable with your phone and found price to vary considerably from the Chihiros WRGB 60-80cm £135 (+possible import tax £140) to the Heliolux 700 at £210. Both systems look good and do exactly what I want.
The next stage of my thinking is the quality/strength of light, I believe the T5's and reflectors I'm running are approx 6400 lumens with a 60cm (50cm to soil) deep tank I'm bordering low to medium light bracket. The LED systems Chihiros provides 5200lm and the Heliolux 4480lm obviously this is a drop in lumens ( I know nothing about PAR ratings) but is it a better quality light? Tank is it lit with 2 T5's from 12:00-19:00 and the blue led strip from 19:00-22:00, I know I will be increasing the overall time tank is lit but I have no idea on wether the led sytems will actually increase or decrease my current light levels (if they are correct).

Can some of the more experience members please advise / straighten me up on this if possible.


Tank setup is :-

1. Lighting period 12-19:00 T5's with reflectors (Blue led strip 19-20:000
2. Co2 at about 2bps
3. Tnc complete 20mls per week
4. Eheim 4+ 350 and Koradia 2200lph

Plants grow slowly never managed to get Mc to grow fish / shrimp seem happy enough.

 

[Siege]

Personally I’d go with the Juwel led. Others who have it already will be able to advise.

A few thoughts that may help

Fertiliser regime looks very low for a high tech tank. using co2 and high lights combined with reasonably densely planted, you should be adding c.15 - 20 ml per day.
Co2 could also be low. Bubbles donot mean that much. You’ll need it on perhaps 4 hours before lights come on and get drop checker nice and lime green ready for lights on.

 

[alto]

In general Chihiros don't perform well in deeper tanks - I doubt this one is much different BUT a reported LED (manufacturer, wattage, intensity) would easily allow you to determine overall intensity, also ask about internal reflector/lens used (possibly none - which won’t really impact 36cm high tanks), driver etc
ie as much technical specifications as possible (I bet they tell you nothIng 😉)

OTOH if you’re able to try the light & return with minimal shipping cost if not satisfied, it would be worth the trial (dubious about refunds though unless you buy through a local shop)

Juwel has had their HelioLux out long enough that technical support should be able to provide use data - can you add a second Juwel light unit to the Trigon 190? if so, adding an LED would allow sunrise/sunset applications

Also look at Eheim new LED released Interzoo 2018
Fluval 3.0 planted LED - they supplied these to the recent Chinese Aquascaping event CIPAS (or something like acronym)

 

[Carpman]

Its Done as much as I would like to have taken a chance and saved a few quid with a cheaper option, I have purchased the Helialux 700 with the day and night controller.

 

[Carpman]

@ian_m You seem to be the man in the know when it coms to lighting, I know aquarium lighting is not about the lumens and watts but Par rating is there anyway to work this out for the above lighting system at it's max in my tank, i say at its max because obviously in can decrease power if necessary. This will be fitted after strip down / rescape, I will probably have to start lower and increase depending on the the ph profile and some of my original plants will be going back into the new scape.