Hanging LED lights

**furyprix** · 5th Oct 2014, 12:57

I'm thinking of hanging my LED light set using a hanging kit for my upcoming tank.
my new tank measures 60 by 30 by 24H. Am considering to hang the lights at about 15cm from the top of the tank. But this got me wondering which length LED and bulb wattage to get for the tank. Calling experienced bros to advise! It's gonna be a high tech, 1bps CO2 with fertilizers.

The LEDs I'm considering are:
beamswork 45-55cm 33x0.5W
beamswork 60-80cm 48x0.5W
up-aqua pro-z 60cm 33x0.5W
beamswork 45-55cm 12*3W

Main concern is the LED coverage being too little/too much

**Urban Aquaria** · 5th Oct 2014, 14:24

If you are hanging up the lights, then go for the higher wattage ones... you can easily vary the height of the lights to adjust its overall intensity and light spread/coverage on the tank.

**Orcishwarrior** · 5th Oct 2014, 14:27

Do Calculate the lumen required

**furyprix** · 5th Oct 2014, 16:53

How about the length of the lights? I'm afraid that there would be too much 'excess light' from the elevated height shining out from both sides. So I'm wondering if a 45cm long lightest can cover 60cm of tank when elevated.

**furyprix** · 5th Oct 2014, 16:54

Originally Posted by Orcishwarrior

Do Calculate the lumen required

To be honest, I've never calculated lumens before

**Urban Aquaria** · 5th Oct 2014, 17:39

Originally Posted by furyprix

How about the length of the lights? I'm afraid that there would be too much 'excess light' from the elevated height shining out from both sides. So I'm wondering if a 45cm long lightest can cover 60cm of tank when elevated.

Well, the Beamswork LED lights are usually designed to be mounted on the rim and quite close to the water surface, thats why i mentioned to get the higher wattage ones since you will be hanging it up higher, as the extra height will reduce the overall light intensity in the tank... unless you hang it just over the rim close to the water surface, then its basically the same as just mounting it on the rim.

When such lights are positioned higher over the tank, there will naturally be more light spillage around it, so its a trade-off.

A smaller lightset could also be used and as its height is increased, the light will be able to spread out further to cover the tank, but if you factor in the reduced number of LEDs and lower intensity from the start, when its is hung higher over the tank, the overall light intensity will become even lower.

Do consider that when hanging lightsets, you can regulate the light intensity by adjusting the height, so a higher wattage lightset gives you more options... rather than use a lower wattage lightset and you're already limited by the lower light intensity from the start.

**Urban Aquaria** · 5th Oct 2014, 17:59

I just noticed you mentioned the tank is only 24cm height in your first post... in that case, then maybe you could still use the smaller lightset, since there is less water for the lights to penetrate, it might turn out to be sufficient intensity for the tank.

**Suzerolt** · 5th Oct 2014, 20:35

I read that 3W leds have better 'penetrating' power compared to the 0.5W ones.

Since you are hanging them (i.e. further than the default position just over the rim), perhaps you should consider them.
If i'm not wrong, the 3W lights have 2 modes (high & low brightness setting).

I suggest reading up more.

**Phillipians** · 6th Oct 2014, 10:19

Actually if you are looking at hanging the lights... I suggest you get the higher intensity aka more expensive lights. UP and beam works lights are not meant to be hung and thus you lose a little of the intensity. Anyway you want to hang the lights probably because of aesthetic and also accessibility purposes? That way both lights wouldn't work in terms of aesthetic...
Go for a better build like maxspect, zetlight or the new sanrise lights that can play with intensity and also have got hanging kits to streamline the look.
With UP or beam works you are better off just using the stand.

**furyprix** · 6th Oct 2014, 13:15

Originally Posted by Phillipians

Actually if you are looking at hanging the lights... I suggest you get the higher intensity aka more expensive lights. UP and beam works lights are not meant to be hung and thus you lose a little of the intensity. Anyway you want to hang the lights probably because of aesthetic and also accessibility purposes? That way both lights wouldn't work in terms of aesthetic...
Go for a better build like maxspect, zetlight or the new sanrise lights that can play with intensity and also have got hanging kits to streamline the look.
With UP or beam works you are better off just using the stand.

yup, i get your point. but high end lights are definitely very pricey. my tank isn't exactly very big, the lights can easily rival the cost of the tank +substrate and hardscape haha.
perhaps i'll need to reconsider

or just go on doing my own 'cheapo' version of hanging lights

and PRAY HARD it works..

**Urban Aquaria** · 6th Oct 2014, 13:34

I guess you'll just have to try positioning the lights at different heights and see which configuration works for your setup... thats the benefit of hanging lights, you can adjust the intensity that way.

**furyprix** · 6th Oct 2014, 15:05

alright then, I'll just put the lights on hold. wait for my cabinet and light stand and experiment using my up-aqua z-series first before I decide again. thanks!
will update again!

**Urban Aquaria** · 6th Oct 2014, 15:27

Come to think of it... since your tank is the low-profile type at only 24cm height, if you hang the Z-Series light just 15cm above it, then the total distance from the tank base still works out to only 39cm.

39cm distance from tank base is pretty much the same as mounting the Z-Series lights on the rim of a normal 36cm height 2ft tank, so the overall efficiency of the light would be similar anyways.

So if you can use the Z-Series lights on a standard height 2ft tank, it'll also work for your low-profile 2ft tank.

In fact, because of the shorter tank height, since there is less water, the light should be even more effective than compared to when mounted on a standard height 2ft tank.

**furyprix** · 6th Oct 2014, 16:27

True. I'm using a set of z-series for my 60x30x45. However from my experience, I feel that for my scape, the coverage (width-wise) is insufficient for the whole 30cm. A 2nd set of lights (t series) is required to compensate the lower intensity at the background (I put my z series slightly nearer to the front so I can give sufficient light for my HC in the foreground. That's why I have concerns with just using a z series this time round too. Beamswork on the other hand, is slightly wider and may just compensate for this, I hope.

**Phillipians** · 6th Oct 2014, 20:02

In this scenario, the beam works is better. However I would like to find out how you are going to DIY a kit for hanging, I am also thinking of doing something like that for my future 30cm cube.