LED lights for carpeting plants

[gid]

Hello bros,

I am starting on a new project, a low profile tank about L80 H30 B30cm.

I intend to have quite a few carpeting plants such as glosso, jap hairgrass and staurogyne repens. The last time I set up a new tank was about 3 years ago when people were still unsure about LED lights.

Would you recommend LED for my tank? Any specific models and where can I get them?

(or perhaps I should just stick with the good old aquazonic T5)

Thanks!

[Urban Aquaria]

For your particular tank dimensions, can consider the Up Aqua Z-Series LED light (90cm version). You can get it from LFS like East Ocean or Seaview.

That lightset confirm can grow hairgrass (as well as the other plants you mentioned)... here is my tank example using the same lights growing the sp. "mini" version:

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...Edge-quot-Tank!

Note that i'm still using the older 1st generation light model, the newer generation model uses higher powered LEDs with more light intensity, so the performance should be even better.

Of course how fast and how well the plants grow also depend on the overall Co2 and nutrient availability too.

[AQMS]

Go with led. You can also mix it,like led and t5 together.

[gid]

Hey bros, thanks for your advice.

The UP series looks good, but the confirmed species of my tank is (length 75 height 28 breadth 25). So a 90 cm light will be too long and protrude from the sides. I'm thinking of the 60cm model but the UP one does not have extendable legs.

Any reccomendation for a model with extendable legs that will suit my 75cm length?

Or perhaps I shouod stick to a good old 60cm T5x2 with extendable legs, if there is such a model around.

[Urban Aquaria]

Hey bros, thanks for your advice.

The UP series looks good, but the confirmed species of my tank is (length 75 height 28 breadth 25). So a 90 cm light will be too long and protrude from the sides. I'm thinking of the 60cm model but the UP one does not have extendable legs.

Any reccomendation for a model with extendable legs that will suit my 75cm length?

Or perhaps I shouod stick to a good old 60cm T5x2 with extendable legs, if there is such a model around.

While the Z-Series mounts can extend for another 1-2 cm on either end, it can't extend that much more for odd length tanks.

For the tank's 75cm tank length, i guess you'll either have to go for the longer lightset (ie. 90cm version, it'll protrude 7-8cm on each side, but you'll at least get more light coverage, rather than being dim at the sides when using a smaller lightset), or bend some aluminum/stainless steel wire to DIY an extendable stand for it (the mounting points on the lightset are just tube slots).

You could also look at the Beamsworks lightsets too, or even the Odyssea Evo (the more powerful versions), they have extendable wire mounts.

If you are familiar with T5 lightsets (and are okay with the bulky casing and higher heat generation), then it could be a good option to go with it too.

[gid]

Yea I can consider getting the UP 90 cm set, but I will have 8 cm protruding either side and that will look silly. Or perhaps make my own mount for the 60cm model.

What do you think of the BEAMSWORK - Power LED 400?

[Urban Aquaria]

Yea I can consider getting the UP 90 cm set, but I will have 8 cm protruding either side and that will look silly. Or perhaps make my own mount for the 60cm model.

What do you think of the BEAMSWORK - Power LED 400?

The 400 model could work too... but for the 60cm version it uses only 78 x 0.06W LEDs (while the 1st generation Z-Series 60cm model uses 90 x 0.06W LEDs), so the overall light intensity is abit less.

Maybe you can consider the newer Beamsworks Hi-Lumen 60 model instead, it uses 48 x 0.5W LEDs and should be more effective (similar to the 2nd generation Z-Series).

The only thing when using 60cm lightsets on a 75cm length tank is while the middle area will be lit, the sides will tend to be darker.

I guess it depends on your planted layout, "island" style aquascapes where all the plants are situated in the middle of the tank would do fine, but if the plants are spread out across the whole tank, then it'll be better to use a longer lightset to ensure sufficient light coverage.

[gid]

Thanks bro, have been in this for 4 years and now I'm learning all over again. Haha

I have also come across the Beamswork EVO 24, but I guess that's too overkill for my low-profile tank? Too expensive too.

So in order of power, from lowest to highest, they are:
1- Beamswork Power LED 400 (60cm)
2- Beamswork Hi-Lumen 60 (60cm)
3- Beamswork EVO 24 (60cm)

I think I will go for the Hi-Lumen series. Does it come with extendable arms?

[AQMS]

Why not get the led spot light like the one shadow using.
It comes in 10,20,30,40,50 watt.
The 20watt is around 40++ but you have to do your own wiring.

[gid]

I'm not so pro like shadow to do my own wiring, I also won't want to make a big mess and make everthing look silly.

I think the Beamswork Hi-Lumen should work well for carpeting plants? My tank is just 28cm high anyway.

[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks bro, have been in this for 4 years and now I'm learning all over again. Haha

I have also come across the Beamswork EVO 24, but I guess that's too overkill for my low-profile tank? Too expensive too.

So in order of power, from lowest to highest, they are:
1- Beamswork Power LED 400 (60cm)
2- Beamswork Hi-Lumen 60 (60cm)
3- Beamswork EVO 24 (60cm)

I think I will go for the Hi-Lumen series. Does it come with extendable arms?

Well, its all about suitability... you can still get stronger lights and if you find the intensity too much, then simply suspend it higher above the tank, that will reduce the overall intensity accordingly.

The light choice really depend on the type of tank setup you are going for (and your budget). If you are going for high densities of fast growing plants with ample Co2 and lots of fertilizer dosing, then you should go for stronger lights to match the plant growth rate... on the other hand, if you plan to have slower growing plants and no (or less) Co2 and minimal fertilizer dosing, then less strong lights would be more suitable.

The Beamsworks LED lights utilize extendable wire brackets (basically wire holders in tube slots) so they can be widened to fit larger tanks.

I'm not so pro like shadow to do my own wiring, I also won't want to make a big mess and make everthing look silly.

The type of LED spotlights (aka outdoor LED floodlights) that Shadow uses already come with their own AC adaptor... just plug it in and switch on. No need any additional wiring work.

Here are some examples from an online LED shop i usually order stuff from (link is already search narrowed, AC power + Cool White):

https://www.myled.com/led-outdoor-light/flood-light.html?attr_id=76-26&option_id=3593-243

There are many other online LED shops where you can source the lights, so do check around.

For a longer tank like yours, you'll need to buy a few of those LED flood lights and DIY a light-stand to mount them (can use steel or PVC pipes, aluminum profiles are a good option too), each floodlight will provide coverage for different sections of the tank. The LED floodlights are usually designed for outdoor usage, so they have a certain degree of waterproofing too.

This is a good example of multiple LED floodlights with DIY light-stand used on a planted tank:



Photo from Google Images.

[Shadow]

Yes, very easy and cheap, you just need to screw 3 wire into power plug. The wire is color coded, can't be wrong.

[AQMS]

I'm not so pro like shadow to do my own wiring, I also won't want to make a big mess and make everthing look silly.

I think the Beamswork Hi-Lumen should work well for carpeting plants? My tank is just 28cm high anyway.

Sorry if i made it sound complicated,actually it is not,just like UA and shadow commented,you dont need to do anything major,it is just doing up a wired extension with a three pin plug.

[AQMS]

Total cost of a plug and wire are less than 20sgd depend on the length and type of wire.
LED spot light 20watt around 40+++ that is way lesser than the other brand you mentions.

[Urban Aquaria]

An alternative is to buy the LED floodlights from local lighting/electronics shops... quite a few places now sell them, and they already come fixed with local plugs. They usually cost more, but are plug and play.

You can check at Unicell at Sim Lim Square 2nd floor, i recently saw a few models of LED floodlights on display there (along with a variety of LED T5 and striplights too), would be good to check out.

[gid]

Wow the LED floodlight idea does look feasible... But for now I will go with the beanswork hi-lumen 60 cos this is a 'lazy' project and I want it to be as fuss free as possible. This tank is also in my tiny bedroom, the LED floods will bleed all over my room.

I will save this LED floodlight idea for my next long-term project: a much longer and wider and flatter low-profile tank with more than 50% emergent portion

[gid]

Gosh i can't seem to fine the beamswork hi-lumen 60 anywhere. Seaview, polyart, c328, NA, GC all don't have. Online order through Fresh n Marine will take weeks.

Any idea where I can get it?

[Urban Aquaria]

Gosh i can't seem to fine the beamswork hi-lumen 60 anywhere. Seaview, polyart, c328, NA, GC all don't have. Online order through Fresh n Marine will take weeks.

Any idea where I can get it?

I guess you checked at all the popular LFS... if they don't stock it probably means all sold out.

Perhaps you can look at the other brands of LED lights, just get those with equivalent LED specs and wattage.

[Bieffe]

Gosh i can't seem to fine the beamswork hi-lumen 60 anywhere. Seaview, polyart, c328, NA, GC all don't have. Online order through Fresh n Marine will take weeks.

Any idea where I can get it?

Was at East Ocean. They have. Call before going down.

[rohitsingh_81]

One of prime requirement for carpet plants is to have good amount of circulation. Do add a few circulation pumps and you will be amazed with reasults