FINNEX RAY 2 HIGH OUTPUT LED LIGHTING - PAR Question

[dreamfish]

Hi Folks, I am thinking of bringing this lighting in which is made in USA. It's got very good reviews when you google it. It is also compatible with our local power supply in Singapore. I intend to use it for my newly setup planted tank size which is 36inch long X 24inch tall X 18inch wide.

Details of Finnex Ray 2 LED lighting :
- 36 inch length X 3 inch wide X 1 inch height
- 288 High Output LEDs (LED Type 3014)
- 40,000 hours
- Moisture Resistant PC splash guard
- Circuit boards are built with high quality aluminium and the fixture itself acts as the heat sync to allow ample cooling and superior heat dissipation
- 2 X 7000K lighting strips
- 29 watts total
- US$140

Any advise or comments appreciated regarding my questions below from the experts on aquarium lighting. Thanks a lot .

1) It shows that at 24 inch depth and 9 inch out, the PAR is 40 but this value is for open air without water. How much will the PAR value drop if it is under water at 24 inch depth ?
2) Is this good enough to grow carpet plants like HC or glosso (assuming that I have enough base ferts, CO2, EI dosing) ?
3) If answer to question 2 is NO, then will getting 2 units of the lighting work for question 2 ?
4) Any other equivalent quality of LED lighting as Finnex Ray 2 which is at around the same pricing available locally ?

[Phillipians]

The Green Element 3W per LED is probably as good as this. Can get from East Ocean or Green Chapter.

[thebaldingaquarist]

From the chart you gave, the PAR values are mostly above 30, which in my opinion (highly contested) is ok.

BUT.. BUT BUT BUT.. it states OPEN AIR. which means no water. In fact, PAR values decrease dramatically in water. which means PAR values just above water surface and just below water surface has a marginal difference. Search online for the "difference" i mentioned.. I don't have a figure thats confirmed and tested...

I don't have the actual figures for PAR under water, so i cannot compare anymore.

From the pictures, you also cannot tell the spread of the light, another item for you to consider.

[erwinx]

It's using 0.06w 3614 LED. Is there such a thing as "high output" 3614 0.06w LED as opposed to regular 3614?

For 3w LED, there are clearly different grades, eg: Cree XP-E, XP-G and even among the same models there are different revision numbers such as XP-G R5.

For the 0.06w 3614 above, I have not seen any info on different grades of 3614 chips and the marketing info has not said that they are using premium Cree chips or anything like that. So I assume they are just using regular 3614 chips and "high output" is just a marketing term.

If you buy a roll of 3650 0.5w LED from Ebay, you can DIY a light many times brighter than a light using 0.06w LEDs.....

[BFG]

I believe a Par 40 might not be enough for carpeting plants.

[Urban Aquaria]

If the Finnex light uses arrays of 0.06W LEDs as suggested by previous posters, then it is quite similar to the Up Aqua Z-Series LED light configuration... in that case, those lights would only be suitable for growing carpet plants in tanks up to 36cm in height, at most 45cm (depending on scape layout and relative substrate height, but even then that's pushing it).

If you are planning to use a tank which is 60cm in height, then those lights will not be able to get enough light intensity effectively all the way down to the substrate level. You'll end up with the top half of the tank very well lit, but the bottom half rather dim. The short carpeting plants on the substrate level will still grow, but very slowly, while the taller plants will take over the tank much faster.

Using 2 or more units wouldn't help much either, as the issue is more of light intensity to substrate level, rather than light spread.

For your particular taller tank height, you should definitely go for LED lightsets that use arrays of higher powered 3W LEDs designed for planted tanks, they usually tend to have a "spotlight" effect, but those type of LED lights would have the power to get sufficient light down to the substrate level.

[thebaldingaquarist]

My bad, PAR levels should be in the range of 40-80 for most plants.

High light requirement plants go up to 150.

Given the above, i feel the LED is not suitable for carpeting plants.
Taking in loss of light below the surface and refraction, should be looking at 20-35 (approx) at height of 24 inches, which is not enough.

[erwinx]

Sorry, I misread,. The Finnex has 3014 not 3614. My eyesight getting bad, need to spend more time staring at planted tank, less at computer screen.

3014 is 0.1w, 3614 is 0.06w. At 0.1w, this will give 3014 more penetration compared to the old 0.06w Up-Aqua.

However, its still overpriced compared to the Green Element EVO with 3w LED.

[dreamfish]

Ok guys, thanks for all your feedback and advice. I called up East Ocean and they recommended me that since my tank size is deep, the Green Element MHX series which is 5W each, total of 220W with 44 LEDs is surely suitable for carpeting plants like HC and glosso. Price is $490. 2 questions :

1) Is it a good deal or any other options available ?
2) With this lighting setup, is my tank now suitable for all "high light requirements" plants ?

[Phillipians]

You might want to consider maxspect at that price point too. There's a 3ft version I remember

[David]

This lights is retailing at 500 bucks???!!!!!

[Urban Aquaria]

Ok guys, thanks for all your feedback and advice. I called up East Ocean and they recommended me that since my tank size is deep, the Green Element MHX series which is 5W each, total of 220W with 44 LEDs is surely suitable for carpeting plants like HC and glosso. Price is $490. 2 questions :

1) Is it a good deal or any other options available ?
2) With this lighting setup, is my tank now suitable for all "high light requirements" plants ?

5W LEDs? Wow... i thought the maximum was 3W LEDs. Is that a new model?

I do agree with the others though, its very close in price level to the Maxspect Razor.

[erwinx]

5w LED - its real. I guess thats why East Ocean had clearance sale of the older 3w MHX....

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Beanswork-36-EVO-Quad-5W-LED-Light-System-by-Green-Element/1265845541.html

[dreamfish]

Hmmm .... $490 for the Green Element MHX series (with additional accessories such as fan and dimmer will cost even more) while $650 for the Maxspect Razor. I think I will go for the Maxspect Razor but need to put it on hold for now and be content with my T5s 39W x 4 until a few months later cause it is still quite new and still growing my plants pretty decently. Thanks for all the feedback and advice.