Using LED lights for high light freshwater planted tanks.

[wolfiewill]

Does anyone have any experience replacing CF and/or MH lights with LED only lighting? I have tried once: Replaced 2 x 65watts CFs over a 22" planted tank with 2 x 12 watt AquaRay (18"). The posted literature suggested .4 to .6 w/g for a planted tank. Results were disappointing. I have Ammannia and C. calimistratum in that tank which did not do as well after 2 months. So I have gone back to the CFs. In other locations Marineland LEDs have been disappointing except for low light, low tech tanks with less than 16" depth.

[touchofsky]

I agree.  I have Marineland Double Bright LED's on a low light, Excel, planted 10 gallon tank.  This little tank is doing very well, with very little maintenance, but it is strickly low light plants.  I have to say, though, that I am enjoying it very much and the flickering look of the LED's is nice.

[redbelly]

Trina's parents have planted tanks and they replaced 6 x 18" T8's on a 25g tank with 1 x Reefbrite 10k + 1 x Reefbrite 50/50.
Yes I am well aware that the 50/50 is WAY out of the spectrum range for the plants but does it ever make the fish look amazing!!

Plants exploded and growth rate and color.

The tank has been running now for around 1.5-2 years and doing very well.

[redbelly]

Oh, and here is a pic of Xiaan's planted tank running 1 single 48" reefbrite LED strip.

[rookie]

Oh, and here is a pic of Xiaan's planted tank running 1 single 48" reefbrite LED strip.

i manage to grow those plants with a 40 watt shop light  from Home Depot,did he grow them with that light cause i think i saw that tank with a different light?

[fischkopp]

It is possible to have planted tanks with LED's. But to achieve "high light" conditions you will need to invest in high power LED setups. What exactly will depend on your tank.

IMHO, T5HO are still the most economical solution for high light tanks at the moment.

[redbelly]

i manage to grow those plants with a 40 watt shop light  from Home Depot,did he grow them with that light cause i think i saw that tank with a different light?

This tank originally had a 2 x 96W CF light system on the tank. Xiaan changed to the Reefbrite LED strip and the Reefbrite was brighter that the 2 x 96W CF's.
He used to have a pic of the cf's on the tank but the link appears to be dead now but I will send him a pm.

I used to run T5 HO on my planed tank and ran the Workhorse 7 ballasts, Icecap individual reflectors and waterproof endcaps. This setup cost $150 + the lamp costs (which must be purchase yearly) and was a retro setup which I do not really feel like building anymore. Now thought I think there are some complete setups that you can buy for about this price.
So yeah I agree, an LED setup will cost you a bit more at setup time.

I have been considering getting back into planted tanks after seeing all the crazy nice plants you can get at La Niche. If I do get back into it though I will go the LED route this time.

[fischkopp]

I used to run T5 HO on my planed tank and ran the Workhorse 7 ballasts, Icecap individual reflectors and waterproof endcaps. This setup cost $150 + the lamp costs (which must be purchase yearly)

Nope. In my experience you can run T5HO just fine on planted tanks until they eventually burn out. Some of my bulbs are in use for more than 3-4 years and still going ...

[sorry for being off topic]

[charlie]

Nope. In my experience you can run T5HO just fine on planted tanks until they eventually burn out. Some of my bulbs are in use for more than 3-4 years and still going ...

[sorry for being off topic]

X2
I have ran both el cheapos T5 HO GE starcoat 6400K bulbs @ 8.00 each from a local eletrical store & Gieseman that i got from Ray`s 3 yrs ago & never changed them, BTW so has Tom Barr.
Edit to add link from Barrreport, there is more but i found this one quickly
http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/6869-giesemann-T5/page2?highlight=change+T5+every+year+tom+Barr

[wolfiewill]

I agree.  I have Marineland Double Bright LED's on a low light, Excel, planted 10 gallon tank.  This little tank is doing very well, with very little maintenance, but it is strickly low light plants.  I have to say, though, that I am enjoying it very much and the flickering look of the LED's is nice.

This is exactly the set up I am using (see touchofsky). I have 2 x 10 gallons and one 15 tall with Marineland LEDs, Exel, Flourish and Trace (Seachem) and they do well with Java fern, J moss and one has a brown Crypt that comes and goes. No algae, little trouble and easy on the eyes.

[wolfiewill]

Trina's parents have planted tanks and they replaced 6 x 18" T8's on a 25g tank with 1 x Reefbrite 10k + 1 x Reefbrite 50/50.
Yes I am well aware that the 50/50 is WAY out of the spectrum range for the plants but does it ever make the fish look amazing!!

Plants exploded and growth rate and color.

The tank has been running now for around 1.5-2 years and doing very well.

redbelly, what was the wattage originally? 6 x 18" T8s. I don't use T8s. And what wattage are the LEDs. I know the wattage correlation is weak but at this point (for me, anyway) it's such a guess. Greg

[wolfiewill]

I'm just setting up a 90 gallon planted tank. I want to grow C. crinum, E. parvula, E. acicularis, Bolbitus and Anubius (shaded by the Bolbitus) mostly. To do this I have purchased two Gieseman Reflexx 150 watt HQIs. I want to try to run them for 4 hours per day only. For the remaining 6 hours (10 total, with a 2 hours siesta) I am considering using 4 AquaRay 600s (12 watts each, 48 watts total). I read about this type of lighting regime on a Practical Fishkeeping newsletter lately (I think), and it seems to make sense. So I'll see. My only leap of faith decision is with the LEDs. So many contradictions.... so little money. The T5 proponents are adamant that T5s are better and just as inexpensive to run, at much less the initial cost. But over the many years that LEDs are expected to operate without bulb changes, LEDs are just too attractive to my Scottish side. And my Irish side is saying 'go for it, eh'.