CF bulbs or LED

[swalke2]

I am trying to nail down the lighting for my low tech planted tank with fish and I am to new to decyphrer the hype from the truth. I think I read I need 2 wts per gallon but I ahve also read that wts per gallon is a myth..

Guess Im confused

I am building my own hood for my 30g tank
I think my options are this

Retro fit kit from AH supply (55wt)
http://www.ahsupply.com/index.html">http://www.ahsupply.com/index.html</a>

LED kit from chain store
[IMG]http://www.petco.com/product/112418/Marineland-LED-Double-Bright-Aquarium-Lighting-System.aspx?CoreCat=FishFC_Hoods_Lighting">http://www.petco.com/product/112418/Marineland-LED-Double-Bright-Aquarium-Lighting-System.aspx?CoreCat=FishFC_Hoods_Lighting</a>

or one of the many T5 lighting kits.

Im sure Ill have a ton more questions coming soon.

Thanks

 

[misu]

Led ftw

 

[swalke2]

ftw?

 

[markl]

for the win

 

[misu]

For The Win, it was supposed to be all caps but the system auto corrected me

Go with led, while that marineland fixture is not bright enough for a reef I think it will be fine for a planted tank with up to medium light requirement plants

 

[zippgirlrn]

I have no experience with LEDs,yet, but I would never go back to CF after having my T5s.

 

[jase75]

T-5. Get a kit with individual reflectors, plus they have the advantage of a wide selection of bulbs, so you can get the look you want.

 

[acroholic]

I wouldn't go with LED right now. Not that they wouldn't work, but IMO LED is still in its infancy. It is probably the most advanced for the reeef Hobby, but I don't know WHAT the status is for planted tanks?

From my own experience, you can buy an led fixture that will grow corals, but the trick is will you LIKE the rendition of that fixture, meaning while the light can grow corals, do the coral look good to your eye? I bought what is regarded as the finest LED fixtures on the market for a 60 gallon reef I had. It had the par of a 400 watt Halide, but the rendition was so displeasing I sold it and went back to my halide.

The same would apply to LEDs for a planted tank. Make sure you like the way it makes the plants look before you buy, if you go LED.

I would do T5 or halide for a platned tank. If you are DIYing it, here is a great site or planted tank T5 kits. The owner's name is Kim. I know him from my days in the Aquatic Gardener's Association group.

 

[swalke2]

Thanks Acroholic, I ran across AHsupply and posted a link above from them on a CF retro fit kit that looked interesting.

Another question though....I was over at Petland yesterday looking at the T5H0 unit and might have confused myself. The picture on the box and looking at the bulb itself looked tlike they were just a really small Flourscent bulb....Isnt that CF? How can a smaller diameter bulb be better than a larger thicker bulb?

Thanks for putting up with my rookie questions!

Steve

 

[acroholic]

swalke2;547911 wrote: Thanks Acroholic, I ran across AHsupply and posted a link above from them on a CF retro fit kit that looked interesting.

Another question though....I was over at Petland yesterday looking at the T5H0 unit and might have confused myself. The picture on the box and looking at the bulb itself looked tlike they were just a really small Flourscent bulb....Isnt that CF? How can a smaller diameter bulb be better than a larger thicker bulb?

Thanks for putting up with my rookie questions!

Steve

Compact fluoresecent bulbs have a single connection point on one side, and there is a small bridge between the tubes. A T5 bulb is just smaller in diameter. The "T" means shape: Tubular. the "5" means diameter in 1/8" increments, thus T5 is a tubular bulb, 5/8" in diameter.

With T5 bulbs you can get more light bulbs in a set space.

 

[swalke2]

<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px"> I just bought a Deep Blue SolarMax HE2 Double 24" T5 Strip Light 14w x2 + Moonlights from PetLand it came with a 10,000k Daylight Bulb, an Actinic-03 bulb, and 4 Blue moonlight LEDs </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">I see they also have an Deep Blue SolarMax H02 that also comes with with a 10,000k Daylight Bulb, an Actinic-03 bulb, and 4 Blue moonlight LEDs but its rated to 48W</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">One is High Efficiency and one is High output. They have the same exact components but one has higher wattage than the other.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Did I buy the worng thing for my planted tank? Also, couldnt I just put a HO bulb in there and get the higher wattage, they seem to be same bulb fitting and everything? Seems the only think different between the two was about a 40$ price difference.</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px"></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Thanks</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial"><span style="font-size: 13px">Steve</span></span>

 

[misu]

Yeap, you got a reef light that's too blue/white for plants, I would say return it and look for something marked for freshwater. I may have a couple of fixtures soon for sale, wife doesn't like 4 tanks so freshwater goes first

 

[swalke2]

Could I not just replace the actinic bulb with a regular?

 

[misu]

The 10k daylight may be too much, plants like around 6500

No need for moonlights either

 

[swalke2]

Ah thanks!

Moon lights do look super cool though!

 

[hiimsean]

id go with t5s. i put a current 48w 2bulb t2 fixture over my corner tank and the plants grow like crazy

 

[jead85]

6500k and 3000k are going to be best for growth, and you will need a decent amount of it to, definitly go T5HO. on my 29 gallon planted i have 64watts of t5 light, it is not enough. also consider adding c02