corrosionjerry Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I am considering purchasing some LED lighting for a planted tank... 72 gallon 4 foot.... this is what was suggested by a company that I contacted ... would you guys agree with what this company is suggesting for LED requirment... so little info on FW planted LED requirment Here is the link to this type of LED lighting for the different choices this company offers.... http://www.saltwateraquarium.com/ecoxotic-panorama-pro-led-module-12-19-watt-8000k-freshwater.html Thank you so much for contacting Ecoxotic and showing interest in our LED products. For a tank of this size, we would recommend: 4 x 8,000K Panorama Pro LED Modules 1 x 12K White/Magenta Stunner LED strip This would provide plenty of light for strong plant growth as well as provide excellent color rendition. On another unrelated note : I recently purchased LED lighting for my Saltwater coral tank... went with 2 AI SOL's.... unbelievable lighting / I have to turn it down to about 45% output or it would literaly bleach out my corals top to bottom.... i truly am now a believer in LED lighting after my AI SOL purchase......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I wouldn't use less than three watt LEDs but that's just me. Those strips consume 19 watts total for 12 LEDs so I would think they are pretty weak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chatty_Platy Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 You should also consider using CO2 to help grow your plants. You can either buy bottle stuff or a DIY method you might find on the internet. This is what was always suggested to be as opposed to using artificial light. It is still good to use though but as you said if you use too much it'll cause harm to your coral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I had LED lighting for one of my freshwater planted tanks and was unimpressed with growth. The general consensus is that the technology for freshwater LED lighting hasn't caught up with the LED lighting for saltwater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Is there anyone here with expierence with this stuff..... can a person put together the DIY cool white cree's that can be driven to 3 watts with drivers. With the drivers they would be running at 6000-8000K / perfect range for plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolutionBoas Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Get in touch with martin at Modular LeD for those exotic strips. I have used them in my biocube and will probably go back to them. You dont need 3w LED like previosly mentioned but a 3w LED running at 30% will last longer than a 1w running at 100%. LEDs have an optimum running temperature range. Too hot and they die quicky, too cool and they dont work properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 You should also consider using CO2 to help grow your plants. You can either buy bottle stuff or a DIY method you might find on the internet. This is what was always suggested to be as opposed to using artificial light. It is still good to use though but as you said if you use too much it'll cause harm to your coral. Huh? He didn't even ask about co2, so how do we know he isn't using it anyway? The bottle stuff isn't co2. Co2 is co2. The bottled stuff - metricide or excel is a carbon source the plants can use but it isn't even close to the same. Diy works for small tanks but on a 6 footer it would be hell to have enough bottles going. How do you use co2 without artificial light? Darkness plus co2 equal dead plants. You could try sunlight but good luck balancing that beast. I had LED lighting for one of my freshwater planted tanks and was unimpressed with growth. The general consensus is that the technology for freshwater LED lighting hasn't caught up with the LED lighting for saltwater. Who's general consensus? I know many people using LED light that like and don't like it. It works fine if you like the look, etc. The technology is the same (save for colour) so I'm not sure what you mean by that? Just sayin'. Is there anyone here with expierence with this stuff..... can a person put together the DIY cool white cree's that can be driven to 3 watts with drivers. With the drivers they would be running at 6000-8000K / perfect range for plants. Yes you can. I did it, but went way overboard. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/137085-led-build-6-tank-fixture-up.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Get in touch with martin at Modular LeD for those exotic strips. I have used them in my biocube and will probably go back to them. You dont need 3w LED like previosly mentioned but a 3w LED running at 30% will last longer than a 1w running at 100%. LEDs have an optimum running temperature range. Too hot and they die quicky, too cool and they dont work properly. Too hot and you seriously reduce the life, yes. But I haven't heard anything about running too cool in all my research. Do you have links for this? I'm curious as mine run from all the way off to full power (full power is about 50% of max recommended current for my particular fixture). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 You should also consider using CO2 to help grow your plants. You can either buy bottle stuff or a DIY method you might find on the internet. This is what was always suggested to be as opposed to using artificial light. It is still good to use though but as you said if you use too much it'll cause harm to your coral. Huh? He didn't even ask about co2, so how do we know he isn't using it anyway? The bottle stuff isn't co2. Co2 is co2. The bottled stuff - metricide or excel is a carbon source the plants can use but it isn't even close to the same. Diy works for small tanks but on a 6 footer it would be hell to have enough bottles going. How do you use co2 without artificial light? Darkness plus co2 equal dead plants. You could try sunlight but good luck balancing that beast. I had LED lighting for one of my freshwater planted tanks and was unimpressed with growth. The general consensus is that the technology for freshwater LED lighting hasn't caught up with the LED lighting for saltwater. Who's general consensus? I know many people using LED light that like and don't like it. It works fine if you like the look, etc. The technology is the same (save for colour) so I'm not sure what you mean by that? Just sayin'. Is there anyone here with expierence with this stuff..... can a person put together the DIY cool white cree's that can be driven to 3 watts with drivers. With the drivers they would be running at 6000-8000K / perfect range for plants. Yes you can. I did it, but went way overboard. http://www.plantedta...fixture-up.html Thanks for your thoughts.... Not sure where the co2 thing came about ... yes I run co2 injection for the person that made that comment...Great led setup Jcjd... are those all cool white crees? with drivers? 72inch tank? Did you purchase the DIY from Martin? I purchased my AI SOL's setup from him and am considering the DIY setup... you dont happen to have or know where I can get a schematic of the setup. I did see the links on his site however they are no the clearest as far as instruction goes. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolutionBoas Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Get in touch with martin at Modular LeD for those exotic strips. I have used them in my biocube and will probably go back to them. You dont need 3w LED like previosly mentioned but a 3w LED running at 30% will last longer than a 1w running at 100%. LEDs have an optimum running temperature range. Too hot and they die quicky, too cool and they dont work properly. Too hot and you seriously reduce the life, yes. But I haven't heard anything about running too cool in all my research. Do you have links for this? I'm curious as mine run from all the way off to full power (full power is about 50% of max recommended current for my particular fixture). I dont have them anymore but if you spend some time on Reef Central you can find it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 I dont have them anymore but if you spend some time on Reef Central you can find it there. I do frequent there but haven't come across that specific point. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Not saying you are wrong, just wondering if I'm gonna kill my LEDs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevolutionBoas Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 I dont think it kills them I just dont think its optimum running temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgd Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Jerry, if you read through some the thread I linked to there is a lot of info. I'll give you a bit here though. My setup has 28 cool white Cree XML running running up to 1500mA (max by specs is 3000mA). My main power, 5000-8300k. 12 royal blue xpg running up to 1000mA. Mostly for the blue colour. In the future I woud use blue but not royal blue. 12 neutral white xpg running up to 1000mA. Mostly for the yellow colour. I forget the exact temp, but around 3000-4500k or so. I have three custom driver boards by O2Surplus. He frequents plantedtank.net. You need drivers or a way to provide the leds with a constand DC current. You can use buckpucks or quality driver of whatever brand you prefer. You also need a power supply unless the drivers are all in one units. Meanwells, Inventronics and comparible drivers are all in one. My drivers give me eight independently dimmable strings of LEDs. 4x7 xml and 4x6 xpg. The drivers have analog dimmers if I don't want to use a controller, or I can have full dimmability and control with the two controllers I have in the mail. I bought my LEDs, most essential parts and the heatsinks from LEDgroupbuy.com. I've never used Martin's stuff but it is just a less DIY way of DIY. Martin's are more just click them together. I had to hand build my fixture and it was painstaking. You can also use thermal epoxy or drilled heatsinks to make things easier. I went pretty all out on my fixture and it probably cost me about $1500 total. It does more than any reef light though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Jerry, if you read through some the thread I linked to there is a lot of info. I'll give you a bit here though. My setup has 28 cool white Cree XML running running up to 1500mA (max by specs is 3000mA). My main power, 5000-8300k. 12 royal blue xpg running up to 1000mA. Mostly for the blue colour. In the future I woud use blue but not royal blue. 12 neutral white xpg running up to 1000mA. Mostly for the yellow colour. I forget the exact temp, but around 3000-4500k or so. I have three custom driver boards by O2Surplus. He frequents plantedtank.net. You need drivers or a way to provide the leds with a constand DC current. You can use buckpucks or quality driver of whatever brand you prefer. You also need a power supply unless the drivers are all in one units. Meanwells, Inventronics and comparible drivers are all in one. My drivers give me eight independently dimmable strings of LEDs. 4x7 xml and 4x6 xpg. The drivers have analog dimmers if I don't want to use a controller, or I can have full dimmability and control with the two controllers I have in the mail. I bought my LEDs, most essential parts and the heatsinks from LEDgroupbuy.com. I've never used Martin's stuff but it is just a less DIY way of DIY. Martin's are more just click them together. I had to hand build my fixture and it was painstaking. You can also use thermal epoxy or drilled heatsinks to make things easier. I went pretty all out on my fixture and it probably cost me about $1500 total. It does more than any reef light though. Thanks for the info... apreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 I dont have them anymore but if you spend some time on Reef Central you can find it there. I do frequent there but haven't come across that specific point. I'll keep my eyes peeled. Not saying you are wrong, just wondering if I'm gonna kill my LEDs. Had a look at this topic on the IA SOL web site... http://www.aquaillumination.com they state that it is a myth that dimming your led's hurts them... infact it increases their lifespan... there is also an interesting article about output led wattage / a very good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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