Adding lights....It's starting >.<

[Caliban07]

I have 2 x t8 lights in my vision 180.

Can I just stick some LED strips on the underside of the hood one on either side to increase my light output?

If so what would you recommend? Please bare in mind I live in the UK so any UK equivalents would be a great help.

Are there any other more cost effective ways to add more light. Without using reflectors?

Thanks

Cal.


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[Mebbid]

Well.. that depends. What's the budget you're shooting for?

 

[Caliban07]

Well.. that depends. What's the budget you're shooting for?

I don't have a budget per se.

What would you expect to pay to get me in to the medium high/high? Considering quality etc.




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[Mebbid]

Well, the new finnex planted plus 24/7 is coming out today. Those are $113ish from amazon.

Im noy familiar with the tank, but on a 55g that finnex fixture would give medium light.

You could go with money saving and buy a t5ho fixture from a hardware store. They are usually $30 or so for a 4ft fixture.

 

[Caliban07]

Well, the new finnex planted plus 24/7 is coming out today. Those are $113ish from amazon.

Im noy familiar with the tank, but on a 55g that finnex fixture would give medium light.

You could go with money saving and buy a t5ho fixture from a hardware store. They are usually $30 or so for a 4ft fixture.

Thanks mebbid. I've just priced a t5 fixture by juwel and 2 reflectors and it's going to set me back £86.
I could live with that. It means I don't have to alter the hood etc. this should significantly increase the par in comparison to my over 12 month old t8 tubes.


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[Mebbid]

Yeah, it will and thats a really good price as well

 

[Caliban07]

Yeah, it will and thats a really good price as well

Yeah. Seems ok. I'm hoping to get some dhg growth from it.


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[Mebbid]

Yeah. Seems ok. I'm hoping to get some dhg growth from it.


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How tall is the tank?

 

[AJ_117]

Imo LEDs will save you a lot of money in the long run, as they last a very very long time without having to be replaced. I have a Finnex FugeRay Planted+ on my 29 gallon, it it gives me about 47 PAR (medium-high light) at a depth of 18 inches. And it only cost me about $80 on Amazon.

That being said, your tank is a bit bigger (im assuming its in liters, which would be about 48 gallons), so you'd probably get a little less PAR - depending on the size fixture you use - but still around medium-high light.

If you're set on fluorescent though, Mebbid made a good point about getting them from the hardware store.

 

[Caliban07]

How tall is the tank?

22 inches so from actual light it will be about 20


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[Caliban07]

Imo LEDs will save you a lot of money in the long run, as they last a very very long time without having to be replaced. I have a Finnex FugeRay Planted+ on my 29 gallon, it it gives me about 47 PAR (medium-high light) at a depth of 18 inches. And it only cost me about $80 on Amazon.

That being said, your tank is a bit bigger (im assuming its in liters, which would be about 48 gallons), so you'd probably get a little less PAR - depending on the size fixture you use - but still around medium-high light.

If you're set on fluorescent though, Mebbid made a good point about getting them from the hardware store.

Yeh I just really don't want to make any adjustments or alterations. How easily do these LED lights fit?


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[AJ_117]

Here's mine (sorry the image is flipped, Tapatalk is weird). But they have legs that sit on the rim of the tank, and then you have screws on the outside that tighten it so it doesn't slide everywhere. Quite literally no installation whatsoever, just put it on there.

 

[Mebbid]

Yeh I just really don't want to make any adjustments or alterations. How easily do these LED lights fit?


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Supposedly the finnex lights fit right inside a canopy. I am hopefully getting mine in 4 days or so so I can let you know how it works out.

 

[Caliban07]

Supposedly the finnex lights fit right inside a canopy. I am hopefully getting mine in 4 days or so so I can let you know how it works out.

Ok thanks


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[AJ_117]

Here's another; it has a really sleek and low profile design, so it won't take up any room really.

 

[Caliban07]

Supposedly the finnex lights fit right inside a canopy. I am hopefully getting mine in 4 days or so so I can let you know how it works out.

The lid flaps in the juwel are made to slot inside the lighting fixture so I may have to adapt that somehow.


As you can see the lighting fixture goes across the Middle and the two flaps slot either side to form a hinge.


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[Mebbid]

I believe the 24/7 has the same design as the stingray which comes with brackets to mount it into a canopy. Whether it will come with those brackets, I don't know but it would be silly to leave them out.

 

[Caliban07]

Looks good although I really just can't be doing with the possibility of incompatibility. I'm really impatient and just like things done.

I'll probably stick with the juwel. You get 2 bulbs with it as well which is a bonus.

Thanks for you help guys


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[threnjen]

Oooooh are you going high light?

/seal of approval

 

[Caliban07]

Oooooh are you going high light?

/seal of approval

Not quite high and definitely no injection......yet. I'm doing it back to front. Rather than getting the right light then planting a carpet I'm planting the carpet then deciding on a light.

That's how I roll...


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