Enough or too much LED lighting

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Botanica

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
317
Location
Sacramento, Ca
Hi there.....I am new to planted aquariums and especially unschooled in lighting. We have used real plants in our 135 gallon community tank and so far it seems to be going okay. The tank has been up and running for almost 3 months.
We started with two of these lights
LED Aquarium Lighting Double Bright | Energy Efficient Solar and Lunar Settings
But added two more a few weeks ago...for a total of 4. I'm not sure how the conversion works or how to figure if I have low, medium or high light. I can say that since adding the new lights I have noticed more algae growing in new places and its growing faster than it used to. We placed root tabs from aquariumplants.com under the plants when we planted them but have not added any ferts or excel as of yet. We just picked up some flourish and flourish excel yesterday...but I think I need a bit of guidance before I just start adding stuff I don't undstand. :D. The algae is a bit hard to photograph because I keep cleaning it...so right now it's just on rocks and leaves. I understand...from reading other posts...that we may need co2 to control this algae...but we just need some guidance.
A water change is planned for today...but the parameters this morning were as follows...
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40
PH 7.4
I only have the API master freshwater kit...I need to buy the other tests but am not really sure which ones or which brand...suggestions? I think at this point this post barely makes any sense...sorry for that. :blink:
I really appreciate all your help! Thanks!!
 
Hi.. You should determine the distance from light source to substrate, compare that with the PAR values known for the Marineland fixture to figure out the intensity of light you have (i.e. low, moderate, or high).

Read this to understand lighting a bit more.. There's a section on Marineland too. Check out the first "source" link as well... Pretty useful charts there.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396

I'm guessing with algae developing with 4 of these fixtures, you should invest in a pressurized co2 injection system.

What type of plants are you growing anyway?
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
Hi.. You should determine the distance from light source to substrate, compare that with the PAR values known for the Marineland fixture to figure out the intensity of light you have (i.e. low, moderate, or high).

Read this to understand lighting a bit more.. There's a section on Marineland too. Check out the first "source" link as well... Pretty useful charts there.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396

I'm guessing with algae developing with 4 of these fixtures, you should invest in a pressurized co2 injection system.

What type of plants are you growing anyway?

I will read that...thanks. I knew I forgot something...lol...the plant list.

Wisteria (doing great!)
Amazon Swords (pushing new leaves...but old leaves algae spotted)
Anubias (not sure which)
Ruffle Plant (doing great)
Christmas Moss (new)
Dwarf Baby Tears (new)
Dwarf Hair Grass (new)

The distance from lights to substrate ranges from 18-24" I think...so let me see if I can figure this out. :-D
 
Hi, I had the same problem with the lights. You have too much light rite now since you don't have co2. I had 4 light bulbs and the algae was growing like crazy (without co2). Go back to 2 in the mean time and you should be ok. Also the more plants you have in the tank the less algae. Algae need ferts to survive and if you don't have enough plants you may be dosing too much and algae will grow.

You must have co2 if you want your baby tears dwarf to grow healthy. It is a delicate plant
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
+1

HC definitely needs co2...

So have you considered which co2 system to get?

No I have not...but any recommendations are greatly appreciated! ;-). We have been looking at them on the planted tanks on the fish stores...but I have not done the research into best brands etc. I'm ready to learn!
 
Well Milwaukee regulators have been the favorite among aquarists for many years. However, I've been eyeing up a new company that has been getting great reviews for offering a quality regulator with some extras at a lower price point.. That being Aquatek. I have their mini regulator for paintball but i am planning on getting the full size regulator for a larger tank that I'm planning in the near future...

Anyway, with respect to a pressurized co2 system, i have created a nice budget friendly shopping list with "quality" equipment that could help in your application. Instead of me re-typing it, check out this other thread i was active in...
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=192837

Excel would be better than nothing but can't really be an adequate replacement for co2 injection.The use of both is best.
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
Well Milwaukee regulators have been the favorite among aquarists for many years. However, I've been eyeing up a new company that has been getting great reviews for offering a quality regulator with some extras at a lower price point.. That being Aquatek. I have their mini regulator for paintball but i am planning on getting the full size regulator for a larger tank that I'm planning in the near future...

Anyway, with respect to a pressurized co2 system, i have created a nice budget friendly shopping list with "quality" equipment that could help in your application. Instead of me re-typing it, check out this other thread i was active in...
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=192837

Excel would be better than nothing but can't really be an adequate replacement for co2 injection.The use of both is best.

That looks way more affordable than I thought......hmmmm. :). Thank you!
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
Hi.. You should determine the distance from light source to substrate, compare that with the PAR values known for the Marineland fixture to figure out the intensity of light you have (i.e. low, moderate, or high).

Read this to understand lighting a bit more.. There's a section on Marineland too. Check out the first "source" link as well... Pretty useful charts there.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=160396

I'm guessing with algae developing with 4 of these fixtures, you should invest in a pressurized co2 injection system.

What type of plants are you growing anyway?

Question...do I multiply that par number (26) times 4?
 
At first getting co2 will be a lil pricy bcuz you need to buy the regulator, co2 tank, diffuser, check valve and fill up the co2 tank. It requires research, time and patient. I bought myself a 10lb tank and it should last a year before i have to refill it.
It becomes cheap after you first buy the equipment.
I bought the Milwaukee MA957 regulator.
 
jacpr233 said:
At first getting co2 will be a lil pricy bcuz you need to buy the regulator, co2 tank, diffuser, check valve and fill up the co2 tank. It requires research, time and patient. I bought myself a 10lb tank and it should last a year before i have to refill it.
It becomes cheap after you first buy the equipment.
I bought the Milwaukee MA957 regulator.

Thanks...I was wondering how often a cylinder needed to be refilled. Does it depend on how large your aquarium is?
 
It depends on how much co2 is needed for the tank. Which normally is no more than three bubbles per second.
 
Botanica said:
Question...do I multiply that par number (26) times 4?

I'm almost positive that determining the PAR value with multiple fixtures wouldn't be that simple (i wish it were). Depending on the optics on the marineland db fixture, there will be a certain degree of overlap lighting at the substrate, thus increasing PAR. I PM'd who i consider an expert in lighting in another forum. I'll see what he says. Another option is to email Marineland. Perhaps they can help with more specifics?

As for the co2 cylinder, I'd get the 10lbs if it's not too large for the space. The 5lbs would last a good while if it fits better. If you put your regulator's built in solenoid valve on a timer with your lights, you won't be wasting co2 at night when your plants don't need it, hence increasing the amount if time it takes to deplete the co2.
 
Well i got a reply from the guy i think really knows his stuff on lighting, which is Hoppy from TPT... Here's the response to my question (and yours). Hope this helps!

Hoppy said:
Brian_Cali77 said:
Hoppy... I've read your "PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC - New Chart" and would like to ask for your help. I was just wondering if more than one LED fixture is sitting on top of an aquarium, is there some math formula to determine the PAR value?

The example I'm trying to determine PAR for is a 136 gallon tank with 24" in height, with 4 36" double bright Marineland fixtures.

According to samamorgan's "LED Lighting Compendium"..

Marineland Double Bright
PAR Data(Source) PAR vs. Distance from source
18-24 inch fixture: 30 PAR @ 12", 17 PAR @ 24"
24-36 inch fixture: 35 PAR @ 12", 19 PAR @ 24"
36-48 inch fixture: 54 PAR @ 12", 26 PAR @ 24"
48-60 inch fixture: 73 PAR @ 12", 35 PAR @ 24"
Notes: Should provide low light for most tanks, depending on fixture size.

So determining PAR wouldn't be as simple as multiplying 26 by 4? So what's a good estimate you think?

Thanks again... you rock!
There is no math formula. If you have multiple light sources whose lighted areas overlap to a great extent, you just multiply the PAR from one light by the number of lights you have. But, if the lighted areas don't overlap much, of course you can't do that. LEDs tend to have considerable fall off of PAR away from directly under them. This limits how far apart they can be and still give double the light of one LED. This applies to single LEDs or lights made of multiple LEDs. If the Marineland lights are right against each other two will give double the light of one, directly under the center of the pair. Three will give 3X the light of one directly under the middle light. But, 4 will probably give less than 4X the light of one, because the outer two will likely be too far away. If you space two light fixtures a few inches apart, side by side, whether they are T5 or LED lights, you don't get much increase in PAR, but you do get a much greater area lighted at about the same PAR as one light gives.

If you use 4 of those Marineland lights spaced 4 inches apart, for example, you would probably get very little more PAR even in the center than one of them gives you, but most of the substrate would get about the same PAR, which is a big advantage.
 
Brian_Nano12g said:
Well i got a reply from the guy i think really knows his stuff on lighting, which is Hoppy from TPT... Here's the response to my question (and yours). Hope this helps!

Wow...that's amazingly helpful! Thanks!! I have an account on TPT...but I just haven't gotten to know who's who or anything over there...but I need to put the effort in. ;-). Especially with my latest project - 55 gallon planted. We just put water in it tonight...so no plants yet...but I used Eco-complete under my pfs and really hope I can make it look as good as it does in my head...lol. Anyway...you've been most helpful with my lighting questions...as well as co2! My husband liked your shopping list (especially the costs) for the system...so we are working out the budget. Thanks again...and btw...I've been following your 6g nano build from the start and its looking great! Love love love it! Thanks again.
 
Back
Top Bottom