led lighting

[microd0t]

I'm looking into led lighting over t5 for my 60 but know nothing about the leds can anyone help educate me or point me in the right direction as the internet has somany mixed reviews

 

[mr_X]

Sure. What are you looking to spend, and what features do you want the fixture to have?

 

[microd0t]

I want to grow all softies maybe gradually one day some hardy hard corals. I just don't know how many watts to penetrate to the bottom of my 60, what colors I need and I would like for it to be a dimmable fixture so it could less bright in the morning and at before lights out also maybe have a timer but then that's as far as my knowledge goes on the led

 

[mr_X]

So you want something that dims on it's own. This functionality is going to cost you. There are LED vendors here that are sponsors for this site who can hook you up with whatever you need. AQ-LED is one of them. Scroll up to the "vendor spotlight" and you'll find his store.
There are a few others I have heard good things about-
Aqua Illuminations SOL Blue
EcoTech Radion
Orphek

Though very expensive, any one of those will allow you to do virtually anything.

 

[microd0t]

I'm looking to spend maybe 250 so I guess auto. Dimmer is a little outta budget but I would like if I could manually dim the fixture

 

[San Raphael Catfish]

Bought a Taotronics 130watt LED for 139.00 in Amazon. Going to pick up a second soon.

SRC

 

[microd0t]

Is that dimmable and how many watts per light?

 

[San Raphael Catfish]

189 for the dimmable model. 3 watt LEDs being pushed with only 2 watts of power.

I figure if I need to dim them, I could put a sheet of corrugated polycarbonate between the light and the tank to block a fraction of the light. Much less expensive than paying 100 more for dimmable models.

SRC

 

[J19Reynolds]

Question.... You only have light at one end of your tank? And why so? I'm kinda new to this light thing n trying to get mine right .. I thought the whole tank had to have light at both ends

 

[San Raphael Catfish]

Originally I had two freshwater hoods. I was gonna pull them both off and put single LED over the center and have a center hole in the ceiling as well. Wife liked the LED so much that she said "just put it on one side and we'll get another one soon." So just one hole now, and I don't move it when we get the next light.

 

[San Raphael Catfish]

But with that said, one might do it. The stats on the light say 120 degree spread. Throws light across the room. I'll need to build a hood to cut down on "Light pollution".

 

[microd0t]

I was looking at the 120w dimmable taotronics led and I was wondering dose it come with a timer wired in or is there a way later on I can put something that auto dimms the leds

 

[microd0t]

Dose anyone know if there IS a led fixture that can be made programable but maybe comes with a standard timer?

 

[microd0t]

I've looked into the a.q pro 24" bridgelux with the controler any one have experince with this fixture

 

[mr_X]

You can buy a standard timer at walmart or home depot.

 

[microd0t]

I'm going to put my order in for the a.q pro bridgelux 24 " and the controler so I can get the sunrise and sunset effect and cloud simulation sounds pretty cool

 

[oyf709]

Let me know if you have any more questions or concern. and thank you for your interest =)