Anybody use shop lights?

[FishayFishay]

I was going to ask you the same thing. Did you end up buying one? Mine are still working just fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I'm going to order this Friday on eBay.

Is it growing your plants fine? Pics? Thanks btw

 

[FishayFishay]

Yeah, if you can, go with the LED lights.
while having a higher initial cost, the cost over their lifetime is far, far less than fluorescents.
Fluorescent bulbs lose a lot of their output within 9-12 months altering the spectrum and causing issues such as algae blooms.
an LED unit will easily last 5+ years (barring cheap junk or faulty workmanship) with no need for further investment after the initial purchase.

I will, thanks for the info

 

[Nightshark]

I was going to ask you the same thing. Did you end up buying one? Mine are still working just fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Yes, I'll take some more pics when I get home. I only have plants in my taller 16 gallon but I'm sure they would do even better in the 20.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[lksdrinker]

Yeah, if you can, go with the LED lights.
while having a higher initial cost, the cost over their lifetime is far, far less than fluorescents.
Fluorescent bulbs lose a lot of their output within 9-12 months altering the spectrum and causing issues such as algae blooms.
an LED unit will easily last 5+ years (barring cheap junk or faulty workmanship) with no need for further investment after the initial purchase.

In theory you're right. However, the failure rate on the led fixtures in the aquarium world so far seems very very high. Most often its just the power source; but still seems to be happening far too often. A couple of new fluorescent tubes once or twice a year still seems easier (cheaper) than replacing a whole fixture. I've got quite a few tanks and lots of different light sources. The LED fixtures seem to have more issues and are typically a bit harder to fix (or at least a bit harder to source the parts).

 

[Nightshark]

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Delapool]

In theory you're right. However, the failure rate on the led fixtures in the aquarium world so far seems very very high. Most often its just the power source; but still seems to be happening far too often. A couple of new fluorescent tubes once or twice a year still seems easier (cheaper) than replacing a whole fixture. I've got quite a few tanks and lots of different light sources. The LED fixtures seem to have more issues and are typically a bit harder to fix (or at least a bit harder to source the parts).

Could this be heat related and shortening life? Eyeing off getting another LED for a planted tank and thinking this time I'll keep an eye on the temperature of it over summer.

 

[Delapool]

Yeah, if you can, go with the LED lights.
while having a higher initial cost, the cost over their lifetime is far, far less than fluorescents.
Fluorescent bulbs lose a lot of their output within 9-12 months altering the spectrum and causing issues such as algae blooms.
an LED unit will easily last 5+ years (barring cheap junk or faulty workmanship) with no need for further investment after the initial purchase.

I was wondering if you had seen any work done on bulb decay? I picked up a more expensive t5ho bulb and was told this could last longer. Plan to test this each month with a light meter which makes it a pretty long project so curious on any work done already.

On very, very early work I'm seeing less blue spectrum but not enough data.

I agree though, on what I paid for bulbs it wouldn't take too much to break even.

 

[lksdrinker]

Could this be heat related and shortening life? Eyeing off getting another LED for a planted tank and thinking this time I'll keep an eye on the temperature of it over summer.

It certainly could be caused by that; but I've never bothered examining enough to find out for sure. I've got a current usa satellite led fixture (1 of many currently being used in my fishroom) that crapped out earlier this week. Before over-reacting and assuming the worst I just swapped the power supply from one of the other lights and it works fine. So the cheapo chinese power supplies that all these manufacturers are using definitely dont have a long life!

 

[Delapool]

It certainly could be caused by that; but I've never bothered examining enough to find out for sure. I've got a current usa satellite led fixture (1 of many currently being used in my fishroom) that crapped out earlier this week. Before over-reacting and assuming the worst I just swapped the power supply from one of the other lights and it works fine. So the cheapo chinese power supplies that all these manufacturers are using definitely dont have a long life!

Good point. Many thanks as hard to tell on quality here (not much choice to compare).