best option for lighting?

[kezzaok]

Hi there. Im looking to set up a new aquarium shortly and just want to try and get it right first time with regards to lighting I am planning to go for low maintenance plants with no added co2 and prefer lower fish stocking levels. Im thinking java ferns/ambulia/wisteria/water sprite/anubias as possible plants I can get easily. I have come up with 2 tanks which are different in their lighting provisions. Option one is a tank 120cm x 50 x 66 high - roughly 300 litres and comes with 2x 39 watt t5 lights. Option 2 is 150 x 55 x 66, 420 litres and comes with 4x 39 watt t5 lights.. so theres not a great deal of difference in size/volume and none in depth of tank, but one has double the lights? ? For the low light/low tech tank which is my better option? I want the plants to succeed but not run into excess light issues, Im unfamiliar with t5's..Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Cthulhu]

A DIY LED fixture is the best. You can use dimmable drivers so you can tune down the light as needed and be sure you are not stuck with too much light. And it is quite easy to assemble too. There are many choices, I like rapidled.com for their solderless LEDs.

 

[Brookster123]

A DIY LED fixture is the best. You can use dimmable drivers so you can tune down the light as needed and be sure you are not stuck with too much light. And it is quite easy to assemble too. There are many choices, I like rapidled.com for their solderless LEDs.

This sounds rather familiar.. could you actually walk some one with little to no diy skills through a build? do you have detailed pics of your builds??

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[Brookster123]

Hi there. Im looking to set up a new aquarium shortly and just want to try and get it right first time with regards to lighting I am planning to go for low maintenance plants with no added co2 and prefer lower fish stocking levels. Im thinking java ferns/ambulia/wisteria/water sprite/anubias as possible plants I can get easily. I have come up with 2 tanks which are different in their lighting provisions. Option one is a tank 120cm x 50 x 66 high - roughly 300 litres and comes with 2x 39 watt t5 lights. Option 2 is 150 x 55 x 66, 420 litres and comes with 4x 39 watt t5 lights.. so theres not a great deal of difference in size/volume and none in depth of tank, but one has double the lights? ? For the low light/low tech tank which is my better option? I want the plants to succeed but not run into excess light issues, Im unfamiliar with t5's..Any thoughts appreciated.

Are these high output t5? What is the tank hieght in inches?

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[BBradbury]

Basic Tank Lighting

Hello kezz...

Before you buy something expensive, go to the local hardware store and price shop lights. I've found them to be fine for low tech tanks with easy to grow aquatic plants. A fixture that will hold 2 to 3 T8 or T12 florescent bulbs will cost roughly $30.00 US. The bulbs will last well over a year. I just replace them when they burn out. No added ferts or CO2 is required.

B

 

[Cthulhu]

This sounds rather familiar.. could you actually walk some one with little to no diy skills through a build? do you have detailed pics of your builds??

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First you need to choose one or more heatsinks that best suit your need in term of shape and size and how you want to place it in your tank's hood. The LEDs will be placed under the heatsinks. Some heatsinks are 6" wide with a slit for a protective glass and made to be suspended. For my tank I used two 1.4" wide heatsinks, I drilled hole in them and fixed them with brackets to tank's hood.
Heatsinks - Rapid LED

Then you choose your LEDs and arrange them in circuits connected to a driver. There are 2 values to note : forward voltage and current. Each LED has a forward voltage and maximum current. Each driver has a voltage range and a range of current. The total forward voltage of the LEDs connected to a driver must be in the voltage range of the driver. And every LED on that circuit must be able to run at the current of the driver.

For exemple, take this driver :
0-10V Dimmable Nano Driver with Potentiometer - Rapid LED

Its maximum current is 700mA. Any LED from this site can run at more than 700mA, so you could connect any of them to this driver.

Its voltage range is 9 to 36 Volts. Most LEDs have a forward voltage around 3V, so you can attach between 3 to 12 LEDs to it (the driver's page says 3-10 to be on the safe side).

Here is a typical LED perfect with this driver
Solderless Philips Rebel ES Cool White LED - Rapid LED

There are LEDs that can use a higher current and so are much brighter, like this one :
Solderless CREE XM-L2 Neutral White LED - Rapid LED

You would need a driver that can deliver this current to take advantage of it, like this one which goes up to 2.3A
Mean Well ELN-60-27P dimmable driver - Rapid LED

You could connect the brighter LEDs to the first driver without problem, but they wouldn't be as bright as it could be

Depending of the heatsink you choose, some of them have holes to hold the LEDs with screws, and on others you need to glue the LEDs on it.

 

[Brookster123]

All that being said..could the average beginner planted tanker pull that off? Sounds like you know your stuff though; )

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[Cthulhu]

I think it is one of the best choices for beginners. A common problem when getting new lighting is that it is too strong (without CO2), and that causes all kinds of algea problems. LEDs with a dimmable driver completely eliminates this problem as it is very easy to tune down the lights.

Here is a simple 15 LED circuit.
This driver, set at max 750mA
Mean Well ELN-60-48P dimmable driver - Rapid LED
6x cool white
4x warm white
2x cyan
2x deep red
1x royal blue

I use this tool to get an idea of the result in term of color temperature and CRI
Custom LED Strip - BML Custom

So for this setup :
Custom LED Report

 

[kezzaok]

Thanks everyone. Im not sure Im confident with DIY at the moment, maybe down the track a bit..the 2 tanks in question are the aquience 1200 rt vs 1500 rt and have the lighting supplied securely in the hood (which I decided best with 2 young uns) Could people please re-read my original question and provide some help choosing between the 2 options? I think the lights are not high out put, and the tank depth is 26 inches for both. Many thanks