LED for planted aquarium Cheapo Style.

[dj_orka]

I have seen various reviews about Beamswork 1W leds for planted and they seem to be good.
I was about to do the leap just to give it a shot so I will not spend more than 150$ for led system in my 25 gallon.
I am a bit lost as to what to choose. Various small leds of 0.25Watts or 1Watt Leds. 6500K ? 10000K? Hopefully you guys can guide me for a good choice. (I have a heavily planted tank)
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Thanks for the help.
Right now I am running 2 X T5 24" with Aqua-Glo. The light Are kind of blueish. Makes my plants grow and makes the color of my fish really vivid.
Help is much appreciated from you peeps.
P>S> As for option 2. It is the only one I can get locally and the shop that sells them only sells stuff for aquascaping and planted tanks. They go for 70$. What you guy think ?

 

[dj_orka]

I will be finally going fo FINNEX led Lights Since I found them in Canada pretty cheap about 100$ for 30" ...


My question is now WHICH ones ?

I was looking at 4 models. But my favorite would of been the MonsterRay but would it be good for planted ?

Choices :
-RAY II DS
-RAY II DB
or the obvious FUGERAY PLANTED+

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I'd get the obvious one, the planted+. I have the Ray 2 and a Fugeray-R. But if the planted+ was available when I was in the market, I would have preferred it. There's red LEDs in my Fugeray-R, albeit a weaker light, the color that the red adds to the aesthetics are better (and beneficial to plant growth). With those beamswork or Ray 2 light, colors (especially anything with red in it) get washed out. The added red diodes in the planted+ (and my Fugeray-R) help compensate for the extra blue spectrum found in all white daylight LEDs and help bring these LED fixtures closer to "full spectrum."

Another great option is the Current satellite LED+. It's a little weaker in intensity than the planted+, but I think this fixture makes up for it in features. You can customize the color output, dim, and even have dynamic modes like clouds, moonlight, and lightning storms via the wireless remote. It's a fun light! I'm using two of them on my 17g to get a solid moderate level in lighting.

 

[dj_orka]

I think I will go with the planted+ but what do you think about the Fugeray DS or DB?

The DS is dual 7000K wouldn't it be better for the plants?

As For the DB doesn't 10000K be as good for the plants and make the color of the fish even more vibrant ?

 

[FishCr8zy]

I haven't heard of the fugeray DS or DB but yes 5000K-7000K is better for plants. The MonsterRay is the one that brings out the red/blue color in fish.

 

[dj_orka]

I was saying this because I was running 2 X T8 24" Aqua-Glo in my planted tank and love them. It really brings the color of my plants and fish out. The tint on these are blueish and on the retail packaging it says 18000K
[Aqua-Glo](https://ca-en.hagen.com/Aquatic/Lighting/Fluorescent-Bulbs/A1583)

I want something similar in the Finnex and I am lost and still do not want to make the wrong choice.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

The Fugeray and Ray 2 DS model both use the same 7,000k "daylight" LEDs... just that the Ray 2 has more of them to produce more PAR. The thing they both have in common is that, although they appear to produce 7,000k, underneath the facade it's really skewed in blue spectrum. When I ran a Ray 2 in my 6g nano tank that had red plants, and fish that have hues of red, I didn't realize how colors looked so drab and washed out -- that is until I switched to a Fugeray-R with red diodes it. Then I saw the spectral graph released by Finnex and it made sense... conversely, a similarly rated ~6,500 to 8,000k light produced by T5HO would have spikes around the 660nm "red" wavelength. But look at the spectral graph of the Ray 2 / Fugeray... definitely disproportionate to blue.

That's why I think the planted+ is better, it helps solve that problem.

Prior to the release of the planted+, Ray 2 owners that wanted to counterbalance the lack of full spectrum, bought a MonsterRay to work in tandem. The results were a drastic improvement both in color and plant growth... hence the birth of the planted+.

 

[dj_orka]

ahhhh I see... **** you two are the isht. Thank you so much for all this help and advice! I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the time you guys are taking to help me out.

It's that I am using 2 X T8 24" Aqua-Glo and I absolutely love them for my heavily planted tank because they make the colors of my plants and fish pop like crazy. Even being blueish, it makes all colors vivid even my red plants.

I just wanted to keep the same style since I love these Aqua-Glo so much. I am just fed up of the energy they goble and the fact they cost me 20$ each every 10-12 months.

 

[dj_orka]

Yo Brian... You my Boy homeboy!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Cool man, glad I can help. Just to be clear, I'm not totally knocking the Fugeray or Ray 2, still great lights and can grow plants. Just color preference I suppose. Good luck...

 

[dj_orka]

Yo B. did you see my comment about the Aqua Glos ?

Cause I"m placing my order tonight. Finnex has just confirmed a new batch of lights ready to ship as of Feb 5th

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yo B. did you see my comment about the Aqua Glos ?

Cause I"m placing my order tonight. Finnex has just confirmed a new batch of lights ready to ship as of Feb 5th

Yeah... ditch the fluorescents and save your money and environment at the same time.

 

[dj_orka]

Cool. I just placed an order on Planted+! I will keep you guys posted.

 

[FishCr8zy]

Nice! The planted plus is a nice light!

 

[dj_orka]

Thanks Fish ! I really appreciated your input and help also!

 

[FishCr8zy]

No prob
I always try to help as many people I can though I don't always know the answer