Opinions on lighting a 75

[Zimmanski]

So I'm upgrading my lighting on my 75g next week and I've already decided on a ray 2 but I also have a coralife dual t5ho on it now, so I'm asking for suggestions on if I should keep the ray 2 and t5 or the ray 2 and replace the t5 for a fugeray or monster ray. Hoping for upper medium light, I dose PPS and pressurized co2. Any thoughts?

 

[Coel]

I am no light expert but you could always just watch plant growth and go Ray 2, if thats not enough got ray 2 + 1 t5ho blub, and then ray + both bulbs to get what you need.

 

[Zimmanski]

I am no light expert but you could always just watch plant growth and go Ray 2, if thats not enough got ray 2 + 1 t5ho blub, and then ray + both bulbs to get what you need.

I guess I'm going to start with the ray 2 and the t5 and see how it goes, I'm really just kind of ready to move away from the t5s and bulbs entirely, just use too much energy and I don't like changing the bulbs(time to do that, that's why I'm asking). I tried looking up par values for my fixture so I could compare it with the others but failed. I searched google and a few forums, just couldn't find my exact fixture and I'm no where near good enough to take a guess at its par.

Anyone use two finnex fixtures on their tanks what to share their experience with them and whatnot?

 

[Billbug68]

Honestly I'd test it out with just the single Ray 2 for a little while to see how it goes. I know LEDs are said to have a hard time penetrating deeper tanks, but the PAR chart states 73 at 18". That's not too bad, IMO, and should be easy to balance. If you wanna add a bit more light and color I think your idea of using the monster ray would be a decent choice. I prefer the bright white though, but that's just my visual preference.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

You've seen this thread right? There's some pics comparing color with just the Ray 2 versus Ray 2 + Monster Ray. You can PM that dude to see how growth has been. I'm sure non-green plants will look better and grow better with the extra spectrum.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=263002&page=2

 

[Zimmanski]

BBBRRRIIIAAANNN!!!!!! I haven't seen that thread! The three pictures that one dude took with just the ray 2, just the monster ray, and both combined, I'm sold. I really didn't like the picture of just the monster ray but the ray 2, and the ray 2+monster ray was absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing that.

Bill, thanks for the par info, so let me know if I get this right. Lowe commented on the par values of the monster ray being 25 at 18" on a 48" light, not awful, but this plus the 73 of the ray 2 would make my tank at 98 par, right? That's high light isn't it? High light is 80+??

 

[Billbug68]

You should be good with that setup. It looks a lot better than I thought with both lights running, it actually almost looks the same as the picture with just the ray 2. lol

 

[Zimmanski]

You should be good with that setup. It looks a lot better than I thought with both lights running, it actually almost looks the same as the picture with just the ray 2. lol

Haha it does look very similar, but slightly warmer I think, and everyone seems to say it looks better in person too. I'll give it a shot and I'll post pictures comparing all of the lights and all the combinations. Be on the look out for the comparison thread on the 2nd! Thanks for all the input guys

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

It's a subtle difference in general but it really makes reds pop! Well that's my experience using the Current satellite LED +. Which would be equivalent in terms of using white LEDs with RGB. In the pics on TPT i linked to, the ludwigia sp. Red looks more vibrant and less muted than the ray 2 by itself.

 

[jetajockey]

I guess I'm going to start with the ray 2 and the t5 and see how it goes, I'm really just kind of ready to move away from the t5s and bulbs entirely, just use too much energy and I don't like changing the bulbs(time to do that, that's why I'm asking). I tried looking up par values for my fixture so I could compare it with the others but failed. I searched google and a few forums, just couldn't find my exact fixture and I'm no where near good enough to take a guess at its par.

Heya was just thinking about this and wanted to add my 2 cents.

The Ray II is 39 watts and 40,000 hours in 4ft configuration. ~$170

A comparable high end 2 bulb t5ho is 108 watts and high end bulbs are rated to run around 20,000 hours. ~$100

It costs about $8-10 more per year in electricity to run a T5ho based on a quick generalized number crunch.

So ultimately you'd save ~$10 and have to change bulbs out twice as often per the ratings. The big difference is you can change bulbs out on a t5ho a lot easier than you can on an LED fixture. I spend <$10 shipped per 4ft bulb for ge starcoat 6500k and they do a great job at growing plants.


LEDs are cool, and the sleek design is nice to look at, but I don't think that the savings is a selling point for me until the fixture prices come down more. As it stands it really doesn't save all that much and I don't think I'd be up to changing out burnt LED bulbs. Not to mention the comparable t5ho fixtures are nearly half the price.

Definitely not trying to convince you either way, it was just something I was dwelling on when planning a multi tank setup.

On a side note, fish need it;lights; food;Sponge has a 50% clearance on everything, and their 2 bulb t5ho fixtures are 89.99. So it'd end up being about $60 shipped for one of their fixtures right now.

 

[Billbug68]

Heya was just thinking about this and wanted to add my 2 cents.

The Ray II is 39 watts and 40,000 hours in 4ft configuration. ~$170

A comparable high end 2 bulb t5ho is 108 watts and high end bulbs are rated to run around 20,000 hours. ~$100

It costs about $8-10 more per year in electricity to run a T5ho based on a quick generalized number crunch.

So ultimately you'd save ~$10 and have to change bulbs out twice as often per the ratings. The big difference is you can change bulbs out on a t5ho a lot easier than you can on an LED fixture. I spend <$10 shipped per 4ft bulb for ge starcoat 6500k and they do a great job at growing plants.

LEDs are cool, and the sleek design is nice to look at, but I don't think that the savings is a selling point for me until the fixture prices come down more. As it stands it really doesn't save all that much and I don't think I'd be up to changing out burnt LED bulbs. Not to mention the comparable t5ho fixtures are nearly half the price.

Definitely not trying to convince you either way, it was just something I was dwelling on when planning a multi tank setup.

On a side note, fish need it;lights; food;Sponge has a 50% clearance on everything, and their 2 bulb t5ho fixtures are 89.99. So it'd end up being about $60 shipped for one of their fixtures right now.

With all due respect, jeta. If you calculate it on a time scale.

If you run your lights at a normal 8 hour cycle a day, that's 2920 hours a year.

Divide that by the 40,000 hours an LED fixture is supposed to last = roughly 13.7 years.

I think spending less on electricity + not having to purchase bulbs (which I thought was supposed to be done every 6 months to a year as they supposedly lose their color/intensity) = a lot more savings then you originally anticipated.

BTW, if you spend 20 bucks on bulbs every year for the 13.7 years life expectancy of the LED fixture, thats about 275 bucks... And I'm sure, generally speaking, people are spending a lot more then $10 a bulb.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[jetajockey]

It's no biggie, I was just giving an alternative viewpoint.

Not everyone changes their T5ho bulbs out annually, most of the people I know usually go 2 years between changes as long as the bulbs are still looking ok.

I'm not against LEDs, I just think the implied savings are sometimes a little exaggerated, and T5ho's just seem to get cast off, even though the vast majority of planted tank people are using them still.

With any technology, I'm much more likely to get something every few years rather than stick with one thing for a decade. I think LED lighting has made a ton of progress in just a few years and will easily become the standard as the price becomes more competitive.

So basically the cost savings catch up at what, about the 5-7 year mark? Assuming that the LED fixture doesn't have any issues in that time frame, of course. If you have any issues with a burnt out LED bulb then it's going to get expensive if you aren't handy with a soldering gun.

 

[Billbug68]

If you have any issues with a burnt out LED bulb then it's going to get expensive if you aren't handy with a soldering gun.

Touché.

 

[Tobykourtney]

Just to give you an idea this is what a finnex ray 2 looks like on a 75 gallon tank. I also started out with a aquatic life dual t5ho with geissman midday and aquaflora. The ray 2 is growing my plants better. It's not as visually pleasing as the aquatic life though because of the high amount of blue it puts out.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Just to give you an idea this is what a finnex ray 2 looks like on a 75 gallon tank.

View attachment 182821

that would be around medium lighting, no?

 

[Tobykourtney]

that would be around medium lighting, no?

I would say so. According the the par reading for it I'm getting between 40-45 par at the substrate. My dwarf grass isn't suffering at all that's for sure . I also had to turn up my co2 because of algae though so Im guessing its putting out higher par then the t5ho fixture.

 

[dragonfisher33]

I would say so. According the the par reading for it I'm getting between 40-45 par at the substrate. My dwarf grass isn't suffering at all that's for sure . I also had to turn up my co2 because of algae though so Im guessing its putting out higher par then the t5ho fixture.

that's the reason why i asked. before you edited this post i was wonder how your DHG is holding up in medium lighting without CO2, thanks for the clarification/edition

 

[Tobykourtney]

that's the reason why i asked. before you edited this post i was wonder how your DHG is holding up in medium lighting without CO2, thanks for the clarification/edition

No problem

 

[dragonfisher33]

No problem

is that a co2 reactor? are you running pressurized co2?

 

[Tobykourtney]

is that a co2 reactor? are you running pressurized co2?

Yes it is I'm running paintball co2