LED fixture that gives ~50-60 PAR at 24" depth...

[schoeplein]

Most of the fixtures I've seen give 50 PAR at 18", but drops significantly at 24". The tank is 36" wide. I saw a fixture that also had supplemental red "bulbs" in addition to 6500-6700k full spectrum, but I lost the link in the abyss... Any help locating something like this that isn't by buildmyled.com. They want way too much. ($250 for those specifics).

Thanks!

Sent from my SM-T310 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Brookster123]

You could do 2 finnex planted plus for about $220.. That has the reds and blues.. That will give you high light.. Or one ray 2 which will give you mediumish light for $120 or so..

 

[dcutl002]

You could also try 2 of the Current fixtures. Satellite Freshwater LED+ | Current-USA

Here is a thread where the Current LED sponsor makes his argument for 30 micromoles being the sweet spot. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=379417

 

[Coyne]

I was about to suggest BML, but at the last second I saw that you didnt want to pay their price.
My only advice then would be to be careful about going TOO cheap. I think that LED lighting designed for aquatic plants fall under the "you get what you pay for" category. Its not a good deal if you don't get the results your looking for.

 

[Old Scales]

High light, high tech planted tanks demand a minimum level of cost and maintenance to get good results. Kind of like going saltwater.

 

[Sk3lly]

Buy cheap, buy twice. You'll only regret buying a LED fixture thats not fully up to the job at a later date

 

[Mebbid]

You will need 2 fixtures to get high light on a tank that deep. Otherwise you need an extremely powerful fixture. Either way its going to be in the $200 + range.

 

[Old Scales]

Schoe,
What plants specifically are you interested in? There is a huge number of plants that will grow well in a medium light set up that are really beautiful. You could then use a single one of the stronger Finnex or Current LED's for plants and use a liquid carbon such a Excel or Metricide 14 to help further. Good luck in whatever you choose. OS.

 

[schoeplein]

Medium is what I'm going for. Not high. I'm taking high as being around 90 PAR. I don't have the name of the specific plant I was looking at in front of me, but it did best at mid-50 PAR. A CO2 setup is also in my future, but that's for another topic.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[schoeplein]

I can find a 600w MH lamp enclosure and ballast for $50, including two bulbs on Craigslist. Shame that would torch this tank. There's also several LED kits, but they're the large rectangular panels that pump 400+ watts and made to go over a large green room. I'd need that thing 10' above the tank! Oh, and it's only $998... Flubbershanks, Craigslist.

Sent from my SM-T310 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Old Scales]

IMO you would be pleased with the Current Satellite Plus. Look up Brian_Nano12g in here. He has one and loves it. OS.

 

[Mebbid]

IMO you would be pleased with the Current Satellite Plus. Look up Brian_Nano12g in here. He has one and loves it. OS.

Those are nice fixtures but their par levels wont reach anywhere near high enough for a 24" tank.

 

[schoeplein]

Here's another question - do I really need PAR that high if I'm not getting any carpeting plants? Staro look freaking awesome, but I'm not sure I'll have the real estate at this point. Highest light plants I have right now are an echinodorus variant.

Sent from my SM-T310 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[dcutl002]

Schoeplein, Metal Halides are HOT! Look at this thread ALL the way through. This guy bought some reptile light domes and installed 23W CFL bulbs.

T2ak's 29G (started over)

 

[dcutl002]

Here is another link: Tapatalk

 

[dcutl002]

One more link. I promise that this is the last one. My inexpensive CFL light solution

 

[schoeplein]

So, BML is actually about 20 minutes from my house. I ordered a custom kit, virtually mimicking the 7000K fixture thanks to Ian086's images and the list of which diodes were used on the main BML website. $280 with mounts and dimmer. I split the cost with my lady - happy birthday to me! Also, come to find out, a local shop here is replacing all their fixtures with BML annnd they're also selling a variety of their fixtures! Neato!

While I wait for manufacturing, I went ahead and picked up two workshop domes, the polycarbonate ones with white reflective surfaces and 23w 6700K Philips CFL bulbs (all for only $35!). I'll probably keep these on the tank pending how much depth penetration I get out of the BML. This is what it looks like with just the workshop domes. Quite an improvement over the stock single 36" 38w T8 bulb that came with the tank!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[dcutl002]

So, BML is actually about 20 minutes from my house. I ordered a custom kit, virtually mimicking the 7000K fixture thanks to Ian086's images and the list of which diodes were used on the main BML website. $280 with mounts and dimmer. I split the cost with my lady - happy birthday to me! Also, come to find out, a local shop here is replacing all their fixtures with BML annnd they're also selling a variety of their fixtures! Neato!

While I wait for manufacturing, I went ahead and picked up two workshop domes, the polycarbonate ones with white reflective surfaces and 23w 6700K Philips CFL bulbs (all for only $35!). I'll probably keep these on the tank pending how much depth penetration I get out of the BML. This is what it looks like with just the workshop domes. Quite an improvement over the stock single 36" 38w T8 bulb that came with the tank!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Let me know how you like the BML please. I need to upgrade my T5HO units. I have replaced bulbs, ballasts, bulbs, bulbs, ballasts.....etc.......
I need something different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[schoeplein]

I'll definitely follow-up once I pick em' up! It was kind of silly how giddy I was about ordering them. My lady and I went to a show last night, and in the back of my mind the whole time I was thinking, "lights, lights, lights, lights, yayayayay".... lol

 

[schoeplein]

Second day that nitrites and nitrates have shown up. Spiking already. Been doing 10-20% wc every day this past week. Going to try and do two 20% changes later this evening.

The color doesn't translate well in the pic, but it's as follows:
NH4: 1.0 ppm
NO2: 1.0-2.0 ppm
NO3: 10 ppm

I should convert this post to my journal/log...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Aquarium Advice mobile app