LED lighting - what are my options?
- Thread starter jcardona1
- Start date
Currently is all male hap and peacock with catfish. I'm about to over haul the tank an get one I don't need a wet dry for and at that time might move to geo's sevrums rainbows bocortri (spelling) choclids true parrots clown loachs things like that. And in looking at the tank might opt to go with 4 lights because of the braces. If the new tank is the same it had 4 openings (3 braces) so 3 lights would fall directly on the braces and block light.
I don't think you'd need to go with the 30s. You don't have any plants I assume?
I put some of these on a 1500 gallon tank that I look after to see what they looked like. They lit it up quite nicely, and the tank is 36" deep.
I put some of these on a 1500 gallon tank that I look after to see what they looked like. They lit it up quite nicely, and the tank is 36" deep.
That should work. I'm running 4x20s on my 130. It lights it up great and is also growing the plants great as well. Not sure if you'll need them to be 18" off the surface though. 2-6" should be plenty.
I want them to cover the whole 8'x2'x2 area and my canopy is 2' tall. I'd rather not havt the lights in the way when I open the doors. I would like to mount the lights to the inside top of it. I figure the fixture is probably 6" or more deep making the light 18" or so away from the water and out of my way. Also I think the further the light the better the shimmer effect. Would 20's still be enough in that situation you think. Also the tank might change to 30" tall.
At the most the lights are 5" deep. Depending how you position the mounting bracket, it can be as small as 3.75" tall. I held one of mine with the bottom of the light at 18" above the tank. It definately reduces the light and increases the shimmer. I have no idea if you would like the look at that height. It is quite noticably dimmer. These things are very easy to rig to mount anyway you want, so you could easily drop them farther down for brighter light while still being out of the way. I think at around 4-6" above gives the best looking result for a combination of brightness and shimmer. As far as my eyes are concerned anyway. 
Thanks for your input. I might just order a 20 and a 30 and see how they look on my tank...then get the rest after I decided on wattage and then ill have a extra to try on another tank...I have a bunch. I will have to flip through this thread again and see where to order them from.
my buddys led ufo killed my umbee- too intense of light and it stressed him out. died like 20 mins after he put that stupid light on my tank
You wont get the same lumens as a 400w MH or anywhere near it with the 30w. I have three 30w's 1-2" off the water in a 30" deep tank and the lighting is a nice lower level very natural looking clean light. If you want to go bright and hang them high get 50 or 100w's. If you want stadium lighting like two 400w MH you're going to have to go higher wattage then anyone that's posted has tried.
